American teacher missing in Hua Hin

[DipStick]

Again I reiterate, the key answer is says his passport found amongst his possessions in his unlocked apartment. If the answer is no, then things look a bit brighter, if the answer is yes, then things look grim . One of the earlier responders on this thread also mentioned his phone, to me that's not a big issue as I more than often go out for an hour or two and don't take my phone, but thinking about it ?  ? 

[Tatertot]

He does seem to have a significant presence on the web vis a vis Google and Webster uni. Thus not an under the radar anonymous kind of fellow but above board pillar of the community type. BIB got anything to say?

[OahuBoy]

7 hours ago, DLang said:

Won't happen once we're tracked by GPS.

 

 

 

3 hours ago, NCC1701A said:

I have forwarded his photo to some farang restaurant and  bar owners that I know there in Hua Hin. 

 

I have a lot of free time, maybe I will print some flyers up with his photo and hand them out with that Facebook page as a contact.

 

you never know.

 

If I were to go missing I would hope someone would do the same for me. 

 

 

 

Mr Hughes' photo is from his passport, suggesting he left it along with all his personal items.

[Tatertot]

Ya just seems so odd. Not a newbie, not an amateur in negotiating this culture, and then "not to be his self". Obviously some trouble, but to not reach out for help, even if self inflicted trouble....

 

And  as someone else said, just too many possibility to speculate, but with as big a presence as he has, someone must know something. I'm surprised the uni doesent put up some reward money for information leading to....

[dunroaming]

There is a picture posted with a request for any information or sightings.  Why do so many have to speculate on possibilities?  Maybe just take the message on board and spread the word would be more helpful

[Jingthing]

Farang Lives Matter....

That's speciesest. Owl lives matter.

[Motown239]

If he left the country, Thai immigration would have a record of his exist from Thailand. The elderly don't just disappear.


Sent from my iPhone using Thaivisa Connect

[Lex Talionis]

Quote

He was last seen at his apartment in Cha Am on Tuesday August 2nd by his friend David Hodgins, who described Mr Hughes as being “very much not himself”.

 

Now that's really helpful. Not. Was he disoriented? Sick? Depressed? Drunk? High? Anorexic looking? &etc. Could mean almost anything.

Edited August 29, 2016 by Lex Talionis

[Lex Talionis]

3 hours ago, Borzandy said:

The last time an American teacher had serious problems in Hua Hin, it was because he had spoken harshly to the daughter of a wealthy who was disturbing the course.

 

Details? A link to a thread maybe?

[swanny321]

1 hour ago, Motown239 said:

If he left the country, Thai immigration would have a record of his exist from Thailand. The elderly don't just disappear.


Sent from my iPhone using Thaivisa Connect

 

'The elderly don't just disappear.'

 

  How old is he? Doesn't look ancient in the pic!

[DipStick]

I really cannot get my head around some of these mundane posts, a guy has been missing for nearly 28 days. Question was his passport found in his unlocked apartment. Secondly, the UNI 

he was-supposedly employed by is that genuine ? Of another Asian copy.?

[swanny321]

10 minutes ago, DipStick said:

I really cannot get my head around some of these mundane posts, a guy has been missing for nearly 28 days. Question was his passport found in his unlocked apartment. Secondly, the UNI 

he was-supposedly employed by is that genuine ? Of another Asian copy.?

 

  Whelp; it is Monday!

[Guy360]

This says it all.   "He was last seen at his apartment in Cha Am on Tuesday August 2nd by his friend David Hodgins, who described Mr Hughes as being “very much not himself”. "  

 

He has been teaching at the University for 6 years.  That equates to stability and sense of responsibility.   His friend claims he was "very much not himself"  that shows problems or concerns.  Could be depression or the friend knows far more than he is claiming.  Possibly a Gay relationship that hasn't gone too well.

 

I would suspect suicide.  A man just picks up and leaves his apartment unlocked with his possessions inside is one who doesn't expect to return.

 

Other than suicide, perhaps foul play by Mr. Hodkins if he was involved in the relationship with Hughes.  Sad either way and I have little hope for Mr. Hughes being found safe and sound.

 

I will refrain from casting all the blame on Colonel Mustard using a rolling pin in the living room.

