Philippine transgender beauty contestant soothes ruffled feathers over Bangkok street fight
- Two Filipino nationals were charged with assaulting six Thai transgender people in Bangkok, another scuffle broke out as police escorted suspects from their lodging
- Lars, who finished sixth in last year’s Miss International Queen pageant, denounced the Filipinos and hoped the fracas would not affect bilateral ties
Philippine transgender beauty contestant Lars Pacheco has sought to calm nerves over a viral Bangkok street brawl involving transgender people from her country and their local peers, saying the visitors need to respect the hosts.
Two Filipino nationals were charged with assaulting six Thai transgender people outside a restaurant in Soi Sukhumvit 11 on Monday night.
They were part of a group of more than 20, who had arrived in the kingdom on tourist visas, and engaged in an argument with the Thais that later turned into a fight, causing multiple injuries in both camps.
Thai transgender people then issued a rallying cry to their compatriots on social media, with nationalism-tinged posts urging them to assemble outside the hotel where the Filipinos were staying.
Another scuffle broke out as police escorted the suspects from their lodging.
“They were unpleasant when they met, possibly because they are of different races and opinions,” police officer Withawat Chinkam said.