March 8, 2024
BANGKOK – Two transgender Filipinos were each fined 5,000 baht (US$141) on Wednesday after pleading guilty to assaulting six Thai counterparts outside a restaurant in Bangkok on Monday night.
John Rich Miranda and Christian Calma Castro were arrested by Lumpini police also on Monday night, and taken by police to South Bangkok District Court on Wednesday. One of them made the wai gesture in apology to the reporters present, the Nation reported.
The wai is “a gesture to show respect by putting hands together,” as defined by the Royal Society’s Thai dictionary.
The Filipinos posted a video of their attack, which involved over a dozen other people besides the two who were arrested, on social media on Monday. This proved to be a bad move after the six Thais called on their fellow kathoeys, or transgender people, and arrived at the Filipinos’ hotel on Soi Sukhumvit 11 on the same night, accompanied by about 2,000 Thai transgenders.
Their simmering rage turned to physical violence, with the Thai kathoeys far outnumbering and attacking the Filipinos.
Miranda and Castro waived their right to a lawyer and pleaded guilty on the spot.
The court then slapped them with a fine of 10,000 baht each for disturbing public order, before halving the fines after the two had admitted guilt.
Meanwhile, a transgender Filipino, who was allegedly assaulted by fuming Thai kathoeys at the hotel on Soi Sukhumvit 11, has agreed not to file charges, the Nation report said.
The Filipino, whose name was withheld, waived legal action after one of her alleged attackers met with her on Wednesday at the Lumpini Police Station at 3 p.m.
One of the Thais involved in the attack, identified as “Champ,” apologised and offered to shoulder the Filipino’s 10,000-baht medical bill. He was arrested along with Filipinos Miranda and Castro after the fight broke out.
“Champ” later revealed he had been told that the Filipino he attacked was not part of the group of over a dozen transgenders who assaulted the six Thai kathoeys on Monday, but was just an innocent bystander who happened to be staying at the same hotel.
The victim arrived with a representative from the Philippine Embassy at 4.15pm, and was seen with a black eye and bruises on her neck.
Both were taken to a room for a meeting mediated by embassy representatives, police, Justice Ministry officials, and interpreters.
Pol Maj Gen Witthawat Shinkham, commander of Metropolitan Police Division 5, confirmed to the reporters that the Filipino had dropped the complaint against Champ and her other alleged attackers.
Doctors had recommended 14 days of treatment for the injuries she sustained.
The victim said she wanted to end the conflict to maintain friendly relations between Filipinos and Thais.
Champ, on the other hand, was grateful to her for dropping the complaint. The press conference ended with the two hugging each other.