 

[DipStick]

12 minutes ago, swanny321 said:

 

  Whelp; it is Monday!

Thanks for your really helpful ignorant post, what a crock of shxxxte tv posters are . I asked about reasons of this guys UNI for a very simple reason .and that is I sent one of my employers there who did brilliantly and ended up with a degree, only  to be told uniI doesn't exist .

[riverhigh]

7 hours ago, ClutchClark said:

 

many farang find themselves without a support network of family & friends accumulated over a lifetime like back home when they move to a new country.

 

Understand now?

Read the article more carefully. Your comment  that he found himself without a support network of family & friends really doesn't apply. (see below). 

 

"For the last 6 years, James Hughes, originally from Mississippi has been a teacher at Webster University’s Hua Hin campus and is a well known member of the expat community in Hua Hin and Cha Am. "

 

 

 

[swanny321]

2 hours ago, DipStick said:

Thanks for your really helpful ignorant post, what a crock of shxxxte tv posters are . I asked about reasons of this guys UNI for a very simple reason .and that is I sent one of my employers there who did brilliantly and ended up with a degree, only  to be told uniI doesn't exist .

 

  OK, take a chill-pill. 

[samuibeachcomber]

8 hours ago, Guy360 said:

This says it all.   "He was last seen at his apartment in Cha Am on Tuesday August 2nd by his friend David Hodgins, who described Mr Hughes as being “very much not himself”. "  

 

He has been teaching at the University for 6 years.  That equates to stability and sense of responsibility.   His friend claims he was "very much not himself"  that shows problems or concerns.  Could be depression or the friend knows far more than he is claiming.  Possibly a Gay relationship that hasn't gone too well.

 

I would suspect suicide.  A man just picks up and leaves his apartment unlocked with his possessions inside is one who doesn't expect to return.

 

Other than suicide, perhaps foul play by Mr. Hodkins if he was involved in the relationship with Hughes.  Sad either way and I have little hope for Mr. Hughes being found safe and sound.

 

I will refrain from casting all the blame on Colonel Mustard using a rolling pin in the living room.

 

a gay relationship?.....................is n't that a giant leap forward

[ClutchClark]

8 hours ago, riverhigh said:

Read the article more carefully. Your comment  that he found himself without a support network of family & friends really doesn't apply. (see below). 

 

"For the last 6 years, James Hughes, originally from Mississippi has been a teacher at Webster University’s Hua Hin campus and is a well known member of the expat community in Hua Hin and Cha Am. "

 

 

 

 

Except that I never said he found himself without a support network...YOU said that.

 

Why do some of you need to argue about absolutely everything?

 

A man is missing and the length of his absence does not bode well. 

How you find this a platform to argue is beyond my comprehension. 

 

Am I allowed to say "I hope the man is found alive & well" without provoking more of your misdirected self-loathing?

 

 

[soalbundy]

check his bank account

[superal]

21 minutes ago, soalbundy said:

check his bank account

For sure the starting point , plus the ATM ,  also any CCTV in the area ?

[maoro2013]

14 hours ago, HHTel said:

 

ThaiVisa is not always the first port of call.  In this case it has been reported elsewhere before this forum got hold of it.

The article does not mention reporting to or in Thai visa.

I don't know what you are talking about.

[Scout666]

I received a Line message yesterday from a friend who asked me if I knew this man. Apparently he was involved in a road traffic accident in either Chiang Mai or Chiang Rai and is now in hospital. A picture of his driving licence was sent to me and although I no longer have that message, I am fairly certain that he is the one and same chap. I shall get back to my friend and ask for more details - should there be any.

 

NOT the same chap apparently. Let's hope that this story has a happier ending.

Edited August 30, 2016 by Scout666
UPDATED

[MockingJay]

I fear they will find his remains somewhere in a river or rubber plantation...   Seems to happen often here in LOS - expat depression coming from out of nowhere - they wander off and die... Happened to someone I knew in Phuket. Missing for months. They found his bones near a cliff on Phuket and identified him by his clothing first and later DNA...

