Four-day search finds body of missing Thai man on hill

2026-01-27 - 08:04

SATUN — 27 January 2026, Authorities found the body of a 29-year-old man who had been reported missing for four days, following a large-scale ground search near his home in Satun province. The victim, identified only as Niphol (surname withheld), a resident of Village 5 in Na Thon subdistrict, Thung Wa district, disappeared from his home on 23 January 2026, prompting relatives to file a missing person report. Search teams led by Saroj Srinoi, head of the Rom Sai rescue unit in Satun, joined district officials, Na Thon subdistrict administrators and local residents to comb the foothills about 1 kilometre from the man’s home. The body was discovered beneath a tree on the hillside, lying face down. Investigators reported flies at the scene and found a broken rope nearby. Police investigator Pol. Capt. Nikorn Mekruang of Thung Wa police station, accompanied by an on-duty doctor from Thung Wa Hospital, examined the scene and found no signs of a struggle or physical assault. Initial inquiries found that the man had been suffering from depression before he went missing. Relatives told police they had no doubts about the cause of death. Authorities later released the body to the family for religious rites. Acting superintendent Lt. Col. Phonphak Phanudetkritt instructed investigators to follow procedures and maintain close communication with the family, police said.