As the world's favorite sex-change surgery destination, Thailand takes the lead in its recognition of the complexity of human sexuality. There are, in fact, eighteen gender identities that are recognized.

Prostitution is tolerated in Thailand, and it is one of the reasons that many foreigners travel to Thailand just to have sexual encounters with the locals, especially the famous ladyboys. 

The demand for such encounters has no signs of letting up, so quite few ladyboys end up making a living as prostitutes.

Studies estimate that there could be up to 100,000 ladyboys across the country.

Bangkok is home to one of the largest ladyboy communities in Thailand, and they can often be spotted at work or out walking the city streets.

In Pattaya, Soi 6 is well-known for being packed with beer bars staffed by women while Soi 6/1, a handful of metres away, is known for its ladyboy bars. 

The same is true right across Pattaya, with certain areas where katoeys as they are known, tend to congregate.

What maybe also at first hard for foreigners to take onboard, is it is the norm to find a katoey serving you at a bank or in the supermarket, as Thai companies will employ them.

Tips on how to spot the difference between a woman or a ladyboy

The ways to spot a ladyboy in Pattaya are a source of keen interest to many travelers as there are few revelations more shocking than discovering that the beautiful woman you are wooing was not born female. 

It is often said that Thai ladyboys are even more beautiful than Thai women, so it is an extremely easy mistake to make.

It may provide some relief to know that ladyboys (in Thai: “katoeys”) are very rarely looking to trap and surprise people. 

If you are not interested in what they are offering, they will almost always just leave you alone.

However, it could save you a few lady drinks and a lot of embarrassment if you can tell the difference between those glamorous girls who were born as girls and those who were not. Try looking out for the following clues.

 

1.    Too Tall:
The average height of a Thai woman is 157.3 cm (about 5ft 2in) while the average height for a man is 167.5 cm (about four inches taller). There are always exceptions to the rule but, generally speaking, taller women were probably not born as women. Tall people (of any nationality) generally also have large hands and feet, which can be another good indicator.

2.    Too Feminine:
This may sound faintly ridiculous, but ladyboys in Thailand often look and act more ladylike than the ladies! Everything seems exaggerated, particularly walking, where they look like they are on a constant catwalk. Look out also for the more pronounced swaying of the hips, more elegant posture (particularly when seated), excessively flicking and fidgeting with their hair and over-applied make-up.

3.    The Voice:
The melodic croon of “hello, handsome man” can be heard from beer bars throughout Bangkok and Pattaya, but there is a noticeable difference in pitch. Even with training, the voice of a ladyboy is distinctly deeper than that of a woman. As with the walking from point #2, ladyboys will often try to over-exaggerate the femininity, which comes off as kind of nasal-sounding.

4.    Overacting (and overreacting):
Ladyboys do not just exaggerate their femininity; they exaggerate everything! Every word and action are excessively flamboyant. This makes them stand out from the crowd because Thai culture is such that women (even those working in beer bars and go-go’s) are usually quite reserved. This does come with a dark side as katoeys in Pattaya are known for also reacting excessively to snubs and insults. Fights involving ladyboys are often very short, surprisingly violent, and best avoided.

5.    The Dress Code:
A fancy costume involving feathers and glitter is a dead giveaway that she is a cabaret dancer and therefore certainly a katoey, but such outfits are not that common on Walking Street and Soi Cowboy. A more visible example of the “too feminine” trait, ladyboys tend to dress in more revealingly than women. 

6.    Check the Angles:
There are certain physical attributes of the male body which are difficult to hide. Men have broader shoulders, narrower hips, thicker veins which are closer to the surface of the skin, straighter wrists, squarer chins, wider jaws and, of course, an Adam’s apple. While looking out for these is a good guide, most of them are relative and difficult to accurately gauge and you can occasionally find some women with some of these traits. Even the Adam’s apple (which no woman has) is not a complete certainty as surgical operations are now available to reduce its size and prominence.

7. The Final Check:
Most of the above signs are extremely subjective and none of them are guaranteed giveaways. There are some ladyboys who are, to all outside observations, totally female, just as there are some women who exhibit the physical and behavioural traits we have listed. There is only one fool-proof way to be sure: ask to see their ID card. All Thais are legally obliged to carry it with them and this will show the gender they were born as.

Broadway Style Shows

At the end of the day, everyone in Thailand accepts Ladyboys.

In Bangkok and certainly in several large theatres across Pattaya there are very professional Broadway-style cabaret shows with the full cast starring Ladyboys.

So, if you are curious why not book a seat and enjoy the show. (some may be closed due to the current pandemic)

 
Many of them are incredibly talented and afterwards to supplement their salaries, you can have your photo taken with a beautiful katoey.

But remember to give her a tip!

 

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The best idea is to ask mamasan.

Watch them walk from behind. When a female puts her foot down her hip will rise, when a man puts his foot down his hip will follow it. This is due to the difference in the construction of the pelvis and cannot be changed.

Just make sure you don't leave the spotting too late to the bedroom...

At the end of the day many of us are able to spot ladyboys, and with years of experience we spot most of them - but not all.

I had a friend who owned a ladyboy bar in Soi 33. I saw lots of "ladies" in his bar. With some of them it was obvious, with others it was a possibility but with very few I would have sworn they are real girls. I asked my friend, the owner, and he assured me that they are all ladyboys. So much about that...

