Missing British Thailand Traveller Tom Armstrong Found Safe And Well

[mrtoad]

Maybe he was tied up in a wardrobe by a secret masterbation cult.

[DP25]

Ridiculous that the father has done all this. The guy is 22 years old, he shouldn't have to report every movement he makes. The father has basically ruined his son's life over not calling home for 3 weeks. Every time the son goes to apply for a job they will google his name and find this story. Depending on who is reading it, they will either think the guy is an asshol_e or a pathetic daddy's boy, either way it makes him look horrible. The father should have quietly hired a private investigator if he was really concerned, a fewfliers in the usual young farang hangouts would have found him quick enough. This manhunt involving the BBC and international news organizations is going to have consequences for him for the rest of his life.

[SteeleJoe]

Several posters have suggested that the young lad (21 yrs old) may have become so

enamored by life in the LOS that he simply could not bring himself to depart.

In April 1962, as a young (21) military member, I was on my way to a new assignment

and passed thru Bangkok, spending only one night. Suffice it to say, when morning came

and I had to go to the airport to continue my journey, I was filled with great consternation.

God, how I wanted to stay at least a few weeks. I felt as if I had gone to heaven without

dying. About that time a popular song on the radio was One Night in Bangkok. The lyrics

haunted me for years until I finally came back.

I'll never forget that first visit. Maybe this young Brit had a similar feeling about leaving.

That song didn't come out until about 20 years later. Want to revise your story?

[candypants]

so you are saying he should have at least dropped em an email or quick skype call saying he extended his trip and would contact them when he was good and ready and all would have been fine?

[animatic]

Several posters have suggested that the young lad (21 yrs old) may have become so

enamored by life in the LOS that he simply could not bring himself to depart.

In April 1962, as a young (21) military member, I was on my way to a new assignment

and passed thru Bangkok, spending only one night. Suffice it to say, when morning came

and I had to go to the airport to continue my journey, I was filled with great consternation.

God, how I wanted to stay at least a few weeks. I felt as if I had gone to heaven without

dying. About that time a popular song on the radio was One Night in Bangkok. The lyrics

haunted me for years until I finally came back.

I'll never forget that first visit. Maybe this young Brit had a similar feeling about leaving.

That song didn't come out until about 20 years later. Want to revise your story?

Either that or the date of your military service...

Wiki "

"One Night In Bangkok" is a song originally sung by the British actor and pop-dance singer Murray Head (verses) and Swedish singer and songwriter Anders Glenmark (choruses) on the 1984 concept album for the musical Chess. Its music was composed by former ABBA members Benny Andersson and Björn Ulvaeus, and its lyrics were written by Tim Rice and Björn Ulvaeus.

The release topped the charts in many countries, including South Africa, West Germany,Switzerland and Australia. It peaked at number 3 in both Canada and the United States in May, 1985,^[1] and at number 12 in Head's native United Kingdom. "

Edited February 19, 2013 by animatic

[ragamuffin]

Nope, Ya Ice seems to be the prob according to the Facebook page.

[Gonsalviz]

What a great relief to his family to have a happy ending in this case. This young man has a great deal of explaining to do to his loved ones.......

He's 22 not 13.

[Bpuumike]

Missing Brit found alive in Thailand

Tom Armstrong.

THAILAND: -- The family of missing British tourist Tom Armstrong, 22, has announced that their son is alive and well, after being reported missing while in Koh Tao earlier this year.

The BBC reported that Mr Armstrong had been found alive and well.

Mr Armstrong, from England, had been on a dive master course on Koh Tao since last April, but was due to return to the UK over Christmas.

However, his mother said he had postponed the journey back after “running into trouble” in Bangkok, and was instead due to catch a flight home on January 8.

Mr Armstrong never boarded the flight and had not been heard from since.

Police found that money had been withdrawn from Mr Armstrong's British bank account by someone in Bangkok in mid January.

Tom Armstrong’s father later came to Thailand in order to search for him, in collaboration with Thai authorities. Those authorities announced this morning that Mr Armstrong was “safe and well,” but did not elaborate beyond that description.

The East Anglian Daily Times quoted his mother Helen Armstrong-Bland, saying: “I’m not sure if he is aware of just how much coverage this has had in the media.

“I just want to thank everyone in the Saxmundham community, our close friends and family, and people from all over the world – complete strangers. We wouldn’t have found him without them.”

Tom’s disappearance sparked an international hunt – with an online appeal through social networking website Facebook revealing a potential sighting in the centre of Bangkok.

The sighting came almost three weeks after police revealed that money was withdrawn from his bank account in the city.

Source: http://www.thephuket...iland-37184.php

-- The Phuket news 2013-02-19

So a 22-year old, presumably on a Tourist Visa, has a bank account in BKK. Bit unusual?

