Bangkok governor inspects Soi Nana post-transgender fracas

In a recent inspection sweep in Watthana, Bangkok’s Soi Nana Nuea neighbourhood, the city’s governor, Chadchart Sittipunt, alongside several agencies, carried out a comprehensive check for illegal activities.

The activities under the microscope included the so-called taxi mafia, supposed prostitution, and unauthorised tour guides operating in the area.

This operation was carried out on March 5 and attracted national media attention, mainly due to a notable incident that had occurred the previous day. On March 4, a group of over 100 hundred Thai transgenders staged a protest against a Filipino transgender group in Soi Sukhumvit 11.

When asked about the correlation between these two events, Chadchart clarified that the inspection wasn’t directly related to the protest, which he described as a conflict between two distinct groups.

Chadchart expressed his concern regarding the state of the Soi Nana Nuea area, noting that he regularly used this route and had observed a noticeable amount of disorder, especially in the early morning hours. This disorder was largely due to the presence of homeless individuals and public intoxication.

The protest, which Thai netizens had dubbed the “Transgender Veterans Incident,” was still under investigation by the relevant authorities. On the topic of supposed prostitution services in Soi Sukhumvit and other areas in Bangkok, Chadchart stated that no such incidents had been reported on Traffy Fondue.

Traffy Fondue is an online platform that allows residents to report complaints directly to the Bangkok government.

However, the 57 year old Chadchart noted that the city’s government had no jurisdiction over immigration issues or police processes. Their mandate was limited to overseeing street orders including nuisance complaints, which would then be handled by Bangkok’s municipal officials.

Another concern raised by many locals was the public use of marijuana. Although the government had carried out inspections, they found that these cannabis shops were operating within the confines of the law. The Bangkok governor also mentioned the easy access to electric cigarettes and sex toys on the streets and online platforms.

On the same day as the inspection, Thai immigration officers were investigating another case. This case involved a group of Filipino transgenders who had allegedly assaulted two Thai transgender people. The officers were trying to ascertain the legality of their stay in Thailand.

Lumpini police officers leading the investigation discovered that more than 10 Filipino transgenders were residing in the reported area, Soi Sukhumvit 11/1. The police were using CCTV footage to identify them.

The immigration officers planned to collect evidence, record the identities of these individuals, and, if required, mark them as wanted criminals should they leave the country, reported The Pattaya News.