July 22, 2024 - Reading time: 7 minutes
Updated: August 3, 2024

Thailand is a beautiful and diverse country that attracts millions of visitors each year. However, due to various circumstances, some people may go missing in Thailand. Finding a missing person in Thailand can be a complex task, involving multiple steps and numerous resources. This guide provides valuable tips on how to locate a missing person in Thailand, and explains how private investigators can often help to unearth crucial information.

Initial Steps When Someone is Missing in Thailand

Contact the Authorities

The first and most crucial step when someone goes missing is to contact the authorities. Reporting a missing person to the local police is essential. Provide them with all necessary details such as:

• Full name
• Date of birth
• Nationality
• Recent photograph
• Last known address
• Any known medical conditions or medication needs

Contact the Embassy

If the missing person is a foreign national, notify the relevant embassy or consulate. They can offer support, liaise with local authorities, and provide guidance on further steps to take. Embassies often have dedicated personnel to assist in such cases and can help in tracing the individual's movements within the country.

Utilise Social Media and Local Networks

Social media can be a powerful tool in locating a missing person. Post messages and photographs on platforms such as Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram, and ask friends, family, and the public to share them. This can help to quickly spread the word and gather information on the missing person's whereabouts.

Additionally, contact local community groups, expat networks, and organisations like the Red Cross or local NGOs, which can offer assistance and spread the word within their networks.

Hiring a Private Investigator: When Professional Help is Needed

Why Hire a Private Investigator?

While authorities and social networks are vital, sometimes these efforts are not enough. This is where hiring a private investigator, such as Bangkok Investigators, can make a significant difference. Private investigators have the expertise, tools, and networks to conduct thorough searches and gather essential information that may not be easily accessible to the public.

Bangkok Investigators is a leading detective agency with a proven track record in locating missing people in Thailand. They have documented real cases on their site's 'about us page', including a remarkable case where a person was located after 50 years. This demonstrates their dedication and effectiveness in handling even the most challenging cases.

What Information to Provide

To maximise the chances of locating a missing person, it is crucial to provide the investigator with as much information as possible. Important details include:

• Subject's full name and aliases
• Nationality and passport number (where known)
• Last known address or location
• Phone numbers and email addresses
• Recent photographs
• Social media profiles
• Known associates or contacts in Thailand
• Travel itinerary or plans
• Employment or volunteering information

The more comprehensive the information provided, the better the chances of the investigator conducting a successful search.

The Cost of Hiring a Private Investigator

Hiring a private investigator can be expensive in some cases, but for many families and friends, it is worth the investment. Professional investigators like Bangkok Investigators are equipped with the skills and resources to potentially locate a missing person more quickly and efficiently than other methods. This can save considerable time and emotional distress in the long run.

Additional Resources and Tips

Check Hospitals and Shelters

Contact local hospitals, clinics, and shelters to check if the missing person has been admitted or sought help. Provide them with a photograph and detailed description of the missing individual. Hospitals and shelters often keep records of people they assist, which can be a crucial lead. This is one step which can be performed by an investigator if needed.

Monitor Financial and Communication Records

If possible, track the missing person's financial transactions, phone calls, and online activity. Any recent activity can provide clues about their location or state of mind. Banks and telecommunications companies may be able to assist in providing this information, especially if the police or legal authorities are involved.

Consider Language and Cultural Barriers

If the missing person is a foreigner, consider the challenges they may face regarding language and cultural differences. Engage local translators or bilingual individuals who can assist in interviews and communications with locals.

Documenting and Sharing Information

Keep a detailed record of every action taken and the information gathered. Share this documentation with the authorities, embassy, and private investigator. Consistent and organised data collection can significantly aid in the search process.

Conclusion: The Role of Private Investigators

Finding a missing person in Thailand is a multi-faceted process involving cooperation from authorities, social networks, embassies, and professional investigators. Private investigators like Bangkok Investigators play a crucial role in this process, providing specialised skills and resources that can significantly enhance the chances of locating a missing person.

While hiring a private investigator may involve a considerable financial investment, it often proves to be the most effective option in cases where other methods fall short. For anyone facing the heart-wrenching ordeal of a loved one missing in Thailand, professional help from experienced investigators can offer hope and a faster path to resolution.

