| When I first told my friends that I was planning an | | | | Where was this army of available ladyboys? |
| extended stay in Thailand, it is amazing how many | | | | At Soi Katoey in Bangla Road, Patong, there are |
| times I heard the same stupid reply - "watch out for | | | | always a few dancing at the front of the soi. There |
| them ladyboys!" Again and again, I heard this inane | | | | is another katoey bar at the back and Moulin Rouge |
| comment until it really started to grate. Everybody | | | | ladyboy show. But surely even at the highest |
| making the same stupid joke as if it was clever and | | | | estimate, there could not be more than 50 ladyboys |
| original. What a ridiculous stereotype of Thailand, I | | | | working in Soi Katoey. There are maybe another 30 |
| thought. As if there are ladyboys everywhere you | | | | performing at Simon Cabaret Ladyboy Show - does |
| go. | | | | that even count as the sex industry? For the sake |
| The funny thing is, once I moved to Thailand, I soon | | | | of argument, let's say it does. Then there is the gay |
| discovered that ladyboys, or katoeys as they are | | | | area around Soi Paradise. There are quite a few |
| known in Thailand, really are everywhere. It is not | | | | ladyboys around this area but I think an estimate of |
| just a handful of them working the tourist resorts. | | | | 100 would be very generous. |
| You will see them working in shops and restaurants. | | | | There are a few ladyboys freelancing along the |
| Even if you go out into the country, you will find | | | | beachfronts where they annoy passing drunks. But |
| katoeys. They really are everywhere. | | | | really, they are not there in very high numbers. Let's |
| In fact, I had not been here long before I had a | | | | be generous again and say 100. Have I missed any? |
| personal acquaintance who was a katoey. One of the | | | | Maybe there are a few dotted around other sex |
| things I noticed was just how comfortable other | | | | establishments. |
| Thais were in her company. Straight Thai men were | | | | So even if we round up my figures, we have a very |
| quite happy to give her compliments such as telling | | | | generous guesstimate of 300 ladyboys active in the |
| her how beautiful she looked. They all called her 'she' | | | | sex industry. I actually think that is probably |
| as it is polite and made her happy. | | | | extremely generous. A lot of the above figures are |
| Personally, I was initially a little uncomfortable in her | | | | probably the same katoeys moving from location to |
| presence. I wasn't scared she would jump on me. | | | | location and I think I have overestimated all my |
| She was a pleasant and well-balanced person. I was | | | | guesses. The total figure could be as few as 100. |
| just a little unsure how to deal with her. It was the | | | | So I would say somewhere between 100-300 |
| charming way the other Thais treated her that soon | | | | katoeys working in Phuket's sex industry. Certainly |
| put me at ease. | | | | not 5,000 but then a figure of 100 would not make |
| What is a Katoey? | | | | good press. |
| What exactly is a katoey? I had this discussion with | | | | Men and Katoeys |
| a couple of western friends recently. They both live | | | | So what about the demand for Katoeys? Are there |
| in Phuket and both said that you can only call | | | | really lots of men looking for their services? Since |
| someone a katoey if they have had gender altering | | | | their most common approach seems to be trying to |
| surgery; otherwise, you should use the term ladyboy. | | | | fool very drunk men, I would guess that their |
| This I feel is a western invented distinction. Katoey is | | | | services are not massively in demand. I have met a |
| a Thai word and that is not how it is used. | | | | few men who have had sexual encounters with |
| Thais use the term much more loosely. They use the | | | | katoeys. Most of them claim it was a drunken |
| term for any man who acts like a woman. | | | | mistake. |
| Transgender male is probably the closest English | | | | I did meet one guy who happily proclaimed he had |
| term. Men who have gender altering surgery are | | | | just been 'blown off' by two katoeys in his hotel |
| katoeys. So are those who take hormones to create | | | | room. He was rather proud of himself and certainly |
| female attributes such as breasts. So are those who | | | | not claiming it was a mistake. You do meet some |
| dress up like a woman. In fact, even gay men who | | | | funny characters in Patong. |
| put on a bit of make up and flounce around are | | | | I guess there is some genuine demand for katoeys. |
| referred to as katoeys. | | | | Although they are active in the gay area, I do not |
| Why so many Katoeys in Thailand? | | | | think it is strictly a gay thing. Although they are |
| By this definition, there certainly are plenty of | | | | made-up as women, I do not think it is a straight |
| katoeys in Thailand. So why is this phenomenon so | | | | thing. But there is a hard-to-define group of men who |
| much more common here than in other countries? It | | | | do find katoeys attractive. Certainly, there is a lot of |
| seems unlikely that there is a genetic reason for | | | | curiosity about them. Every month, the word 'katoey' |
| Thailand to have more transgender males than other | | | | is in the top 20 list of search keywords that have led |
| countries. I think the reason is much more to do with | | | | people to our Phuket website. And we only have a |
