The Pattaya police conducted an impromptu inspection of Pattaya Beach to address a number of issues, including prostitution, drug abuse, violence, and theft. The search also follows the release of a popular TikTok video purporting to depict a transgender person assaulting a visitor on Pattaya Beach, however the media has not been able to independently verify the attack’s specifics.
Over 30 law enforcement officers were involved in this operation, and their main objective was to target transgender “gangs” that were reportedly performing sex work while loitering on the beaches.
During the walk-around, Pattaya police detained 14 transgender people and took them to the Pattaya Police Station for a documentation check and drug test. Following the proceedings, the people were let go without being fined, and there were no indications of drug abuse.
For Pattaya police, trans criminals have presented a significant issue, particularly in numerous incidences of pickpocketing.
Hasan Mohamed Almuqahwi, a 55-year-old tourist from Bahrain, reportedly lost more than 11,000 baht to two transgender robbers in September 2023. The traveler said that pickpocketing occurred as he exited a Songtaew in Soi Buakhao. The culprits were able to escape, and there have been no reports of arrests to date.
On social media, trans and sex worker advocacy groups like SWING have been pleading with Pattaya police not to target transgender people solely, claiming that the vast majority of them were only trying to make a living. They claim that just a small proportion of trans people were criminals. They have pleaded the police to perform impartial, all-encompassing inspections and not single out any particular groups.
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