Portuguese man missing in Koh Pha Ngan, wife fears suicide
The wife of a Portuguese man, missing from his home in Koh Pha Ngan since November 17, fears he may have taken his own life.
The 38 year old half-Thai, half-American woman, Avalon Oneita Juliana, sought help from local police and the Portuguese Embassy in Thailand after her husband, 51 year old Daniel Joao D’Costa Ferreira Dos Santos, disappeared.
Santos reportedly left their shared home on Koh Pha Ngan on November 17 and never returned. His passport, luggage, and other belongings were later found in the car park of a construction materials store named Limpipong on the island.
Juliana informed officials that her husband had been suffering from mental illness and alcoholism. She expressed concerns that Santos might take his own life due to his struggles with mental health.
Officers from Koh Pha Ngan Police Station launched an investigation and spoke to a Thai man, Kraichok, who claimed to have encountered Santos. Kraichok told police he had seen Santos sunbathing on Chalok Lam Beach.
Santos was reportedly only wearing shorts and no shirt. After sunbathing, he was seen walking towards the main road of the island.
Another foreigner, who was part of the same addiction recovery group Santos attended, informed police he had seen Santos walking in the direction of Tong Sala Community, on the opposite side of the island, approximately 10 kilometres from Chalok Lam Beach.
Later that same day, Kraichok reported seeing Santos again at a public park near the Pha Ngan Royal Navy Ship Museum. Since then, no one has seen or heard from Santos.
Police circulated news of his disappearance to both locals and foreigners on the island and distributed missing person posters. Officers also requested assistance from the Phuket Tourist Police in spreading the posters in the hopes of locating Santos soon.
In a related incident last year, a New Zealand tourist, 56 year old Shaw Mace Bushel, went missing from his resort on Koh Pha Ngan at about 4am on 2 March. His friend, unable to find any trace of him, sought help from the Thai police.
Officers discovered Bushel’s motorcycle near Khom Beach, leading them to search the area. They eventually located him, but Bushel, stressed and paranoid, attempted to evade the officials. Police managed to stop him and ensured his safe rescue.
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