| the tolerant attitude of the Thai people. | | | | small section on katoeys. |
| There are many katoey TV stars, singers and | | | | Negatives |
| models. They even have katoey beauty contests. | | | | Although katoeys are generally well accepted in Thai |
| There have been several katoey movies such as | | | | society there is still a negative side to their |
| 'Beautiful Boxer' which is the true story of a katoey | | | | reputation. They do have a reputation for being |
| who became a champion Muay Thai fighter. She | | | | spiteful and untrustworthy. I have personally met a |
| would often kiss her defeated opponents. | | | | few during my years in Thailand and I have to say |
| Katoeys seem to be a widely accepted part of Thai | | | | that on the outside they all seemed well adapted and |
| society. This is probably partly to do with the | | | | happy. However, I have also heard plenty of stories |
| Buddhist religion and its preaching of tolerance | | | | of katoeys involved in criminal activities such as pick |
| towards others. However, other countries with a | | | | pocketing and other thefts. They have also been |
| strong Buddhist influence (Cambodia, Myanmar, Sri | | | | known to harass and threaten passers-by late at |
| Lanka, Tibet, Laos, Japan) are not known for their | | | | night while looking for customers along the |
| ladyboys. | | | | beachfronts. |
| There must be something else at work. I think one | | | | These things certainly do happen but the scale of the |
| strong factor is the Thai belief that life should be fun | | | | problem is not clear. Whether katoeys really commit |
| (sanook). When they see a katoey, they think it is | | | | crime on a scale greater than other Thais is hard to |
| fun. They will laugh and joke about it but not in a | | | | judge. |
| nasty way. They certainly will not hurl abuse or | | | | They also have a reputation for being emotionally |
| threats as might happen in western countries. | | | | unbalanced. As I said, all the ones I have met have |
| So the main reason why there are so many katoeys | | | | seemed fine. However, I think it is fair to say that |
| in Thailand is simply that Thai society is open and | | | | the strains of their lives are very demanding and it is |
| tolerant to them. It makes you wonder how many | | | | not surprising that many of them lose emotional |
| transvestites there might be in western countries if | | | | control easily. |
| our societies were a little more forgiving. | | | | The tolerance of katoeys in Thai society is not |
| How Many Katoeys Work in Phuket? | | | | absolute. Their families, particularly the fathers, |
| In the wake of the tsunami tragedy and the media | | | | sometimes reject them. Men who in most other |
| feeding frenzy that followed, a friend sent me an | | | | ways are tolerant of katoeys, can still find it |
| article from a British newspaper. The reporter was in | | | | shameful to father one. |
| Phuket and obviously struggling to compete for | | | | And the authorities' tolerance also has its limits. When |
| attention with reporters at harder hit areas. So he did | | | | a katoey volleyball team won the national |
| what a lot of reporters in Phuket did and started | | | | championship, two of the team were selected for |
| focusing on the seedier side of the local nightlife. | | | | the national team. The government stepped in and |
| Quite what this had to do with the tsunami tragedy I | | | | blocked their selection. They did not think it was |
| am not sure. | | | | good for the country's image. |
| This particular reporter seemed to be fascinated with | | | | Saving Private Tootsie |
| the ladyboy scene. He made a few sweeping | | | | In 2002, there was a Thai movie given the English |
| generalisations about Phuket's nightlife, suggesting the | | | | title 'Saving Private Tootsie'. In this movie, a plane |
| whole island was truly a cesspit of debauchery. He | | | | crash strands a group of katoeys in the jungle of a |
| then claimed there were 5,000 ladyboys working in | | | | war torn neighbouring country. A group of macho |
| Phuket's sex industry and a huge demand for their | | | | Thai soldiers is sent to rescue them. The story |
| services. | | | | revolves around the personality clashes between the |
| Where did he get this figure? It seems like a very | | | | flouncy katoeys and the macho soldiers as they try |
| bold claim. Is there a census? Do the authorities | | | | to escape this neighbouring country. |
| make a ladyboy count? I really doubt there was a | | | | In the end, they all pull together to make the final |
| reliable statistic available to this reporter. Like most of | | | | crossing back to Thailand. The soldiers put aside their |
| his report, I think he just made it up but he obviously | | | | dislike for the katoeys and their leader returns home |
| saw enough ladyboys around to think it was a | | | | to finally accept his son, who is also a katoey. |
| reasonable guess. | | | | The movie's message is one of tolerance that is |
| Phuket's high season population is estimated to be | | | | typical of Thai society. At the end of the movie |
| around 500,000. If 5,000 of them are ladyboys then | | | | there is a nice quote from one katoey. "I may have |
| that would be 1% of the population. That would | | | | been born in the wrong body, but at least I was |
| seem very unlikely but not totally inconceivable. But | | | | born in the right country. |
| he said 5,000 actually working in the sex industry. | | | | |