PHUKET: Searchers found two French tourists who phoned for help late Sunday night after becoming lost while walking on a forested mountain on this southern island province.
The tourists called for help about 10pm on Sunday, saying they were lost in a forest on Nai Thon mountain in tambon Sakhu of Thalang district. A team was formed comprising local officials, police, rangers and villagers and began their search right away.
A two-hour walk and nearly three kilometres away, about 12.30am, they found a Frenchman identified only as Victor and his girlfriend waiting in the dark on the mountain. They were well, apart from some scratches, and were guided safely back to to their hotel.
Pol Col Salan Santisananakul, chief of Sakhu police station, said the couple arrived on Phuket on Sunday and checked into a hotel near Phuket airport. Then they went for a walk on a local beach and followed a trail up the mountain, and were unable to find their way back.
"Luckily they still had a phone signal and were able to call the tourist police number 1155 using WhatsApp. They then sent their location and photos of their surroundings to police," the station chief said.