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Thailand’s famed lady boys or “katoeys” are an inescapable part of the capital Bangkok’s racy night life. Unlike in many other parts of the world, these katoeys who span the range from transvestites, to men who have undergone sex change surgery, are widely accepted in society. The numbers of young boys opting for a sex change surgery to become entertainers is so huge that Thailand enjoys the distinction of being the sex change surgery capital of the world.
The path to a sex change surgery however is long and drawn out, and includes counseling sessions and psychological evaluations. Many wannabe lady boys have been bypassing this lengthy procedure to have smaller and less complicated cosmetic castrations, instead. A simple castration can be done in a Bangkok clinic for as little as $125m and in less than 15 minutes.
Now, health officials in the country have come out strongly against this practice. The Public Health Ministry has barred private clinics and hospitals in the country — numbering 16,000 — from performing these castrations. There is concern that cosmetic castrations are being seen by young boys as a quicker route to becoming a woman, with dangerous consequences. Under the new rules, doctors found in violation of the rule could face up to six months in jail.