Chinese ambassador asked to suppress rumours Thailand is unsafe

The actor, whose real name is Wang Xing, was reportedly missing after arriving in Tak’s Mae Sot district for a shoot last Friday. His girlfriend, identified as Jiajia, had contacted several agencies in Thailand and China since then.

However, Tak police investigators revealed on Tuesday that Xingxing was under the Border Guard Forces’ custody in Myanmar and was being escorted back to Thailand.

At Government House in Bangkok, Sorawong told media that Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra had ordered relevant agencies, especially the Royal Thai Police, to monitor the issue to prevent an impact on tourism. 

He said police would clarify the cause of the actor’s disappearance once Xingxing returns to Thailand.

He also admitted that this issue could affect tourism, but said it would not do so in the long term.

“The government and Tourism and Sports Ministry has a duty to boost confidence among tourists,” he stressed, expressing confidence that tourists who had visited Thailand would understand the situation well.

Sorawong noted that this issue does not only happen in Thailand, saying that neighbouring countries have been used as operation centres for criminal and call-centre gangs.

He said collaboration among agencies in Thailand and neighbouring countries is a key to tackle this issue, in which schemes to lure victims have been developed over time.

Sorawong also admitted that he had almost become a victim of a call-centre gang himself. “Hence we should together help boost awareness over new tricks,” he said.

Regarding former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra’s remark that the government will eliminate call-centre gangs this year, Sorawong said the government will do its best to tackle this issue as soon as possible to ensure people’s safety.