Bangkok: Thai police rescued a Chinese woman who was allegedly kidnapped across the border and held for ransom of 12.5 million baht. The Royal Thai Police responded to a request from Hong Kong police after the disappearance of Ms. Wang, a 21-year-old Chinese student, upon her entry into Thailand. Her family suspected she had fallen prey to an international scam ring, as Ms. Wang's father received a ransom demand via WeChat. The unknown captor sent photos of Ms. Wang showing signs of abuse and demanded HK$3 million in ransom.
According to Thai News Agency, prior to the alleged kidnapping, scammers convinced Ms. Wang to request money from her father, claiming it was for her studies in England. Believing the deceit, her father transferred HK$1.4 million to her account, which was then distributed among various accomplice accounts. Ms. Wang left Hong Kong on May 31 and arrived in Thailand on June 1, checking into a hotel in Bangkok's Lat Krabang area. Anti-Trafficking Division officers investigated the hotel, finding inconsistencies. CCTV footage revealed Ms. Wang traveled alone and had staged the scene of her alleged assault and kidnapping.
Police located Ms. Wang in a hotel in Samut Prakan province, using a fake passport image provided by the scammers. She was safely apprehended within 18 hours of her arrival in Thailand. During questioning, Ms. Wang revealed that the criminals had used psychological manipulation, impersonating foreign law enforcement officers and accusing her of criminal involvement. They coerced her into cooperating as an undercover agent on a supposed secret mission in Thailand. The staged kidnapping and assault were part of a virtual kidnapping scam, aimed at extorting ransom from her relatives.
Pol. Gen. Thatchai Pitanilabutr, Deputy Commissioner General of the Royal Thai Police, highlighted the increasing vulnerability of young people, particularly students, to such scams in Thailand. He emphasized the importance of family education, as many Thai youths remain unaware of how to protect themselves from such criminal activities.