Mum makes public plea to find deaf son missing in Phuket

PHUKET: A mother has made a public plea to find her missing deaf son, last seen near the family home in Phuket Town on Tuesday.

Saithong Sankaeo filed a missing-person report at Phuket City Police Station yesterday in the hope of finding her 22-year-old son, Therdsak.

“He walks with a limp, has dark skin, medium long hair and was last seen wearing shorts with a floral-patterned shirt,” Ms Saithong reported.

Mr Therdsak absconded from home on Monday, and was found at Vachira Phuket Hospital by one of Ms Saithong’s friends at about 7am yesterday.

“I picked him up and took him home at about 8am, but I had to leave again at 8:30am,” Ms Saithong said.

“When I came home at 11am, he was gone, along with some of his clothes.”

Ms Saithong scoured the town for him all day Tuesday, she told police.

“This is not the first time he has disappeared,” she noted.

Before coming to stay with his mother in September last year, Mr Therdsak stayed with relatives in Loei province on Thailand’s border with Laos.

“While he was in Loei, he always went out without telling anyone where he was going. He used to disappear for long periods and come back whenever he wanted to,” Ms Saithong told the Phuket Gazette yesterday.

“The longest time he was gone was a month and a half, but that was in Loei – he was born there, neighbors knew him and he was used to the place.

“Now he is wandering around Phuket, which he is not familiar with. Since he has a hearing disability, it is easy for him to be in an accident, such as being hit by a car, or harmed by bad people or even kidnapped.”

Though deeply concerned about her son’s safety and whereabouts, Ms Saithong vowed that this would be the last time he would disappear in Phuket.

“If he comes back, this time I will figure out what the problem is and I will have to send him back to Loei,” she said.

Anyone who believe they have seen Mr Therdsak is urged to call Ms Saithong at 088-8251922 or the Phuket City Police at 076-212155.

— Voratuss Intasee