Harry Nicolaides' Weekly Column

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Travelogue from the Tropics 4

Driving through Karon towards Kata along the spectacularly beautiful south-western coastline of Phuket, I encountered a cluster of individuals on motorbikes at an intersection. As I turned I observed that a few of the women made strong overtures towards me. Now this is not uncommon in Phuket. Even stray dogs occasionally try to get a leg over in their deliriously exhausted and sun-beaten state. However the woman (whom I now recognised as a Katoey/lady-man) who was following me in my jeep on his/her buzzing motorbike was no 'big mosquito'.

I took a circuitous route towards Kata where my bungalow is situated. The lady-man was dogged and unswerving occasionally bobbing up to my driver's window to grin seductively. I was concerned that if I ran out of petrol I may be misunderstood when I asked to ride with him/her straddled together on his bike seat. I glided into the last petrol station before the precipitous climb up the mountain to my bungalow. The station was closed but fortunately there were youths as usual selling petrol in uncorked wine bottles. The 'Molotov Marauders of Karon Hill' I called them. God only knows what other constituents went into those wine bottles to fill them. Any port in a storm.

I wound down my window to instruct one of the boys to pour in 5 bottles when the Katoey greeted me. In fact, she/he reached over and greeted my thigh! "Do you have a sister?" I asked thinking I would make my sexual orientation clear and spook the stalker. The Katoey was even more excited with the prospect of new experiences involving his/her sister. "First, you come to my house. I call my sister...HE is very beautiful." The bottles of petrol went up into the air like Molotov Cocktails as I accelerated from a standing start with maximum, teeth-shattering force away and into the darkness of the road ahead!

I decided to interview a Lady-man (Katoey):


When did you first feel that you were a woman trapped in a man's body?

"When I was 6-7 years old. I have feeling that I want to look like a woman"

You didn't start dressing like a woman to sell yourself to Farangs (White Caucasian male tourists)?

"No, no. I want in my heart to be a woman. Always like this. Before school put mascara and eye shadow"

As I can see you are only dressing like a woman. Do you plan to have surgery for breast augmentation and genital reversal?

She laughs. " Yes. I like but no have money yet"

How much does it cost?

"Much money. I think $150,000 Baht"

In Bangkok?

"Yes, Bangkok. Face can do here Phuket"

You have already had plastic surgery done to you face.

"Yes. Lil' bit here" she says pointing to her cheeks and jawline. Also have hormone injection to stop hair and man voice"

Do you use any other products to reduce your masculinity?

"Tablet women take when go with man"

Tablet? Birth control tablets?

"Yes. Birth control tablet. Make me more woman, less man"

What do your family and friends think about your change?

"Is OK. No have problem"

Can you go to temple and pray?

"Can. Now can but after change (sex change) cannot"

Do you have a special friend?

"Lady-man not like gay. Lady-man can only go with man"

When you see other men do you find them attractive?

"Looking man handsome" she smiles. She powders her nose and cheeks. " Lady-man wants to be same lady"

Do you experience any persecution/problem with other Thais?

"No. Nothing. Many say very beautiful. I want to tell you when you see lady-man, not scare me because I am people. I have heart like everyone"

Is Nicole Kidman a Lady-man?

"Who Nicole Kidman?"

Never mind. What is your favourite film?

"Pretty Woman. I want to look like her"

Like Julia Roberts?

"Look like my style. Yes. Want to be her. She so lovely. Has good man. I like her very much"


This interview was conducted on the premises of a Katoey (Lady-man) bar in Kata, a small coastal township on the southern peninsula of the island. The subject of the interview is approximately 35 and from Nong Khai, a tiny town in a remote province in northern Thailand south of the Laotian border and north of Udon Thani.

At the beginning of the interview a dispute erupted when I requested that the volume of the music belted out of a large speaker above our heads be turned down for the interview. The lady-boy who seemed in control of the stereo system hissed at the interview subject with petulance that is characteristic of women in anger. I wondered if that 'attitude' is an off-the-shelf product that sits next to Chanel No. 5 in department stores or is available by prescription only. I was prevented (petrified) from asking by the steely, Medusa-like glare I was getting. One thing is certain....Katoeys are women in mind and body!

Harry Nicolaides

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