Thailand: Interview with a Thai Ladyboy

Many people are curious about the famous ladyboys of Thailand, no matter their sexual orientation or what exactly they intend to do if they ever meet one of the "third sex." And yet there's very little reliable information about the ladyboy scene in Bangkok and most of the rumors and legends are spread by less than reliable chat forums. And so it was with great logic that somebody called "On Nutter" did the most obvious thing: go to a ladybar and ask for an interview. Brilliant investigative journalism! Not to mention a very kind and sensitive portrait.

Who really understands ladyboys? They are everywhere in Thailand and seem to be multiplying in Bangkok. They are perceived at best as a freak show and at worst as dangerous thieves. But what really lies behind the outrageous exhibitionism of Thailand’s third gender?

I had the chance to dig a little deeper when I was asked by Sukhumvit Eye, a new monthly magazine, to interview a ladyboy for a feature article. Perhaps because of the misgivings many farangs have about katoeys, I could not find a friend to accompany me on my mission as I headed to Guess Bar, the ladyboy beer bar that relocated recently to Sukhumvit Soi 4, near the Raja Hotel, following the demise of Sukhumvit 1 Plaza where it was previously housed.

It was relatively painless. Guess Bar has a good atmosphere and decent music. A few farangs were playing pool. The ladyboys were flouncing around and having fun. Some were dancing energetically. It didn’t have the oppressive vibe of a Nana Plaza ladyboy gogo bar I had visited. In fact, I must have been seated at the bar for all of 10 seconds before Bang came up and grabbed my wedding tackle.

“I like you,” she lied unconvincingly while tossing back her hair in the way that ladyboys do when they are not touching their hair. I came straight to the point and told her I was looking for a ladyboy who would agree to be interviewed and photographed. “I will do it,” she said without hesitation. “Buy me a drink.”

The Farang Speaks 2 Much Ladyboy Interview by On Nutter