BANGKOK: An appeal by family members and relatives to find Emile Ratelband, a well-known Dutch television presenter aged 70, and his close friend Natalia da Silva has attracted widespread attention in the Netherlands.
They said the pair had gone missing in Thailand and offered a €2,500 (US$2,801) reward for information, prompting Immigration Bureau commissioner Pol Lt Gen Nopasin Poolsawat to order immigration officers nationwide to launch an urgent search.
In an update, Pol Maj Gen Choengron Rimphadee, deputy commissioner and spokesman for the Immigration Bureau, said database checks showed that Ratelband and Natalia had entered Thailand legally in December 2021 and had reported their place of residence in the southern part of central Thailand.
However, departure records showed that both had already left the country.
Ratelband left Thailand for Laos via a Friendship Bridge in late 2025. Natalia departed on the same day, flying from Suvarnabhumi Airport to a country in the Middle East.
No subsequent entry records have been found for either of them.
Nevertheless, the Immigration Bureau commissioner has instructed the bureau’s Investigation Division to urgently gather further information to coordinate assistance and keep the family informed of progress.
He also emphasised that the bureau prioritises the care and rigorous screening of foreign nationals, in line with the national police chief’s policy, to strengthen all tourists’ confidence in their safety. - The Nation/ANN
