Two Filipinos fined 5,000 baht over Bangkok 'transgender war'
Two transgender Filipinos were each fined 5,000 baht on Wednesday after pleading guilty to charges of assaulting six of their Thai counterparts in Bangkok.
John Rich Miranda and Christian Calma Castro were arrested by Lumpini police on Monday night after they and over a dozen of their friends attacked six Thai transgenders near Soi Sukhumvit 11. The attack led to a huge brawl as Thai transgenders sought revenge.
On Wednesday, the two Filipinos were taken by police to South Bangkok District Court where one wai-ed waiting reporters and apologised for the incident.
She declared her love for Thai people, saying they held a special place in Filipinos’ hearts, before adding she hoped to make peace after the conflict.
Public prosecutors charged them with collaborating with other suspects, who were still at large, to attack six Thais in Bangkok’s Wattana district.
The two defendants waived their right to a lawyer and pleaded guilty on the spot.
The court fined them 10,000 each for disturbing public order, before halving the fines in recognition of the guilty pleas.