[Songlaw]

This is not the kind of guy who makes innocents clean up after him, as he didn't even want anyone to have to unnecessarily damage the door. I'm afraid we have a man down, and likely a good one. Check the jungle, but don't bother starting from any less than a 1 kilometer radius from home or possibly his place of employ. Unfortunate either way, but looks like home will likely be ground zero, given the circumstances. I'm also fairly certain that finding him will not have been made easy. Malfeasance is possible, but not likely.

Edited August 30, 2016 by Songlaw
Redundant reference to the door.

[Songlaw]

1 hour ago, MockingJay said:

I fear they will find his remains somewhere in a river or rubber plantation...   Seems to happen often here in LOS - expat depression coming from out of nowhere - they wander off and die... Happened to someone I knew in Phuket. Missing for months. They found his bones near a cliff on Phuket and identified him by his clothing first and later DNA...

 

I'm with you on this, but for the "depression coming out of no where," as it is somewhat more probable that like many, he would choose not to let on, to insulate family, friends and associates from what for him was becoming an inevitability, until perhaps the moments (days?) immediately leading up to his moment of reckoning. It is often at this point, that final resolve begins to reshuffle what is truly important, with the 'mission' gradually rising to the surface, and causing the individual to seem (suddenly to others) detached from his surroundings. The friend's comments would seem to support this. I had to sit with this one for a few days before commenting, as it hits pretty close to home for me, as well.

Edited August 30, 2016 by Songlaw
My longest run-on sentence, to date, and grammar.

[Jingthing]

15 hours ago, Guy360 said:

This says it all.   "He was last seen at his apartment in Cha Am on Tuesday August 2nd by his friend David Hodgins, who described Mr Hughes as being “very much not himself”. "  

 

He has been teaching at the University for 6 years.  That equates to stability and sense of responsibility.   His friend claims he was "very much not himself"  that shows problems or concerns.  Could be depression or the friend knows far more than he is claiming.  Possibly a Gay relationship that hasn't gone too well.

 

I would suspect suicide.  A man just picks up and leaves his apartment unlocked with his possessions inside is one who doesn't expect to return.

 

Other than suicide, perhaps foul play by Mr. Hodkins if he was involved in the relationship with Hughes.  Sad either way and I have little hope for Mr. Hughes being found safe and sound.

 

I will refrain from casting all the blame on Colonel Mustard using a rolling pin in the living room.

 

Possibly a gay relationship ...

Come again?

Based on what?

You know the guy is gay or just bringing the gay angle to spice things up?

 

Possibly he joined the Hare Krishnas.

Possibly he was recruited into ISIS and is fighting in Syria.

Perhaps he underwent a sex change operation gone bad.

Perhaps he overdosed on cappuccinos. 

 

[Plutojames88]

I believe a disappearance like this along with a statement saying he wasn't himself is either "gravely concerning "" or a simple ploy to do exactly that.

Disappear.

 

He may have ""needed "" to disappear.....at a chosen hour.

 

Suicide often with someone intelligent is more thoughtful.

So people have closure.

 

He could easily have reinvented himself with a new identity and passport and moved away from criminals or Police he was troubled by perhaps.?

 

Its a 20-30% chance he is indeed not deceased.

[gk10002000]

Need more information from his supposed friend who said he was not himself.  Sexual secrets?  Nightlife he would prefer to not tell the general public or the university about?  All could provide clues on where and when to look and what might have happened.  Check his emails, get his phone records, see who he called or was called by or texted, etc.  I hope some real investigation is being done.  These things are fairly easy to research.

[soalbundy]

4 minutes ago, gk10002000 said:

Need more information from his supposed friend who said he was not himself.  Sexual secrets?  Nightlife he would prefer to not tell the general public or the university about?  All could provide clues on where and when to look and what might have happened.  Check his emails, get his phone records, see who he called or was called by or texted, etc.  I hope some real investigation is being done.  These things are fairly easy to research.

Why would you even want to do this ? leave the guy alone, he is probably dead by his own hand, his choice, no need to degrade him as well.

[gk10002000]

1 minute ago, soalbundy said:

Why would you even want to do this ? leave the guy alone, he is probably dead by his own hand, his choice, no need to degrade him as well.

Why do it?  Because the man is missing and the idea is to see if something criminal has happened.  I don't personally need to nor want to know the details.  But I would like to see a proper investigation done by somebody