7-1-2025 (BANGKOK) Chinese actor Wang Xing has been safely returned to Thailand following his brief disappearance near the Myanmar border, with authorities pointing to human trafficking as the likely cause.
The 22-year-old performer, who vanished in Thailand’s Tak province adjacent to Myanmar’s Myawaddy region, was welcomed back at Mae Sot’s immigration checkpoint by senior Thai officials, including Police Inspector-General Thatchai Pitaneelaboot and Tak Governor Chucheep Pongchai.
According to Thai police, Wang fell victim to an elaborate scheme after being contacted through WeChat by an individual claiming to represent a prominent Thai entertainment company. The actor arrived at Bangkok’s Suvarnabhumi Airport on 3rd January, where a pre-arranged vehicle transported him to Mae Sot.
In a carefully orchestrated operation, Wang was transferred between vehicles before being smuggled across the Moei River into Myanmar, circumventing official border controls. Despite realising the deception, the actor reportedly felt powerless to resist his traffickers.
Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra addressed the incident at Government House, emphasising its potential impact on Thailand’s tourism sector. “This matter requires delicate handling to preserve our tourism industry,” she stated, noting that social media had potentially amplified the situation.
The incident has sparked particular concern in China, Thailand’s largest tourism market, with 6.7 million Chinese visitors recorded last year out of Thailand’s total 35.5 million foreign arrivals.
Tourism Minister Sorawong Thienthong expressed optimism about maintaining tourist confidence: “Those familiar with Thailand understand our true situation. We remain committed to ensuring visitor safety.”
The case highlights a broader regional challenge, as the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime reports expanding cyber scam operations across Southeast Asia, particularly in Myanmar, Laos, and Cambodia. These operations often involve human trafficking, with many scam centre workers being victims themselves.
Chinese authorities have intensified their crackdown on such operations, with Myanmar reportedly transferring 41,000 telecom fraud suspects to China in the past year alone. The issue gained widespread attention following the 2023 Chinese film “No More Bets,” which dramatised similar trafficking scenarios in Southeast Asia.
