Nearly half of all female passengers say they have been sexually harassed on public transportation, mostly on buses, according to a survey conducted by the Faculty of Public Health, Thammasat University.
The survey asked the opinions of 1,654 male and female passengers who regularly used public transport in Bangkok.
The figures indicated that 45% of females reported they had been sexually harassed on public transport.
A 32-year-old female passenger said her skirt was once slit open by an abuser while she was on the BTS skytrain.
"It was very embarrassing because the cut was long and wide and other passengers could see my underwear," she said.
In terms of transport type, 50% of those who were sexually harassed said it happened on buses, 11.4% on motorcycle taxis, 10.9% in regular taxis, 9.8% in public vans and the rest on the skytrain or on the subway.
Women also said they had been subject to individuals looking at pornographic images and films.
Some 25% of the female victims chose to remain silent or walk away while 28% informed bus conductors of the lewd acts they had experienced.
Respondents said offenders took advantage of congestion during rush hour to commit acts of sexual harassment on public transport.
The results of the survey were revealed at an event on Tuesday to launch the "Safe Cities for Women" campaign which is being held to coincide with the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women this coming Saturday.
