Durban man, 65, missing in Phuket as daughter prepares to travel to Thailand - IOL

Lavanya Naicker is preparing to travel to Phuket after her 65-year-old father, Deven, disappeared nearly a week ago.

His family is appealing for information about his whereabouts.

Her father arrived in Phuket on November 6 and was reported missing on November 9. 

Naicker, 35, said she had contacted the South African embassy and the Department of International Relations and Cooperation (DIRCO) in an attempt to establish what happened to her father, but had yet to receive any meaningful updates.

She said she was also preparing to travel to Thailand after being informed by Home Affairs that her passport was ready and had been dispatched.

“My dad is still missing. I have not been provided with new information. I have reached out to the embassy to get updates and, up until now, I have received no response. It will be almost a week soon and I still have no new information. I have also reached out to DIRCO to no avail,” she said.

CCTV footage of Deven Naicker leaving the Ashlee Hotel in Phuket, Thailand.

Naicker said she had spent hours contacting the hotel where her father was staying and the police in Thailand, but communication had been difficult.

“The communication is not good with Thailand. The police do not give me updates; I get it from the hotel. The last thing I heard was that the police picked up the CCTV footage yesterday, but that was it.

“Even then, I only get information when I ask. No one keeps in contact with me. I understand they are doing their best, but I just want my dad to be found,” she said.

She added that her father's belongings were still inside his hotel room and questioned whether all possible avenues had been explored to establish his whereabouts.

“The police did not even give me worst-case scenarios, like if he is locked up or in hospitals. They did not even tell me if they checked,” she said.

Naicker said she feared that her father's disappearance might not be receiving the urgency it required because Phuket was widely regarded as a holiday and party destination.

“I think people think because Phuket is a party destination, that he must be just someone having a good time. The only source of information for me is from the hotel, and I am grateful to them,” she said.

CCTV footage of Deven Naicker walking to the nearby market after leaving the Ashlee Hotel in Phuket, Thailand.

She believes DIRCO could assist in improving communication between herself and the authorities in Thailand.

While waiting for her passport to arrive, Naicker said she was doing everything possible from Durban to prepare for the search.

“Home Affairs said my passport is ready and it has been dispatched, so I am just waiting for it to arrive so I can leave for Thailand. I want to get all the information I can get while at home so I am ready when I get there.

“I have already printed posters and translated them as well. I just need to know where I need to put them once I am there,” she said.

Naicker is appealing to members of the public, particularly those in Phuket, to help trace her father.

She urged anyone who may have seen, spoken to or come across him to come forward, including people working in hotels, restaurants, tour companies and taxi services.

“I just want people to be aware so if they have seen him, they can let me know. I just want my dad to come home safely,” she said.

Deven Naicker, from Yellowwood Park in Durban, travelled to Thailand alone and arrived in the country on November 6.

He checked into the Ashlee Hotel in Phuket and managed to contact his daughter after arriving at the establishment. However, she has not heard from him since.

He was last seen leaving the hotel, and his disappearance has left his family increasingly concerned for his safety.

Anyone with information that could assist in locating Deven Naicker is urged to contact his daughter, Lavanya Naicker, via email at [email protected].