CHON BURI: Three transgender women were arrested in Pattaya beach town early Tuesday after a clip showing them posing naked for Chinese tourists to take photos drew a barrage of criticism online.
The trio -- Kanisorn Thoonjit, 31; Noppadon Jorwan,33; and Samtip Naimu -- were apprehended at around 1am in Pattaya by a police team led by Pol Lt Col Piyapong Ensarn, Pattaya tourist police inspector.
Pol Col Apichai Krobphet, chief of Pattaya police, took them for a media briefing at Pattaya police station. The three transgender women admitted they were the people appearing in a video that went viral. But they claimed the clip was recorded in 2013 and they had no idea who posted it online.
They said that day they were approached by a tour guide - also a transgender woman - who asked them to attend a party at a hotel in Pattaya Klang. They were to entertain a group of more than ten mute Chinese tourists, and would be paid 4,000 baht each for the job.
(Photo via Chaiyot Pupattanapong)
When they arrived at the party, they said they were asked to take off their clothes because the tourists wanted to see their bodies after undergoing a sex change operation. The trio said they agreed, providing the tourists did not take pictures - but once they had taken their clothes off, the Chinese tourists began to take pictures and shoot video anyway.
After the photo session, the trio said they left the room and were each paid 4000 baht, plus a tip of about 500 yuan (about 2,500 baht) each.
The clip posted online showed the three transgender women naked on a bed in a variety of poses for the camera.
The three transgender women on Tuesday apologised to the public for tarnishing the country's image for tourists.
Police initially charged them with acting in an obscene manner. They were fined 5,000 baht each before being released.
Police were tracking down the person who posted the clip, who would also face legal action.
Three transgender women are interrogated at Pattaya police station on Tuesday morning. (Photo by Chaiyot Pupattanapong)