Special Report: Struggling To End Phuket's Transgender Stigma

[Lite Beer]

Special report: Struggling to end Phuket's transgender stigma

WOMEN AT WORK: Toedsak ‘Gai’ Kaipraiwan is happy working in Phuket.

Sompol ‘Wicky’ Sitthiwetch hopes to see the ‘katoey image’ changed.

PHUKET: Bad news moves quickly – constantly – and there is a cast of usual suspects who society likes to push the blame on, people who are “different” or somehow not representative of the whole.

Who are they? Illegal immigrants, stateless people, migrant workers and essentially any other minority group that has the misfortune of being a convenient scapegoat. One such “group” of people that is closely watched and often stigmatized in Thai society is the transgender community: katoey.

Katoey are born, raised and registered in the Kingdom of Thailand. They are, and have been, an integral part of Thai society dating back to at least the Rattanakosin period in the 18th century. However, in the mainstream psyche, katoey are placed on the the fringes of the Thai social fabric.

Loud, aggressive and violent are all stereotypes associated with the transgender community, especially in Patong – a classic case of "one rotten apple spoils the whole barrel".

However, there are "good apples" that have chosen a different path, but not without adversity.

Toedsak "Gai" Kaipraiwan, 30, earned a bachelor’s degree from a university in Sakon Nakhon, her home province in Northeastern Thailand (Isarn).

"I got a degree in education because I have always wanted to be a teacher, since I was young. Educating people has always been my passion," Gai said.

"Dreaming about it is one thing, but making it reality is something completely different.

"When I graduated, I couldn’t wait to find a job teaching, but it wasn’t as easy as I thought it would be.

"I grew my hair long, like a woman, and I dressed like a woman when I went to apply for jobs. I can’t remember how many schools turned me down, even though I have an excellent academic record and great teaching skills," Gai recalled.

"After months of trying, I finally got a job teaching English and Thai languages at a vocational school in Sakon Nakhon.

"The students respected me for who I am, not only because I was their teacher, but because of my ability – I was good at what I was doing. The only problem I had was with other male colleagues. They treated me differently and didn’t respect me.

"The worst part was that they always thought of me as a joke – they never took anything I said or did seriously.

"The same was true with people in my hometown. I realized that they thought of me as the joke of the community, so I decided to move somewhere that I could be respected," Gai said.

Gai moved to Phuket seven years ago and took a job at the reception desk at a hotel.

"I got along well with my colleagues. Even though we didn’t hang out together after work, I knew that they respected me," she said.

She worked at the hotel for three years before taking a position as a counselor and coordinator at the Sabai Dee Clinic at Patong Hospital. The clinic provides blood tests, counseling services and an anonymous HIV clinic for transgender and homosexual people in Phuket.

Gai is happy in her new position where she advises transgender people on how to practice safe sex and how to take care of themselves if they are already infected with HIV or an STD.

She said it’s fulfilling in that she can make use of her training and skills as a teacher.

"I’m no longer discriminated against, but that’s not the best part of my career. The best part is that I am doing public work for people born with the same identity as me, as katoey," she said.

Not all transgenders have struggled with finding the right job.

Tintinarn "Um" Homroskla is a 23-year-old Phuketian with a degree in business administration from a local vocational college.

"I started working as a cashier at a store in Phuket International Airport as soon as I graduated. I was 18 years old," Um said.

"I had no problem getting the job and I got along fine with my colleagues. Even though there was nothing exciting about my job, it was my plan to start from something small and work my way up.

Um moved from cashier to sales agent at a housing estate to receptionist at a spa and now is the manager of Andaman Power Organization, a local non-governmental organization working directly with the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transsexual (LGBT) community in Phuket.

"Since I am a part of this community, I might as well take an active role in it," she said.

The organization, among other things, conducts workshops for the LGBT community around Phuket, including sex workers in Patong.

"Once a year we have a big meeting with the Phuket Provincial Health Office where we report on our work. I was really scared at first.Part of it was because of my personal experience with non-transgender people – they usually look at us in a negative way and I wasn’t sure if anyone would pay attention to what I said.

"I was wrong: everyone listened," Um said.

"This job has helped build my self-confidence and I hope some day that what I, and many others like me who are professionals, am doing right now can gradually change the way people see us," she said.

Many Thai employers look more at which educational institute the applicant graduated from than they do at personal experience. However, this principle does not apply to transgender people.

Sompol "Wicky" Sitthiwetch, 30, has a bachelor’s degree in hotel management from a top university in Phuket.

