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