Thai doctor kidnapped in Africa returns home

A well-known Thai doctor who was kidnapped in Mali last month returns home today after being released by his captors.

The 49 year old surgeon, Nopparat “Song” Rattanawaraha, was kidnapped while travelling near the Republic of Mali border in West Africa and held captive for 25 days. His captives let him go yesterday after he raised six million baht (US$156,000) ransom money in exchange for his freedom.

Nopparat, better known as Mor Song or Doctor Song, is a prominent face on Thai social media. Aside from his work as a surgeon, Song documents his adventures, titled Doctor Song Travels Around the World (หมอสองท่องโลก), on Facebook and Instagram.

Song notified his followers that he would be embarking on an exciting three-week trip from September 12 to October 3 taking in Afghanistan, Pakistan, Chad, Niger, Burkina Faso, Mali, Cameroon, Equatorial Guinea, and São Tomé.

The travelling surgeon updated Facebook and Instagram with stories and pictures daily until September 28.

A number of his followers asked for an update after a few days of no posts but Song remained silent.

Thai media was alerted to his disappearance on Saturday, October 22, after his ex-wife Yingyae Nonthaporn sought help from social media saying her ex-husband had been kidnapped in Africa.

Channel 3 interviewed Song’s secretary who made known that the doctor had been kidnapped while visiting a market in the western part of the Republic of Mali on September 28.

Song was taken to a criminal camp deep in the forest where he was chained up but not physically harmed by his kidnappers.

One of the group gave Song a mobile phone to contact relatives or friends to raise the ransom. The doctor managed to get a friend to loan him the six million baht needed to buy his freedom.

Song revealed that he was imprisoned with others who had been held in the camp for years. They remained in the camp because they couldn’t afford to pay the ransom.

Song is expected to arrive in Thailand today.

Song announced on his social media accounts today that he is safe and humbled by concerns about his safety. He added that many misunderstandings about him had been spread on social media and he would clarify the issues in more detail when he arrives home in Thailand.