Missing Chinese model found safe in Thailand, returns home
A 25 year old Chinese model who was missing for nearly a month has been found and safely returned to China, according to Thai police. Yang Zeqi’s return was confirmed by the Chinese embassy, as stated by Police General Chatchai Pitaneelaboot, inspector-general of the Royal Thai Police Office, who was in Mae Sot district, Tak, on January 17.
Yang’s father had previously urged national police chief Kittharath Punpetch to expedite the search for his son, who had been drawn to Thailand with a film role offer. After arriving in Bangkok, Yang was transported to the Thai-Myanmar border in Tak province on December 21 last year.
His last known contact with his family was on December 29 last year during a video call with his mother, during which he appeared stressed and did not hold a phone. His father suspects the call was orchestrated by his captors.
Ratchapon Sirisakorn, a lawyer who facilitated interactions between Yang’s father and Thai police, confirmed the family’s account of Yang’s rescue and return to China. The family plans to thank both the Chinese embassy and Thai officials formally.
Upon his return to China, Yang Zeqi posted a video on social media, stating, “Reporting safety right after touchdown.”
Details about Yang’s rescue remain undisclosed by the police, and there has been no confirmation regarding speculation about his involvement with scam gangs across the border in Myawaddy, similar to the case of Chinese actor Wang Xing. Wang was found unharmed, albeit with a shaved head, after disappearing earlier this month in Tak province. Thai police suspect Wang was a victim of human trafficking.
Missing Chinese
Police General Thatchai Pitaneelaboot visited the Ban Huai Hin Fon security checkpoint in Mae Sot district, Tak, on January 17 to instruct officials to scrutinise entries to prevent human trafficking and transnational crime related to call centre scams.
The Chinese state security ministry also announced that Yang Zheqi and several other victims had been rescued and returned to China. The statement revealed that a joint operation by Chinese and Thai police led to the arrest of 12 suspects connected to cross-border crimes following the disappearance of several Chinese nationals, including Wang Xing.
The ministry committed to maintaining stringent measures against cross-border telecom network fraud, largely orchestrated by Chinese nationals from scam centres in Myanmar.
These centres in Myawaddy are reportedly protected by Karen rebel groups, which oppose the Karen National Liberation Army, the main force contesting the Myanmar army in the region, reported Bangkok Post.
The case involving Wang has garnered significant media attention in China, prompting Thai officials to enhance efforts to reassure Chinese tourists of their safety in Thailand. Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra has emphasised that ensuring the safety of tourism in Thailand is a government priority to preserve the country’s reputation.
ORIGINAL STORY: Borderline mystery: Chinese model’s vanishing act stuns nation
The mysterious disappearance of Chinese model Yang Zeqi near the Thai-Myanmar border has sent shockwaves throughout his home country of China and prompted his father to make a desperate plea to the Government of Thailand for help in locating his son.
Accompanied by lawyer Ratchaphon Sirisakhon, Yang’s father approached Police General Kittharath Punpetch, beseeching him to assist in the search for his son, who vanished shortly after arriving in Thailand last month.
This unsettling case echoes a similar incident involving Chinese actor Wang Xing, who was trafficked to a scam centre in Myawaddy but returned to Thailand unharmed after four days, albeit with a shaved head.
Wang’s ordeal attracted widespread media coverage in China, compelling the Thai government to address growing safety concerns. These fears have reportedly led some Chinese tourists to cancel their travel plans.
Yang’s disappearance has captured international attention, according to Police General Thatchai Pitaneelaboot, an inspector-general with the Royal Thai Police. Lawyer Ratchaphon recounted a disturbing video call between Yang and his mother on December 29, where the model appeared anxious and alarmed.
During the call, conducted via WeChat, Yang wore black, sat at a table, and displayed visible eye injuries. Suspicion arose when it seemed someone else was holding the phone as Yang neither sought help nor showed any signs of distress, implying he was being monitored.
Despite the family reporting Yang’s case to the police Anti-Trafficking in Persons Division on January 10, progress has stalled.
Bangkok Post reported that Yang’s last known location was somewhere in either Phop Phra or Mae Sot district in Thailand’s Tak province, leaving his current whereabouts a puzzle as his social media went silent. There’s no confirmation if Yang crossed the Moei River into Myanmar.
Ratchaphon suspects a sinister network involving Thai, Chinese, and Myanmar nationals in Yang’s disappearance. The lawyer claims to have crucial evidence, including photos of vehicle licence plates, demonstrating how Yang was transported from Suvarnabhumi International Airport in one vehicle, only to be transferred to another.
As a family clings to hope and an investigation spans borders, the world watches closely for any clues that might unravel this troubling saga.
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