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| Model Zhong Hao Bin Tricked Into Myanmar Job Scam, Found Safe After Family Appeal |
Zhong Hao Bin, a 25-year-old Chinese model who went missing earlier this month after being deceived into flying to Thailand for what turned out to be a fake photoshoot gig, has thankfully been found safe, according to China’s embassy in Thailand.
His sister had earlier raised the alarm on social media, telling the police that Zhong HaoBin — who became the family’s breadwinner after their father passed away — left for Bangkok on 8 June, responding to what looked like a legitimate magazine shoot arranged by his former employer. With the family’s finances tight, he barely hesitated to accept.
But after landing in Thailand, Zhong Hao Bin was taken to Tak province up north, and from there forcibly transported across the border into Myanmar. By 13 June, he managed to briefly reach out to his sister, explaining he’d been tricked, but he couldn’t pin down exactly where he was.
His sister’s desperate plea, combined with help from the police in Guangzhou and Bangkok, finally paid off. Working alongside local authorities, the Chinese embassy confirmed Zhong has been rescued from Myanmar, and arrangements are under way to bring him home.
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Zhong Hao Bin’s sister shared how he’d worked as a model for over four years, carrying the family’s hopes and bills on his shoulders. She thanked everyone online who helped spread the word, saying, “I really hope other young people learn from my brother’s story.”
The saga quickly reminded netizens of Chinese actor Wang Xing, who also went missing after being promised a work opportunity in Thailand earlier this year. Wang had been trafficked to Myanmar for scam training, but was later freed along with dozens of others.
Experts say traffickers are shifting targets — not just going after manual labourers anymore, but aiming at actors, engineers and other young professionals drawn by flashy job offers abroad.
The Chinese embassy in Thailand has once again sounded the alarm, urging citizens to double-check any overseas work offers, especially those promising big pay packets without proper permits.
Local authorities stressed that anyone wanting to work in Thailand legally must have a valid work visa, and warned that traffickers often hide behind the façade of “high-paying” modelling, IT, or entertainment gigs.
Zhong Haobin’s sister summed it up best: “He’s lucky to be alive. Please, think twice before taking any overseas job that seems too good to be true.”