Tourist Police Reunite Lost Russian Boy, 9, With Mother on Koh Phangan

SURAT THANI — Tourist police on Koh Phangan successfully reunited a 9-year-old Russian boy with his mother early Friday, after he was found wandering alone and frightened on a road. The incident highlights ongoing efforts to bolster tourist safety. The alarm was raised at approximately 4:15 AM when a Dutch passerby contacted the Tourist Police hotline at 1155, reporting a young boy, estimated to be around nine years old, running along the road and crying for help. Officers from Tourist Police Station 5 on Koh Phangan were dispatched to investigate. They found the boy in a state of extreme distress. As he spoke only Russian, police arranged for a Russian interpreter to facilitate communication. The boy, identified as Jaromir, 9, explained through the interpreter that he had been staying at a house with his mother. Around 4:00 AM, he woke to find his mother absent. Fearing the situation, he left the house and walked approximately 5 kilometers to a main road, unable to recall the way back home. He began asking passing individuals for assistance. With minimal traffic at that early hour, Jaromir continued walking along the road until he was spotted by the concerned Dutch traveler who alerted the authorities. Tourist police took the boy to their Koh Phangan service center and initiated a search for his family. Reviewing CCTV footage from the area where he was first seen, officers identified his mother, Alisa, a Russian national. Further checks through the Koh Samui Tourist Police system provided her accommodation details and contact number. Alisa was contacted and informed that her son was safe and in police custody. She was requested to come and collect him. She explained to the police that she had put her son to bed as usual. After he fell asleep, she visited a close friend’s house, as the friend was scheduled to return to Russia the next day. She admitted to leaving her sleeping son alone at their residence. Alisa expressed shock at the events and apologized for the incident. She conveyed her gratitude to the tourist police and the Dutch passerby for their role in ensuring her son's safety, vowing to exercise greater care in the future. Tourist police then escorted the mother and son back to their accommodation, completing the safe reunion. Authorities emphasized the incident as part of their commitment to enhancing confidence in tourist safety and promoting Koh Phangan as a secure destination for all visitors. Information source: Khaosod English