In this summer's blockbuster hit No More Bets, the lead character, played by one of China's top celebrities Lay Zhang, ends up being forced to work for a crime syndicate in a fictitious South-east Asian country after accepting a fake job offer in Singapore.
In suspense-thriller Lost In The Stars, a woman who travels with her husband to (again) an imagined country in South-east Asia ends up - spoiler alert getting killed.
Netizens and moviegoers in China say the two movies have hardened their impression of Southeast Asia as a region of rampant scams and other crimes, after months of reports of Chinese visitors getting killed or going missing, adding that they would avoid travelling there.
For the first seven months of 2023, Malaysia replaced China as Thailand's top source of tourists the first time since 2012- according to local media reports.
State media Global Times reported on Aug 17 that Chinese tourists have also been spurning Myanmar due to concerns over telco scams, citing results of a poll in which nearly 96 per cent of 9,298 Chinese netizens said they would not consider going there due to safety concerns.
According to statistics on telco scams in China, which were shown at the end of No More Bets, the Public Security Bureau has cracked 1.156 million cases, arrested 1.553 million suspects, frozen payment and funds amounting to more than 916.5 million yuan (S$173 million), dissuaded 93.85 million from being cheated, and recovered losses of more than 286.1 billion yuan as at end-2022.
On Sunday, the Global Times reported that Lost In The Stars is this summer's top-grossing film, followed by No More Bets. In Singapore, Lost In The Stars is currently showing in cinemas while No More Bets will open on Sept 14.
Denne historien er fra August 30, 2023-utgaven av The Straits Times.
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Denne historien er fra August 30, 2023-utgaven av The Straits Times.
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Timely Execution of Projects Key to Success of JS-SEZ: Analysts
Cross-border economic connectivity also vital to the new integrated zone, they say
Both countries step up cooperation in areas like higher education, carbon credits
Singapore and Malaysia stepped up bilateral cooperation during the 11th Malaysia-Singapore Leaders' Retreat held in Putrajaya, Malaysia.
More time needed to resolve complex bilateral issues: PM Wong
Progress has been made on the complex issues between Singapore and Malaysia, but both sides need more time to resolve them, said Prime Minister Lawrence Wong on Jan 7.
Singapore, Malaysia to cooperate on electricity trading, renewable energy
This is on top of existing infrastructure projects such as the JS-SEZ and RTS Link
Johor-S'pore Special Economic Zone deal inked; 20,000 jobs set to be created
Business, investment zone aims to support 50 projects' growth in first five years
Tibet • Strong quake kills at least 126
A powerful earthquake in China's remote Tibet region killed at least 126 people and caused many buildings to collapse on Jan 7, state media reported, with tremors also felt in neighbouring Nepal's capital, Kathmandu, and parts of India.
New racial harmony Bill gives Govt powers on restraining orders, community remedial action
A new Bill that seeks to consolidate and strengthen the Government's powers to maintain racial harmony in Singapore was introduced in Parliament on Jan 7.
Passengers say Turkish Airlines flights have bedbugs
Shortly after boarding her Turkish Airlines flight from Johannesburg to Istanbul in March, Ms Patience Titcombe from Phoenix noticed a small bug crawling on her seat when she got up to use the restroom.
Actor Ben Yeo shutters restaurant after incurring $1 million loss in two years
Local actor and F&B entrepreneur Ben Yeo is shutting down the high-end modern Chinese restaurant he founded, Tan Xiang Yuan, after two years.
Director Jeff Baena elevated dark themes with humour in his works
American director and screenwriter Jeff Baena, who co-wrote the dark comedy I Heart Huckabees (2004) and directed films including Life After Beth (2014) and Horse Girl (2020), died on Jan. 3 at a residence in Los Angeles. He was 47.
