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

[kruangfaifar]

22 and no mobile phone?This guy doesn't want to be contacted. Parents waiting at the station when he didn't even fly!! Suggests communications within. family not good.Police shouldn't be looking for him unless a crime has been commited

Edited January 16, 2013 by kruangfaifar

[TheOggMonster]

He's gone A,W,O,L!...i hope!

[ericthai]

I must say that the number of situations with farangs is getting very concerning. Thailand is turning into a Wild and dangerous country. It is almost everyday that people get missing or worse in this country...

your kidding me... It has been this way to years.

[ericthai]

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.

Nobody is saying that the police are not educated or don't know what to do or how to find someone, the thing is they just don't to it unless they are getting something out of it. Now I'm not saying this is true for all of them just about 90%.

[Traxster]

If he's ok,and I sincerely hope that he is,

someone should tell him to get his mind above her girdle ,

take five minutes out of his valuable time and go and ring his Mum !!.

[Semper]

If he's ok,and I sincerely hope that he is,

someone should tell him to get his mind above her girdle ,

take five minutes out of his valuable time and go and ring his Mum !!.

Agree, but no one seems to know where he is.

[marquis22]

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.

Not all hotels record or look at passports. I am currently touring Thailand and have stayed in 8 different hotels with only 5 asking to see passport, the other 3 would not know me from Adam or where I come from.

But still, if I did go missing then there is some record of where I have been.

[fish fingers]

and a swiss girl is missing too. Not good and I hope the embassies are actively doing as much as they can.

[jimbeam1]

22 and no mobile phone?This guy doesn't want to be contacted. Parents waiting at the station when he didn't even fly!! Suggests communications within. family not good.Police shouldn't be looking for him unless a crime has been commited

And you are sure that a crime hasn't been committed?

I hope that you are right, for all concerned.

jb1

[SteeleJoe]

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.

Wow.

Sent from my iPad using ThaiVisa ap

[SteeleJoe]

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.

It could be any number of things of course. But I remember 25 years ago getting to know that US Consular officer whose job it was to handle inquiries from worried mothers. He told me that there was virtually only 3 scenarios that he ever came across: the best possible outcome - and a very common one -- was that the guy was shacked up with some Thai girl and/or strung out on heroin, the second - less common because these guys usually contacted home quickly - was the guy had been arrested for something. The third - far too common - was that he was dead (usually from drugs).

Speaking as someone who was first here at 19, and went off the radar for a while (and got into a certain amount of troubles), I can see how any of the above scenarios could easily be true.

But it very well might be just a young man caught up in adventure and being less than considerate with his family. I hope so.

Sent from my iPad using ThaiVisa ap

Edited January 17, 2013 by SteeleJoe

[maturebrit]

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.

It could be any number of things of course. But I remember 25 years ago getting to know that US Consular officer whose job it was to handle inquiries from worried mothers. He told me that there was virtually only 3 scenarios that he ever came across: the best possible outcome - and a very common one -- was that the guy was shacked up with some Thai girl and/or strung out on heroin, the second - less common because these guys usually contacted home quickly - was the guy had been arrested for something. The third - far too common - was that he was dead (usually from drugs).

Speaking as someone who was first here at 19, and went off the radar for a while (and got into a certain amount of troubles), I can see how any of the above scenarios could easily be true.

But it very well might be just a young man caught up in adventure and being less than considerate with his family. I hope so.

Sent from my iPad using ThaiVisa ap

Your so right.... in 92 I had to come to BKK to identify my best mates body. his mum asked me to as she wanted to remember him as he was...He was working but got fired.....shacked up and strung out on smack....Body found with copy of passport in pocket...cause of death..... Aids related I was told..

sad but this does happen

Sent from my GT-N7000 using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

[Konini]

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

Off topic, but I can't help myself from saying good on you. I didn't think there were any teachers with a real vocation left. Everywhere in the world, but particularly in Thailand where qualifications are a bit lapse in a lot of places, 'teachers' do it for nothing more than money.

My faith in humanity has been restored. Good on you.

[BangrakBob]

22 and no mobile phone?This guy doesn't want to be contacted. Parents waiting at the station when he didn't even fly!! Suggests communications within. family not good.Police shouldn't be looking for him unless a crime has been commited

1. How do you know he doesn't want to be contacted? 2. How do you know communications within the family "not good"? 3. How do you know a crime has not been committed?

I'm sorry, but i don't understand why people post speculative comments and assumptions, particularly when there is a good possibility the missing person's relatives and friends are looking for helpful information from the forum.

Edited January 17, 2013 by BangrakBob

[phuturatica]

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

If I would have traveled to Thailand when I was 22, perhaps I would have found it easy to get in some kind of trouble, particularly in BKK.

