Wang has since been rescued and is expected to arrive back in China on Friday. But his ordeal has prompted similar calls for help from fellow Chinese who believe their loved ones are trapped in Myanmar and are potentially victims of human trafficking.
Chinese state news agency ECNS reported that on the same day Wang was rescued, a group chat of 487 people began compiling information on their missing relatives.
The online document is titled “United appeal for 174 ‘xing xing’ trapped in Myanmar”, a reference to Wang’s stage name Xing Xing.
The document indicates that most of the missing persons are aged between 17 and 35, with men being the majority, reported the state-run Global Times. According to the document, they have been missing for a few months to three years.
CONCERNS AMONG CHINESE TOURISTS
Wang’s case has also sparked fears among Chinese tourists who were planning to visit Southeast Asian nations, including Thailand.
Discussions on the safety of travelling to Thailand have kicked off on Chinese social media, with many users dissuading others not to head there. Questions such as “Is travelling to Thailand safe?” have garnered 143,000 posts on popular social media platform Xiaohongshu.
One post, with more than 35,200 likes, warned Chinese tourists not to visit Thailand in the “short term” and alleged that any jobs that do not require a working visa are all scams.
“I’m a bit scared, I’ll be travelling to Thailand in a few days, hope that I’ll be fine,” one user, Dora, wrote.
“Can’t you not go? Your life is more important than having fun,” another user replied.
The Tourism Authority of Thailand has targeted welcoming a total of 9 million visitors from China in 2025, achieving at least 90 per cent of pre-COVID numbers, local news site The Nation reported. Chinese arrivals reached a record high of 11 million in 2019.
The authority has said it is working to restore confidence among Chinese tourists. Its governor, Thapanee Kiatphaibool, acknowledged the incident’s impact on Chinese netizens but stated it had not yet affected Thai tourism, The Nation reported.
Even Wang himself doesn’t appear to be letting his ordeal sour his impression of Thailand. Speaking to local media in Mandarin on Wednesday after arriving in Bangkok, he thanked Thai authorities while also expressing confidence in the country’s safety.
“Thailand is pretty safe, everyone please do not be worried. If there is a chance in the future, I would want to return to Thailand,” Wang said.
https://www.channelnewsasia.com/east-asia/wang-xing-thailand-myanmar-missing-chinese-human-trafficking-scam-centres-4849871
