The brief disappearance of Chinese actor Wang Xing in a scammer city in Myanmar should serve as a stark warning about how emboldened fraudsters have become in exploiting Thailand as a hub for their vicious operations. The details of how this 31-year-old actor was duped and taken from Suvarnabhumi Airport to Myanmar's Myawaddy read like the plot of a film.
The actor flew to Thailand from Shanghai on Jan 3 after being contacted via the WeChat social media platform by someone claiming that a famous Thai entertainment company wanted to work with him. Upon landing at Suvarnabhumi Airport, he was taken to Tak province's Mae Sot district, where Thai immigration officials stamped his passport. He was then ferried across the Moei River into Shwe Kokko, a special economic zone in Myawaddy, opposite Mae Sot district.
This area, notorious for its office buildings, entertainment centres, and casinos, is known as "scammer city," a haven for call centres and online casino operators. Wang Xing might have suffered the same fate as countless other victims if his friends hadn't pressured the Chinese government to intervene and secure his release.
After being missing for four days, Wang Xing was rescued on Tuesday following negotiations between Thai authorities and the armed ethnic group controlling the area in Myanmar. Thai police also helped rescue scores of Chinese nationals from similar predicaments. However, Wang Xing's case is far from unique -- he was simply luckier than many victims. It is believed that thousands of individuals from countries such as China, Kenya, Morocco, Bangladesh, and Thailand have been duped or even abducted into working in scammer cities.
One widely reported case occurred last October when three Chinese university students in Bangkok were abducted by scammers and taken to Myanmar, where they were held for ransom at 1.5 million baht per person. The students were released only after a reduced ransom of 500,000 baht each was paid. Wang Xing's ordeal underscores the urgent need for the Thai government to take a proactive approach to tackling traffickers and fraudsters.
First, the government must address corruption among unscrupulous officials. Some illicit foreign operators have cultivated ties with local police through training and donation schemes. A glaring example is the scandal surrounding a police volunteer training programme at a local university, organised by an unknown Chinese association with local police participation. For 38,000 baht, participants received a badge bearing the Central Investigation Bureau's logo and a police volunteer vest after a three-day course.
International cooperation is also essential to block scammers from accessing satellite services such as Starlink, which they rely on to run online casinos and call centres. Additionally, stricter border control measures are needed to prevent the smuggling of foreigners into scammer cities.
Policy recommendations include increased engagement and cooperation with ethnic groups controlling the Myawaddy area. Other proposals suggest requiring foreigners crossing into Myanmar to present additional documentation from their embassies. Enhanced communication is also necessary to educate foreign tourists about potential scams, as many victims, like Wang Xing, were unaware they had crossed into Myanmar. The Paetongtarn government must prioritise cracking down on scammers and human traffickers as a national agenda rather than treating it as a mere transit issue. Passivity will only cement Thailand's role as a hub for scammers.