The thrilling case of a Chinese model kidnapped in Thailand

The story follows the case of Wang Xing, a Chinese actor and another father searching for his 21-year-old daughter, who was kidnapped and later rescued by Thai police from Myanmar.

Mr. Yang Haitao and Thai lawyer Rachaphon Sirisakhon submitted a letter to General Kittirat Panpetch, National Police Chief, on January 16 at the Royal Thai Police headquarters, according to Khaosod.

Mr Haitao explained that his son, Yang Zheqi, arrived in Thailand on December 21, 2024, flying from Beijing and landing at Suvarnabhumi Airport. The last contact with his son was on December 29, 2024, when he made a video call to his mother. During the call, Yang appeared anxious and distressed, with bruises around his eyes, leading him to suspect that his son had been beaten.

Ly kỳ vụ người mẫu Trung Quốc bị bắt cóc ở Thái Lan- Ảnh 1. — Yang Zheqi is a Chinese model who was kidnapped and rescued on the Thai-Myanmar border.

The father noted unusual behavior during the video call, as his son kept his hands on the table throughout the conversation instead of holding the phone, suggesting that someone else may have been holding the phone. When asked if he had asked for help, the father said there was no obvious request or signal for help, so he believed his son was being monitored and possibly held against his will.

The family filed a report with the Anti-Trafficking in Persons (ATPD) on January 10. Although the authorities have begun coordinating with relevant agencies, there has been no progress in locating Yang and it is unclear whether he is still in Thailand or has left the country.

So Mr. Yang Haitao set off for Thailand to find his son. Yang’s last known location, shared with his girlfriend and friends, placed him in Phop Phra district near Mae Sot, Tak province, although it is unclear whether he crossed the border into Myanmar. His social media accounts remain inactive.

Ly kỳ vụ người mẫu Trung Quốc bị bắt cóc ở Thái Lan- Ảnh 2. — Yang was rescued and returned to China.

Haitao said this was his son's first overseas job, arranged through social media for jobs in Thailand. Initially, he was not worried because Thailand is known for its safety and hospitality. However, his son's disappearance has caused much fear.

Photos of the vehicle registrations in Yang’s possession show that the vehicle is registered in Thailand. Thai lawyer Rachaphon Sirisakhon suggested that tracking these vehicles and their owners could yield valuable leads. He stressed the need for cooperation between Thai, Chinese and Myanmar authorities since the incident occurred in all three countries.

They have asked the Prime Minister , the Royal Thai Police and other relevant agencies to look into the case. Evidence includes photos of two rental vehicles - one that picked Yang up from Suvarnabhumi Airport before transferring to another vehicle at an undisclosed location - and various photos that Yang shared with his friends.

However, while the search for Yang in Thailand was ongoing, he was rescued and returned to China. According to ABC, Chinese authorities are believed to have rescued the male model when he was caught in a human trafficking ring in the lawless border region of Myanmar.

China's Ministry of State Security said in a statement last Friday that Yang Zeqi and several other victims had been rescued and returned to China.

"Wang Mou, Sun Mouqiang, Yang Mouqi, Wu Mouqi, Lin Mouling, Xu Mouning and others were rescued from human trafficking traps and returned home safely," the ministry said, adding that Chinese and Thai police had jointly arrested 12 suspects believed to be involved in the scams where the victims were being held.

The eastern region of Myanmar near the Thai border has become notorious in recent years for industrial-scale scams concentrated in industrial zones.

Ly kỳ vụ người mẫu Trung Quốc bị bắt cóc ở Thái Lan- Ảnh 3. — Royal Thai Police work in hot zone near Myanmar border

These operations lure foreigners with promises of legitimate work before refusing to let them leave and forcing them to take part in online scams.

Specifically, Yang Zeqi went missing after being lured to Thailand with an invitation to act in a movie. After landing in Bangkok, he was taken to the Thai-Myanmar border on December 21.

Yang posted a video on social media platform Douyin on Friday after returning to China. "Thank you everyone, my family and friends, I couldn't have come back without you. I love you all!" he said.

His father, Yang Haitao, said his son was lucky. "My son returned to China with the help of everyone. I want to warn young people that they should be more vigilant and be able to identify online scams so as not to fall for such scams in the future."

Meanwhile, in Thailand, Deputy Prime Minister Phumtham Wechayachai warned the Thai media to be cautious when reporting on this issue (kidnapped tourists) because it could affect the Thai tourism industry.

A report by the United States Institute of Peace last year found that a total of 305,000 online scammers were operating in Myanmar, Cambodia and Laos, defrauding as much as $39 billion annually.