PHUKET: An Australian man who went for a swim by the light of the moon on his first night on Phuket had his pants stolen, brawled with ladyboy katoeys on Patong beach and needed stitches to a head wound, police say.
The 39-year-old tourist, fresh off a flight from Sydney on Sunday, ended up in the sea at Patong beach with Irish friends about 4am on Monday.
However, when he emerged from the dip in the dark, he found his pants, his wallet and his telephone missing.
The man accused some katoeys of the crime but the ladyboys took umbrage at the accusation and a brawl ensued.
In the fight that followed, the Australian was hit on the head with a rock and needed stitches later at Patong Hospital.
Officers at Kathu Police Station, which oversees Patong, were informed of the altercation. They traced the katoeys and organised a mediation session on Monday.
As a result of the negotiation talks, the ladyboys paid 3000 baht of the cost of the man's 3600 baht treatment at Patong Hospital, Phuketwan was told.
However, the katoeys denied any involvement in the theft of the wallet and telephone. It is not known whether the man recovered his pants.
Reward for Phuket Gold Raider Doubled to 200,000 BahtThe 39-year-old tourist, fresh off a flight from Sydney on Sunday, ended up in the sea at Patong beach with Irish friends about 4am on Monday.
However, when he emerged from the dip in the dark, he found his pants, his wallet and his telephone missing.
The man accused some katoeys of the crime but the ladyboys took umbrage at the accusation and a brawl ensued.
In the fight that followed, the Australian was hit on the head with a rock and needed stitches later at Patong Hospital.
Officers at Kathu Police Station, which oversees Patong, were informed of the altercation. They traced the katoeys and organised a mediation session on Monday.
As a result of the negotiation talks, the ladyboys paid 3000 baht of the cost of the man's 3600 baht treatment at Patong Hospital, Phuketwan was told.
However, the katoeys denied any involvement in the theft of the wallet and telephone. It is not known whether the man recovered his pants.
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Not that it justifies the assault by the Katoeys but going for a swim and leaving your valuables unguarded in the middle of the night is perhaps not the smartest thing to do.
Then again, tourists on holidays tend to do silly things and a tourist destination should strive to keep them safe despite this.
I remember some time back the police registering all the Katoeys in Patong and blacklisting those who cause problems.
Justified or not, it seems that whenever a crime or incident in Patong involves Katoyes, the police seem to find the culprits with ease.
Sounds like good police work to me. I wish the same policy would be extended to Tuk-Tuk drivers, touts and Jet-Ski operators.
Posted by Chris on June 8, 2011 11:22