A male teacher found drowned in Sungai Golok at the Malaysia-Thailand border in Rantau Panjang, Pasir Mas, yesterday was once referred for counselling, according to the Kelantan Education Department.

Director Datuk Ab Aziz Abdullah said the teacher had personal problems and was often absent from school.

"He was said to have often brought his personal problems to school," he told reporters after launching the School Early Aid Programme at Sekolah Kebangsaan (SK) Tawang here today.

READ: Malaysian teacher found dead in Sungai Golok

Yesterday, the body of the teacher with injuries on the face was found floating in Sungai Golok in Pengkalan Jambu, Narathiwat, Thailand.

Ab Aziz said checks revealed that he had not submitted any application to travel overseas.