Why the Thailand-Myanmar border became a hub for fraud gangs preying on Chinese nationals

The recent rescue of kidnapped actor Wang Xing has highlighted the transnational criminal networks that thrive in the region

Reading Time:3 minutes

Wang Xing shakes hands with a Thai police officer after his rescue. Photo: Reuters

Published: 8:00pm, 26 Jan 2025

The recent kidnapping of a Chinese actor on the Thailand-Myanmar border has turned the spotlight on the international criminal gangs responsible for luring Chinese citizens abroad and forcing them to take part in telecoms scams.

Wang Xing was duped into flying to Thailand by a bogus casting agent on the pretext of taking part in a film shoot.

He was then taken to the border town of Mae Sot, where he was abducted and taken into Myanmar and then imprisoned in various compounds run by fraud gangs.

The publicity generated by his disappearance – largely thanks to his girlfriend’s tireless campaigning on social media and support from celebrities – and his subsequent rescue has hit Thailand’s tourist industry after many Chinese nationals cancelled their planned trips over Lunar New Year, one of the peak seasons for visitors.

But while Wang was freed many thousands of Chinese trafficking victims are still believed to be trapped in Myanmar, prompting questions on social media about what is being done to tackle the problem and help the victims.

Dozens of other posts have appeared on Chinese social media from people saying that friends and family members had disappeared in similar circumstances, and Wang said he was held in a building with dozens of other people. So far there has been no official word that they have been rescued.