Chinese actor unfazed by kidnapping, wants to visit Thailand again

Thai authorities have confirmed that Chinese actor Xingxing, who went missing from Tak’s Mae Sot district on the Myanmar border last Friday, was a victim of human trafficking.

Xingxing (real name Wang Xing) was located by authorities in Myanmar on Tuesday and safely transported back to Bangkok. His disappearance gained widespread attention on social media after his girlfriend reached out to agencies in both Thailand and China for assistance. 

Pol General Thatchai Pitaneelaboot, an inspector-general with the Royal Thai Police, said on Wednesday that a multidisciplinary team had interviewed the actor in line with the National Referral Mechanism (NRM) guidelines, concluding that he had fallen victim to human trafficking. 

The NRM is a framework that helps identify victims of human trafficking and modern slavery, offering them appropriate support. It also coordinates the efforts of governments, civil society, the private sector and other organisations to protect victims’ rights. 

Xingxing told Thai police he was kidnapped by a Chinese scam syndicate after being lured to Thailand through a WeChat app invitation to participate in a film shoot. The gang held him captive across the border in Myanmar, where they began training him to use a chat app to scam victims in China. 

Thatchai said investigators will examine everyone involved in Xingxing’s journey to and within Thailand to determine whether they are connected to cross-border human trafficking networks. 

He also said that Xingxing will be sent back to China within the next couple of days, adding that the actor expressed no concerns about staying in Thailand and even said he would like to visit again in the future. 

Thatchai rejected claims that Xingxing was rescued swiftly due to his status as an actor, explaining: “The victim shared information about his trip with his relatives before leaving for Thailand. This played a huge role in helping officials locate him quickly.”