Chonburi —
A 46-year-old Thai man, who went solo bird-watching up in the mountains in Chonburi without telling anyone, turned out to be safe and not lost after a search operation was launched for him for over three days.
On June 17th, Ms. Sudawal Dokbuacw, 42, tearfully requested assistance from authorities to help locate her older brother, Mr. Maneethaweevan Dokbuaw, 46, also known as ‘Uncle Muek.’
According to Sudawal, Uncle Muek went missing from his residence on June 14th, located in the Takhian Tia sub-district of Banglamung district, Chonburi province. He was last seen as he left the house with a long gun and bird trapping equipment. His motorbike was found in the bamboo forest near the Song Phi Nong and Wai mountains, approximately 13 kilometers away from his residence. Sudawal feared that her brother might become lost in the jungle as he did not come home at his regular hour.
After receiving the notification, over 200 authorities from the Royal Thai Army with two search dogs assembled to search for Uncle Muek. They began ascending the hills on June 17th and searching the surrounding areas. In addition, drone surveillance with thermal detectors were employed in the hopes of detecting Uncle Muek. However, after three days of intense searching, the 46-year-old victim was nowhere to be found.
At 6:00 PM on June 19th, the authorities decided to close down the operation. Throughout the three-day period, the search covered almost every square inch of the mountain, yet no traces or signs of Uncle Muek were found. The authorities, as a result, informed the local community to promptly report any findings or the “smell of a corpse” to them.
However, during the twilight hours of June 19th as the officials were starting to make their way back, leaving only the staff responsible for collecting belongings, something unexpected happened. Suddenly, Uncle Muek, the man who everybody was looking for, appeared descending from the mountaintop perfectly healthy.
He approached the authorities’ vehicle and knocked on the window, surprising everyone. They were taken aback because the person knocking on the window was none other than the individual they had been intensely searching for over the course of three days. They then asked for his name, and he confirmed his identity.
Uncle Muek was in a normal and healthy condition and had not sustained any injuries. He was wearing a long-sleeved shirt, long pants, a backpack, and a hat. He explained that he had lost his job and didn’t know what to do, so he went up to the mountain to sleep, relax, enjoy nature, and observe the birds. He had been there since the night of June 14th, surviving on packed dry rations and water. Rescue workers were impressed with the man’s preparation and said Uncle Muek had never been lost or injured, just had taken a personal sabbatical without telling anyone.
Uncle Muek apologized for causing everyone exhaustion and concern, especially to his sister who openly chastised him in front of the cameras for making everyone so worried. As for the spot where he spent the nights, it was in a bamboo forest near the cliff face, close to a large rock formation on the eastern side of the Wai mountain. Mysteriously, the officials had searched that area but didn’t find him. Nevertheless, Uncle Muek’s sister Sudawal and his relatives expressed their gratitude to the officials and were relieved that Uncle Muek was safe and sound.
Uncle Muek stated he loved bird watching and hunting and would likely go hiking and camping again but would inform his relatives in the future.
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