Urgent appeal for information on missing French man last seen in Surat Thani

[webfact]

Urgent appeal for information on missing French man last seen in Surat Thani



SURAT THANI: -- Family, friends, police and rescue services have still not been able to establish the whereabouts of a French man who went missing in Surat Thani on his way back to Koh Tao.

French man missing from Koh Tao– Francois Louet known as ‘Jeff’ had been diving in Indonesia with his girlfriend. During his trip he had been unwell with an infection in his leg. He had taken medication for a fever, scuba dived to 60 meters, had lost his appetite and had shown signs of illness and disorientation.

When the couple arrived at the pier in Surat Thani on Monday 14th to take the night boat back to Koh Tao Jeff and his girlfriend boarded the boat to rest. Prior to departure Jeff went out to have a cigarette. When his girlfriend went to check on him he had gone. A local lady said that she saw Jeff who had asked for directions to the nearest 7-11.



Nobody has seen or heard from Jeff since around 10pm on Monday. He was captured on CCTV walking away from the pier at 22.17 wearing a blue T-shirt and red shorts.

Police and rescue worker have been unable to trace him at hospitals and hyperbaric chambers across the country.

Jeff’s left his phone and passport on the boat and it is thought he would be in possession of very little money. He made no calls from his phone prior to his disappearance.

Jeff’s friends and relatives are now gravely concerned for his safety and have asked the public to help locate him. If anybody has seen Jeff, who is 5ft 11 or has any information as to his whereabouts please call the Koh Tao Rescue on 0921232369 or the local police urgently.


-- Samui Times 2016-03-22

[webfact]

Frenchman Missing for 6th Day in Surat Thani
By Teeranai Charuvastra
Staff Reporter


Jean-francois Louet in an undated photo. Photo: Courtesy Steven Drylie‎

SURAT THANI — A French national is reportedly missing for a sixth day in the southern province of Surat Thani, local authorities said Monday.

Jean-francois Louet, 46, was to take a ferry from the mainland to Koh Tao with his girlfriend on the night of March 14, but he left the boat to find a convenience store and did not return. His French girlfriend, identified only as “Lea,” hasn’t heard from him since, local police commander Wisut Phupansri said.

Full story: http://www.khaosodenglish.com/detail.php?newsid=1458559852&typecate=06&section=


-- Khaosod English 2016-03-22

[Raymonddiaz]

Hope he's fine but I think he's again another victim of crime against foreigners

[geisha]

I hope he's safe and gets found quickly. Reading his Facebook page printed on one of TV posts, he looks a nice decent guy.hope everyone has searched the local hospitals as he might be really ill and not be able to identify himself. Good news welcome!

[docshock13]

Thoughts and prayers that he is found safe and sound.

[cumgranosalum]

Time and again events like this seem to have one thing in common.......a reference to Koh Tao......

[steven100]

The sudden disappearance of any foreigner connected with Koh Tao does not surprise me.

The guy gets off the boat for a smoke.

The guy leaves his belongings on the boat.

The guy asks for directions to 7-11 which is 200m down the road.

The gf should have grabbed his belongings and got off also if the boat started to depart.

The gf could not call out to him that the boat in going as he was walking toward the 7-11 and she could not see him to call out to.

The gf would have known he will be left with nothing , so why didn't she get off also ?

[Katipo]

It's amazing the quality of the CCTV footage available when it doesn't implicate anyone 'influential'.

[lust]

Hope he's fine but I think he's again another victim of crime against foreigners

Motive? The guy doesn't have anything of value.

[hobobo]

Hope he's fine but I think he's again another victim of crime against foreigners

Motive? The guy doesn't have anything of value.

But hemay have witnessed something....

[Kabula]

Perhaps he did what many worldwide do is he planned to disappear to escape debt, personal problems, and seek privacy. Nothing surprises me anymore. Always a possibility. I carry a dog tag on my key chain with my name, ss# and blood type in case I forgot my wallet and cell or they were stolen and I got lost with a medical situation.

[steven100]

Hope he's fine but I think he's again another victim of crime against foreigners

Motive? The guy doesn't have anything of value.

