The Frenchman, Jean Michel Paillereau, was with his son riding to Thalang on separate motorbikes yesterday afternoon (Dec 2), explained Lt Col Prathuang Pholmana of the Karon Police, who received the initial missing person report via a mutual friend.
The son reported that he and his father had pulled up alongside each other at the Koh Kaew Intersection at about 3:30pm, but the son lost track of his father soon after that.
“After Mr Paillereau failed to return to the Siri Phuket Hotel in Phuket Town, where they were staying, a relative of Mr Paillereau called a local friend, who called me to report him as missing,” Col Prathuang explained.
Col Prathuang posted across social media a notice for anyone finding Mr Paillereau to the police colonel directly on his mobile phone.
At about midday today (Dec 3), staff at Pranee Beach Bungalows in Takuapa, Phang Nga, more than 130 kilometres away, called Col Prathuang to inform him that Mr Paillereau had checked in at the resort at 1:45pm.
“And he is fine,” Col Prathuang said.
So far no explanation has been given as to why Mr Paillereau failed to turn around despite riding his rented motorbike across the bridge off Phuket and several hours more before coming to a stop, or where Mr Paillereau had spent the night.