BANGKOK — Chinese actor Wang Xing (Xingxing), who Thai police rescued from Myanmar, has been confirmed as a victim of human trafficking and will be repatriated within days. As this high-profile case concludes, another Chinese family has come forward with fears of a similar scam targeting their daughter.
Mr. W. Weidong, father of 21-year-old W. Jiaqi, submitted a formal request for help to national police chief Pol. Gen. Kittirat Phanpet at the Royal Thai Police headquarters on January 8. His daughter lost contact with her family on January 6, 2025, shortly after arriving in Thailand. Fearing she may have fallen victim to traffickers like Wang Xing, Mr. Weidong had already filed complaints with both Suvarnabhumi Airport Police Station and Tourist Police.
Ms. Jiaqi, a recent college graduate, was making her first trip abroad. She traveled with a Chinese friend she had known for less than a month through social media – someone her family has never met and has no contact information for. The circumstances of her travel were already concerning – she hadn’t informed her parents of her plans beforehand.
The timeline of her disappearance has raised serious concerns. After landing in Thailand around 4:00 am, she contacted her mother via WeChat, sharing her location and plans to stay in the Don Mueang area. When her mother warned about travel to Burma (Myanmar), Ms. Jiaqi responded, “I’m not stupid,” and assured her, “I wouldn’t dare to go to Burma.” She continued communicating throughout the morning, but contact abruptly ceased at 4:00 pm. After 24 hours of silence, her father flew to Thailand.
Investigation of CCTV footage has revealed that a white Toyota Alphard picked up Ms. Jiaqi at Suvarnabhumi Airport and transported her to a hotel – not in Don Mueang as she had told her mother, but in the Lat Krabang area. Hotel records show she checked in at 5:00 a.m. and checked out just four hours later at 9:00 a.m. Police are reviewing CCTV footage from the Lat Krabang hotel to track her movements after checkout, though their efforts are hampered by some non-functional cameras.
With a trembling voice, Mr. Weidong noted that unlike the Wang Xing case, his daughter had never shown any interest in acting. He thanked Thai authorities for their efforts while pleading for help in locating his daughter.
Meanwhile, Police General Thatchai Pitaneelaboot, director of Thailand’s anti-trafficking center (TICAC) reported that Wang Xing was in good mental condition and would be repatriated once arrangements with the Chinese Embassy were finalized, expected within 1-2 days. Despite his ordeal, Wang Xing expressed no concerns about Thailand and indicated he would return as a tourist in the future.
Police General Thatchai stated that information from actor Wang Xing suggests there are likely more scam victims. Though Thai police can investigate incidents within Thailand’s borders, most of the evidence remains in China. He has instructed officers to trace all communications between involved parties. Those found to have committed crimes will face legal prosecution, especially under human trafficking laws.
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