9th January 2025 – (Hong Kong) Chinese actor Wang Xing is believed to have been trafficked to a scam camp in Myanmar via Thailand, prompting a rescue operation by the Thai government. This incident has reignited public concern regarding the dangers of such camps. A relative of a Hong Kong resident, who has been held in Myanmar since August for scam-related work, shared her conflicting feelings today (9th), stating, “While I’m glad Wang Xing is safe, it also makes us feel more helpless. It reignites hope, but despite our efforts, including contacting intermediaries, our family member remains unaccounted for.” She urged the Hong Kong government for assistance, expressing her family’s anxiety and desperation.
The police in Mae Sot, Thailand, recently released a photo of Wang Xing, showing him with a shaved head and wearing a tracksuit, with a gaunt appearance.
Wang Xing was reported missing for several days along the Thai-Myanmar border before he was ultimately rescued. District Councillor Andy Yu, who has been assisting families of trapped Hong Kong residents, visited the Thai consulate in Hong Kong on Wednesday (8th) to submit a petition. Yu noted that he had received six requests for help, the latest being two months ago, and had previously presented a petition to the government seeking intervention. However, families report no progress despite ongoing communication with the police.
In a radio program today, Yu mentioned that the consulate responded positively to their petition, indicating they would assist equally, and they provided details of six trapped Hong Kong residents to facilitate help from the Thai authorities.
Yu revealed that among the six individuals, one had been trapped for approximately six months. A family member of this individual recounted that she had initially received a call from her relative, who claimed to be in Thailand for a few days before heading to Japan. Shortly after departing Hong Kong, the family received a distressing call, stating that he was trapped and required a ransom of HK$4 million. “He sounded like he was crying… we had no idea what was happening and couldn’t provide the money,” she explained.
When the family replied that they could not afford the ransom, they received a response in simplified Chinese stating, “There’s nothing to be done; he can only work here in peace.”
Since then, they have only had brief exchanges through fake accounts, and the family continues to feel a deep sense of helplessness. “While Wang Xing’s rescue brings us joy, it also amplifies our despair,” she lamented.
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