[Pantyholic]

BANGKOK (Reuters) - Thailand's health chiefs barred hospitals and clinics on Wednesday from castrating would-be "ladyboys" amid growing concern about the operation being seen as a cheap and quick alternative to a full sex-change.
In a letter to 16,000 private health units, the Public Health Ministry said doctors performing the operation outside formal sex-change therapy -- which requires rigorous physical and mental evaluation of the patient -- faced up to six months in jail.

However, senior health official Tara Chinakarn admitted that policing the temporary ban might be difficult as cosmetic removal of the testicles was such a quick operation and easy to conduct in secret.

"It's hard to track them down as it takes only 15-20 minutes to have the surgery," Tara told Reuters.
Thailand is home to a large number of "ladyboys," or "katoey" in Thai, a term that covers anything from a transvestite to a man who has undergone a full sex change.
The tolerance shown towards the "third sex," as it is often referred to, has led to the country becoming a world leader in sex-change surgery.

However, at the lower end of the market, clinics have responded to demand from teenage boys to look more like girls by posting Internet advertisements offering castration for as little as 4,000 baht ($125).

The Telegraph report that the Thai surgeons have rejected the cosmetic castration ban.
Thailand's plastic surgery clinics have vowed to defy a recent government ban on performing castrations, saying they will continue to offer sex change operations in the country famous for its "ladyboys".

Earlier this month, the Thai health minister, Chaiya Sasomsab, issued a directive banning the operation after rights groups complained about the botched castration of an under-age boy in the northern city of Chiang-Mai.

But in direct defiance of the ban, the chief surgeon at the Pratunum Clinic - one of Thailand's top transgender clinics in Bangkok - has called on anyone wanting a castration to come to his clinic.

"I want them to be happy with what they want to be, and will remove their unwanted organs," Dr Thep Wetwisit said.

He also criticised the ban as ridiculous and dangerous.

"They have banned castrations but not sex change operations. But to do a sex change operation you have to remove the testes," he told The Telegraph. He said many of the clinics in Bangkok would continue to provide this important service, because if they didn't potential patients would only visit underground, unlicensed clinics.

A government clinic in Chang Mai is also keeping its doors open to those wanting to go under the knife.

Read Full Story Telegraph

[sissycindy]

when you think of it, it all really comes down to the all mighty dollar..

i bet if they offered similar operations here in Oz for $125, there would be a queue around the corner too.

considering the culture over there, you'd think it would be better to licence the good doctors and gain control of the "industry", but that will never happen. Unfortunately bribery and corruption is rife and these operations will continue, with the only change, will maybe be the cost or prices.

[Pantyholic]

The same thing happened with abortions, it was only until it was made legal and the private sector gone in on the act and operations were made affordable and regulated that the back street butchers were put out of work.

Save $125 and buy an elastic band for 10 cents girls

[MickeyCD]

Aw Nuts! Or maybe not. Well I got mine and I'm good with that but if it's affordable and it's the alternative that they want to take, keep it legal and keep it safe. I guess they are wanting to be as femme as they can but like stroking the meat, too. Can't blame them for keeping the guy clitty.

XXs,
Mickey

[Angiemead]

wow everything in asia is to cheap!

[arnoldlane]

And the pictures that I have seen of Ladyboys are terrific. They are so attractive. I'm sure they are very popular individuals with many individuals, such as myself, desiring relationships with them. To prohibit legal medical care would indeed spur 'underground' and unsafe, as well as expensive, medical treatments. I wonder how many 'baht' to the dollar, the exchange rate is....bet it would be nice there...

[Pantyholic]

arnoldlane, on 27 November 2009 - 01:04 PM, said:

I'm sure they are very popular individuals with many individuals, such as myself, desiring relationships with them.

Although the majority of Thais are very honest/humble people when you start to get involved with the sex industry like anywhere else you have to be on your guard. You wouldn't for instance go into a bar and invite a ladyboy over to join you because you will be hit with a huge bar bill just for his/her company at the table.