The Mirror Foundation has urged the Royal Thai Police (RTP) to overhaul Thailand's missing persons tracking system by adopting six key measures.
The call follows a recent Chon Buri case in which a missing person was found to have been the victim of a crime.
The foundation also reiterated that missing persons can be reported immediately without waiting 24 hours and stressed that police must begin search operations as soon as a report is filed, in accordance with existing procedures.
In a statement issued on Tuesday, the foundation's Missing Persons Data Centre said the Chon Buri tragedy underscored weaknesses in the country's missing persons management system and highlighted the need for stronger coordination and faster responses.
The centre also said it received 2,266 reports involving missing persons, unidentified persons and unidentified bodies during the first seven months of 2026.
Its first recommendation calls for the RTP to strengthen its management mechanism by upgrading the committee responsible for missing persons and unidentified bodies.
The foundation proposed establishing a clear organisational structure with permanent staff responsible for collecting and analysing information, coordinating with police stations and partner agencies, publicising cases and monitoring investigations nationwide.
It also urged the RTP to develop a nationwide online missing persons reporting and database system to enable faster reporting, information retrieval, comparison with unidentified bodies and search efforts.
The foundation recommended improving officers' knowledge, understanding and appropriate attitudes in handling missing persons cases, particularly those involving risks of violence or criminal victimisation, saying prompt intervention could help prevent serious harm.
It also called on the RTP to standardise procedures for receiving missing persons reports by issuing a nationwide reminder that reports can be filed immediately without waiting 24 hours and ensuring officers begin search efforts without delay.
The fifth proposal recommends regular training and reviews of investigative practices to ensure officers remain up to date and improve their ability to locate missing persons while preventing crimes that may occur after a disappearance.
Finally, the foundation urged police to establish a formal risk assessment system for missing persons cases from the time reports are received, including resource deployment and agency coordination.