"I realized it would be difficult for me to get a job in the hotel business, so I accepted a job from my friend who owns a company. It was as a web developer for a hotel booking website – not exactly what I wanted to do, but I knew it wouldn’t be easy for me to get a job somewhere else," Wicky said.

"After working there for two years, I decided to challenge myself more so I went job hunting.

"After approaching many hotels and companies, I started to understand more about

discrimination. Some hotels wanted to hire me, but they asked me to cut my hair short and ‘appear as a man’.

"I turned them down because I won’t do anything that forces me to change who I am," she said.

Wicky finally found a job at a small hotel on Soi Paradise, an area popular for its gay nightlife scene in Patong.

She is also a volunteer at the Sabai Dee Clinic, where Gai works.

"I share knowledge about safe sex and HIV/AIDS to sex workers on Soi Paradise, which has been easy and rewarding for me as everyone here knows me and respects me.

"The hard-to-reach people seem to be the katoey sex workers on Soi Bangla [in Patong] – they seem to not want to cooperate, so I get to them through their mama-sans,or pimps," Wicky added.

"I know there are still a lot of nightclubs in Patong that ban transgender people from entering. At first I was upset, but I kind of understand their situation. Transgender people did bring a bad image to those venues.

"I just want to encourage all transgender people to help improve our image and let everyone know that a lot of us are quality people and we belong in society as equals," Wicky said.

Source: http://www.phuketgazette.net/archives/articles/2011/article11493.html

-- Phuket Gazette 2011-11-23

[macjin]

I'm in phuket, and have a friend whos been here years.Hes recounted stories to me and I have my own.

Lots of them are THIEVES and you had better beware. Dame aware. Because its the rotten truth, ok people, it just is. And not all are bad. but those on the night scene, hookers and bar workers, be on guard and dont believe too much of what they say. Never be trusting is the rule of thumb my fellow falang!

[SAffer]

never had the opportunity to get close enough to test for myself... so I'll take your word for it mate

[cowslip]

I'm in phuket, and have a friend whos been here years.Hes recounted stories to me and I have my own.

Lots of them are THIEVES and you had better beware. Dame aware. Because its the rotten truth, ok people, it just is. And not all are bad. but those on the night scene, hookers and bar workers, be on guard and dont believe too much of what they say. Never be trusting is the rule of thumb my fellow falang!

unfortunately this poster obviously hasn't the house to realise that he is simply stigmatising.......huh..... I just give up

[happysanook]

complete and utter bull. anybody who's "different" is going to by somewhat ostracized as is par for the course for the last 100,000 years.

but transgender/gay/transexual/katoey/ladyboys and people who are "different" are accepted in Thai society more so than any other place in the world.

[moskito]

never had a problem with a katoy...or a so called ladyboy. I just always wondered why there are so many of them in Thailand and I dont belive

its just because there are so many here feeling they living in the wrong body, I guess its a money thing also.

Anyway, I know some of them and if I trust a Thai to be a friend if one needs one, I trust them.....(means: its not always a money thing)

[softgeorge]

complete and utter bull. anybody who's "different" is going to by somewhat ostracized as is par for the course for the last 100,000 years.

but transgender/gay/transexual/katoey/ladyboys and people who are "different" are accepted in Thai society more so than any other place in the world.

I don't go near them so I don't have a problem. Everyone to thier own scene I guess. Not my cup of tea but many flock from around the world for them.

[eastlight]

I'm quite happy to be served a drink or a meal in a restaurant but when it comes to a serious purchase, such as an air ticket for example, I really don't want to deal with a ladyboy. if the owners of a business such as this can't take things seriously then neither can I.

[sirchai]

never had the opportunity to get close enough to test for myself... so I'll take your word for it mate

Katoey are born, raised and registered in the Kingdom of Thailand.

And it seems that lots of people do enjoy their services.......

[sirchai]

I'm quite happy to be served a drink or a meal in a restaurant but when it comes to a serious purchase, such as an air ticket for example, I really don't want to deal with a ladyboy. if the owners of a business such as this can't take things seriously then neither can I.

You don't have to purchase a plane ticket for her..aeehh...him. What you obviously didn't realized was that some of them do have a brain. I personally do not care who's selling me a ticket.

But I f\do know that some guys are so unsafe with their sexuality that they might think something bad could happen if....

[dude007]

I noticed that the writer of this article addresses Katoeys as "she". Is that correct? What does their paspport show under gender: HE or SHE...

Is it true that Katoeys cannot subscribe a health insurance if they have tampered with ther body to look more "female"...

