A search is ongoing for a disabled pet cat that went missing during a train journey from Yala to Bangkok on June 28 after it was separated from its owner due to railway animal restrictions.
The cat’s owner, Wanmareeyanee “Young” Hajimahmud, posted in a Facebook group seeking help to locate her six year old female ginger cat, Sisom, whose name refers to her orange colouring. The cat has disabled rear legs.
Photos shared by Wanmareeyanee show Sisom with orange and white fur. The owner said the cat was wearing a red shirt with “KFC” written on the back, along with a handmade diaper and white and blue striped trousers at the time she went missing.
Wanmareeyanee said she placed Sisom in a zipped cat carrier before boarding train number 170 from Yala to Bangkok on the night of June 28.
She explained that she usually travels on ordinary trains to remain with her cat, but the service was fully booked, forcing her to take an air-conditioned train where animals are not permitted.
According to Wanmareeyanee, train staff instructed her to place the cat in the luggage compartment. She said she wanted to stay in the compartment after learning that its lock was broken, but decided against doing so because only male staff were present in the area.
She tried to negotiate with the train staff, pointing out the cat’s disability and asking them to allow Sisom to stay with her, but was denied.
Wanmareeyanee stated that train staff found Sisom missing in the early hours of June 29 but informed her later that morning at about 6.30am. She added that different staff members gave conflicting accounts about when the cat disappeared, causing confusion about the timeline.
The owner also said that she suspected someone had opened the carrier and let the cat escape, as the bag’s zipper was left open.
The missing cat case drew criticism online, with some questioning the enforcement of the animal ban and the recklessness of the train officers. Other comments focused on the reported broken lock in the luggage compartment and concerns over passenger belongings.
Wanmareeyanee later updated that The Hope Thailand, a non-profit animal welfare foundation, and its founder Peeraboon “Poom” Charoenwai had joined the search and were coordinating with the State Railway of Thailand (SRT).
Peeraboon said on the foundation’s official Facebook page that he had spoken with a senior SRT officer, who apologised for the incident and pledged a full search operation.
The senior officer said staff delayed informing Wanmareeyanee, allegedly due to concerns about entering a female passenger area late at night. The officer added that procedures would be reviewed to prevent similar delays.
Peeraboon said Sisom is believed to have gone missing along the route about 30 kilometres before reaching Krungthep Apiwat Central Terminal in Bangkok. Volunteers, railway staff, and the foundation are conducting searches along the route.
According to a report by DailyNews, drones have been deployed to assist in the search. No confirmed sightings of Sisom have been reported.
The story SRT apologises after staff lose passenger’s cat from luggage compartment as seen on Thaiger News.