I did travel to Thailand when I was 22 and I seemed to stay out of trouble.

[kruangfaifar]

I must say that the number of situations with farangs is getting very concerning. Thailand is turning into a Wild and dangerous country. It is almost everyday that people get missing or worse in this country...

What do you mean "turning into"?

Amazing!! Everyone has a smart phone now with 24 hr access to news and services like TV are constantly trawling news sources for any mention of farangs in LoS in the media especially negative mentions. Almost as soon as it is found the headline goes to all TV members who have requested email notification who then assume that Thailand has crapped on another farang and develop a negative preception of Thailand even though the trouble may be trivial or self inflicted.. It seems like an easy way to mould people's thinking into believing something based solely on the traffic volume. If TV posts a number of farang negative news items every day readers could get a very distorted perception on reality.Note I am in no way suggesting that TV is trying to manipulate people in that way but I think it may be an inevitable side effect of having so much news access

If you really believe what you say about Thailand becoming wild and Dangerous why don't you prove it? All the data is available for you to do it and don't forget when analysing the data you have to filter out the bad data like this thread Nothing has happened to this guy I am sure. There has been no ransom demand, the guy has just finished the world's longest diving course but hasn't even got a mobile phone. In my opinion Thailand in 1990 had a much more 'Wild west feel to it than it does now. At that time I spent 5 months riding around the country on my motorbike and it had a definite wild west feel about the place which i liked e.g. Isaan villages with "No Guns" signs at the road side, watching RTAF F-5 jets dropping bombs on Cambodia whilst watching from Phanom Rung where I was the only visitor, walking in to a restaurant made from old packing cases in Mae Saem Laep and feeling a bit nervous because all customers had an M16 with them and they were watching trucks pulling teak logs out of the river and into Thailand. That's the Wild West Thailand that i remember fondly. I have never had a problem or felt threatened by any Thai men then and as far as I am concerned the siuation remains the same today except some of the "rough" edges have been smoothed down over time ( Anybody miss entering trhe Thermae through the Fire Door in the Gents and drinking till dawn?). The only real (meaning gun crazy)"Wild West" places that i have lived and worked in are Venezuela, Philippines and USA listed in order of my perception of the risk of me being shot at. Interestingly the countries that i felt were the highest risk of me being physically attacked for no apparent reason were UK, Australia and USA in that order due to the beer cultures and thug mentality that is so prevalent in those countries. In Thailand as long as I stay away from drunk farangs I have never felt at risk and that suits me

Edited January 17, 2013 by kruangfaifar

[crazydrummerpauly]

This thread is about asking members for help , really do NOT need the smart trollish remarks. I have zero tolerance for these type of posts ,I will delete them & treat the posters with the penalties they deserve.

Well said. The lame attempts at humour on here which always follow even really tragic events such as deaths, assaults or disappearance - and for some reason the first post is usually one of this type - have stopped me bothering to comment on most stories. Just do not want to be on the same page as the tasteless gits that seem to dominate tv now.

[crazydrummerpauly]

I must say that the number of situations with farangs is getting very concerning. Thailand is turning into a Wild and dangerous country. It is almost everyday that people get missing or worse in this country...

What do you mean "turning into"?

Amazing!! Everyone has a smart phone now with 24 hr access to news and services like TV are constantly trawling news sources for any mention of farangs in LoS in the media especially negative mentions. Almost as soon as it is found the headline goes to all TV members who have requested email notification who then assume that Thailand has crapped on another farang and develop a negative preception of Thailand even though the trouble may be trivial or self inflicted.. It seems like an easy way to mould people's thinking into believing something based solely on the traffic volume. If TV posts a number of farang negative news items every day readers could get a very distorted perception on reality.Note I am in no way suggesting that TV is trying to manipulate people in that way but I think it may be an inevitable side effect of having so much news access

If you really believe what you say about Thailand becoming wild and Dangerous why don't you prove it? All the data is available for you to do it and don't forget when analysing the data you have to filter out the bad data like this thread Nothing has happened to this guy I am sure. There has been no ransom demand, the guy has just finished the world's longest diving course but hasn't even got a mobile phone. In my opinion Thailand in 1990 had a much more 'Wild west feel to it than it does now. At that time I spent 5 months riding around the country on my motorbike and it had a definite wild west feel about the place which i liked e.g. Isaan villages with "No Guns" signs at the road side, watching RTAF F-5 jets dropping bombs on Cambodia whilst watching from Phanom Rung where I was the only visitor, walking in to a restaurant made from old packing cases in Mae Saem Laep and feeling a bit nervous because all customers had an M16 with them and they were watching trucks pulling teak logs out of the river and into Thailand. That's the Wild West Thailand that i remember fondly. I have never had a problem or felt threatened by any Thai men then and as far as I am concerned the siuation remains the same today except some of the "rough" edges have been smoothed down over time ( Anybody miss entering trhe Thermae through the Fire Door in the Gents and drinking till dawn?). The only real (meaning gun crazy)"Wild West" places that i have lived and worked in are Venezuela, Philippines and USA listed in order of my perception of the risk of me being shot at. Interestingly the countries that i felt were the highest risk of me being physically attacked for no apparent reason were UK, Australia and USA in that order due to the beer cultures and thug mentality that is so prevalent in those countries. In Thailand as long as I stay away from drunk farangs I have never felt at risk and that suits me

