By Edith Mao
A Chinese model from the southern province of Guangdong has been rescued from Myanmar after he was lured under the pretext of an overseas job last month, according to the Chinese embassy in Thailand.
鈥淭he Chinese citizen surnamed Zhong has been rescued under the collaborative efforts of all parties,鈥 the embassy said in a statement on Friday.
鈥淲e once again warn Chinese citizens to beware of overseas 鈥榟igh-paying job鈥 scams. Foreign nationals need proper work permits for employment in Thailand.鈥
After landing at Don Mueang International Airport in Bangkok early on June 9, Zhong, who had travelled to Thailand supposedly to shoot a magazine cover, went missing, state broadcaster CCTV reported.
The 25-year-old had accepted a job offer from his former employer, who had claimed the work was in Thailand.
On June 13, Zhong made a video call to his sister and said he had been tricked into going to Myanmar.
On the morning of July 3, his sister posted details of the incident on Weibo, a Chinese social media platform, sharing their chat history and Zhong鈥檚 travel information in the hope of getting help and raising public awareness about her brother鈥檚 plight.
Zhong鈥檚 sister said his exact location was not revealed and he was apparently under surveillance. She said contact was lost after the June 13 call in which her brother appeared frightened.
She said she had immediately reported the matter to the police and had travelled to Thailand to get help from local police and the Chinese embassy. Police in both countries investigated.
Telecoms fraud in several Southeast Asian countries is an increasing problem, with many people, including those from China, lured abroad through offers of overseas travel or high-paying jobs in recent years. Victims are tricked into going to Thailand, Laos and neighbouring countries before being trafficked into compounds in Myanmar where they disappear.
In January, Chinese actor Wang Xing was kidnapped and sent to a Myanmar compound after being lured with the promise of filming in Thailand. His girlfriend quickly pieced together his timeline and posted it on Weibo seeking help, ultimately leading to his rescue.
The Civil Society Network for Human Trafficking Victims Assistance, a Thailand-based non-governmental organisation, estimates that at least 6,000 victims from 21 countries 鈥 including nearly 4,000 Chinese citizens 鈥 are being held in Myawaddy, southern Myanmar, by gangs.
The United Nations Human Rights Office reported in 2023 that at least 120,000 people across Myanmar might have been forced into online scams via transit points in countries such as Thailand, Laos and the Philippines.