BANGKOK, March 5 (TNA) – Thai transgender women gathered in Bangkok downtown last night to reclaim dignity for their peers following an incident where four Thai transgender women were allegedly assaulted by a group of 20 Filipino transgender women.
A thousand of Thai transgender women gathered outside a hotel in Soi Sukhumvit 11 where the Filipino transgender women involving in the brawl were staying.
According to a victim’s friend, the incident occurred around 5 a.m. on Monday outside a restaurant near the BTS Nana Station. They encountered a group of Filipino transgender women with whom they had a previous conflict. A verbal exchange ensued before turning physical outside the restaurant.
The Filipino group reportedly consisted of around 20 people, while only four Thai transgender women were present, resulting in injuries to the latter.
The incident was later shared on social media by Filipino transgender women, causing Thai transgenders to feel humiliated. This created a significant uproar among Thai transgender community. In response, they gathered at a hotel where the Filipino transgender women involved in the case resided, hoping to resolve the issue and reclaim their dignity.
Around 10 p.m., police deployed forces to maintain order at the gathering point in Soi Sukhumvit 11 to prevent further escalation and escorted three Filipino transgender women for questioning at the Lumpini Police Station.
Shortly after, about 100 transgender women expressed solidarity with their peers, gathering outside the police station to monitor developments in the case.
Thai transgender women, claiming to be victims, also provided statements to the police.
Pol. Col. Yingyos Suwanno, chief of Lumpini Police Station emphasized fairness in their investigation for both parties. Once the culprits are identified, they will be summoned for further questioning. Authorities will also scrutinize the purpose of entry into Thailand for foreign nationals involved.
At around 11 p.m, police officers, along with a mediator, addressed all the transgender women present and requested cooperation. They urged those with evidence of wrongdoing by the Filipino transgender women to come forward and assured a fair investigation. Those who were not involved in the altercation were encouraged to return home peacefully, which they willingly complied with. -819 (TNA)
