DFA: Trans Pinoys in Thailand brawl want to come home
The group of transgender Filipino women who figured in a brawl with local transgender women in Thailand have expressed intent to return to the Philippines, the Department of Foreign Affairs said Wednesday.
According to DFA Undersecretary Eduardo de Vega, the transgender women, believed to be tourists, manifested their desire to go home “to avoid trouble.”
De Vega said Thai police were still holding two individuals from the group for questioning.
“There are two who are facing charges of assault, and the Philippine Embassy in Thailand is assisting them,” he told DAILY TRIBUNE.
“There is one who was attacked and is seeking to press charges. The embassy is also assisting her,” he added.
He continued: “Other Filipino transgenders are coming home from Bangkok to avoid trouble.”
Earlier this week, local media outlets reported a brawl between a group of Filipino transgender women and Thai “ladyboys” in Soi Sukhumvit 11 in Bangkok.
According to Thai PBS WORLD, the brawl started after a group of Filipino transgender women “attacked” four local transgender women early Monday.
The incident prompted hundreds of local transgender women to gather outside the hotel where the Filipino transgender women were staying.
Pressuring the hotel management to release their Filipino transgender women guests, local police had to step in to control the situation.
However, the law enforcers’ presence was not enough to prevent a mob of hundreds of angry local transgender women from surrounding the hotel.
As they were being escorted out of the hotel, the Filipino transgender women were subjected to a barrage of punches, slaps, hair pulling, and throwing shoes and bottles from local transgender women.
In a separate update, the Philippine Embassy in Thailand clarified that the four transgender Filipino women were brought to the police station for interrogation.
The embassy said the four were not apprehended or detained. “As of now, no case has been filed against them.”
It also clarified that one of the Filipino transgender women assaulted by the mob was not acquainted with the three others who sustained scratches.