Eight people, including four police officers and a ranger, were arrested in northeastern Thailand for allegedly kidnapping seven Chinese men and demanding a ransom of 2 million baht.
The arrests occurred shortly after Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra released an AI-generated video in Mandarin, urging Chinese tourists to visit Thailand despite news of kidnappings along the Thai-Myanmar border.
According to reports, the seven victims managed to use a mobile phone to share their location at a resort in Ubon Ratchathani’s Phibun Mangsahan district with their relatives.
The victims stated three officers abducted them from the Special Branch Bureau: a Border Patrol Police officer, a paramilitary ranger, and three civilians, one of whom was a Myanmar national. They were taken from Amnat Charoen’s Chanuman district and were forced to contact family members and request money for their release.
Once informed, the relatives, who were in Laos, alerted Thai authorities. Police in Phibun Mangsahan dispatched a team to the resort, rescuing the victims and arresting all eight suspects.
Chinese Lured to Thailand
Authorities revealed that the Chinese victims were lured into Thailand with false promises of high-paying jobs, only to be threatened and held for ransom upon arrival.
The victims now face charges for entering Thailand illegally, while the suspects are accused of abuse of power and misconduct. Media access to the police station was restricted to prevent photographs of the suspects, especially the officials, from being taken.
Thailand is working to address safety concerns among Chinese tourists as the Lunar New Year approaches. Reports of kidnappings along the Thai-Myanmar border have heightened fears.
In Myanmar’s border areas, scam operations employing trafficked foreigners have become widespread. These operations often involve fraudulent activities targeting people from their countries, creating an industry valued in the billions.
Concerns escalated earlier this month after reports emerged that two rising Chinese celebrities were trafficked from Thailand to cybercrime centres in Myanmar. The news sparked outrage on Chinese social media, with many labelling Thailand as unsafe.
Despite these concerns, China remains the largest source of tourists to Thailand. In the first two weeks of January alone, Chinese travellers made up nearly one-sixth of the 1.3 million arrivals.
The Thai government expects Chinese tourists to rise by 7% during the Lunar New Year holiday, potentially generating 8.8 billion baht (around $255 million) in revenue.