Great post. Should be compulsory reading for all the blinkered, paranoid, knee-jerk doom-mongers.

[LaoPo]

Jeez....a 22 yr old chap from Britain, living on a small island for some 8 months didn't get on the expected plane and is reported "missing" after 1 week ?

People in the western hemisphere have no idea how these youngsters live and enjoy their lives on a paradise island to the UTMOST, without having a phone and who lose all realistic contact with the busy stressy world, thousands of miles away back home.

Literally thousands and thousands of these youngsters (after graduation) go on a year long backpacking holiday, travelling to many countries and most of them start in Asian countries like Thailand, India, Nepal or any other country, on their way to (often) Australia and/or other parts of the world.

If ALL parents would ring the alarmbell after 1 week because they didn't hear for 1, 2 or 5 weeks from their sons and/or daughters, we might as well start an International website, looking for young people because they "forgot" to contact their parents.

I know of quite a few youngsters who did so and some were in contact with their parents on a constant basis by email or Face time or Skype whilst others didn't care too much.

It all depends on the bond the youngsters have with their parents but if a young guy lives on Koh Tao for 8 months I'm almost certain he's not in contact with his folks on a daily or even weekly basis simply because one is "too busy" with being lazy in the heat, enjoying his life with other young people, even with a busy diving job/course.

Of course something could have happened but it could also be he's enjoying himself with someone he fell in love with and couldn't let-go and said to himself....f_kc the ticket; I will go later.

Remember, many only learn in the Far East to put life into perspective, especially in Thailand

Ot maybe he changed his mind or maybe.....just maybe's

I wouldn't worry too much since there are no signs whatsoever that something bad happened to/with him or did I miss something ?

[Samui Coconut]

Jeez....a 22 yr old chap from Britain, living on a small island for some 8 months didn't get on the expected plane and is reported "missing" after 1 week ?

People in the western hemisphere have no idea how these youngsters live and enjoy their lives on a paradise island to the UTMOST, without having a phone and who lose all realistic contact with the busy stressy world, thousands of miles away back home.

Literally thousands and thousands of these youngsters (after graduation) go on a year long backpacking holiday, travelling to many countries and most of them start in Asian countries like Thailand, India, Nepal or any other country, on their way to (often) Australia and/or other parts of the world.

If ALL parents would ring the alarmbell after 1 week because they didn't hear for 1, 2 or 5 weeks from their sons and/or daughters, we might as well start an International website, looking for young people because they "forgot" to contact their parents.

I know of quite a few youngsters who did so and some were in contact with their parents on a constant basis by email or Face time or Skype whilst others didn't care too much.

It all depends on the bond the youngsters have with their parents but if a young guy lives on Koh Tao for 8 months I'm almost certain he's not in contact with his folks on a daily or even weekly basis simply because one is "too busy" with being lazy in the heat, enjoying his life with other young people, even with a busy diving job/course.

Of course something could have happened but it could also be he's enjoying himself with someone he fell in love with and couldn't let-go and said to himself....f_kc the ticket; I will go later.

Remember, many only learn in the Far East to put life into perspective, especially in Thailand

Ot maybe he changed his mind or maybe.....just maybe's

I wouldn't worry too much since there are no signs whatsoever that something bad happened to/with him or did I miss something ?

Well, he actually said he ran into some trouble in BANGKOK (NOT Koh Tao), but that could have been an excuse as well, in general I agree with your post though.

[carmine]

I must say that the number of situations with farangs is getting very concerning. Thailand is turning into a Wild and dangerous country. It is almost everyday that people get missing or worse in this country...

What do you mean "turning into"?

