In this post, let’s explore the reasons why there are so many Ladyboys in Thailand. I’m sure there can be no other place in the World with the same percentage of Ladyboys, also known as kathoeys, shemales, the third sex, transgenders, and transexuals.
I’m sure everyone has their own thoughts and opinions on why there are so many Ladyboys in Thailand, and similarly thoughts on why Thai women prefer foreign men, and your feedback is welcome.
Do you remember your first visit to Thailand? Especially if it was Pattaya, Bangkok or one of many other popular tourist destinations of Thailand. You glimpsed a pretty Thai woman, and you stopped and thought to yourself, “There’s something not quite right there” You see another woman; this time, she ain’t so pretty, and obviously a man.
After a while, you learn how to spot a kathoey and that it is perfectly normal here, just like Toms and Dees are a thing. After all, this is Thailand, the land of tolerance.
But you always wonder why there are so many ladyboys in Thailand.
After many years of living in Pattaya, Thailand I still don’t know why there are so many Ladyboys in Thailand, but it’s one of those Thai things which have always intrigued me, of course I have my own opinions and theories, including why many ladyboys in Pattaya, but first here’s my theories on why there are so many ladyboys in Thailand.
Thailand is a Buddhist nation; Buddhism teaches and promotes tolerance toward others, and it does not denounce homosexual behavior. There is even one theory that children identified as kathoey are the result of bad karma from a previous life. Buddhist texts also often acknowledge the “Transgender Being,” namely “The Third Sex”. So maybe due to Buddhist beliefs, ladyboys are accepted rather than dissuaded.
I have heard many people say it is how the children are brought up. Girls are preferred to boys, domineering mothers, and subservient fathers. But ask yourself what is a Ladyboy? If a ladyboy ‘Kathoey’ really is a person born into the wrong body or a “Third Gender,” would it really make a difference how a child was raised?
Another far-out theory as to why there are so many ladyboys in Thailand is that the men born in the poorer rural areas of Thailand, who struggle to find well-paid work, feel they stand a better chance as a woman and undergo sexual reassignment surgery. I don’t go with that one myself. It seems far too extreme and a guy would need a substantial amount of money in the first place to pay for the surgery.
There are many more subjects to cover regarding Ladyboys, including a ladyboy’s change of identity from Mr. to Ms, sexual orientation questions like are Ladyboys gay, and the role of ladyboys in Thai society, but for now, let’s ponder on why there are so many Ladyboys in Thailand. Leave your opinions in the comments below.