Families of 174 Missing Persons in Myanmar Also Appeal for Help
Chinese model Yang Zhechi (25), who was kidnapped by a human trafficking organization in Thailand, was rescued near the Thailand border.
Thai media outlet The Nation and Xinhua News Agency reported on the 18th (local time) that Yang Zhechi, who had gone missing in the Thailand-Myanmar border area, safely returned to China on the 17th. The Chinese Ministry of Public Security also issued a statement the day before, announcing that Yang Zhechi and several other victims were rescued and returned to China. However, specific details such as where Yang Zhechi was found were not disclosed.
Yang Zhechi posted a thank-you video online, saying, "I could not have returned without the help of each and every one." She had come to Thailand on the 20th of last month after receiving a movie role offer.
Yang Zhechi is not the only Chinese person who went missing in Thailand and Myanmar. Actor Wang Xing, who appeared in the movie "Ip Man 3" and the drama "Maiguidegosa" (Story of Roses), went missing after arriving in Thailand for a drama casting offer near the Thailand-Myanmar border. Wang Xing was released three days later, appearing haggard with a shaved head. He told Thai police that he had been kidnapped by a Chinese criminal organization and was trained in fraud techniques targeting Chinese people.
After news of Wang Xing's rescue spread, Yang Zhechi's family reported the incident to authorities, noting the similarities in circumstances. At the same time, families of 174 other missing persons in Myanmar appealed on social media to find their younger brothers, sons, husbands, and fathers. The Ministry of Public Security views this case as part of a widespread human trafficking operation by a criminal organization.
Recently, human trafficking organizations have been rampant in Thailand. As a result, the number of tourists visiting Thailand has sharply declined. On the 5th, Hong Kong's South China Morning Post (SCMP) quoted Morakot Kuldilok, chairman of the Eastern Branch of the Thailand Hotel Association, saying that cancellations are mainly occurring at 4- and 5-star hotels. China's "national actor" Zhao Benshan postponed a performance scheduled for the 22nd of next month in Bangkok, Thailand, and Hong Kong singer Chen Yixun also canceled his Bangkok tour concert next month.
Chairman Kuldilok expressed concern, saying, "If swift measures are not taken, the cancellation impact may spread," and predicted, "The effect will deepen throughout this year." Local media Bangkok Post reported that the Thai travel industry expects a 10-20% decrease in Chinese tourists visiting Thailand during the Lunar New Year holiday due to the Wang Xing kidnapping incident. Chinese tourists make up the largest proportion of foreign visitors to Thailand. According to the Thai Ministry of Tourism and Sports, last year, 35.5 million foreign tourists visited Thailand, with 6.73 million being Chinese, the highest number.
The South Korean Ministry of Foreign Affairs also raised the travel advisory level for the Myawaddy area from Level 3 (Departure Advisory) to Level 4 (Travel Ban) at the end of last year, as crimes targeting Koreans, such as employment fraud, increased in the region.
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