Edited February 19, 2013 by Bpuumike

[Bpuumike]

Missing Brit found alive in Thailand

Tom Armstrong.

THAILAND: -- The family of missing British tourist Tom Armstrong, 22, has announced that their son is alive and well, after being reported missing while in Koh Tao earlier this year.

The BBC reported that Mr Armstrong had been found alive and well.

Mr Armstrong, from England, had been on a dive master course on Koh Tao since last April, but was due to return to the UK over Christmas.

However, his mother said he had postponed the journey back after “running into trouble” in Bangkok, and was instead due to catch a flight home on January 8.

Mr Armstrong never boarded the flight and had not been heard from since.

Police found that money had been withdrawn from Mr Armstrong's British bank account by someone in Bangkok in mid January.

Tom Armstrong’s father later came to Thailand in order to search for him, in collaboration with Thai authorities. Those authorities announced this morning that Mr Armstrong was “safe and well,” but did not elaborate beyond that description.

The East Anglian Daily Times quoted his mother Helen Armstrong-Bland, saying: “I’m not sure if he is aware of just how much coverage this has had in the media.

“I just want to thank everyone in the Saxmundham community, our close friends and family, and people from all over the world – complete strangers. We wouldn’t have found him without them.”

Tom’s disappearance sparked an international hunt – with an online appeal through social networking website Facebook revealing a potential sighting in the centre of Bangkok.

The sighting came almost three weeks after police revealed that money was withdrawn from his bank account in the city.

Source: http://www.thephuket...iland-37184.php

-- The Phuket news 2013-02-19

So a 22-year old, presumably on a Tourist Visa, has a bank account in BKK. Bit unusual?

Oops, teach me to read more carefully this time of night

[fasteddie]

Several posters have suggested that the young lad (21 yrs old) may have become so

enamored by life in the LOS that he simply could not bring himself to depart.

In April 1962, as a young (21) military member, I was on my way to a new assignment

and passed thru Bangkok, spending only one night. Suffice it to say, when morning came

and I had to go to the airport to continue my journey, I was filled with great consternation.

God, how I wanted to stay at least a few weeks. I felt as if I had gone to heaven without

dying. About that time a popular song on the radio was One Night in Bangkok. The lyrics

haunted me for years until I finally came back.

I'll never forget that first visit. Maybe this young Brit had a similar feeling about leaving.

One Night In Bangkok" is a song originally sung by the British actor and pop-dance singer Murray Head (verses) and Swedish singer and songwriter Anders Glenmark (choruses) on the 1984 concept album for the musical Chess

[Joe Mamma]

Send him home and never to return, and we all know he was only muff diving!

[krisb]

He decided Thailand was now home. Little bugger hope his dad belts him

[ragamuffin]

Ah, just saw the drug remark was not from his family. Apparently the mum is waiting/hoping for her ex husband to bring Tom home and does not really know what happened, why her son stayed in Bangkok. Talked about "persuading" Tom's dad to being him home which sounds like they're not even half way back to Britain. No further info given, just snapped at me for asking whether drugs were in involved. Honestly pissed off by this family now and glad I didn't invest more time in making my friends in Bangkok aware of the case or looking myslf.

[JUDAS]

What a great relief to his family to have a happy ending in this case. This young man has a great deal of explaining to do to his loved ones.......

He's 22 not 13.

So once someone is an adult they should no longer show consideration / respect to the rest of their family? I'm 46 years old and I know my mother still likes to hear from me regularly or she gets concerned ( mothers ! ). I have 2 daughters and will undoubtedly still love and be concerned as to their well being even after they've left home. Fairly natural behavior for a parent....

[A Member]

What a great relief to his family to have a happy ending in this case. This young man has a great deal of explaining to do to his loved ones.......

Hell hath no fury like a pissed off mum

[A Member]

Send him home and never to return, and we all know he was only muff diving!

Must have seemed like the right thing to do at the time and now as per the Dambusters Squadron motto, " Apres Moi Le Deluge " he deserves a dam_n good family kicking

[jackinbkk]

His family and everyone who helped find him are going to be pretty ****** off if they find out he just ran off with a girl/s. I doubt if that is the case that it would ever be revealed. Some half plausable and justifyable story would surely emerge.

[ragamuffin]

His brother says something happened to Tom and they don't know what it was. Very mysterious.

Edited February 21, 2013 by ragamuffin

[ragamuffin]

They now shut the Facebook page down and want to donate the money from their charity event tomorrow to Missing Abroad. No further info on what happened to Tom given. I'm pretty sure now he was rather hiding and the family just don't want to admit to the public that he was probably partying, on drugs or with a girl all the time and simply behaving like a careless prick.

[rct99q]

I for one will give him the benefit of the doubt until (if ever) all or any real hard facts are divulged. I certainly agree his actions seem irresponsible but will still refrain from judging him too harshly until we hear from Tom himself (if ever).

