As expected after Songkran, it was inevitable we would have a piece of controversial news to talk about once the great water battle was over. Last year, the country's media was in a frenzy about two girls dancing bare-breasted among the celebratory crowds on Silom Road. This year, another topless dancer sparked social criticism, only this time it was a 19-year-old transvestite.
It all started with video footage of Sarawut Suparb and his transvestite friends captured dancing during Songkran. In the clip, Sarawut is cheered on by a crowd to take off his shirt, unveiling his implanted breasts. A photo of Sarawut was on the front page of almost every newspaper in the city, including the Bangkok Post, when he turned up to the police station in Phra Nakhon Si Ayutthaya to answer a charge of indecent exposure. He was fined 500 baht and ordered to "apologise" to the whole country for his behaviour.
Besides learning that exposing bare breasts in public, even a pair that are surgically made, is obviously a sensitive issue among Thais and the media, I have something else to say about what happened to young Sarawut. I find it ironic that, after all, it was a "man" who danced topless.
What I am trying to say is that there is another way to look deeper through what happened to Sarawut.
While Thailand refuses to legally recognise transgenders as women, one of the reasons that I think caused Sarawut trouble was because he appeared to look like a "woman" or a man who has "female" breasts. And, if you have a chance to see his picture, he could be easily mistaken for a pretty girl.
Today, it is rather hard to be a woman in this male-dominated world.
Imagine being a man who has a female soul but is trapped in a male physique? It takes guts for those who are transvestite and transgender to adhere to their true colours. And I always respect them for being true to themselves and trying to live their lives with pride.
Personally, as a native Thai I did not expect Sarawut's apologetic gesture as he had already paid his fine and served his punishment for what the police and society considered a crime.
Who I think needs to stand up and apologise is whoever lets underage children (I'm talking about below the age of 15) walk around with bottles of beer during Songkran, looking like drugged puppies with motion sickness.
This is what I think society should seriously pay attention to.
Yanapon Musiket writes on art and entertainment for Life and has a monthly column, Queer Eye, dedicated to gay rights and gender diversity.