Israeli man disappears in Thailand: Two weeks of silence on Phuket

The Foreign Ministry announced that an Israeli citizen has been missing for the past two weeks on Phuket Island in Thailand.

In response, the Israeli Consul General in Bangkok traveled to Phuket on Tuesday to help coordinate search efforts on the ground.

“The Israelis in Distress Overseas Department and the Israeli Embassy in Bangkok are actively handling the case in cooperation with local authorities,” the Foreign Ministry said in a statement. “We remain in close contact with his family and hope he will be found safe and in good health as soon as possible.

This past January, Thai authorities confirmed the death of Israeli tourist Elchanan Efrimov on the popular tourist island of Koh Phangan. The discovery brought an end to a two-week search effort that mobilized both local Thai authorities and Israeli diplomatic services.

Efrimov's body was discovered by local search teams; the young traveler had been exploring Koh Phangan, an island in the Gulf of Thailand known for its pristine beaches and vibrant backpacker scene.