There are many possibilities and one angle to look at is they may be waiting to get him free and clear of Thailand before making any comments. Once he is safely back in Britain (on home soil) and he has had time to reflect on the past several weeks we may hear his side of the story. Or not.

As a father of one child (and another on the way) I can only say that I hope I never have to go through what this family has gone through. The knowledge that my son or daughter is alive and "okay" is of far greater importance than knowing all the details.

It would be very difficult to carry on (but i would) if it were reversed and I knew lots of details but had no knowledge if my son or daughter were alive or not.

Edited February 22, 2013 by rct99q

[ragamuffin]

Fair enough, in case he really got into drugs they might not want to challenge the Thai authorities who helped finding Tom. However, from what I understand he is still in the country and his mum was not even sure whether her ex husband would bring Tom back to Britain. They could have left for days by now if it was really urgent.

[mca]

It's an incredibly selfish thing to just drop out like that.

Not if you're from Suffolk. It's more a mandatory thing.

[balo]

They propably found him smoking weed.

If he is a drug addict that explains his behaviour.

[osten]

One Night In Bangkok by Murray Head was released in the 80's, not 60's...was it not?

Several posters have suggested that the young lad (21 yrs old) may have become so

enamored by life in the LOS that he simply could not bring himself to depart.

In April 1962, as a young (21) military member, I was on my way to a new assignment

and passed thru Bangkok, spending only one night. Suffice it to say, when morning came

and I had to go to the airport to continue my journey, I was filled with great consternation.

God, how I wanted to stay at least a few weeks. I felt as if I had gone to heaven without

dying. About that time a popular song on the radio was One Night in Bangkok. The lyrics

haunted me for years until I finally came back.

I'll never forget that first visit. Maybe this young Brit had a similar feeling about leaving.

[SteeleJoe]

They propably found him smoking weed.

If he is a drug addict that explains his behaviour.

Smoking weed = "drug addict"?

Sent from my iPad using ThaiVisa ap

Edited February 22, 2013 by SteeleJoe

[Jayman]

They propably found him smoking weed.

If he is a drug addict that explains his behaviour.

Smoking weed = "drug addict"?

Sent from my iPad using ThaiVisa ap

Imho, tobacco smokers are much more addicts than pot smokers.

Sent from my GT-I9100T

[Buchholz]

They now shut the Facebook page down and want to donate the money from their charity event tomorrow to Missing Abroad. No further info on what happened to Tom given. I'm pretty sure now he was rather hiding and the family just don't want to admit to the public that he was probably partying, on drugs or with a girl all the time and simply behaving like a careless prick.

.

Terrific.

So not only does he do damage to the interest and concern generated for the next and future missing person cases by never truly being a missing person in the first place....then, he compounds the damage even further by not even bothering to explain, even in broad general terms, what was behind his situation that prompted all the public outpouring of interest, energy, concern, and financial funding associated with his disappearance.

He could limit that damage a great deal with a humbling verbal apology and even just a few words of explanation.

I feel sorry for the next missing person situation that comes along, especially if they really are missing and in desperate need of assistance. There's a good chance the situation is just scoffed off and dismissed out of hand.

He's caused harm far beyond his closed circle.

.

Edited February 22, 2013 by Buchholz

[Fookhaht]

An irresponsible young man. He needs to grow up.

Excuse him because he's "only 21"? (an earlier post).

I had more sense of responsibility and respect for my family at age 12.

[SteeleJoe]

Imho, tobacco smokers are much more addicts than pot smokers.

Sent from my GT-I9100T

"IMHO" you say?

Actually, rather than opinion that's what's known as an objective fact.

By the way, I think you've messed up using the quote function: you've made it look like I said the dumb thing that someone else did.

Edited February 22, 2013 by SteeleJoe

[dcutman]

They now shut the Facebook page down and want to donate the money from their charity event tomorrow to Missing Abroad. No further info on what happened to Tom given. I'm pretty sure now he was rather hiding and the family just don't want to admit to the public that he was probably partying, on drugs or with a girl all the time and simply behaving like a careless prick.

.

Terrific.

So not only does he do damage to the interest and concern generated for the next and future missing person cases by never truly being a missing person in the first place....then, he compounds the damage even further by not even bothering to explain, even in broad general terms, what was behind his situation that prompted all the public outpouring of interest, energy, concern, and financial funding associated with his disappearance.

He could limit that damage a great deal with a humbling verbal apology and even just a few words of explanation.

I feel sorry for the next missing person situation that comes along, especially if they really are missing and in desperate need of assistance. There's a good chance the situation is just scoffed off and dismissed out of hand.

He's caused harm far beyond his closed circle.

.

Agreed 100% on that. Thai authorities really could give a Sh!t if a foreigner is having troubles anyway. Their attitudes do not need to be reinforced.