Filipina ladyboys accused of illegally offering sex services in Bangkok

Following the clash between Thai and Filipina transwomen on Soi Sukhumvit 11 in Bangkok yesterday, some locals came forward to accuse the Filipina ladyboys of illegally offering sex services to European tourists in the area.

The altercation between Thai and Filipina transwomen reportedly sparked after more than 20 Filipina ladyboys attacked two Thai transwomen and stole their belongings. A friend of the two Thai victims shared the conflict on social media inciting nearly 2,000 Thai transwomen to gather and attack the Filipina ladyboys.

One Thai transwoman revealed to Channel 3 that the Filipina ladyboys came to Thailand to work as sex workers. Offering sex services in Thailand is considered illegal, so several media outlets focused on the matter and interviewed people in Soi Sukhumvit 11 about the Filipina group.

One Thai transwoman named A told PPTV HD that each Filipina offered sex services in Soi Sukhumvit 11, adding that one of the Filipina ladyboys was their leader and procurer. She would help each Filipina transwoman until they were able to enter Thailand and sort out accommodation so they can provide sex services.

Those Filipina sex workers had to share their income with the procurer until the amount reached the target, so the sex workers could be free to earn their own money without having to pay a percentage to the woman. A claimed that the Filipino procurer stayed at an accommodation in Soi Sukhumvit 4, near Nana Plaza.

A added that transgender sex workers from Vietnam and Russia also came to provide sex services in Thailand but came in a smaller group, a lot fewer than Filipinas. She believed that Thai police knew about this, but did not bother the foreign sex workers. Only Thai nationals were arrested and fined.

Sukhumvit sex workers

A’s information was confirmed by the motorcycle taxi riders who provide a service in the Sukhumvit neighbourhood of Bangkok.

A Thai motorcycle taxi rider told KhaoSod that he saw Filipina ladyboys approaching many foreign tourists in the area and taking them to a hotel. He was quite sure that the group offered sex services and targeted European men.

Another motorcycle taxi rider stated that most of the Filipina transwomen stood and waited for customers outside their hotels or accommodations. They would appear in the afternoon to buy food and then reappear again in the evening to offer services.

Following the accusation, officers from Immigration Division 1 conducted a raid at a hotel in Soi Sukhumvit 11 where more than 20 Filipina transwomen stayed yesterday, March 5. Police insisted that they did not find any traces of sex services at the hotel and nearby areas.

The immigration police added that they would conduct a further investigation into how each obtained their visas, whether anyone overstayed their visas, and whether anyone worked illegally in Thailand.

The Bangkok Governor Chadhart Sittipunt admitted during an interview with Channel 7 yesterday that some foreigners illegally worked and ran businesses in Bangkok. For example, foreigners who sold food and drinks on the street.

Chadchart stated that the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration had not yet received a complaint about foreign sex workers in the city maybe because it was difficult to identify who were the sex workers and there were only a few of them.

The 57 year old Bangkok chief added that the altercation between Thai and Filipina transwomen was rooted in a personal conflict. He was worried more about scams against foreign tourists, illegal taxis, and illegal tour guides which were the structural issues.