 

Also don't make the mistake thinking all ladyboys are tall. That is another misconception. 

What? There are ladyboys in Thailand!?

 

Recently I've seen a couple of almost undetectable LBs, one in a massage shop was very pretty but all the usual giveaways were missing, at the end of the foot massage i still wasn't 100% it was an LB but probably was and I'm professional level at spotting them.

 

BTW you do get small spinner post op LBs which many people wouldn't guess

47 minutes ago, rgraham said:

Watch them walk from behind. When a female puts her foot down her hip will rise, when a man puts his foot down his hip will follow it. This is due to the difference in the construction of the pelvis and cannot be changed.

???? Would not count on that cause a double ball hip replacement operation may fool you ... 

 

 

 

I seriously wouldn't know how to tell the difference, that said, I'm still sitting on the fence. But then again, I suppose one day in the night when taking some beauty to task I could end up with a more than I can chew, but highly unlikely as I like to leave the lights on so that I can see myself performing in the mirror.

29 minutes ago, OneMoreFarang said:

At the end of the day many of us are able to spot ladyboys, and with years of experience we spot most of them - but not all.

I had a friend who owned a ladyboy bar in Soi 33. I saw lots of "ladies" in his bar. With some of them it was obvious, with others it was a possibility but with very few I would have sworn they are real girls. I asked my friend, the owner, and he assured me that they are all ladyboys. So much about that...

 

Also don't make the mistake thinking all ladyboys are tall. That is another misconception. 

If it walks like a duck, talk like a duck, it is a duck! Old saying

38 minutes ago, OneMoreFarang said:

At the end of the day many of us are able to spot ladyboys, and with years of experience we spot most of them - but not all.

I had a friend who owned a ladyboy bar in Soi 33. I saw lots of "ladies" in his bar. With some of them it was obvious, with others it was a possibility but with very few I would have sworn they are real girls. I asked my friend, the owner, and he assured me that they are all ladyboys. So much about that...

 

Also don't make the mistake thinking all ladyboys are tall. That is another misconception. 

Reminds me of the story my "first time to Thailand" friend told me about his time in Nana Plaza, he was the only customer in one gogo bar and bought a couple of "ladies" drinks as they did their usual routine, he was so proud and his ego so pumped to have 2 lovely "ladies" paying so much attention towards him, after a few minutes he sees a dancer and asked the 2 taking care of him if that's a ladyboy, the 2 told him "this is a ladyboy bar", he's momentarily stunned, gulps his drinks and exists the bar with his tail between his legs...555.  

Another article from years ago, to which just the note: "some may be closed due to the current pandemic" was added?

well this is going to be a busy one for ANF

 

here is a great quote I have heard many times 

 

"no I am not gay I like ladies"

 

lol

 

Surprise surprise where has that little fella been hiding ???? 

1 hour ago, rgraham said:

Watch them walk from behind. When a female puts her foot down her hip will rise, when a man puts his foot down his hip will follow it. This is due to the difference in the construction of the pelvis and cannot be changed.

Most females are putting there foot down more often than men too 

1 hour ago, olfu said:

The best idea is to ask mamasan.

Or look for the Adams apple and ask what big hands you have dear than look for the door.

Look at the hands, their shape and width, the prominence of veins on the back. It's a snap and avoids embarrassing situations later.

10 minutes ago, StayinThailand2much said:

Another article from years ago?

The article mentioned covid which has been up and running for two years . 

...one tells lies and the other doesn't.

Why not just ask the concerned person, in my experience if you ask in a correct manor they will answer truthfully 

Geometry - Know your polygons.
 

Rectangle versus trapezoid. Form up an imaginary four sided figure; a quadrilateral, from shoulder blades to glutes (that's b--t cheeks) . A males shoulder blades are farther apart (trapaziod) in relation to glutes than female (rectangle) and something hormones can't alter. It is a fun drinking game at large entertainment plaza's. Form up those imaginary quadrilaterals, make a choice, keep a running tab. Then double check with, ankles, wrists, adam's apple, etc. if in doubt. Beers to the best score. 

The usual warnings apply. In practice, it's over 90% correct, but the more alcohol you consume, the greater your chance of error.

1 hour ago, Phuketshrew said:

 

Thanks. I guess today too many people would be too politically correct to do that.

2 hours ago, webfact said:

There are, in fact, eighteen gender identities that are recognized.

Recognised but far from excepted.

1 hour ago, khwaibah said:

 

That was my first thought.

2 hours ago, webfact said:

In Pattaya, Soi 6 is well-known for being packed with beer bars staffed by women while Soi 6/1, a handful of metres away, is known for its ladyboy bars. 

Or a handful of meat away..

3 hours ago, webfact said:

Tips on how to spot the difference between a woman or a ladyboy

be sober!

3 hours ago, webfact said:

It may provide some relief to know that ladyboys (in Thai: “katoeys”) are very rarely looking to trap and surprise people. 

let me  doubt about that! katoeys can be very aggressive  if they understand you aren't interested in "dating" them

31 minutes ago, Geoffggi said:

Why not just ask the concerned person, in my experience if you ask in a correct manor they will answer truthfully 

Yes, I found LBs will answer honestly if asked, just ask in a polite manner "Excuse me, are you a ladyboy?". 

But I like to avoid getting to that point, asking a real, older, less attractive, muscular, lady if she's a ladyboy is awkward...555.