> You got it to work with the alternative
> package, thingatpt+?

Got what to work?  thingatpt+.el isn't an
alternative in the sense that it replaces
thingatpt.el.  It fixes and extends stuff
in the latter.  It builds on it.

> (yuk! the plus sign)

In my case the + means it extends that
library, and requires it.

(I've even had a couple libraries with
suffix - instead of +, where - means
load before the library to be extended,
and + means load after it.)

> Should be added to the main package ...

Tell that to the package maintainers.
I've tried.