Authorities in Thailand say a Chinese movie star has gone missing after arriving in Bangkok and travelling to Northern Thailand, near the Myanmar border, for a casting appointment last Friday.
The Chinese Consulate General in Chiang Mai confirmed on Monday that Chinese actor Wang Xing had gone missing at the Myanmar-Thailand border, stating that they have maintained good communication with the family and will continue to follow up on the case to ensure the safety and legal rights of Chinese citizens in the jurisdiction.
The Chinese Embassy in Myanmar has also been notified of the situation, a staff member told the Global Times on Monday.
The embassy is taking the incident seriously and has contacted Myanmar’s relevant authorities to conduct an urgent investigation. The staff member stated that further updates will be provided once any progress is made, as the situation is still being verified and no results have been obtained thus far.
Girlfriend Seeks Help
On Monday, a Sina Weibo post claiming Wang Xing, also known by his stage name Xing Xing, had gone missing at the Myanmar-Thailand border sparked widespread discussion on Chinese social media platforms.
Jia Jia, a netizen who claimed to be Wang Xing’s girlfriend, posted that Wang had received a casting notice through an actors’ group chat. After successfully auditioning and connecting with the production coordinator on WeChat, he decided to travel to Thailand to join the shoot.
According to the post, Wang flew from Shanghai Pudong International Airport to Bangkok’s Suvarnabhumi Airport on Friday before taking a vehicle provided by the cast. Wang initially updated his location before losing contact after signalling for help in Mae Sot on Friday at noon, according to Jia Jia’s post.
The post also claimed that she and Wang’s brother had been actively pursuing the case for the past three days, but had made little progress.
A staff member at the Chinese Consulate General in Chiang Mai confirmed to the Global Times on Monday morning that the consulate received a call from the actor’s family on Friday about his disappearance in Mae Sot, a city in western Thailand bordering Myanmar to the west.
“The consulate responded promptly, providing detailed information on how the situation would be handled, and has maintained good communication with the family,” said a member of the staff.
“We will continue to follow up on the case in accordance with relevant regulations, ensuring the safety and legal rights of Chinese citizens within our jurisdiction.”
Shanghai police and sought assistance from the Chinese Embassy in Bangkok and Chiang MaiChinese Embassies Searching
The Chinese Embassy in Thailand announced Monday evening on its official WeChat account that it had received a request for assistance from Wang’s family and was in close contact with Thai authorities and the family to actively provide the necessary assistance in locating his whereabouts.
Jia Jia’s post has received widespread attention online, particularly in the Chinese entertainment industry, with many actors sharing it to help find Wang.
Wang has appeared in a number of popular Chinese television dramas, including Fox Spirit Matchmaker: Red Moon Pact, The Tale of Rose, and Under the Skin. His disappearance has reignited discussions about telecom fraud on China’s social media platform Sina Weibo.
Wang’s last known location, Mae Sot, is across the river from Myanmar, with the Myawaddy region on the other side.
In recent years, China has actively cooperated with other countries to combat cross-border crime.
More than 800 Chinese nationals involved in online gambling and telecom fraud crimes were repatriated from Myanmar’s Myawaddy region in March 2024, thanks to the joint efforts of Chinese police and law enforcement authorities in Myanmar and Thailand, according to the Xinhua News Agency.