Why so many boys feel like girls here in this part of the world and nowhere else? You hardly can call them "exceptions" but more a sort of "new generation"... Did the Lord made so much mistakes here in Thailand when he created men and women?

For me it's clear: it's not natural! You can call me "old-fashioned" but that is not going to change my opinion. That is not how we have been created... We should feel sorry for them (with pittyful respect and no disdain) similarly as with the so many children born with deficiencies in Vietnam after Agent Orange was sprayed over their country....

[sirchai]

I'm in phuket, and have a friend whos been here years.Hes recounted stories to me and I have my own.

Lots of them are THIEVES and you had better beware. Dame aware. Because its the rotten truth, ok people, it just is. And not all are bad. but those on the night scene, hookers and bar workers, be on guard and dont believe too much of what they say. Never be trusting is the rule of thumb my fellow falang!

unfortunately this poster obviously hasn't the house to realise that he is simply stigmatising.......huh..... I just give up

Seems that the guy's out at night.....

[jeanelie]

I'm in phuket, and have a friend whos been here years.Hes recounted stories to me and I have my own.

Lots of them are THIEVES and you had better beware. Dame aware. Because its the rotten truth, ok people, it just is. And not all are bad. but those on the night scene, hookers and bar workers, be on guard and dont believe too much of what they say. Never be trusting is the rule of thumb my fellow falang!

Right, you should may be move out of the nightlife and drug scene. You will sure find another kind of people.

[moonbarman]

I'm in phuket, and have a friend whos been here years.Hes recounted stories to me and I have my own.

Lots of them are THIEVES and you had better beware. Dame aware. Because its the rotten truth, ok people, it just is. And not all are bad. but those on the night scene, hookers and bar workers, be on guard and dont believe too much of what they say. Never be trusting is the rule of thumb my fellow falang!

I've lived in phuket for 11 years now and i used to have a bar before the 2004 tsunami wiped us out, i used to get katoeys come for a drink at my place and never had a problem with any of them and had no complaints from any so called (normal) customers, i believe if you treat people with respect you get respect back (usually), I did once get pickpocketed in bkk Patpong by a katoey but she wasn't very good at that and i caught her(only got my baccy tin) and after threatening to put her head through a wall she gave it me back, but apart from that i say live and let live!!!

[robblok]

I'm quite happy to be served a drink or a meal in a restaurant but when it comes to a serious purchase, such as an air ticket for example, I really don't want to deal with a ladyboy. if the owners of a business such as this can't take things seriously then neither can I.

You don't have to purchase a plane ticket for her..aeehh...him. What you obviously didn't realized was that some of them do have a brain. I personally do not care who's selling me a ticket.

But I f\do know that some guys are so unsafe with their sexuality that they might think something bad could happen if....

I think you hit the nail right on its head here.

I don't care if someone is katoei or not as long as they are good at their job.

[monty1412]

For the record 1000% agree with you.

Lady at 7/11 down road is a transgender and she always gives me smile, asks how i am and doesn't let folks push in. Id employ here anyday. rules the place like its hers.. wouldn't be surprised if it isn't hers

Edited November 23, 2011 by LivinginKata
edited to remove quotes already removed

[LivinginKata]

One insulting post removed and another post edited to remove a flame. Be warned that this topic is being monitored closely and inappropriate posts will be removed without any notice.

//another post edited to remove a quote that had already been removed

[luckizuchinni]

Katoeys who work the nightlife and who brazenly walk down Walking Street or ply their trade in Phuket do seem overly aggressive and obnoxious. And many do seem to get involved with criminal activities. However, do we notice them because they stand out as katoeys? When a female nightlife worker pickpockets a wallet or does something, perhaps it is not noticed as much? And would said females be as physically aggressive if they had the size and musculature as men?

I would be curious to see if katoeys are any more violent or criminally oriented than women or other men (straight or gay). Until I see figures that show that they are more apt to be criminals, then I tend to think that because they stand out more, we are more conscious of the transgressions of katoeys than by other members in society.

[Just1Voice]

changed my mind. what I was going to say has already been said by the more open minded and intelligent people here.

Edited November 23, 2011 by Just1Voice

[hansnl]

I'm in phuket, and have a friend whos been here years.Hes recounted stories to me and I have my own.

Lots of them are THIEVES and you had better beware. Dame aware. Because its the rotten truth, ok people, it just is. And not all are bad. but those on the night scene, hookers and bar workers, be on guard and dont believe too much of what they say. Never be trusting is the rule of thumb my fellow falang!

unfortunately this poster obviously hasn't the house to realise that he is simply stigmatising.......huh..... I just give up

And you, sir, madam, by using the word stigmatising, are doing the same.

