By Panarat Thepgumpanat and Chayut Setboonsarng BANGKOK - Thailand's visa waiver programme for Chinese nationals has come under scrutiny after the high-profile alleged kidnapping of a Chinese actor and similar crimes stoked worries over tourism and security.

Thailand sought to dampen safety concerns among potential Chinese tourists on Friday as fears mounted over reported kidnappings on the Thai-Myanmar border.

The brief abduction of a Chinese actor who was trafficked into Myanmar to work in a scam camp has rattled travelers from a country that Thailand relies on for tourism.

Thai Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra said the country remains safe for tourists amid reports of a high-profile trafficking of a Chinese actor triggering mass group cancellations ahead of the Lunar New Year holidays.

Questions about the safety of Chinese tourists were triggered earlier this month after actor Wang Xing went missing on the Thai-Myanmar border and authorities said he may have bee