Thai woman mysteriously disappears for week in southern Thailand

The family of a Thai woman who mysteriously disappeared over a week ago turned to a news agency to help find her. The family lost contact with her after she got into a car with two women outside Suratthani Rajabhat University in the southern province of Surat Thani on November 13.

Channel 3 reported that the family urged the news agency to release information and a picture of the missing woman, 38 year old Kawinna Boonmate, to the public as Baan Na Sarn Police Station officers were unable to find her and have not made any progress for more than a week.

Reporters visited Kawinna’s workplace, the Permpoonsub Sub-district Office, and interviewed the secretary to the sub-district chief, Wasan Chuayphat, about the woman’s disappearance. Wasan explained that Kawinna came to work as usual on the day of the incident and returned home at 6pm.

Wasan further explained that Kawinna did not come to work the following day and that no one could contact her. On the second day of her disappearance, the sub-district representative and her family members reported the matter to the Baan Na Sarn Police Station.

Kawinna’s colleagues told the media that she had not told them where she was going after work. Kawinna was a happy person and had never had a conflict with anyone at work. Kawinna divorced her husband three months before her disappearance but they were still living in the same house.

She told her colleagues that her ex-husband was very jealous and that they were always fighting because of his jealousy. Kawinna reportedly wanted to move out of the house and move to a new workplace. She submitted a request to work at the Khun Talay Sub-district Office but the request had not yet been approved.

Ex-husband’s testimony

Officers from Baan Na Sarn Police Station said they already questioned Kawinna’s ex-husband. The man told them that he sent Kawinna to Suratthani Rajabhat University on the night of November 13 and that he did not know where she was going but saw two women picking her up in their car.

The mother of the ex-husband, 76 year old Suphit Phatmark, revealed that Kawinna wanted to drive her sedan to Surat Thani city centre. However, her son volunteered to take the wheel out of concern for her driving skills and safety.

Suphit, despite her son’s involvement, did not suspect him in connection with the disappearance. She expressed surprise at the couple’s divorce, emphasising their enduring love over more than a decade and the shared experience of raising three children.

Suphit admitted to being unaware of Kawinta’s current companion and asserted that she wouldn’t mind if it happened to be a new romantic interest. Expressing hope for Kawinta’s well-being, Suphit wished for her continued safety.