If you, for your own reasons, decide you want to dress like a woman, try to behave like a woman, whatever. it is your own business.

However, if you go to far, that is, overdo things, you open yourself up for discrimination and stigmatisation by other people.

If you are a woman and want to be seen as a man, or if you are a man and wants to be seen as a women, simple, if you overdo things expect negative treatment.

[Foggy Bottom]

Personally, having encountered khatoeys in normal life daily since last century, I find that the average English language ability amongst transgenders is streets ahead of that amongst the straight Thais ... given the particular attention in the OP to the career choices and especially the teacher training the OP subjects took, perhaps the Thai Ministry of Education should be looking to employ them to bridge the language gaps in schools?

If I had to sum it up, I'd say that the difference is that for khatoeys generally, English is a SECOND language, whilst for straight Thais generally, it is a FOREIGN language. That in itself is a reason for the Ed Ministry to consider employing them.

[JohnBozi]

I wonder what percentage of guys didn't know they had something special down there compared to the amount of guys reporting agression.

[cowslip]

Firstly transsexual and transvestite are not the same, neither is gay. One could say that many are homosexual but as a lot of posters don't appear to know what that means either it's unlikely to help.

...and why pick out Phuket as "different" from the rest of the country??

most of the posts are making assumptions that ALL katoeys are the SAME - this is incorrect.

THey also assume that there are more in Thailand than elsewhere - this too is not correct.

THen most posters are actually seeing these people through their own bigoted eyes and coming to some fairly laughable conclusions.

It might also be noted that in Thailand tolerance towards gays (men especially) in Thailand is fairly limited outside Bangkok and the main tourist areas. However in Thailand there is also a strong feeling and therefore social pressure that if you ARE gay it is better to dress up as a woman like a ladyboy even though the two are not necessarily the same but it does allow you to get jobs etc......

As for robbery and violence - well that is largely perception - once you've established a stereotype then you look for stories to re-enforce it and of course ignore all the stories that don't involve a katoey.

[cowslip]

Katoeys who work the nightlife and who brazenly walk down Walking Street or ply their trade in Phuket do seem overly aggressive and obnoxious. And many do seem to get involved with criminal activities. However, do we notice them because they stand out as katoeys? When a female nightlife worker pickpockets a wallet or does something, perhaps it is not noticed as much? And would said females be as physically aggressive if they had the size and musculature as men?

I would be curious to see if katoeys are any more violent or criminally oriented than women or other men (straight or gay). Until I see figures that show that they are more apt to be criminals, then I tend to think that because they stand out more, we are more conscious of the transgressions of katoeys than by other members in society.

THey may also be more likely to get arrested.

[cowslip]

I noticed that the writer of this article addresses Katoeys as "she". Is that correct? What does their paspport show under gender: HE or SHE...

Is it true that Katoeys cannot subscribe a health insurance if they have tampered with ther body to look more "female"...

Why so many boys feel like girls here in this part of the world and nowhere else? You hardly can call them "exceptions" but more a sort of "new generation"... Did the Lord made so much mistakes here in Thailand when he created men and women?

For me it's clear: it's not natural! You can call me "old-fashioned" but that is not going to change my opinion. That is not how we have been created... We should feel sorry for them (with pittyful respect and no disdain) similarly as with the so many children born with deficiencies in Vietnam after Agent Orange was sprayed over their country....

"He" or "She" Is that important to the ladyboy .......or you?

try translating he and she into Thai.

[softgeorge]

Personally, having encountered khatoeys in normal life daily since last century, I find that the average English language ability amongst transgenders is streets ahead of that amongst the straight Thais ... given the particular attention in the OP to the career choices and especially the teacher training the OP subjects took, perhaps the Thai Ministry of Education should be looking to employ them to bridge the language gaps in schools?

If I had to sum it up, I'd say that the difference is that for khatoeys generally, English is a SECOND language, whilst for straight Thais generally, it is a FOREIGN language. That in itself is a reason for the Ed Ministry to consider employing them.

I think you will find that a lot of the bargirls also speak english. It is a tool of the trade for them and ladyboys. You can't land yourself a farang if you can't speak thier language.

[cowslip]

I'm in phuket, and have a friend whos been here years.Hes recounted stories to me and I have my own.

