Thailand Says Missing Chinese Actor Wang Xing Found in Myanmar, Suspected Victim of Human Trafficking

Thai authorities have announced that Chinese actor Wang Xing, who went missing near the Thailand-Myanmar border last week, has been found. (Online photo dated January 7, 2025)

[People News] Thai authorities announced on Tuesday (January 7) that Chinese actor Wang Xing, who went missing near the Thailand-Myanmar border last week, has been found in Myanmar and is suspected to be a victim of human trafficking.

According to Voice of America, the 22-year-old actor reportedly went missing in Thailand’s northern Tak Province, an area known for rampant organized crime and human trafficking activities.

Thatchai Pitaneelaboot, the director of Songkhla Province's Immigration Police Bureau, told reporters, "Based on preliminary investigations, we believe he is a victim of human trafficking."

The Nation Thailand reported that Thai Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra stated after a cabinet meeting on Tuesday that Wang Xing was located in Mae Sot, a town on the Thai-Myanmar border, and arrangements are being made to repatriate him to Thailand. Paetongtarn mentioned that Wang Xing's disappearance is connected to telecom scam operations in Myanmar.

Singapore’s Lianhe Zaobao reported that a Thai Special Forces colonel confirmed that Myanmar border forces found Wang Xing and are preparing to send him back to Thailand.

Chinese media reported that Wang Xing had traveled to Thailand with a film crew for a shoot and went missing at noon on January 3. The news has drawn widespread attention on Chinese social media.

Thai authorities expressed significant concern over Wang Xing’s disappearance, fearing it might impact Thailand’s hospitality and tourism sectors. Tourism is a key driver of Southeast Asia’s second-largest economy, with China being a major source of tourists. Last year, Thailand hosted 35.55 million foreign visitors, including 6.74 million from China.

Prime Minister Paetongtarn stated, "We must handle this matter carefully to ensure it doesn’t affect Thailand’s tourism industry."

The United Nations has noted that border towns in Southeast Asia, particularly in Thailand, Myanmar, and Laos, have become hubs for transnational telecom and other online scams, with tens of thousands of people trafficked into these regions to carry out fraudulent activities.

Victims of human trafficking predominantly come from Southeast Asian countries, as well as China, Taiwan, and Hong Kong, with some even originating from as far away as Africa and Latin America.