It is not so much a whodunnit, more whowasit, as an Angus man endeavours to retrieve a treasured record of his dream holiday.
Jim Wallace, founder of Angus Chainsaws, enjoyed an “off the beaten track” excursion to north Thailand six years ago.
The break fulfilled a dream sparked in 1958, when he first watched David Lean’s film Bridge on the River Kwai.
Along with family, the 81-year-old toured large stretches of the country, sometimes by elephant.
He saw Hellfire Pass and its notorious death railway, including the infamous iron bridge on the Kwai, where allied prisoners of war endured the cruellest of conditions under forced labour in the Second World War.
Jim also saw modern community life first-hand, such as local residents tending to corn and paddy fields and villagers spinning silk thread into scarves.
He meticulously kept a daily diary and compiled a packed photo album, as well as a DVD, to ensure he had a detailed record of his experience.
However, they are lost to him now after he kindly gave them to someone last summer and they were never returned.
Jim wishes he made a note of who borrowed his journals and pictures at the time but gave them willingly, in good faith and now cannot remember who to.
He said: “I lent them out and they never came back. I believe it was someone who was going on holiday there.
“It was someone I knew, maybe a customer, or even a friend of the family, I’m not sure.
“Maybe it has slipped their mind that they have them, as I am sure it’s not intentional.
“But I am desperate to have them back.”
History-lover Jim is set to give a talk this week to local schoolchildren about Thailand and his experiences there.
Anyone who can help can get in touch with Jim via Angus Chainsaws on 01241 830240.