Lots of them are THIEVES and you had better beware. Dame aware. Because its the rotten truth, ok people, it just is. And not all are bad. but those on the night scene, hookers and bar workers, be on guard and dont believe too much of what they say. Never be trusting is the rule of thumb my fellow falang!

unfortunately this poster obviously hasn't the house to realise that he is simply stigmatising.......huh..... I just give up

And you, sir, madam, by using the word stigmatising, are doing the same.

If you, for your own reasons, decide you want to dress like a woman, try to behave like a woman, whatever. it is your own business.

However, if you go to far, that is, overdo things, you open yourself up for discrimination and stigmatisation by other people.

If you are a woman and want to be seen as a man, or if you are a man and wants to be seen as a women, simple, if you overdo things expect negative treatment.

"However, if you go to far, that is, overdo things" - please explain.

[exalll]

complete and utter bull. anybody who's "different" is going to by somewhat ostracized as is par for the course for the last 100,000 years.

but transgender/gay/transexual/katoey/ladyboys and people who are "different" are accepted in Thai society more so than any other place in the world.

100% agree. When I first came to Thailand, many years ago, working in a large village, I was surprised to find one of the half dozen or so restaurants where the serving staff were all kratoeys. Yet no-one gave this any thought - they went to the restaurant because the food was good. In the UK or Canada (countries of my citizenship), such a place would be out of business overnight.

[masterbiker49]

Just my 2 bobs worth,how many are aware of the difference between Katoeys & Gay.A very good friend is gay,works in Phuket & has been home 4 Loy Khatong.We were discussing this subject & he feels that the hormones & other drugs Katoeys may be responsible for part of the trouble,they can be sweetness & light 1 minute & out of thier skull violent the next,& have a tendancy to run in groups & harass to get what they want.He feels Phuket has too many of the split personality types getting around down there.That is from him,not a Farang but I must admit I am very wary of them if there is a group of them & my wife,Thai has not got any time for most of them & her friends also seem to treat them mostly as a bit of entertainment,& I find that Katoeys selling beauty products is very strange,especially when the back of a bus looks better.Amen!!!!!!!!!!!

P.S.I do not in any way feel my sexuality threatened in any way but find them very hard to take seriously most of the time.:jap:

[glegolo]

Firstly transsexual and transvestite are not the same, neither is gay. One could say that many are homosexual but as a lot of posters don't appear to know what that means either it's unlikely to help.

...and why pick out Phuket as "different" from the rest of the country??

most of the posts are making assumptions that ALL katoeys are the SAME - this is incorrect.

THey also assume that there are more in Thailand than elsewhere - this too is not correct.

THen most posters are actually seeing these people through their own bigoted eyes and coming to some fairly laughable conclusions.

It might also be noted that in Thailand tolerance towards gays (men especially) in Thailand is fairly limited outside Bangkok and the main tourist areas. However in Thailand there is also a strong feeling and therefore social pressure that if you ARE gay it is better to dress up as a woman like a ladyboy even though the two are not necessarily the same but it does allow you to get jobs etc......

As for robbery and violence - well that is largely perception - once you've established a stereotype then you look for stories to re-enforce it and of course ignore all the stories that don't involve a katoey.

Saw here a lot of opinion that surpriced me. If you go to Thailand and LOOK around, no doubt the first feeling you get is that here is a lot of ladyboys, no question about that. And no surprice there is actually a lot of these guys. Coming from Sweden, which I personally think is no difference from i.e. England, I can see a ladyboy maybe a couple of times during 6 months.... Coming to Thailand you easely can see a huge lot of them just within 2 hours..... So if there is no more in Thailand than elsewhere???? You mean that we in the other countries are so dam_n good in hiding our ladyboys.?????

Me personally..... I see being a ladyboy for several of them, to be a kind of career, if we can call it that!!! I mean, we are talking about huge numbers here. I myself live up in Isaan, and I see already the young ones emerge from young age from boys to being transferred slowly into womanlike walking and talking and finally clothing... What I like with it however is that up here it is fully accepted to be a ladyboy and they are a member of the "group" to 100%. I DO NOT AGREE AT ALL TO WHAT YOU SAY THAT OUTSIDE BANGKOK... the acceptance is being different, this is bull, complete and utterly bull..... I suggest that you travel outside bangkok and open up your eyes. ladyboys and gays are accepted into a level that I never thought was possible. Even to pass a joke up here in isaan about ladyboys and gays are 100% inproper.....

But finally agree with you that ladyboys nomore than other people are into robbing etc... It is just stupid people having that conclusion. Outside the barscenes i.e. Phuket, people are people and there is no difference between folks from Gothenburg, or folks from Scunthorpe or guys from Laem Chabang, Chonburi.....