Lost for words: Sisaket cops solve drunk mute man mystery

A local police station in Sisaket province faced an unusual challenge when an inebriated and lost mute man was brought in. Struggling to communicate, officers eventually relied on pen and paper to identify and safely return him to his family.

Officers from Phon Khwao Police Station received a report yesterday, November 20, of a disoriented man located within Ban Non I Pang Temple in Nong Kaew, Mueang district, Sisaket province. The man, unable to speak and visibly intoxicated, was brought to the station for assistance. Without any identification, the only items he carried were a small bottle of 40-degree white liquor and an arm tattoo which read “Lumyai Haitongkam.”

The man’s attempt to communicate revealed he had been assaulted, resulting in a broken front tooth. He tried to indicate his whereabouts on a map but due to communication barriers, the process took over an hour.

Police Officer Prasert Khamsaenmuen, involved in the case, expressed his frustration over the incident.

“We received a notification from the village headman about a lost person. Upon arrival, we found communication was impossible, so we brought him to the station, hoping to contact his family.”

The situation escalated as officers struggled to understand the man’s needs. Eventually, they provided him with paper and a pen, leading to a breakthrough.

The man wrote down his name as Natthawut Plengsuk. With this information, officers searched the civil registry and found his address in Chan, Kanthararom district, Sisaket province. Further contact with his relatives revealed that Natthawut, a mute individual, had left home two days ago to harvest rice and hadn’t returned since.

Once identified, Deputy Inspector Prakob Sawang Sotha from Phon Khwao Police Station took immediate action to reunite Natthawut with his family. Upon reaching home, an emotional Natthawut embraced the officers, grateful for their efforts in bringing him back safely, reported KhaoSod.