THE family of a Blaenavon man missing in Thailand are remaining hopeful that he will be found alive.

John Jones, 58, flew out to Thailand two days before Christmas to visit friends, but his sister, Diane Guilfoyle, from Rogerstone, Newport, has not heard from him since Christmas Day.

He flew to Bangkok Airport but did not say where in the country he was.

Mrs Guilfoyle said she has been told by the Metropolitan Police that if her younger brother does not get in touch in four days he will be on the presumed-dead list.

She said: "I am still hoping that he is somewhere and just hasn't bothered to get in touch.

"Every time the phone rings I wonder who it is, and every time I pick it up I expect to hear my brother's voice."

She said they had tried his mobile phone, which they believed he had taken with him, but it switched straight to answerphone.

Mrs Guilfoyle's daughter, Caroline Evans, was less optimistic than her mother.

She said: "I think if he was inland he would have got in touch by now.