Quote:
Originally Posted by hankhavelock
I?ve just spent two weeks in Thailand on a biz-trip. At the airport I hit the book store to find suitable reading, and what do you know... a book titled ?Ladyboys. The secrets of Thailand?s third gender?. sort of jumped into my arms  In all fairness, I didn?t expect to learn a lot from that book as I do consider myself well versed in the deeper aspects of trans*life, however, it?s a very well-written book and especially one story grapped me.
Much bad can be said about the recognition of transgender rights both in Denmark, the rest of the west and the world, however, on this particular issue I do agree with a much more careful and inquisitoric approach before granting anything.
Yes, transsexuality is far more common in Asia than anywhere else, however the vast majority is pre-op and unfortunately there are many examples of post-op regrets.
To quote from the book: ?...but how I wished that I?d had someone to offer me just a little bit of guidance in life?.
A good first step could be for Thai legislature to change the easy access and at least include mandatory counselling by people who actually knows a little bit of the transsexual mindset (yes, there is such a thing).H |
I bought
Third-Sex-Kathoey-Thailands-Ladyboys In the new Bangkok airport when over there 4 years ago.
It was only the first or second week after opening, so very shiny.
I read the whole book on the flight back to the UK, where my parents were waiting for me; a surprise all round as apart from them, I was full time.
Still it enabled me to fully transition.
Anyway, this book raised similar thoughts to yours about just how sorted young poor thai's were when it came to srs.
There has been a tightening of legislation in thailand recently re srs & orchis.
Now you need a shrinks ok letter. Though this is unlikely to be a restriction in a few back street places that do srs.
My friend, Evil Helen, is over there in Nov with sanguan
http://www.phuket-plasticsurgery.com/. She is full time for 25+ years but has no supporting shrink letters. {tons of docs proving living as female for 25+ yrs} This afternoon at a gender shrink[dr kenneth Demsky] hopefully getting an srs ok letter, as I type this.