A 17-year-old girl has been unaccounted for in Thailand for over a week following her departure from Bangkok, where she was reportedly en route to Pattaya. The family of Naphatsorn “Namtan” Plerphukiao has taken to social media to seek assistance and information regarding her disappearance.
Namtan, who was residing in Pathum Thani for an internship, was last seen leaving her dormitory in the Rangsit area around midnight on May 1. Her father, Boonlert Plerphukiao, originally from Udon Thani in the northeastern part of the country, traveled to Bangkok on May 7 to enlist the help of Channel 7, a local media outlet, in raising awareness about his daughter’s case.
Surveillance footage captured Namtan entering an orange taxi that she had booked via a mobile application. Although the exact reason for her trip remains unclear, it is believed she was headed to the Rama 3 area of Bangkok. Notably, she left her dormitory with only her mobile phone, neglecting to take her identification card, student card, or any other valuables.
Boonlert expressed his concern after failing to reach Namtan by phone. He subsequently contacted the ride-hailing service for further details, which revealed that she had arranged another ride from Rama 3 to Pattaya Walking Street. However, this second driver canceled the trip midway, raising further alarm about her safety.
Authorities believe that Namtan may have gone missing in Chachoengsao province, located to the east of Bangkok and north of Pattaya. In response to her disappearance, her family has filed a missing person report in Pathum Thani, where she was last known to be.
Boonlert has made a heartfelt plea for anyone with information about his daughter to reach out to her older sister via Facebook. The family remains hopeful for her safe return and is actively seeking any leads that could assist in locating her.
As the search continues, the community is urged to remain vigilant and report any sightings or information that could aid in finding Namtan.