Amazing!! Everyone has a smart phone now with 24 hr access to news and services like TV are constantly trawling news sources for any mention of farangs in LoS in the media especially negative mentions. Almost as soon as it is found the headline goes to all TV members who have requested email notification who then assume that Thailand has crapped on another farang and develop a negative preception of Thailand even though the trouble may be trivial or self inflicted.. It seems like an easy way to mould people's thinking into believing something based solely on the traffic volume. If TV posts a number of farang negative news items every day readers could get a very distorted perception on reality.Note I am in no way suggesting that TV is trying to manipulate people in that way but I think it may be an inevitable side effect of having so much news access

If you really believe what you say about Thailand becoming wild and Dangerous why don't you prove it? All the data is available for you to do it and don't forget when analysing the data you have to filter out the bad data like this thread Nothing has happened to this guy I am sure. There has been no ransom demand, the guy has just finished the world's longest diving course but hasn't even got a mobile phone. In my opinion Thailand in 1990 had a much more 'Wild west feel to it than it does now. At that time I spent 5 months riding around the country on my motorbike and it had a definite wild west feel about the place which i liked e.g. Isaan villages with "No Guns" signs at the road side, watching RTAF F-5 jets dropping bombs on Cambodia whilst watching from Phanom Rung where I was the only visitor, walking in to a restaurant made from old packing cases in Mae Saem Laep and feeling a bit nervous because all customers had an M16 with them and they were watching trucks pulling teak logs out of the river and into Thailand. That's the Wild West Thailand that i remember fondly. I have never had a problem or felt threatened by any Thai men then and as far as I am concerned the siuation remains the same today except some of the "rough" edges have been smoothed down over time ( Anybody miss entering trhe Thermae through the Fire Door in the Gents and drinking till dawn?). The only real (meaning gun crazy)"Wild West" places that i have lived and worked in are Venezuela, Philippines and USA listed in order of my perception of the risk of me being shot at. Interestingly the countries that i felt were the highest risk of me being physically attacked for no apparent reason were UK, Australia and USA in that order due to the beer cultures and thug mentality that is so prevalent in those countries. In Thailand as long as I stay away from drunk farangs I have never felt at risk and that suits me

The best post on here.

[BigC]

Well I don't care how much bad or good publicity Samui gets it is still full of traffic and tourists yes the businesses do go up and down as has been doing since I got here but I think it more depends on people's financial status in their own Countries that decide I they come here or not and not the publicity of minders and accidents that happen on a daily basis every where in the world

There is not shortage of tourists going on holiday to Africa jo burg

Brazil

Argentin

South American

North America

London Manchester

Swimming in shark invested waters

In fact danger might be a reason why people visit some places

[BigC]

i can't count how many times i have gone missing in the past and when esxs girl friends decided to to a bunk without a good bye note.

Thailand is an easy place to get lost. but taking into account that he is still missing untol found.

As for Thailand being dangerous. well we have to get used to having nanny governments telling what is best for ourselves and we should be able to use our so called supior forang education to look after ourselves. problem is with forang edeucation or no matter how ell educated you are being ready for being street smart and suavival smart they do not teach in schools. you can learn out here and learn the hard way.

i have come to a point where i think i am going to spend as much time here as possible which ups the odds that i shal probably die hear. i mean i have to die someone where.So we shall see what my maker has installed.

be iorinic if i went home to se the family for 3 weeks and got stabbed to ddeath outside a pub, that would be an in your face to all thee poeple that cant look after themselves here

anyway where would the fun be without danger

[ableguy]

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.

Lot of negativity here

[steventoo]

Hey, I know that guy. He's the former room mate of a few friends here on Koh Tao. I only met him a couple of times despite hanging out in their house a fair bit - he spent most of his time here hanging out in his room by himself. As far as I know there was no girl on the scene.

[TheOggMonster]

Has he gone A,W,O,L or is he the latest VICTIM? Wait until he's Visa expires and see if he shows up at the border!

[Rooo]

Insensitive post removed.

[ThaidDown]

Update

The 'other paper' is reporting that money has been taken out of Tom Armstrong's UK bank by someone in Bangkok.

Google 'missing uk mans bank touched' for more info

[PoorSucker]

Thailand missing man Tom Armstrong's bank account used

Money has been withdrawn from the bank account of a Suffolk man who went missing in Thailand earlier this month.

Tom Armstrong, 22, from Kelsale near Saxmundham, was due to fly home and arrive at Heathrow on 9 January, but he did not board his flight.

Suffolk Police said he had not been in contact since, while the withdrawal was made in the Thai capital Bangkok on 16 January.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-suffolk-21154041

[John 1]

Thailand missing man Tom Armstrong's bank account used

Money has been withdrawn from the bank account of a Suffolk man who went missing in Thailand earlier this month.

Tom Armstrong, 22, from Kelsale near Saxmundham, was due to fly home and arrive at Heathrow on 9 January, but he did not board his flight.

Suffolk Police said he had not been in contact since, while the withdrawal was made in the Thai capital Bangkok on 16 January.

http://www.bbc.co.uk...uffolk-21154041

Why wouldn't he draw money from his account needs to eat.