Hunt on for missing centenarian as Mirror Foundation calls for better monitoring of the elderly

Ekkalak Lumchomkhae, head of the foundation’s missing persons’ information centre, said that 122 elderly persons went missing in 2016. That rose to 222 in 2017 and so far this year the centre has received reports of 47 seniors going missing. 
The foundation is therefore urging local administrative organisations and related agencies to survey and systematically store information on elderly persons suffering from dementia, Alzheimer's disease and psychiatric illness in their jurisdiction so the risks can be assessed and a system put in place to prevent elderly individuals disappearing. The related agencies should also provide knowledge on proper care for elderly persons suffering from these problems to the families looking after them, Ekkalak said. He urged social welfare homes for elderly persons or the destitute to set up an effective system to check on those under their care against a database of missing persons, as it was possible that some of these residents might be missing. 
Ekkalak asked the Royal Thai Police issue a memo to all precincts and communicate to the general public that they can file a missing person complaint immediately without waiting for 24 hours to pass first. He said the government should also support public relations for dementia prevention and promote social measures to take care of senior citizens at the community-level.
Ekkalak was speaking on Tuesday while accompanying the relatives of Nit Sihajak, a centenarian who has suffered from dementia and who has been missing from his home in Ban Nong Sai (Moo 6) Tambon Rai Kao of Prachuap Khiri Khan’s Sam Roy Yot district since February 25. He asked for help from provincial governor Panlop Singhaseni and related agencies at the Prachuap Khiri Khan City Hall. Nit's daughter Ponthakorn Sihajak said the family was worried about Nit’s well being given his age, his dementia and the fact that he was last seen 45 days ago.
“He has lived for 100 years and under five reigns... We cannot be calm. If there is anything we can do to get him back, we will do it,” his daughter said. 
Panlop added that in addition to local community leaders and police looking for Nit, the province has also instructed its social development office to send information about Nit to branch offices in neighbouring Chumphon, Phetchaburi, Nakhon Pathom, Samut Songkhram, Samut Sakhon as well as to temples, the media, through Line groups and to other volunteer networks to help in the search. Anyone who sees Nit should call the Prachuap Khiri Khan social development office at (032) 611 349, the Sam Roy Yot Police Station at (032) 684 216 or the Mirror Foundation's hotline (095) 631 1914.