Thailand - Lawrence Honour, 19, British living in Thailand, Kanchanabur, 26 Sept 2025

[Darling136]

Brit, 19, vanishes abroad amid fears he's being held in Chinese mafia factory

The family of Lawrence Honour, 19, who lives in Thailand, have issued an urgent appeal for help after he went missing at the end of September. They fear he is being forced to work in a factory

www.mirror.co.uk

Computer genius Lawrence Honour, 19, was last spotted leaving his accomodation in the town of Kanchanabur on September 26. It has been reported that he tried to enter neighbouring Myanmar but was turned away by border guards because the crossing was closed due to conflict.

Police and his family are concerned that he is being held captive inside one of the call centre factories, which are controlled by Chinese gangs. The cruel set-up sees workers endure strenuous hours whilst being tortured

 

[Cedars]

Computer genius Lawrence Honour, 19, was last spotted leaving his accomodation in the town of Kanchanabur on September 26. It has been reported that he tried to enter neighbouring Myanmar but was turned away by border guards because the crossing was closed due to conflict.

I think the Chinese torture story is ridulous. What's really happened, reading between the lines, is he's run away from his father/stepmother, and may have snuck over the border into Myanmar where they'll have trouble finding him.

Authorities search for 19-year-old British man from Pattaya, missing near Thai-Myanmar border - Pattaya Mail

PATTAYA, Thailand – Authorities in Kanchanaburi are searching for a 19-year-old British man who went missing from his Pattaya home last week, amid fears he may have been lured into a cross-border call center scam. Ms. Gulnara Fattakhova, a Russian national, reported to Sub-Lieutenant Pakorn...

www.pattayamail.com

JMO

 

[GraceG]

While I certainly feel for the mother's pain, something feels "off" about all of this. His being a "computer genius" appears to stem from only his parent's perception that he's good with computers as I can find nothing on his skills either academically or in the computer world. I think I can speak for parents (at least in my general age group) everywhere that most of our kids are better with computers than we are (I go to my 15 year old granddaughter for coding issues). He's likely talented, but it doesn't appear he has a job, there's no mention of attending higher education, he's still iving with his Mom and Stepdad. I personally don't see the Chinese kidnapping him after luring him to work in a call center (a job for which you don't have to be anything close to a genuuis). Most victims of that are Chinese nationals, in any case, not British citizens.

From his movements and actions, he's on the move, but most likely of his own voilition, in my opinion. Still the dangers our there in most foreign countries exists so I do hope he lets someone know he is safe, or decides to come home.

 

[Cedars]

Still the dangers our there in most foreign countries exists so I do hope he lets someone know he is safe, or decides to come home.

Yes, just wanted to perhaps edit this to state: there are dangers to undocumented foreigners in any country...eg the USA.

In particular, there is a civil war in Myanmar, which is why it is a no-go zone for travellers in the western countryside right now.

 

[wendybtn]

There is an entire ring of call center scams that happen in that area of the world. They are kidnapped, held as slave labor, little food, etc.

What are Southeast Asia's scam centres, and why are they being dismantled?

Scam centres that operated along the Thai-Myanmar border for years have drawn fresh attention after the high-profile abduction and release of a Chinese actor in Thailand.

www.reuters.com

 

[GraceG]

There is an entire ring of call center scams that happen in that area of the world. They are kidnapped, held as slave labor, little food, etc.

What are Southeast Asia's scam centres, and why are they being dismantled?

Scam centres that operated along the Thai-Myanmar border for years have drawn fresh attention after the high-profile abduction and release of a Chinese actor in Thailand.

www.reuters.com

True, but as stated before and also clarified in the article linked,, most of them (some articles say almost all) are Chinese nationals (usually very poor with limited opportunities so easily scammed). A British national would not be their prime target, too much media attention.

 

[wendybtn]

True, but as stated before and also clarified in the article linked,, most of them (some articles say almost all) are Chinese nationals (usually very poor with limited opportunities so easily scammed). A British national would not be their prime target, too much media attention.

I don't see this story getting a lot of media attention. Why would criminals care about the nationality of their victims? Once they have kidnapped someone, it doesn't matter their intelligence or opportunities.

UN researchers warn that Asian scam operations are spreading across the rest of the world

A new U.N. report warns that transnational organized crime groups in East and Southeast Asia are spreading their lucrative scam operations across the globe in response to increased crackdowns by authorities.

apnews.com

 

[GraceG]

I don't see this story getting a lot of media attention. Why would criminals care about the nationality of their victims? Once they have kidnapped someone, it doesn't matter their intelligence or opportunities.

UN researchers warn that Asian scam operations are spreading across the rest of the world

A new U.N. report warns that transnational organized crime groups in East and Southeast Asia are spreading their lucrative scam operations across the globe in response to increased crackdowns by authorities.

apnews.com

Again, just my opinion, but such criminal enterprises want to stay off radar. The average Chinese nationa,l honestly, could disappear and there wouldn't be a peep in the worldwide news. A young man, from possibly affluent parents, a British citizen might get international attention they don't want. That likely explains why formal reporting has stated that the majority of their victims have been Chinese. What caused a big fracture in this whole network was when one Chinese citizen they kidnapped turned out to be well known (an actor) and he was soon released and the story broke.

Like you, I'm really surprised this hasn't gotten more attention.

 

[tarabull]

Have they located the "driver" he hitched a ride with?

Snipped...
...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.

MSN