Patong business operators want transgender sex workers “cleaned up”

Patong business operators on Bangla Road want transgender sex workers to be “cleaned up,” in addition to food and drink vendors. The president of the Patong Entertainment Business Association, Weerawit Kreuasombat, said…

“While Patong officials are now increasing safety management measures on Bangla Road, transgender prostitutes should be cleaned up too. We consistently get complaints that they are annoying and aggressive to tourists.”

Weerawit added that there were multiple reports of pickpocketing by transgender sex workers. He said that most of the sex workers were from Pattaya and Bangkok.

Weerawit said that transgender prostitutes should be banned from the area. The Phuket Express reported that his comments did not extend to non-transgender sex workers and that online commenters had criticised the comments as bigoted and discriminatory.

Meanwhile, Patong police continue to deny that there is prostitution on Bangla Road in Phuket since it’s illegal.

Weerawit also called for food vendors to be banned from Bangla Road. He noted, however, that Patong officials can provide specific places for them nearby. Weearawit said that “Selling alcohol in foam boxes by vendors or pop-up style alcohol booths must be banned as this is illegal.”

Some tourism and party hotspots in Thailand, mainly Pattaya, have regularly reported transgender individuals committing crimes. There have been over a dozen incidents this year of transgender thieves pickpocketing cash and jewellery from tourists, mainly Indian tourists.

Last week, an Indian tourist in Pattaya reported that a transgender sex worker had stolen his pricey wristwatch. The tourist said the sex worker had also been aggressive and refused to pay back his 1,500 baht after he found out they were transgender.

In July, one transgender foundation in Pattaya expressed concern about stereotypes spreading due to these crimes. The deputy director of the Pattaya Sisters Foundation said she suspected that the same group of people was repeatedly stealing from tourists.

Weerawit’s statements indicate that these sensitive issues around criminality among transgender individuals are now gripping Patong’s Bangla Road as well.