The family of 65-year-old Devendren Naicker from Yellowwood Park, Durban, has confirmed his death after he disappeared during a holiday in Phuket, Thailand.
Naicker’s body was discovered in an oil palm plantation in Patong on Friday afternoon, November 13, following several days of uncertainty over his whereabouts.
The circumstances surrounding his death have not been established. His family confirmed the news but declined to provide further comments.
Body Discovered in Patong Plantation
Police officers, forensic personnel and medical teams attended the scene after the body was found.
Investigators reportedly collected evidence, while clothing recovered from the body was said to match what Naicker had been wearing when he went missing.
Authorities have not publicly clarified the circumstances of his death.
Hotel CCTV Captured His Last Known Movements
Naicker arrived in Phuket on November 6 and checked into the Bel Aire Hotel on Rat-U-Thit 200 Pi Road.
He reportedly left his hotel room that evening and did not return.
His family reported him missing on November 9 after repeated attempts to contact him failed. His cellphone remained switched off, raising concerns among relatives.
His daughter, 35-year-old Lavanya Naicker, said the family contacted the hotel to establish whether staff knew where he had gone.
Hotel management provided CCTV footage showing him leaving the premises and walking towards a nearby market. However, the recordings did not show him returning to the hotel.
Staff reportedly searched his room but were unable to locate him.
Naicker had been scheduled to depart Thailand on November 13, the same day his body was discovered.
Holiday Had Been Postponed Following Wife’s Death
The trip to Thailand was one Naicker had planned for several years.
According to his daughter, he originally intended to travel to celebrate his 60th birthday but postponed the holiday after his wife died in 2021, shortly before the planned celebration.
He eventually decided to make the trip this year and had invited Lavanya to accompany him.
However, she was unable to join him because of work commitments.
Daughter Was Preparing to Travel to Thailand
Lavanya had been preparing to travel to Thailand to assist with the search for her father when she received confirmation of his death.
The family has since confirmed his passing but has not made further statements about the incident.
Naicker’s death was reported after he had been missing for several days, with the circumstances surrounding what happened after he left his hotel in Phuket still unclear.
