A handout photo from the Royal Thai Police shows Chinese actor Wang Xing being escorted by officers after returning from Myanmar, at the police airport in Bangkok, Thailand, on Tuesday. - Photo: EPA-EFE via SCMP
SHANGHAI/BANGKOK: Many Chinese travellers planning to visit Thailand for the upcoming Lunar New Year have expressed concerns on social media this week and posed blunt questions.
"Is Chiang Mai safe? How can I convince the travel agency to refund expenses if I want to cancel my trip to Thailand?" netizens have asked bluntly.
The anxiety has been fuelled by a recent incident involving Chinese actor Wang Xing, who went missing upon arriving in Thailand for work last Friday.
Wang, a relatively unknown actor in China until his disappearance went viral, was reported missing after travelling to the popular tourist destination for a shoot.
Thai authorities took swift action amid high public scrutiny, rescuing Wang from a fraudulent online scam operation in a Myanmar city bordering Thailand on Tuesday. Deemed a victim of human trafficking, Wang appeared disoriented and had been shaved bald, according to images released by authorities. According to officials, Wang was a victim of human trafficking.
But the incident soon dampened Chinese tourists’ enthusiasm for travelling to the South-East Asian destination as the annual Lunar New Year travel rush approaches.
But the actor himself thanked the Thai government and police force after the ordeal and also added Thailand is a great place to visit.
Wang also has pledged to cooperate fully with Thai authorities in their ongoing investigation.
During media interviews, he conveyed his gratitude for the support he received, stating, “I am grateful to be safe and able to return to my country. Thailand is very safe, and I would love to come back.”
Wang, however, dismissed rumours suggesting he was physically harmed, clarifying that the red patches seen on his left leg in a viral photo were merely a birthmark.
The 'Under The Skin 2' star added amid the ongoing investigation and reiterated that this experience won't alter his positive view of Thailand.
“Thank you to the Thai government and Prime Minister for helping me to return to Thailand so that I have the chance to return home to my country. I really appreciate it. Thailand is a wonderful and I will visit again and again," he added again.
Thai Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra has sought to address such concerns, directing her country’s tourism as well as security agencies to try and contain the fallout.
“We must manage this situation effectively to prevent any impact on our tourism industry,” Shinawatra was quoted as saying by KhaoSod.
Shinawatra said the reaction was not solely about tourism, however, adding that it highlights broader concerns about technological security and transnational scam operations, including call centre fraud.”
In response to a question about the missing of Wang Xing at the Thailand-Myanmar border, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun stated on Tuesday that the relevant Chinese embassies and consulates have received assistance requests from the actor's family.
"The authorities are verifying the situation and taking action. We will continue to follow further developments and work with embassies and consulates", said Guo.
However, on Chinese lifestyle platform Xiaohongshu, or "Little Red Book", searching "How do I cancel my Thailand trip?" yielded more than 380,000 posts on Thursday.
Shawna Li, a Chinese woman from Zhejiang province, had planned to travel to Thailand with three female friends for the Spring Festival holiday from Jan 28 to Feb 4, but after learning of Wang's case, they unanimously agreed to cancel their trip.
"We changed our mind because of basic safety concerns, especially since we are four women travelling together," she said. "I've never been to Thailand, which people say is affordable and fun. I used to think it might be a bit unsafe, but not to this extent."
A manager at a physical store in Shanghai of China's leading online travel agent, Ctrip, noted that Wang's experience has sparked a decrease in bookings to Thailand.
So far, the location has only one group tour to Thailand that is set to depart before the end of the month, with just a dozen participants. "In the short term, this will certainly affect travel confidence," she said.
Wang, who had been lured by a Chinese stranger who claimed to represent a well-known Thai entertainment company and offered him work, was transported to the Myanmar border and subsequently crossed into Myanmar's Myawaddy, a city known as a hub for scam outfits, through an unofficial border point, police said.
Before his rescue, Wang, who was expected to return to China on Friday, reportedly received two days of training in telecommunication scams targeting other Chinese victims.
The quick action from Thai police followed calls by Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra, daughter of former premier Thaksin Shinawatra, to crack down on such crimes and contain potential damage to Thailand's tourism sector after news about Wang's disappearance became widespread.
Speaking with the press following Wang's rescue on Tuesday, a Thai official was caught on camera asking the actor to express willingness to travel to Thailand again.
Wang, wearing a black cap to conceal his face, complied, stating in both English and Chinese: "Thailand is safe, and I will come back again."
Visits by Chinese tourists in Thailand might fall by 10 to 20% during the upcoming holiday season due to safety concerns among travellers following the case, the Bangkok Post reported on Thursday, quoting an estimation from the Association of Thai Travel Agents (Atta).
With 6.73 million arrivals, Chinese comprised Thailand's largest tourism market last year, according to the Thai Ministry of Tourism and Sports.
In recent years, an increasing number of Chinese citizens have been reportedly lured to telecom-fraud syndicates operating in northern Myanmar to participate in their fraudulent schemes against residents in China.
Chinese authorities said in 2023 that as many as 100,000 people in Myawaddy alone were believed to be engaged in telecom fraud, according to state broadcaster China Central Television (CCTV). - Agencies
