Surat Thani: A 23-year-old Russian female tourist holidaying on Koh Tao has been missing for about two weeks, prompting relatives and a hotel operator to seek police help to find her.
Valentina Novozhyonova. Photo: SAMUI TIMES
Pol Lt Col Chokechai Sutthimek, chief inspector at Koh Tao police station, said Sitthiporn Patthaweesrisutha, owner of the Koh Tao Hostel, on Friday alerted police that Valentina Novozhyonova had disappeared.
The hotel owner told police the woman checked into the hotel on Feb 11 and was due to check out on Feb 16. However, she did not contact the hotel staff to return her room key on Feb 16.
They waited several days as they assumed she might have travelled somewhere. However, she failed to show up.
When the staff finally checked her room, they found her belongings, including her passport, a mobile phone and a camera.
Pol Lt Col Chokechai said a Russian man, identified as Sergey Busain, also asked police to help find Ms Novozhyonova as her relatives had been unable to contact her.
The police officer said the Russian woman is about 170cm tall, with fair skin and light brown hair and a V-letter tattoo on her left wrist. Anyone who has clues about her whereabouts can contact police at 077-456-098.
Police also said that Ms Novozhyonova arrived at Suvarnabhumi airport on Feb 7 before travelling to Koh Tao on Feb 11.
Officers led by Pol Lt Col Napa Senathip, deputy investigation chief at the station, yesterday inspected the missing woman's room and asked the hotel to supply a list of guests staying around the time she disappeared.
The team examined her mobile phone record and asked local businesses if they recalled seeing the woman.