But hemay have witnessed something....

correct, or he may have associated with other influential people from Koh Tao ....

who knows what prior acquaintances he has been associated with .... ??

[EnzoRippo]

This not professional from the Samui Times to give the size of this person in a way no one can understand. This person is French. This is in Europe. He get lost in Thailand. This is in Asia. Unfortunately NO European, NO Asian can understand the size of M. Louet in this article. Metric system is universal.

Samui Times, please give the size of M Louet in a way French, Thais and all the planet (minus a few people) can understand.

If we want to help, we need to know his size, so, how tall is he?

[DennisF]

46 years old, probably fairly fit given his occupation, A death Island worker, according to his FB page.

It is natural for people to be suspicious given the reputation and past events on this island.

Let us hope the outcome is positive and the conspiracy theories not needed.

[Khon Kaen Dave]

To just walk away like that = strange.

To leave belonging's = strange.

The whole thing = strange.

Gf not acting quickly enough to follow him=strange.The

whole thing =strange.

I would fear for his mental condition.

[torpedo1970]

"get off of a ferry boat leaving your phone wallet and whatever else behind to visit a 7-11."

Nobody does that in Thailand. or anywhere, unless you have a very good friend to look out for your stuff.......... but usually, phone and wallet you keep with you, if you go 7/11 you need the wallet with money....

Smell something fishy......

Hope he turns up all OK

[KhaoNiaw]

"get off of a ferry boat leaving your phone wallet and whatever else behind to visit a 7-11."

Nobody does that in Thailand. or anywhere, unless you have a very good friend to look out for your stuff.......... but usually, phone and wallet you keep with you, if you go 7/11 you need the wallet with money....

Smell something fishy......

Hope he turns up all OK

Well it said he left his stuff with his girlfriend and went for a smoke. That seems quite plausible. As does heading for a 7/11 if he had some other cash in his pocket. I don't think the mystery really starts until after that point.

[F4UCorsair]

Hope he's fine but I think he's again another victim of crime against foreigners

Motive? The guy doesn't have anything of value.

Value to whom? His life is of value to a thrill killer.

It's of even greater value to him.

I hope he's found safe and well. Diving to 60 meters on air could be a clue he wasn't OK.

[Basil B]

Diving to 60m is not exactly recreational diving...

I was wondering what this has to do with him going missing, assuming he did surface after the dive, if he went missing shortly after the dive possibly he could be now in a coma somewhere or even worse.

[F4UCorsair]

Diving to 60m is not exactly recreational diving...

I was wondering what this has to do with him going missing, assuming he did surface after the dive, if he went missing shortly after the dive possibly he could be now in a coma somewhere or even worse.

On just compressed air wouldn't be advisable, and I'd guess need a deco stop or two, depending on bottom time. I haven't dived in a while and don't have tables in front of me, but it would be possible that it's had an effect if in fact it was 60 meters and not 60 feet. Suffering narcosis is a real possibility.

[webfact]

3rd appeal for help to locate French Koh Tao resident missing in Surat Thani



KOH SAMUI: -- Friends, family, police and rescue workers still have no clue to the whereabouts of a French man who went missing on the 14th of March in Surat Thani.

Jeff boarded the night boat to Koh Tao, where he lives, with his girlfriend before disembarking to smoke a cigarette. An eye witness said that he asked directions to 7-11 from the night boat pier that is in the centre of town.



CCTV caught Jeff at 22.17 walking away from the boat wearing red shorts and a blue T-shirt.

If you have an information to the whereabouts of this man, or saw him on the night in question or since then please call Koh Toa Rescue 0921232369 urgently.

We would also like to hear from anybody who was aboard that boat – information can also be sent to [email protected]


-- Samui Times 2016-03-22

[balo]

He was very ill because of the diving "accident", there is a chance he fell over unconscious unable to communicate, and with no identification papers on him he will end up as a John Doe , all the hospitals in the province should be checked out.

Edited March 22, 2016 by balo

[evadgib]

The conspiracy theorists should note that he'd alledgedly taken a 2hr flight that morning which would surely have triggered any symptoms of DCI long before he reached Surratthani.