January 10, 2024 - Reading time: 3 minutes
Updated: October 9, 2024

If you need to get more information on a business, then we can help by performing a Thai company background check. Our experienced team of private detectives are experts are performing corporate investigations and due diligence on behalf of our clients.

Thailand Company Verification

As part of our basic due diligence service we can check the following points:

• Company name 
• Registration date
• Operating status
• Registered capital
• Company industry group
• List of directors
• Shareholder's nationalities
• Company balance sheets (revenue/assets/profit)

Our fee to check companies in Thailand is just 4,500 THB including tax. After you have ordered a check we will prepare a PDF file which includes the above information translated into English.

Please note: This service is offered for companies that are registered in Thailand only.

Should additional verification be required, then we can help to conduct site visits and further due diligence as part of our corporate investigation services.

Why Check a Company in Thailand?

It is crucial to conduct a thorough review of a company's registration data during the due diligence process. This exercise is significant as it furnishes vital details regarding a company's legal standing and authenticity. The data encompasses insights about the company's board members, stakeholders, and financial position, all of which contribute to evaluating the company's robustness and trustworthiness.  

It also allows for verification of the company's compliance with regulatory requirements and helps in identifying potential risks or red flags which might impact the decision making process. By conducting checks on company registration data, you can mitigate the risk of engaging with fraudulent or non-compliant entities, safeguard your investments, and ensure transparency in commercial dealings.

Corporate Investigation Services

Our corporate investigation services are designed to provide our clients with the necessary information to make informed choices... Whether the case involves conducting background checks on potential business partners or examining employee records, we possess the expertise and resources required to gather the essential data.

Our highly skilled team of private detectives can thoroughly investigate locations, conduct interviews, and review documents to ensure our clients possess a comprehensive understanding of the individuals and organisations involved.

Concerning due diligence, we acknowledge the significance of unveiling any potential risks or indications of concern prior to entering into a business partnership. Our thorough approach to corporate investigations enables us to detect any possible problems, including financial irregularities, legal issues, or reputational worries.

Furthermore, we offer employee background screening to assist our clients in making informed hiring decisions and lessening the risk of recruiting individuals with a track record of deceitful behaviour or criminal actions. With our corporate investigation services, our clients can trust their business decisions and safeguard themselves against potential obligations.

How to Proceed

If you need our help to check a company, then feel free to get in touch with us for more information or to proceed with payment. We will endeavour to respond within 24 hours.

January 2, 2024 - Reading time: 8 minutes
Updated: August 20, 2024

Foreigners that venture into romantic relationships with Thai ladies are likely to experience some 'cultural differences' during their romances, and this is especially true if you are coming from a Western country/culture.

As the adage goes, 'forewarned is forearmed', and understanding some of the cultural differences that you might encounter while dating a Thai can help you to better understand your partner's point of view, and to avoid unpleasant experiences for both yourself and your partner during your relationship.

There are certain behaviours which are best avoided when dating a Thai; we will explore some of the most common mistakes to avoid in this article.

1. Avoid public displays of affection

'Public displays of affection' are typically frowned on in Thai culture. This can be in contrast to many other cultures, such as in the West, where showing affection to your partner in public is usually not a big deal.

Public displays of affection in Western countries are often tolerated and even celebrated in some cases; marriage proposals in-front of strangers in public is not uncommon, for example.

However, most Thais do not enjoy public displays of affection and will avoid them. This could be anything from holding hands in public, to kissing in front of others, or intimate body language in view of others. Don't be surprised if your partner becomes shy or embarrassed, and only shows physical affection to you behind closed doors.

2. Don't cause your partner to lose face

'Losing face' is a big deal in Thailand, and if you value your relationship then it would be wise to avoid causing your partner to lose face at all costs.

Causing your partner to lose face would involve embarrassing her or damaging her image in any way. Although this seems like a simple point, you might find that it manifests itself in many different ways during your relationship.

Try to avoid causing any embarrassment to your partner in public - this could be anything from insulting her intelligence, using her at the butt of a joke, or even trying to correct her English or teach her things in earshot of other people.

You may find that your partner does not want to lose face even to yourself, and might be conservative with the truth when it serves to better her image. For example, if your partner is in a mountain of debt, or has other serious issues within her personal life, then she may well neglect to mention these details until you are deep into a relationship with her.

