Tom Armstrong Search: Family 'hopeful' After Possible Sighting In Bangkok

[webfact]

Tom Armstrong search: family "hopeful" after possible sighting in Bangkok

BANGKOK: -- The family of a Suffolk man who has been missing in Thailand are "much more hopeful" after a possible sighting.

Tom Armstrong, 22, from Kelsale near Saxmundham, had been due to arrive at Heathrow from Bangkok airport on 9 January but did not catch the flight.

newsjsA man has contacted the family via Facebook and said he believes he bumped into Tom in Bangkok on Saturday.

Helen Armstrong-Bland, Tom's mother said: "He said he'd then seen photos of our Tom and he's positive it's him."

Mr Armstrong's father had already flown to Thailand to liaise with the local authorities involved in the search. [more...]

Full story: http://www.bbc.co.uk...uffolk-21370236

-- BBC 2013-02-08

[cgphuket]

Sounds like he doesnt want to be found. moving on....

[rkidlad]

Very strange. If he doesn't wanna be found. might it have been an idea to tell his parents first that he's well and wants to be left alone.

Or it wasn't him at all.

[phuturatica]

Whatever the deal is with this story... Whether Tom is missing or doesn't want to be found. It must be soul destroying and gut wrenching being a parent and not knowing where your own child is whilst you'll frantically try and search for him in a foreign country.

If Tom doesn't want to be found he should at least tell his family this so they can stop searching in vain.

[redroo]

Could be they are telling tales of gone missing.

Maybe he's told them to leave him alone and doesn't want to be found."thaigirlfriend"

He is 22 and not some minor.

Possible over staying his visa,and not wanting to contact the embassy.

[Takeo]

Could be they are telling tales of gone missing.

Maybe he's told them to leave him alone and doesn't want to be found."thaigirlfriend"

He is 22 and not some minor.

Possible over staying his visa,and not wanting to contact the embassy.

I wouldnt think he is an overstayer yet, as he only arrived on the 9th Jan

[laobali]

Can't you read? He was due to arrive back in the UK on 9th Jan.

[Terry Newman]

How credible is the sighting though, most Thais are hopeless telling farlang apart. You are either hansum man or not, or fat or not or white or choc-late` man.

[Docno]

How credible is the sighting though, most Thais are hopeless telling farlang apart. You are either hansum man or not, or fat or not or white or choc-late` man.

What makes you think the 'witness' is Thai? It just refers to a man who lives in Bangkok. Many non-Thais live there also...

[brianP]

What an asshol_e to make his loved ones suffer. If he has mental problems or is dead,i excuse him, otherwise i am keeping my eyes open and if i catch him, his folks will get a graphic conference call.

[Carib]

What an asshol_e to make his loved ones suffer. If he has mental problems or is dead,i excuse him, otherwise i am keeping my eyes open and if i catch him, his folks will get a graphic conference call.

What an absolute ridiculous statement, it is non of your business, he may have a 1000 reasons not to let anybody know anything about his whereabouts or reasons.

[Scorpio1949]

I worked long time ago for a TV program that was trying to trace missing people and you will be amazed how many people simply did not want to be found..... And I can tell you from experience that it used to be easy to trace people in Thailand !

[how241]

Whatever the deal is with this story... Whether Tom is missing or doesn't want to be found. It must be soul destroying and gut wrenching being a parent and not knowing where your own child is whilst you'll frantically try and search for him in a foreign country.

If Tom doesn't want to be found he should at least tell his family this so they can stop searching in vain.

+1

[Locationthailand]

The 'kid' seems to not care, but that is only if he is not being held to ransom, in danger, or against is free will. I would think it hard to swallow any Brit just disappearing as a pay back or through hatred of parents. There is more to this than meets the eye.

[Briggsy]

This is farcical. There are specific agencies, both governmental and private that specialise in finding "missing persons". They have access to a lot of info that members of the general public don't, for instance mobile phone records, ATM records, CCTV footage. They have staff with training and more importantly experience. Facebook and internet forums are not one of these.

How difficult can it be to find a 6 foot 3 farang with blonde hair who cannot speak Thai and whose bank card has been used by him or other person in Bangkok. This has been going on for weeks now.

Stop faffing around and call in the professionals.

