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A British teenager missing in Thailand is feared to have been roped into a scam compound run by Chinese gangs.
Lawrence Honour, 19, was last seen leaving a hotel in Kanchanaburi, western Thailand.
He is said to have attempted to cross the border into Myanmar – a country that continues to be riddled with conflict after the military seized power in a coup in 2021, and civil war rages on.
Lawrence, described as a computer whizz, fled the hotel on September 27 and his parents have not heard or seen from him since.
His mother, Gulnara Honour, who lives in Thailand, and his British father Julian Honour, have sent a desperate plea for information.
Thai officers launched a search for the youngester amid fears he is being held in a call centre factory.
Places controlled by Chinese gangs and Burmese militia that subject workers to torture and extortion.
Lawrence’s mum said her son left home on September 26 and filed a report to Pattaya City Police after they could not contact him.
She said: ‘I checked my son’s email and found records of his movements in Kanchanaburi province, which was very worrying.
‘He’s a very shy and quiet boy but he is excellent with computers.
‘I’m afraid that he has spoken to people online and be tricked into going to one of these scam centres in Myanmar, where they don’t let people leave.’
CCTV footage captured the teen a hotel resort in Kanchanaburi on September 27 at around 3.30 pm.
Local authorities reported witnesses seeing him scale a fence and hitchhike across the country before being picked up by a passing driver.
Police are trying to locate and speak with the driver.
Police Colonel Santi Phitaksakul, superintendent of Sangkhlaburi district station shared concerns the teenager was coerced into travelling to Myanmar.
He said: ‘As for why he went there, there are many possibilities. He may have been persuaded by someone; it doesn’t seem like he went just for tourism.
‘We need to trace his movements to verify whether he went to a casino or elsewhere.
‘It is suspected he may have crossed through natural routes, possibly with the help of people on the Myanmar side who know the paths well.’
Scam compounds forcing people to work in call centres has mired Myanmar, formerly Burma, since the military coup four years ago.
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