3. Don't expect her to put you before her family

Family is important to most Thais, and most Thai daughters will be very close with their parents and other close family members. You may find that your girlfriend is also responsible for supporting her parents in their old age, although this will depend on how many siblings she has and whether her parents are working, etcetera.

It has been said that when marrying a Thai lady, you are also marrying her family. It would be wise to maintain an amicable relationship with them, and it might be a good idea to get to know them properly once the relationship with their daughter starts to become serious.

4. Don't communicate aggressively 

Communicating aggressively (i.e. raising your voice, swearing, using sarcasm) does not usually translate well or have the desired effect when dealing with Thai people.

Thais tend to use a more "high context" communication style, and are apt at taking in subtleties in order to understand the meaning behind what is being said. Conveying your point by becoming aggressive is not the right resolution in most cases, and will likely upset your partner.

Similarly, many idioms or expressions which are used commonly in English do not convey well to Thais, as there is no equivalent in their own language. 

5. Don't be a 'cheap Charlie'

Thailand is somewhat of a collectivist culture, and most won't think twice about sharing what they have with others... The concept of 'naam jai', or 'generosity' is natural for Thais. Don't be surprised if your girlfriend expects you to pickup the tab when eating out with her friends, or buying her gifts while you are out and about.

Some foreigners may worry that they are being taken advantage of financially, and while it is wise to be wary of romance scams or dating a dishonest lady, no women like cheapskates and this is also true among Thais.

It's also important to point out that Thai men will also help to support their girlfriends and wives during their relationships, and this situation is not exclusive to foreigners.

If you are not willing to help out your partner financially, then you should be upfront and honest with her about this from the beginning. It would also be a good idea to take a long hard look at her financial situation and that of her family, in order to determine whether or not she is self sufficient or is likely to require ongoing help in the future. If your partner is barely scraping by financially, and you are not willing to help out whatsoever, then you might find that your relationship eventually falls apart.

Check your Thai girlfriend

If you are wary about falling victim to a romance scam, or suspect that your partner could be cheating on you, then our experienced private detectives can help. We can help to check the lifestyle/activity of your partner through surveillance, or access information on their past and history through our background check service. Visit our homepage to learn more about us, or continue reading our blog for more free articles.

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December 26, 2023 - Reading time: 10 minutes
Updated: August 20, 2024

For many guys that are in relationships with Thai women, being in the same country all the time is not viable, and so many will be engaged in 'long distance relationships' with their partners, at least temporarily.

When it comes to long distance relationships, much will depend on your relationship with the lady... How long you have lived together, how long the relationship has gone on for, and many other details relating to your circumstances.

As a leading private investigation company based in Thailand, we often discover that while the foreign man might feel as-though his relationship is very serious, his girlfriend on the other hand might not be so committed to him whilst they are living thousands of miles apart. This can be in part due to some cultural differences which we will touch on in this article.

Providing financial support to a Thai girlfriend

It's no secret that some Thai women who choose to date foreign men are doing so due to the perception that foreign men have money, and will be able to help support them financially.

However, Thai ladies (and especially streetwise scam artists), fully understand that asking their boyfriend for money will be seen as a red flag early on in the relationship. If the lady needs or is expecting financial support from her boyfriend, but is too concerned about her boyfriend's reaction to ask, then she might not feel that the relationship is as serious as he feels.

Of course, while some Thai women are wealthy and make more than enough money to support themselves, you will need to determine whether or not this is the case with your partner. Due to the Thai concept of 'saving face', this can be difficult to achieve, especially early on in the relationship. The lady may 'paint a nicer picture' in order to make herself more appealing.

If your Thai girlfriend works in a bar, massage parlour, or in any form of nightlife or 'adult entertainment' venue, then the likelihood of her hooking up with other guys is in our experience very high, particularly if the boyfriend is not providing any financial support.

Is marriage important to Thai women?

Yes, marriage is important to most Thai women. Indeed, it has been said that some Thai ladies do not consider a romantic relationship to be serious until the knot has been tied and a wedding has taken place.

If you are truly serious about the relationship with your Thai girlfriend, then it would be advisable to get married as soon as practical.

Meeting and forming bonds with your Thai girlfriend's parents and other family members is also important, as it helps to demonstrate that you are serious about the relationship. Most Thai ladies are very close with their families.

