Thai transwoman allegedly forced to shave head after being accused of insulting Islam during livestream

A transwoman in Thailand was allegedly pressured into shaving her head after being accused of insulting Islam and mocking verses from the Quran during a livestream.

According to The Thaiger, the incident took place in Bangkok’s Ramkhamhaeng area on May 10 after online backlash escalated into a large gathering outside a restaurant.

The woman, known online as “Madam Lor,” reportedly grew up in a Muslim community in Narathiwat before moving to Bangkok.

Livestream reportedly sparked backlash

According to Khaosod, the controversy allegedly began after Madam Lor took part in an online debate involving transgender Muslims wearing the hijab.

Some Muslim community members reportedly criticised transgender women for dressing in ways they believed conflicted with Islamic teachings.

Lor was later accused of mocking Quranic verses and making offensive remarks about Islam.

The Thaiger reported that Lor allegedly altered wording from the Quran in a manner involving references to a dog, triggering anger among Muslim viewers online.

Video clips from the livestream later spread widely across social media platforms, drawing backlash from Muslim communities in Thailand as well as Malaysia, Indonesia, Brunei and parts of the Arab world.

Crowd gathered outside restaurant

Khaosod reported that community leaders later arranged a meeting with Lor at a restaurant in Soi Ramkhamhaeng 53 in an attempt to calm tensions.

However, news of the meeting reportedly spread online, prompting thousands of protesters to surround the area.

Inside the restaurant, Lor reportedly apologised to family members and society, saying the remarks were made in a moment of anger.

According to The Thaiger, some members of the crowd allegedly demanded that Lor slap herself and shave her head as a sign of remorse.

The reports stated that Lor later complied.

Police escorted Lor away amid fears of violence

The situation later became chaotic as protesters outside the restaurant reportedly attempted to push through the crowd to confront Lor.

According to Khaosod, more than 10 police officers were deployed to escort her safely out of the area and to a police station.

Some protesters allegedly attempted to approach and assault Lor while officers were leading her to a police vehicle.

Videos showing Lor’s shaved head later circulated online and sparked debate across Thai social media.

Some users condemned the alleged insults toward Islam, while others criticised the public humiliation and intimidation, arguing that the incident violated personal rights and risked encouraging mob justice.

Police have not announced whether legal action will be taken against those involved in the confrontation or the original livestream.

A Muslim senator has spoken out against the incident, calling it "mob rule".

"If such incidents are allowed to pass without preventive measures, it could create a new norm in which mob rule overrides the law and even the true principles of religion."