Concerns Rise Over Possible Trafficking of Chinese Nationals
PUBLISHED: 9 Jan 2025 at 20:01
Thai authorities have initiated an investigation following the troubling disappearance of two Chinese nationals—a male model and a woman—after their families raised alarms about their safety.
Pol Gen Thatchai Pitaneelaboot, inspector-general with the Royal Thai Police Office (RTPO), confirmed that reports have surfaced concerning the missing Chinese model, Yang Zeqi, last seen near the Thai-Myanmar border.
This incident echoes the recent case of Chinese actor Wang Xing, who was reported missing in the same region last week and was allegedly trafficked to a scam operation in Myawaddy. Wang, 31, known as Xing Xing, has since made a safe return to Thailand.
According to Pol Gen Thatchai, Yang’s family took to social media to seek assistance after he went missing. An investigation is currently underway.
Prior to his disappearance, Yang received a message on WeChat indicating that he had passed an audition for a movie. He arrived in Thailand on December 20, having taken flight VZ 3719 from Beijing. Upon landing, he rented a vehicle which he later switched under the guidance of a “film crew team” to head toward the border. On December 21, he sent a distressing message to a friend expressing feelings of sadness.
His last known communication was a video call to his mother on December 29, where he appeared injured, despite assuring her that he was safe. Soon after, his phone was turned off, prompting relatives to file a report with Chinese authorities and contact embassies in both Thailand and Myanmar.
Authorities are also searching for Wu Jiaqi, a 21-year-old woman whose father has reached out for assistance from national police. Friends and family have been unable to contact her since she arrived in Thailand on January 6, leading to a missing person report filed at Suvarnabhumi Airport on January 8.
Pol Gen Thatchai stated that police are reviewing closed-circuit television footage from the airport and surrounding areas to gather potential leads in the ongoing cases.
