BANGKOK — The friends and wife of a prominent anti-monarchist exiled in Laos said they fear he might have been disappeared after they lost contact with him for two weeks.
Romchalee Yammy Sinseubpol, a political exile in Laos said she and an unspecified number of friends went to check Surachai Danwattananusorn’s resident Monday morning – more than two weeks after they lost contact with him – and found no one. She said all doors had been left open and that some documents appeared to be missing.
She posted on Facebook saying the place appeared to have been searched. She and her friends fear that he may have been “forced to disappear.”
“The last thing Yam and friends would like to ask from all of you is to remember this democratic hero… who dedicated himself to pro-people ideology,” wrote Romchalee.
When contacted Monday afternoon, Romchalee said she cannot disclose further information until having consulted with her peers, but confirmed that the situation remained the same as of press time Monday.
In a related development, Surachai’s wife, Pranee Dawattanasunorn pleaded that her husband and two male aides be safely released.
“I could only plead those involved to let them go,” said Pranee, who lives in Nakhon Si Thammarat province and lost contact with Surachai since Dec. 10.
Surachai, fled Thailand two days before the May 22, 2014 coup and has since been active on social media promoting his ideology.
Speaking on the phone, Pranee said Laotian authorities had asked friends to come and take away his valuables on Monday but that his gold, cash and gun had gone missing.
Pranee said Surachai is ailing from heart conditions, diabetes and high blood pressure and could be in serious danger without his heart medicine.
On Monday, Deputy Prime Minsiter Prawit Wongsuwan said he didn’t know where Surachai could have gone.
“I don’t know where he is and why he has disappeared now after four years,” adding that he had contacted the Laotian authorities, who had told him they were unaware of Surachai’s whereabouts.