Edited March 22, 2016 by evadgib

[dunroaming]

So much speculation. He may not have had anything of value on him but who would know that if they were planning to rob him? If he was wearing the gold chain (as in the photo) then that may have been motive enough. There is a lot of difference between a naïve tourist and someone as savvy as this guy appears to be and I am sure he would be able to make himself understood in Thai.

Whatever the truth is it is very worrying for all concerned.

[Moonsterk]

Diving to 60m is not exactly recreational diving...

I was wondering what this has to do with him going missing, assuming he did surface after the dive, if he went missing shortly after the dive possibly he could be now in a coma somewhere or even worse.

During his trip he had been unwell with an infection in his leg. He had taken medication for a fever, scuba dived to 60 meters, had lost his appetite and had shown signs of illness and disorientation.

60 meters on an infected leg. Running a fever? This guy is a dive instructor? Should know better. Was he working the trip and so felt he had to dive?

From what is known, probably did succumb to his poor choices, that's the real culprit in many of these island deaths. He may well be in a public hospital where even nurses in his ward might not recognize him from pictures.

Edited March 22, 2016 by Moonsterk

[metisdead]

An off topic deflection post has been removed as well as an inflammatory insulting post.

[farcanell]

I hope he's safe and gets found quickly. Reading his Facebook page printed on one of TV posts, he looks a nice decent guy.hope everyone has searched the local hospitals as he might be really ill and not be able to identify himself. Good news welcome!

From the OP..... Police and rescue workers have been unable to trace him in hospitals and hyperbaric chambers across the country... So it appears as though they are genuinely trying to find the guy.

If he is still alive, the poor guy must be in a desperate state, which, one would think, should make finding him easier.

Hopefully he will be found and fixed, very soon..... Remember the toddler lost in the jungle for six days, a couple of weeks ago.... He survived, so it's possible the Frenchman can too.

[farcanell]

This not professional from the Samui Times to give the size of this person in a way no one can understand. This person is French. This is in Europe. He get lost in Thailand. This is in Asia. Unfortunately NO European, NO Asian can understand the size of M. Louet in this article. Metric system is universal.

Samui Times, please give the size of M Louet in a way French, Thais and all the planet (minus a few people) can understand.

If we want to help, we need to know his size, so, how tall is he?

Really?

5 foot 11 equates to 1.803 meters..... The math is pretty simple.... Or grab a tape measure and pull it out to 5 foot 11 and compare it to the metric figure on the opposite side

And whilst doing that, spare a thought as to why most tape measures have both imperial and metric units on them... Just a thought, but maybe it's because the metric system is not universal at all.

[ScotBkk]

The conspiracy theorists should note that he'd alledgedly taken a 2hr flight that morning which would surely have triggered any symptoms of DCI long before he reached Surratthani.

Conspiracy season is upon us as an armada of armchair sleuths get those finger licking paws ready to commence battle to hijack each and every post with accusations from all and sundry. The loonatics will soon take over the asylum so be prepared for all kinds of various theories on this case. It beggars belief on what these numpties come up with. I suppose it gives overstayers a much earned rest sunce they're now being arrested in their droves incarcerated in hell holes for their dispicable murderous soul destroying crime that's infuriated many old timers here on tv for overstaying which grossly disturbed their personal lives to such a degree many wife's never got thier usual portion and ex-pats portrayed fury and disgust at these people for causing them untold grief and sleepless nights. Better we hang em up in the local market place save all the extra expense.

Just saying .......

[IslandLover]

EnzoRippo, on 22 Mar 2016 - 04:02, said:

This not professional from the Samui Times to give the size of this person in a way no one can understand. This person is French. This is in Europe. He get lost in Thailand. This is in Asia. Unfortunately NO European, NO Asian can understand the size of M. Louet in this article. Metric system is universal.

Samui Times, please give the size of M Louet in a way French, Thais and all the planet (minus a few people) can understand.

If we want to help, we need to know his size, so, how tall is he?

1m 80cm approx