A massive search operation, involving around 100 forestry officials and local guides, entered its third consecutive day yesterday, as authorities desperately comb the rugged terrain of the Khao Banthat Wildlife Sanctuary for a 54-year-old female tourist who went missing on Khao Jet Yod mountain.
The missing trekker, identified as ‘Wantanee’, a resident of Nonthaburi province, vanished on the morning of June 1 whilst trekking along the renowned natural border ridge connecting Trang and Phatthalung provinces.
Despite an intensive round-the-clock search, rescue teams have yet to find any trace of her and are being hampered by continuous heavy downpours.
The joint search party formed into six teams comprises personnel from the Khao Banthat Wildlife Sanctuary stationed in both Trang and Phatthalung, alongside seasoned local guides from the Palian district of Trang and neighbouring Phatthalung.
According to search coordinators, the sixth team, consisting primarily of wildlife sanctuary officers, returned down the mountain on yesterday after exhaustively searching their designated sector without success.
The remaining five teams continue to brave the hostile elements on the high ridges of the Khao Banthat range.
Charoenchai Chuaychoo, the tour coordinator for Phatthalung province, revealed that he had coordinated the expedition on behalf of a tour management social media page. The group, comprising 13 tourists, embarked on the three-day, two-night trek on May 30, ascending from the Phatthalung side with the intention of descending into Trang after reaching the scenic Khao Jet Yod peak.
According to Charoenchai, the group reached their destination as scheduled.
At approximately 7.00am on June 1, following breakfast, Wantanee expressed her desire to hike down the mountain ahead of the group by herself.
Local guides vehemently rejected her request, instructing all tour members to pack their belongings and assemble for a group descent at 9.00am.
When the rendezvous time arrived, however, Wantanee was nowhere to be found. Guides immediately initiated an urgent search with local villagers but found no trace of her, prompting a formal distress call to provincial authorities.
"Persistent torrential rain throughout the entire week has completely obliterated any potential tracks or footprints she might have left behind, making the tracking process exceptionally difficult," Charoenchai explained, adding "We subsequently mobilised 20 expert hunters from Phatthalung and another 20 from Trang, alongside locals and officials, to expand the grid."
Charoenchai noted that Wantanee is an experienced trekker who has successfully ascended Khao Jet Yod from the Phatthalung side four or five times and this trip marked her second time using the Trang descent route.
“She had assured the guides that she was intimately familiar with the trail and authorities confirmed there were no personal conflicts or arguments within the trekking group prior to her disappearance,” Charoenchai added.
Optimism remains that she may survive the harsh conditions, as her backpack contains a portable gas stove and a limited supply of ready-to-eat rations.
In response to the escalating situation, Phanet Uthairangsi, the Palian district chief, has ordered the establishment of an emergency command centre at the Nan Sato waterfall to streamline logistics and communications for the rescue teams.
Chob Rongdech, chief of the Ton Te Waterfall Protection Unit and head of the 5th Wildlife Protection Centre in Trang, stated that the initial search unit had conducted an intensive foot patrol lasting seven to eight hours, from the Ton Te waterfall area, but it yielded no clues.
Five additional teams have since been deployed from the Nan Sato waterfall site to conduct a systematic sweep, equipped with 3-days of survival rations for a two-night operation on the mountain.