Relationship scams during long distance relationships

Unfortunately, being in a long distance relationship can sometimes lead to infidelity or open you up to a romance scam. Most guys that are in love with a Thai lady will never suspect that their partner could be cheating on them, or that she might even have multiple different boyfriends.

The typical mentality is "She's different, it could never happen to me". Unfortunately, the lady is not always different, and temptations can sometimes prove too much to resist.

As we touched on earlier in the article, financial support can be seen as a huge benefit of dating a foreign man. If the lady desperately needs money (even if she is too shy to ask you for it), then she might be tempted to form new relationships (whether long term or short term) with other men who are willing to provide that help.

After all, if you are thousands of miles away in another country, then you will never find out what she is getting up to. The 'Thai girlfriend scam' was popularised by a show on T+E; wherein a Thai lady confesses to having 3 different long term boyfriends... She goes on to explain that some of those boyfriends will send her money on a regular basis, while some others will only send cash when she has an issue or problem with her family.

Developing long term plans

For most people, the idea of being in a long distance relationship over the long term is not ideal. Couples that are not living in the same country as each other will usually look to the future and try to form long term plans which can facilitate the couple living under the same roof.

Whether you're able to move over to Thailand, or help your partner to join you in your home country, will largely depend on your own subjective circumstances and preferences... Is your partner well educated? Does she have a career or profession that can be continued in your home country? Or is she uneducated with no savings and performing menial work?

Likewise if you intend to move to Thailand, then you should question whether or not this can work financially. Many jobs in Thailand are off-limits to foreigners, especially those which entail physical or menial work. There are also strict minimum salaries which foreigners must earn in order to live in Thailand, which vary depending on the person's nationality.

Getting a long term visa for your Thai spouse

For many guys that date Thai women, their goal is to eventually bring the lady back to their home country, or to move over to Thailand themselves.

Depending on which country you come from, this could be a difficult pursuit. In order to secure a visa, you will likely need to demonstrate your relationship through providing photos, chat logs, social media posts, even money transfer receipts if you are supporting the lady financially. Be aware of this and try to create a 'paper trail' as proof of your relationship.

In many cases, immigration officials will also want to see proof that the lady (or man) is stable financially and has reason to return back to Thailand... Typically this can include the lady's bank statement which shows her salary being paid regularly. Land/property deeds, savings, and other assets or commitments can also help in some cases.

Long distance Thai girlfriend working in a bar

If your Thai girlfriend is working in a bar, or another venue which provides 'adult entertainment' such as a massage parlour, go-go bar, etcetera, then this is another topic altogether. Typically, bar girls will claim 'not to go with customers' while they are engaged in long term relationships. The reality of the situation is usually different to this, based on our experience.

Bar girls almost always continue to see other men while they have an overseas, long distance relationship. As private investigators, we are often asked to check this as part of our decoy/bar girl investigation service.

Indeed, if the lady is working in a bar while you are overseas, then she might not be upfront and honest about this. In some cases handled by us, ladies claim to work in a normal job such as a restaurant or supermarket. However, when we have conducted an investigation, we discovered that the lady was instead working in a bar and seeing customers for money. In some cases the lady will have a 'normal' day job, but then freelance in the evening times by visiting a bar/club, or by standing on the side of the road, or by hooking up with guys from dating apps. If you are not in the country then it can be very difficult to find out what is truly going on.

Can my long distance relationship work?

Long distance relationships with Thai women can indeed work, but much will depend on both of your circumstances and the lady's situation. It's also important to realise that no matter how much you message or call each other online, there is no substitute for getting to know each other by spending quality time together in person. Communicating with your girlfriend over the internet will not properly shed light on all of her flaws, faults and bad habits, and it would certainly be a good idea to spend as much time together in real life as possible, before taking things to the next level.

The Thai concept of 'saving face' can make it difficult to discover the truth about your partner's circumstances, especially if you are in a long distance relationship. For example, if your partner is in a considerable amount of debt, or has family problems or other serious issues; then she might not be forthcoming with that information, as it would cause her to 'lose face' and potentially threaten your relationship with her. Discovering the truth while purely dating online is typically not possible.

If you need to keep an eye on your Thai partner while you are out of the country, then we can certainly assist using our surveillance service... Or, if you would like more information on your partner's background then we can help to perform a background check on them instead. Visit our homepage at BangkokInvestigators.com to learn more about us and the services we offer.

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