Dozens of music lovers accused security guards of touching their “pussy” and “sexual assault” at a Bangkok music festival over the weekend.
The victims complained they’d their private parts groped by guards as they have been searched prior to getting into the three-day 808 Festival at BITEC Bang Na held between December 9/11.
One woman, Hitomi Okemoto, advised Coconuts that the guards touched all the girls getting into the festival inappropriately “between [the] legs, they really touched pussy over clothes” and “touched my nipple instantly.”
Disgruntled Okemoto also printed pictures and movies of other attendees being groped.
“I’ve been to other festivals in Thailand, and [nothing occurred like] this sexual physique verify before. It was means an extreme amount of, I think other girls also felt disgusted and scared and unhappy.
“I hope they don’t make any cash subsequent yr after harassing ladies like this.”
A Thai reporter additionally witnessed safety guards touching women and men beneath underwear with their bare arms before they had been allowed to enter the venue. Men had been assigned to the lads, and girls checked the women.
Several ladies reckoned the guards appeared to be concentrating on the ladies greater than the men.
Festival organizers defended the personal security guards saying they had been “police looking for drugs” and that they “had no management over it.”
“Every festival is subjected to body searches. It’s a normal process.”
Festival organisers also defended safety touching bare breasts. They said…
“There is an indication written on the entry area that mentions this.”
Okemoto stated she saw no such indicators.
“I hope organizers can clarify without lying because they solely advised me they were Thai authorities officers and that they couldn’t do something about it.”
The Security AF Team head of security, Eiw, said he was unaware of any inappropriate touching, adding they had been just following orders.
“ Formula work is to stop medicine from coming into the competition. The method folks herald drugs are hidden in locations that we can’t attain.
“We were simply doing our job. By day three of the pageant, increasingly people have been caught with drugs, a minimum of over a hundred people. We take photos and send them to the police. We just need to provide a protected space for all and to warn people not to take drugs.”
Despite what the pinnacle of security informed Okemoto, she said there have been no indicators warning people of the search strategies.
A media relations publicist for the festival confirmed that they hired the safety staff and in addition defended the searches as “necessary” due to this year’s strict no-drug coverage.
The publicist, who declined to provide her title, stated that Okemoto had exaggerated her experience. The video seems to disclose in any other case.
Be the first said…
“It’s sexual assault. No one should settle for this. It isn’t usual in Thailand. These behaviours have to be denounced, the organizers are responsible.”
In September, similar complaints have been made about safety at another EDM occasion, the Together Festival. Women complained they were touched underneath their bras while males stated security touched their testicles.
Okemoto questioned whether or not these practices are regular in Thailand..