Missing Thai woman reportedly arrested in Malaysia: local media

BANGKOK: A Thai restaurant owner in Malaysia revealed that a Thai woman, who disappeared on March 8, has been arrested by Malaysian police. She is reportedly safe but will be unable to contact her family until her interrogation is complete.

The missing Thai woman, 26 year old Chutimon “Care” Jantawisai, travelled from her home province, Loei, in Isaan to work at a karaoke bar in the central province of Kanchanaburi. However, she lost contact with her family following a phone argument with her boyfriend on March 8 as reported by local media outlets including online portal thethaiger.com

The Narathiwat Provincial Immigration Office in the southern province of Narathiwat later reported that Care left Thailand for Malaysia via the Su-ngai Kolok border checkpoint at about 2.30pm on February 28. She had a tourist visa and was allowed to stay in the country for 30 days.

According to the record of the immigration office, Care travelled to Malaysia twice at the end of last year and stayed about 10 to 20 days each time before returning to Thailand. Officers anticipated that she might have a friend in the country.

The President of the Kanchanaburi Rescue Foundation, Kwanchai Tirasin, told ThaiRath yesterday, March 13, that he received information about Care from a Thai man named Yot. Yot told Kwanchai that he owned a restaurant in the Kuala Lumpur City of Malaysia and knew Care.

According to Yot, Care was arrested in the city of Kuantan, and she sought assistance from Yot by calling him via Facebook Messenger. Yot said Care’s mobile phone and other belongings would be confiscated under the local law of the country, so was unable to contact her family.

Yot did not reveal what the crime Care was arrested for but stated that the questioning and investigation would take about two weeks before the authorities would grant bail. Yot assured Care’s family that she was now safe.

It is suspected that Care may have entered Malaysia and attempted to work there without permission.

On Thursday, Thai media reported that a young woman from Loei province has been reported missing since March 8, after she left for work and subsequently lost contact with her family. The 26 year old, known as Care, was initially headed to Samut Prakan to work as a PR at a karaoke bar but then decided to take a job in Kanchanaburi instead, a decision that has led to a concerning disappearance.

Care’s family has been unable to reach her, prompting them to seek assistance. Kwanchai Thirasilp, a member of the Kanchanaburi Rescue Foundation, unveiled a detailed timeline of events on Facebook, tracing Care’s last known movements to gather information that might lead to her whereabouts.

On February 27, Care informed her family that she would work in Samut Prakan and booked a bus ticket from Loei, which was scheduled to pick her up around 9pm. During the journey, she messaged a friend, revealing her change of plans to work in Kanchanaburi instead. She arrived at the Mo Chit bus terminal on the morning of February 28.

Upon reaching Mo Chit, Care immediately took a van to Kanchanaburi. She told her family she would be working as a PR at an unnamed karaoke bar in the province. Between March 1 and March 8, she frequently called home to speak with her young child and her boyfriend in Loei.

However, on March 8, Care had an argument with her boyfriend over the phone, and after 6pm that day, all communication ceased. Her family and mother repeatedly attempted to contact her through calls and Facebook, to no avail, and there has been no activity on her Facebook account, which is unusual for her, reported KhaoSod.

Note: The Kanchanaburi Rescue Foundation had made an urgent appeal for any information regarding Care’s disappearance. The family, deeply concerned and distressed, implores Care to contact them immediately if she sees the information. The latest update on this matter was provided on March 13, at 10.38am. – Agencies