Kidnapping of Wang Xing

On January 3, 2025, Chinese actor Wang Xing (born November 13, 1993), known by the stage name Xingxing, was kidnapped by a Myanmar-based fraud group and forced to work in a scam center. Wang, a graduate of Shanghai University Film Academy with minor roles in productions including Ip Man 3 and The Tale of Rose, had been actively seeking acting work when he was contacted through a chat group by a person calling himself "Yan Shiliu," who claimed to be an acting coordinator for GMM Grammy. GMM Grammy later issued a statement denying any involvement in Wang's abduction.

Wang flew from Shanghai to Bangkok on January 2–3, 2025, and was transported by car toward what he believed was a film shoot. After passing through several Thai provinces, contact with Wang was lost near the Thai–Myanmar border around 11 a.m. on January 3. He was picked up by a pickup truck owned by a Thai citizen named Ravi, who told police he had been instructed by a Karen militia soldier to collect Wang. Wang was taken across the Moei River into Myanmar and forced into a fraud park known as "Apollo Park," where he was made to shave his head and undergo fraud training over several days while housed alongside dozens of other trafficked individuals, according to his post-rescue interview.

Wang's girlfriend, Jiajia, and his brother, Wang Qin, reported his disappearance to Shanghai police and Chinese diplomatic missions in Thailand, but were initially told authorities lacked jurisdiction or needed further verification. On January 5, Jiajia posted publicly on Weibo seeking help, and the case went viral, drawing support from prominent Chinese entertainment figures and prompting a trending topic on the platform. Other actors who had experienced similar recruitment attempts, including Xu Dajiu and Fan Hu, also came forward.

Following negotiations involving Thai and Myanmar officials and the Karen National Army, Wang was handed over at the Thai–Myanmar Friendship Bridge on January 7, 2025. Thai police had earlier suggested he had gone to Myanmar voluntarily, a claim later contradicted by his account of being forced across the border by armed personnel. Wang returned to China on January 11, 2025.

The case prompted broader law enforcement action. Apollo Park's alleged controller, Jin Can, was captured, and by January 17, 2025, twelve people connected to the trafficking network had been arrested by Thai and Chinese authorities. By February 14, 2025, ten Chinese nationals were in the process of extradition to China over their roles in the abduction. The publicity also led to the rescue of other trafficking victims and prompted Thai authorities to cut electricity, internet, and fuel supplies to several Myanmar border areas linked to scam operations, reportedly resulting in the planned deportation of thousands of scam-park workers. The case also caused a wave of Chinese travel cancellations to Thailand, including flight reductions and the postponement of entertainment events.