Chinese actor Wang Xing, who recently went missing at the Thai-Myanmar border, has claimed that he was forcibly trained as a scammer while in Myanmar.
Wang, also known as Xing Xing, was rescued from a human trafficking operation on Tuesday (Jan 7) and has since shared his experience with Thai authorities.
According to reports, Wang arrived at Bangkok’s Suvarnabhumi Airport on Jan 3, believing he was in Thailand for a production.
He was greeted by a chauffeur, arranged by the so-called production team, who later drove him to Mae Sot, a district in northwest Thailand that borders Myawaddy – a city in Myanmar known for being a hub of scam operations.
Wang told Thai police that he was taken across the border into Myanmar by boat.
“I knew I was being tricked when I was taken across the border, but I didn’t dare resist,” the 22-year-old said.
Wang added that he was forcibly shaved upon arrival and locked in a building with 50 other Chinese nationals. There, he was coerced into learning how to craft fraudulent messages targeting Chinese people.
“I was tricked into coming to Thailand for acting, but things took a dark turn once I arrived,” he said, as quoted by Hong Kong news portal Dimsum Daily.
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 has agreed to cooperate with Thai authorities 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.
“I also want to say that Thailand is very safe, and I want to come back again. Everything here is good,” he added.
