Koh Tao: 22-Year-Old British Tourist Tom Armstrong Missing In Thailand

[monkeycountry]

Having been in Thailand for almost a year he most likely has a Thai phone number. If the parents do not have the number, the Dive School most likely does. If they can get the number from the dive school, which I assume they can, then the number can be used to trace his current whereabouts. Doing this will however most likely require a court order, which I do not know if the family can obtain. (It could be the guy does not want to be found).

Considering the amount of corruption in Thailand, a trace can probably be made without a court order, if the family pays the right amount to the right guy at the phone company - just a guess!

Edited January 16, 2013 by monkeycountry

[jacko45k]

I obviously hope he's ok however I do wonder how these tourists manage to get themselves caught up in this kind of trouble.

You shouldn't.

Lots of ways for that to happen........let us hope he is okay.

[beano2274]

The Police will not do much unless there is some kind of payment involved.

Any one heard about when he was last seen, what he was wearing?

If he did leave Thailand then he will have filled out the departure card, if still in Thailand then trace of his telephone number might be required, but again for the police to do that a cash incentive might be required.

Edited January 16, 2013 by beano2274

[Boater]

The Police will not do much unless there is some kind of payment involved.

Any one heard about when he was last seen, what he was wearing?

If he did leave Thailand then he will have filled out the departure card, if still in Thailand then trace of his telephone number might be required, but again for the police to do that a cash incentive might be required.

If the embassey gets involved the police to move pretty quickly , and with the current bad press on Brits in Thailand already , they will hopefully step there game up and at least trace his last steps or attempt tomfind him

This event is also slightly similar to the American in phuket who went missing , did they find him ?

Only worrying part was the email regarding he wasmin trouble , was there more to it ? Did he borrow money ? Promise to do ajob for someone and didn't ? Pissed off a bar girl ? ....

Anyway, hope he is found safe and well , but to any expat reading here , if you do get into trouble , contact the embassey or lumpini police station , believe me they are there to help and they do ! ( there is English police staff at lumpini police station who are purly employed there to assist Brits and any other foreigner )

[lostinisaan]

Hope TV can help as there're so many guys all around this country. Guess he just don't want to go back home. Let's hope he's fine.....

[oldsailor35]

Hmm did I miss something or...what does this story have to do with Koh Tao as the headline mentions?

Hope he turns up soon.

Hmm Yep you must have missed something, as everybody else appears to understand ! Duhhh !

Edited January 16, 2013 by oldsailor35

[chooka]

A young man is missing? Well the chances that bangkok has him are 90%. Young man meets nice Asian girl, does not want to tell mum and dad and disappears for a few months.

Quite possible and lets hope this is the case.

[smotherb]

Here's the story:

Young man falls for Thai girl and overstays his visa.

Young man is too cheap to pay the fine and stays in Bangkok with Thai girl.

So many Brits here. So few with any money. All dreaming of ways to make it work when there are no jobs.

No. Teaching is not a job.

Khun Hehe signing off.

Would you share your crystal ball?

Hehe doesn't need a crystal ball, Hehe is a Thaivisa member--didn't you get your Nostradamus kit when you signed up?

[siamsaint]

I wonder if he gave his family more details than "some kind of trouble" which could equate to anything from running off with a girl to real life or death trouble. Here's hoping he just got mixed up with a girl and nothing worse.

[ukrules]

The police should be able to find out where he was staying.

Passport numbers are recorded and logged when you stay somewhere.

I moved into a new place last summer and the lady who owns it got her son to logon to the internet and enter my passport details into some kind of government registration system. How do I know this ? My girlfriend took my passport to the guy and watched him enter the information online before bringing my passport back.

I'm staying in a place which rents out a few holiday style houses to tourists, however lately the owner has started renting to people who want to stay long term instead of people who just stay for a few days. I can imagine that this same system is (or should be) used by all guesthouses and hotels across the country. Where I'm staying there are only 5 houses so it's a pretty small scale operation but they have access to this system to register anyone who stays here.

[bigbamboo]

This guy is a week overdue and has made no contact with his family after having done so for months beforehand.

Bangkok is no city of angels whatever TAT might try to tell you. The family's concern is more than justified.

[PoorSucker]

A member of staff at Davy Jones Locker on the island of Koh Tao told how the worried parents of Tom Armstrong have been contacting the school in a desperate bid to get in touch with their son.The 22-year-old, of Kelsale, near Saxmundham, has been missing for seven days after failing to catch a flight back to Britain.

Mr Armstrong had originally been due to return before Christmas, but unexpectedly returned to his accommodation at the diving school.

He had arrived in Koh Tao last April to begin a Dive Master course.

The former Leiston High School pupil is described by those who know him at the school as a “sweet guy”.

Kathy Nash, who runs the shop at Davy Jones Locker, said: “Tom was here around Christmas, but left to get a flight home.

He tried to catch the flight, but something happened and he came back.

I think it was on January 3 that Tom came in and collected his diving equipment, but we haven’t seen him since.”

His mother Helen Armstrong-Bland said he should have returned on January 9, but his family have not heard from him.

Davy Jones Locker

http://www.eadt.co.u...t_guy_1_1794043

[beano2274]

Saw a farang who looked a bit out of place yesterday in Nonthaburi area with a yellow waterproof rucksack thing, did not see his face but hair was lightish and he seemed to be under 5ft 10. But could have been someone else, that is why I asked had anyone seen him recently what he was wearing and such.

