Tom Armstrong search: Thailand trip for missing man's father

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-suffolk-21308169

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The father of a Suffolk man who has been missing in Thailand for nearly a month is flying out to the country on Sunday to try to find him.

Tom Armstrong, 22, from Kelsale near Saxmundham, had been due to arrive at Heathrow from Bangkok airport on 9 January but did not catch the flight.

Father Kingsley Armstrong said: "I've had a lot of help from parents who've been through a similar sort of thing.

"We're fairly certain now that he's in a specific area within Bangkok."

Tom Armstrong has been in Thailand since last April and had been living on the island of Koh Tao for a diving course.

He was last in contact with his family via email on 6 January, when he told them of his flight plans home.

Since his disappearance, money has been withdrawn from his bank account in Bangkok.

'Tom, get in contact'

"We're not sure whether he's hurt, injured or unable to come forward," said his father.

Via a <a href="http://www.facebook.com/MissingTomArmstrong" >Facebook page</a> devoted to the search for his son, Mr Armstrong said parents in a similar situation had "given me a lot of helpful contacts and explained how they went through the process of finding their children who'd been lost in Bangkok".

Mr Armstrong has scheduled meetings with the Thai authorities and will be distributing posters of his son around the city.

He said: "If you're there Tom, get in contact with me."

Helen Armstrong-Bland, Tom's mother, has set up a fund to help with the search, hoping any money raised could be used for flights for the family to Thailand.

She said: "Tom's dad is going out, I might follow and there might be other costs in the future as it's all a bit of an unknown quantity."

Suffolk Police are working through Interpol and the Foreign and Commonwealth Office with the Thai authorities to help with the investigation.

Mr Armstrong is prepared to stay in Thailand until his son is found.