Tourist police in Korat staged a Valentine’s week reunion after an elderly couple were split for over five hours at Ya Mo Monument. Officers tracked the missing husband to the bus terminal and brought him back for an emotional reunion in the city centre.
Tourist police on Thursday completed their mission and closed the case swiftly after an elderly wife, Mrs. Manee, reported losing track of her husband in central Korat. The pair had been separated for over five hours, prompting Mr. Thongkham to head to the bus station to find a way home. Officers located him there and informed him that his wife was waiting at the Thao Suranari Monument, as agreed. The intervention ended the ordeal for the couple just two days before St. Valentine’s Day. The heart-warming story stood out against the daily tide of hard crime handled by police nationwide.
Tourist police in Nakhon Ratchasima reunited an elderly couple on the evening of February 12 after a separation lasting more than five hours. The incident occurred two days before St. Valentine’s Day. It unfolded at the Thao Suranari Monument, commonly known as the Ya Mo Monument, a central landmark in the city.
At 7:30 p.m., Police Lieutenant Colonel Jirapat Khiewsiri received a direct request for assistance. At the time, he was supervising patrol officers assigned to security at Ya Mo Square.
He serves as the Superintendent of Tourist Police Station 2 in Korat. Earlier that afternoon, at approximately 2:00 p.m., the couple had become separated in the monument area. They had travelled together from Sa Kaeo Province to pay respects at the site. However, amid the activity around the square, they lost contact.
Search launched after elderly couple separated for over five hours at the Ya Mo Monument in Korat
Subsequently, Mrs. Manee remained at a designated meeting point near the monument. She waited there continuously for over five hours. Meanwhile, she had no information about her husband’s whereabouts. As time passed, concern increased. Therefore, she approached the tourist police officers on duty and formally requested help locating Mr. Thongkham.
Immediately, Police Lieutenant Colonel Jirapat ordered a coordinated search. First, patrol officers retraced the likely walking route between the Veterans Welfare Office and the monument. Then, they checked the surrounding streets and public spaces near the square. However, the initial sweep produced no confirmed sighting. Consequently, officers reassessed the situation and expanded the search perimeter.
Given the possibility that Mr. Thongkham sought transportation, officers redirected attention to the Nakhon Ratchasima Bus Terminal. The terminal serves as a major interprovincial transport hub. Upon arrival, officers observed a man matching the provided description. He was walking near an AI camera installation site inside the terminal area. Accordingly, officers approached him and conducted questioning to confirm his identity.
Upon verification, police confirmed the individual was Mr. Thongkham. He stated that after becoming separated at about 2:00 p.m., he attempted to locate his wife within the monument grounds. He continued searching until approximately 5:00 p.m. However, he was unable to find her. As a result, he assumed she might have already returned to Sa Kaeo Province.
Husband heads to bus terminal after failed search while wife waits hours at monument meeting point
Therefore, he hired a motorcycle taxi and travelled to the bus station. Once there, he sought transport back to Sa Kaeo. However, the final bus of the day had already departed. The next available service was scheduled for 2:00 a.m. Consequently, he remained at the terminal to wait for the early morning departure.
Meanwhile, Mrs. Manee had not left the monument area. Instead, she remained at the agreed meeting point for the entire period. She did not travel to another location. She continued waiting in the expectation that her husband would return.
After confirming Mr. Thongkham’s identity, officers immediately informed him that his wife was still at Ya Mo Monument. Subsequently, they arranged transportation back to the square. Shortly afterwards, the couple was reunited. In total, the separation lasted more than five hours, from mid-afternoon until late evening.
Throughout the operation, Police Lieutenant Colonel Jirapat directed and monitored the search. Patrol officers coordinated movements between the monument and the transport hub. They assessed pedestrian routes, public gathering points, and transit facilities. As a result, the search concluded the same evening without further complication.
Operation carried out under the Police Doing Good project, backed by senior Royal Thai Police leadership
According to Police Lieutenant Colonel Jirapat, the operation was conducted under the “Police Doing Good” project. This initiative forms part of policy directives issued by the Royal Thai Police. It is led by Pol. Gen. Kittirat Phanphet, Commissioner General of the Royal Thai Police. In addition, it is supported by Pol. Lt. Gen. Saksira Phueak-am, Commissioner of the Tourist Police. The policy directs tourist police to provide rapid and effective assistance in distress situations.
At the time of the incident, officers were already deployed for routine security at the monument. Therefore, the response was immediate. The search began without delay and moved systematically across identified locations. Ultimately, the coordinated effort led to the identification of Mr. Thongkham at the bus terminal and his return to Ya Mo Square.
Later, there were tears of joy and relief from the pair when they were reunited by smiling and happy policemen who went home on Thursday with some good news to report.
The case was resolved and the mission of reuniting the lost couple completed within minutes. Indeed, a happy and joyful ending to what must have been a nerve-wracking ordeal for an elderly couple who rely on each other for support.
Royal Thai Police balance public service role amid scrutiny over corruption and internal divisions
The Royal Thai Police has over two hundred thousand members and is a vast organisation across Thailand tasked with keeping law and order. Certainly, in recent years, it has made the news for the wrong reasons.
That is over division within its ranks at the highest level and reports of massive corruption. At the same time, day-to-day news stories speak of arrests for fraud and even the most heinous crimes, such as murder.
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Despite this, it remains an integral part of Thai society and stories like Thursday’s show clearly that it is embedded in the hearts and minds of the Thai public. The simple task of reuniting a lost but loving couple can be added to the countless other daily tasks and assignments of the force across the country.
It is the thin line between law and order and anarchy, and for those in distress, it is the first line they call for help and assistance.
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