Chinese man accused of assault in Pattaya claims extortion attempt

A Chinese national accused of assaulting a transgender woman in Pattaya denies the allegations, claiming the incident was part of an attempt to extort money from him. Previously, 24-year-old transgender woman Tanawat Thongduang posted a video on social media showing herself injured and bloody, stating that she had been attacked by a Chinese man. She filed a complaint with the Muang Pattaya Police Station. Police launched an investigation and confirmed that the accused, 22-year-old Chinese national Chen Wentao, had left Thailand via Suvarnabhumi International Airport. Officers stated plans to contact Interpol for a "red notice" as part of the investigation. During the ongoing investigation, Chen Wentao provided his version of the incident to local media. According to Chen, he met Tanawat at an entertainment venue in Pattaya and later exchanged contact details. He claims that Tanawat subsequently offered sexual services for 3,000 baht and presented herself as a woman during their conversations. Chen said he initially declined the offer but later agreed to meet after the price was reduced to 1,000 baht. He then informed her of his hotel's location. Chen claims that upon meeting Tanawat, he realized she was not who he expected and asked her to leave. According to him, Tanawat instead contacted several friends who arrived at the hotel. He claims that the group filmed him and demanded money, threatening to damage property if he refused. Chen stated that he rejected the demand, which reportedly led to Tanawat damaging items in the room, including a mirror and several glasses. He also stated that Tanawat attempted to assault him and later sustained injuries during the commotion. Chen reported that he contacted the tourist police hotline 1155 but received no response. He claims he then left the hotel via a fire exit and returned to China. Separately, the Jmoi V+ Facebook page reported claims from another transgender woman in Pattaya, alleging that Tanawat had previously extorted money from foreign tourists using a similar trick. The page also reported that an unidentified man claimed to have overheard Tanawat and her friends discussing how much money they wanted to get from Chen before going to his hotel room. According to information from the Jmoi V+ page, video footage allegedly showing the full incident has already been handed over to the police. As of now, the police have not provided any further details regarding the evidence or any potential legal actions.