[BWPattaya]

Hopefully everything turns out right, and hopefully Thaivisa posts about it.

[Plastic Brontosaurus]

Bit of a worry this story lets hope it will all work out OK in the end for this chap.

However whilst some people state their worry about the number of incidents happening to tourists/falangs in Thailand, we should also realize that the number of tourists visiting Thailand per year is roughly the same as the entire population of Australia. Given that fact, I think the numbers overall are not too bad at all, and more or less "as expected" for such a large number of people, I'd say.

[me313]

He looks like a nice person, I doubt he would "run off" with some girl and not contact his family, and they should know what he would do by now. A tragedy.

[rct99q]

Perhaps with all the TV people stationed around this country instead of speculating what has happened to this young man we act like an "Amber" alert system.

Circulate pictures ask a few questions, keep your eyes and ears open, report any factual information that the family of Tom's could perhaps use. Or is there somewhere on TV for this?

I am in the far NorthEast but still took a photo of him from the internet and asked at a few Western / Thai guest houses for people to have a look at. You never know!

And if Tom see's this thread or any others like it get in touch and I am sure many people, including myself, will help if needed. If it is as simple as an unpaid overstay don't worry there is help.

[moe666]

I am wondering what it has to do with a girl. The story only says some trouble many here have used their imignation to make it out to be a girl.

[samuibeachcomber]

I am wondering what it has to do with a girl. The story only says some trouble many here have used their imignation to make it out to be a girl.

post no. 3 offered it as an explanation only,not as a fact and it kind of took off from there.we can only hope nothing serious has happened to him.

[Jan de Uitvreter]

Maybe contact his Thai female friends on Facebook !!......

Not everybody want's or got FB!

[siamsaint]

Could be many things but the point is people are hoping he's with a girl rather than the more negative possibilities and this being Thailand it seems that being shacked up with a girl is a strong possibility.

[Skorz]

Check the Kao San Road guest houses. A friend of a friend went missing in Bangkok last Christmas Found him drunk with a tart a few days later at one of the guest houses at 7am. He didn't think he had done anything wrong despite leaving his English GF in a state of abject panic/terror. His excuse was he just got caught up in the moment.

[Nigel1500]

The Police will not do much unless there is some kind of payment involved.

Any one heard about when he was last seen, what he was wearing?

If he did leave Thailand then he will have filled out the departure card, if still in Thailand then trace of his telephone number might be required, but again for the police to do that a cash incentive might be required.

Insulting the Royal Thai Police will get you nowhere. I can assure you that much is being done.

[Nigel1500]

The police should be able to find out where he was staying.

Passport numbers are recorded and logged when you stay somewhere.

I moved into a new place last summer and the lady who owns it got her son to logon to the internet and enter my passport details into some kind of government registration system. How do I know this ? My girlfriend took my passport to the guy and watched him enter the information online before bringing my passport back.

I'm staying in a place which rents out a few holiday style houses to tourists, however lately the owner has started renting to people who want to stay long term instead of people who just stay for a few days. I can imagine that this same system is (or should be) used by all guesthouses and hotels across the country. Where I'm staying there are only 5 houses so it's a pretty small scale operation but they have access to this system to register anyone who stays here.

You are quite right ukrules. Remember that ex Met now work with the Royal Thai Police. Officers from BKK also receive training by the Met. They have access to all the technology that any other modern day police force has. Rest assured that phone, internet, travel, accommodation and banking records will be checked.

Let's not forget that the alarm was raised only three days ago on the 13th, but he was expected back in the UK no later than the 8th. The trail was 5 days old before authorities were notified. There are many things yet to be established. Let the police do their job and pray for a positive outcome.

[johnlandy]

I obviously hope he's ok however I do wonder how these tourists manage to get themselves caught up in this kind of trouble.

"this kind of trouble" and what sort of trouble do you think that might be? With more than a thousand posts under your belt and even if you have never set foot in Thailand I am sure that just by reading TV

you could come up with at least a hundred scenarios of the type of trouble one might find themselves getting into. Use your imagination (if all else fails)

p.s. I too, hope that he is alright!

[transam]

I obviously hope he's ok however I do wonder how these tourists manage to get themselves caught up in this kind of trouble.

"this kind of trouble" and what sort of trouble do you think that might be? With more than a thousand posts under your belt and even if you have never set foot in Thailand I am sure that just by reading TV

you could come up with at least a hundred scenarios of the type of trouble one might find themselves getting into. Use your imagination (if all else fails)

p.s. I too, hope that he is alright!

Oui, lay off this lady. Read more stuff before you rant, eh.

[a99az]

Here's the story:

Young man falls for Thai girl and overstays his visa.

Young man is too cheap to pay the fine and stays in Bangkok with Thai girl.

So many Brits here. So few with any money. All dreaming of ways to make it work when there are no jobs.

No. Teaching is not a job.

Khun Hehe signing off.

Teaching is a job for me, but that could be because I work hard and do the best that I can for my students.

[A Member]

I obviously hope he's ok however I do wonder how these tourists manage to get themselves caught up in this kind of trouble.

Unfortunately all too easily it seems. Let's hope the matter can be resolved successfully

[sbk]

troll posts and off topic nonsense' removed

[fasteddie]

I obviously hope he's ok however I do wonder how these tourists manage to get themselves caught up in this kind of trouble.

What kind of trouble's that then?