US Student Disappears in Thailand

(July 29) - An international search is under way for a 29-year-old Auburn University veterinary student who vanished under what appears to be unusual circumstances in Thailand.
The family of Michael Griffin Harrie is pleading for help in locating him. "We just don't know what happened to him," Paul Harrie told CNN about his missing son. "I now know the meaning of living a nightmare."
In a media release, Alabama's Auburn University said Harrie, a second-year student at the veterinary school, was attending a summer study abroad program in Morioka, Japan. He informed a professor he was going to take a one-week vacation with friends to Bangkok, Thailand, that would begin on July 7.
"He said he would be back on the 14th," his father explained. But Harrie never returned to his studies. And when he failed to meet up with his parents in Tokyo on July 16, they reported him missing.
The investigation into Harrie's disappearance is being led by Bangkok police. The American Embassy in Thailand has also been notified, and Auburn University has dispatched two representatives to Japan.
"The role there is to provide assistance to the family," Auburn University communication director Michael Clardy told CNN.
The best clues to finding Harrie appear on video.
Harrie's father, who hired a private detective agency to assist in the search, said surveillance tape from Bangkok's Suvarnabhumi airport on July 14 shows his son entering the airport but then exiting the terminal before checking in for his flight. Why would he suddenly turn around and leave remains a mystery.
Michael Harrie is from the San Francisco, California, area. He has blue eyes and brown hair, wears eyeglasses and is 5 feet 11 inches tall and weighs 175 pounds. The Auburn University Department of Public Safety and Security is asking for anyone with any information on his whereabouts to call at 334-844-8888.
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Thought I would help spread the word about this, another person from home(Alabama) going missing overseas.

According to this thread on the Thaivisa.com, he's been traced and has left Thailand. But due to confidentiality, they won't say what happened.

Dear Forum, Please be informed that we have traced Michael and he has now left the Kingdom of Thailand. Thank you all for your input Best regards Scott Stammers ASA Group

post #36

Dear Bojo & forum members, My apologies for being very vague on the information, but we have a confidentiality and non-disclosure agreement with the family and subsequently at this time we cannot divulge any further information aside from Michael has now left the Kingdom of Thailand. I would like to express our sincere gratitude to Thai Visa all forum members for all the input and assistance. Best regards Scott ASA Group

post #49

and this...

Dear Forum members & moderators, All I can add is that Michael has left Thailand safely, is continuing to travel alone and of his own free will, and that we are continuing to track him in an attempt to persuede him to contact his family. Thank you again to all who offered advice and assistance. Simon P. Wagstaff BEM Chairman & CEO

post #55

Can any one collaborate this?

Missing Auburn student left Thailand on his own

AU News (news release) Published: July 30, 2009 Investigators in Thailand have notified Auburn University’s Department of Public Safety and Security that Auburn University College of Veterinary Medicine student Michael Harrie left that country on Wednesday, July 29. Immigration officials said Harrie appeared to be safe and apparently left the country under his own free will.

I know a guy who was doing activism over there with WeAreChange Thailand...man they don't take kindly to that kind of thing...what a total police state.

[edit on 1-8-2009 by Femacamper]