Thailand seeks to quell fears of Chinese tourists over Myanmar kidnappings

Thailand sought to dampen safety concerns among potential Chinese tourists on Friday as fears mounted over reported kidnappings on the Thai-Myanmar border.

Scam compounds have mushroomed in Myanmar’s borderlands and are staffed by foreigners who are often trafficked and forced to work, swindling their compatriots in an industry analysts say is worth billions of dollars.

Concerns were raised after reports that Chinese actor Wang Xing was allegedly trafficked into a cyber-fraud centre in Myanmar’s Myawaddy town, just across the Thai border in early January.