Wang Xing, a 31-year-old Chinese actor, found himself in a harrowing situation after being lured to a scam center in Myanmar under false pretenses. Held against his will, Wang was forced to participate in online fraud schemes along with hundreds of others in heavily guarded compounds run by Chinese crime syndicates.
Fortunately, Wang was rescued by Thai police just days after being reported missing in the Thai border town of Mae Sot. His safe return to China has sparked a movement among Chinese families to seek help in locating their missing loved ones believed to be trapped in similar scam centers.
Following Wang's rescue, a joint petition from the families of 174 missing Chinese nationals in Myanmar gained traction on social media, urging the government to intensify efforts to bring them home. The petition has since grown to include over 1,200 victims, including cases like Zhang Huizhen, a 24-year-old graduate who disappeared in Thailand and Cambodia.
While China has collaborated with Myanmar to crack down on scam centers in the northern region, many operations have shifted southward, with NGOs estimating thousands of victims, including Chinese nationals, held under duress in places like Myawaddy.
The attention on Wang's case has also prompted Hong Kong to take action in rescuing its stranded residents in these scam centers. The Hong Kong government dispatched a task force to Thailand to address the issue.
Moreover, the publicity surrounding Wang's ordeal has raised safety concerns among Chinese tourists planning trips to Thailand, leading to a surge in flight cancellations and a decline in bookings. Notable figures like Eason Chan and Zhao Benshan have canceled events in Thailand due to safety apprehensions.
These safety fears could pose a challenge to Thailand's tourism recovery efforts, especially as the country aims to attract more Chinese visitors during peak travel seasons like the Lunar New Year. The impact of these concerns on the Chinese tourism market remains uncertain, with industry experts closely monitoring the situation.