[MaxLee]

Well, all I was referring to in the last thread, was not meant to hurt anyone. All I was practically saying is, that especially for a young adolsecent/young adult, who can't speak the local language in a foreign Asian country, the probability running into unknown secret staging ground troubles is very high, as you could all witness in the Phuket or Koh Pangan incidents from last year, or from those police bribes executed on an innocent Australian a few months ago....

All I was referring to was, it's dangerous especially in a country like Thailand, where the language is really hard to learn, and not many Thais respond to English....

I just wanted to take the opportunity to redeem my apology for posting that negative "appearing" comment which was not meant to hurt the concerned and worrying family.

I'm just saying, it's becoming really strange to the point, where one has to wonder, whether something really dangerous had happened.

I just hope he's al right....

[waza]

I wonder if the ATM took pics of him? That would confirm its him.

[MaxLee]

Well the people who claimed they have seen him just do the best they can to give a hint...

[ragamuffin]

No info on the ATM locations, times etc. I asked on Facebook, no reply from the family.

[MaxLee]

Well in a foreign Asian country, where one struggles with a foreign language, and on the other hand the majority of the locals don't speak any English at all, it's so dangerous if you don't have any friend circle here or at least a Thai friend here.

Lost in translation is exactly the point, why one should be careful to travel in a lawless country full of corruption and lies...

I feel for the parents who will have to learn the negative aspects of FACE in Thailand sooner or later, if you know what I mean...

[oldsailor35]

Unless you have ever been in this situation, you will not ever understand and should stop guessing. I have been there, and know that things move very fast. When you are young, many things happen that you later regret. You just get on with your life not thinking back. I was AWOL for 6 years, broke my mothers heart, and now i have to live with it. Call it irresponsible if you must, but i guess that we are all different. This young guy is probably ok, but it would be easy for him to hop on the internet and say Hi, something i never had in the late 50's. So all you experts, please back off. Is only a short time since he last contacted the family.

[oldsailor35]

The 'kid' seems to not care, but that is only if he is not being held to ransom, in danger, or against is free will. I would think it hard to swallow any Brit just disappearing as a pay back or through hatred of parents. There is more to this than meets the eye.

Not necessarily mate ! he may just be having a good time and wants it to last forever, so many of us are irresponsible when young but regret it later when we grow up !

[BwindiBoy]

I live in Suffolk and am reliably informed that he emailed his mum last week, apologising for the worry he's caused and saying he's ok. Apparently, he has a propensity to do this sort of thing...allegedly. Story over as far as I'm concerned - his dad will find him shortly.

[Richie23]

I live in Suffolk and am reliably informed that he emailed his mum last week, apologising for the worry he's caused and saying he's ok. Apparently, he has a propensity to do this sort of thing...allegedly. Story over as far as I'm concerned - his dad will find him shortly.

If this is true he needs a bloody clip round the ear if you ask me. And would his parents seemingly panic as much if that were the case? Hmmm.... Whole things a tad odd

[MaxLee]

I live in Suffolk and am reliably informed that he emailed his mum last week, apologising for the worry he's caused and saying he's ok. Apparently, he has a propensity to do this sort of thing...allegedly. Story over as far as I'm concerned - his dad will find him shortly.

So what did he run into?

[MaxLee]

I live in Suffolk and am reliably informed that he emailed his mum last week, apologising for the worry he's caused and saying he's ok. Apparently, he has a propensity to do this sort of thing...allegedly. Story over as far as I'm concerned - his dad will find him shortly.

So what did he run into?

Edited February 17, 2013 by MaxLee

[Richie23]

According to the 'missing Tom armstrong' Facebook page, he and his father are having a chat over a pint lunchtime today....

[transam]

What an asshol_e to make his loved ones suffer. If he has mental problems or is dead,i excuse him, otherwise i am keeping my eyes open and if i catch him, his folks will get a graphic conference call.

What an absolute ridiculous statement, it is non of your business, he may have a 1000 reasons not to let anybody know anything about his whereabouts or reasons.

BUT, a simple ten second phone call to a chum in his homeland can put folk at ease.

[mrtoad]

According to the 'missing Tom armstrong' Facebook page, he and his father are having a chat over a pint lunchtime today....

If he was my lad, I'd be pouring the pint over his head.

[Richie23]

According to the 'missing Tom armstrong' Facebook page, he and his father are having a chat over a pint lunchtime today....

If he was my lad, I'd be pouring the pint over his head.

And some...