I’ve just heard from Gary Spencer who is listed as a missing person on this Thai website. He posted a comment on one of my posts about missing people saying he urgently wanted to get in touch with his family on the Isle of Wight.
This is what Gary, who has been working as an English teacher in Thailand and has been missing for more than 10 years, wrote:
Hi, I am shown as missing on the following link
http://www.khaosanroad.com/missingpersons.htm
I am still stuck in Thailand and dearly wish/need to be in touch with my family – urgently.
I emailed Gary and he wrote back saying:
I haven’t been in touch with my family for about 10 years. My father Richard would be about 64-ish now and if still alive would probably be on the Isle of Wight. I also have a sister, but no idea where she may be.
At the moment I am stuck in Thailand with *very* low funds and a long long overstay on my visa. For the past few months I’ve been trying to locate my father, and anyone else in my family, but absolutely no leads. Finally i came across the missing report of myself! ~ What a shock!  …but it seems that the guy who was looking for me, Alan Rosseti, is perhaps no longer in business.
I wasn’t sure if Gary’s communication was genuine, or whether it was from a hoaxer claiming to have news for Gary’s family – for a price. I asked him for further details about himself and this is what he wrote:
My father worked for British Aerospace on the Isle of Wight. Several months ago I contacted a lady there – Julia.James@baesystems.com – several times, and was told that he had already retired and that there was a fellow who still worked there who knew my father personally and would pass my contact info on to him. I never heard anything further.
I am at quite a low point in my life at the moment so assumed that my father/family simply didn’t want to be in touch with me – then I came across the missing persons report for me! So, it seems, wonderfully, that I was wrong :)))
However now I can see no obvious reason why my family has not been in touch other than my father has died – even then it would seem to be very odd that someone has not been in touch with me.
Hmmm…. quite baffling.
My mother was a hospice nurse. She passed away many years ago. My father since re-married.
I also have a sister but have no idea where she may be. My sister’s name is Mandy (changed perhaps to Mandie) Spencer.
I went to Cowes High School. In Thailand I worked primarily as an English teacher (Japan prior to that). I would imagine, logically, that the simplest and fastest way to get in touch with my father would be via contacts at British Aerospace, Isle of Wight – even though it proved fruitless for me.
Please keep me posted. Once again, I am quite desperate here. A million thanks.
This is the message posted by Alan Rossati, who appears to be a private investigator. Two emails I sent to him were returned undelivered, so it is no longer a live link and he is unable to help.
| Alan Rossati writes: “I am attempting to trace a British national on behalf of his parents. His name is Gary Spencer and he was known to be an English Teacher during 1999/2000. He is around 5’8″ with a slim build. He has brown hair and brown eyes and spoke with a soft voice. I am systematically asking each of the English speaking organisations in Bangkok, his last known location, whether they may have heard of him or know where he went. I have attached a picture of his business card and a touch up of a picture taken when he was 22 in case it may jog any memories.” | |
| If anyone with information can contact me, I will forward the information to Gary.
It was tragic to see a notice about Carole Day at the top of the Thai website for missing people. In memory of those who are still missing. |
Good news, Ellee. Very interesting too.
Good work, Ellee – hope he finds his father
Well done, Ellee. I do hope Gary has a happy reunion with his family.
A great story Ellee!
Hi all,
I just opened a Facebook account ‘Gary Spencer’. If anyone has any information then feel free to contact me there.
Many thanks,
Gary.
I’ve just had a phone call from a newspaper on the Isle of Wight who said they read my post and were interested in following it up as a story. I have asked them to email me, and I will forward their contact details to Gary. Hopefully, there will be a happy ending!
Great news .. 🙂 I wonder why he had not been in touch with his family for about 10 years .
Please note Mr Spencer has asked us NOT to remove his listing on http://www.khaosanroad.com because he hopes his family will contact him through this listing.
John@KSR
Blogs do have this socially useful function as well. Good on you.
Great news and I hope the IOW newspaper gets some sort of fund going so we can bring Gary home.
That’s a very sweet idea indeed, Philipa. However my family are fairly well-off. It should simply be a matter of regaining contact and hopefully, though by no means certainly, the desire to assist will be there.
On the bright side, if things do go terribly wrong, I could always write a book ‘My life Rotting Away Inside a Thai Prison For A Non-Crime’ – heh, but I doubt very much it will go that far 🙂
Gary, let’s hope it works out for you. If not, you need look no further for a ghost writer: https://elleeseymour.com/copywriting/
😉
lol 🙂
A reporter from the Isle of Wight County Press tells me they will be running a story about this on Friday. Here’s hoping there will be a happy ending 🙂
No word from the newspaper fellow yet.
That’s very surprising. Why not write a letter to the editor of the paper asking readers for information about your family and hopefully that will produce a result. How about British Aerospace?
Hi Gary, have just left a message on the blog – I am sure I know you, have a read and get back to me – thinking of you, Jo
Hi, I read about Gary being a missing person in our local newspaper, the IW county press – I believe I know Gary – he worked for Westland Aersopace, in the Experimental and Electronics Laboratory to be precise – he is as described, of slim build wth a softly spoken voice…. If it is the same Gary, he had a terrible accident on his motorbike …. I remember going to his house in Cowes – I do not remember his parents, nor did I know them, but if there is anything I can do to help locate them – surely if Richard has read the paper as I have he will come forward. Please send my love to Gary, maybe he could email me. Jo
Hi Jo, thanks for your comment and I will forward your email address to Gary. He didn’t think the story had been in your local paper, and I’m pleased it has, and that it has resulted in a positive response. I hope it helps lead to a reunion with Gary’s family.
Hi Joe, must be different Gary. I never worked at Westland Aersopace, nor have I ever owned a motorbike. Sorry. Gary.
Hi, I know Gary – I was his sister, Mandy’s, best friend at school and spent a lot of time at their house as a teenager. I have sent Mandy a message via Friend’s reunited and also found Gary on Facebook and sent him a message too. I saw Richard a few times some years ago at The Fitness Factory gym in Newport but do not have any contact information for him. I hope that we can get Gary back in touch with his family.
Hi Rosie,
Here’s hoping this is the positive lead that Gary is seeking. Thank you so much!!
Good news, I’ve been talking to Gary on Facebook and his father (Richard) has emailed him and is supposed to be telephoning him later today. The wonder of social networking eh? 🙂
Hi Rosie, this is wonderful news indeed. Thank you for letting me know. I hope they do speak later today! 🙂 🙂
Hi Ellee,
Indeed I am waiting on his call this evening. Perhaps this will all be sorted out very soon. 🙂
Gary,
Thank you, this is terrific news. I am so pleased and very happy for you. 🙂
Mistaken identity, thats ok Gary, good luck with your search, Jo
Hello Rosie, sorry to jump on board but I am trying to contact Mandy Spencer. We were at art college together and lost touch and I am desperate to find her. I don’t suppose you have any ideas on how I can find Mandy? Thanks 😊
Okay, all is looking bright. Seems that I shall be flying back to England in two weeks. Thanks again, Ellee. If you are ever on the Isle of Wight let me buy you a cup of tea and a cake 🙂
Hi Gary,
I am thrilled to learn that you will soon be reunited with your family, and was delighted to help. I will certainly take you up on your kind offer if I visit the Isle of Wight 🙂