A BRITISH teenager is feared to have been lured into working at a scam factory by the Chinese mafia after going missing from Thailand.
Computer whizz Lawrence Honour, 19, was last seen leaving a hotel in Kanchanaburi, western Thailand, before trying to bust into neighbouring Myanmar on September 27.
His parents have not seen him or heard from him since – and have issued a desperate plea for information.
Thai police officers are searching for the youngster amid fears he is being held in one of the notorious call centre factories.
Controlled by Chinese gangs and Burmese militia, workers are subjected to relentless torture and extortion.
Lawrence’s mum Gulnara Honour, who lives in Thailand with the teen’s British father Julian Honour, said: “Lawrence left home on September 26 and we were unable to contact him.
“I filed a report at Pattaya City Police Station.
“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.”
Lawrence was seen on CCTV leaving a hotel resort in Kanchanaburi on September 27 at around 3.30 pm.
He then attempted to enter Myanmar but was sent back by border guards because the crossing was closed by the conflict.
Authorities then caught him allegedly trying to scale a fence into the country and sent him away.
Witnesses said he was seen hitchhiking that evening before being picked up by a passing teacher.
Officers are now searching for the driver who is believed to have scooped him up.
Police Colonel Santi Phitaksakul, superintendent of Sangkhlaburi district station, said: “The boy’s mother said she still has hope. She doesn’t know how he came here.
“‘”The last time she was able to contact him, he was already in Sangkhlaburi.
“Someone later saw him at Sai Yok Waterfall, where he was hitchhiking and said he was heading toward the border.
“A Thai driver who passed by wanted to help, so he gave him a ride.”
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