Cars decorated in this fashion are to be seen everywhere in Thailand. Yet can you imagine any self-respecting, Jeremy Clarkson-loving hoon sporting lupins on their souped-up Citroen Saxos? You often see middle-aged men here holding hands in the street, but if I had to guesstimate on the prevalence of homosexuality in Thailand, I suspect it would be about the same as back home. It turns out that for Thais, tolerance doesn't equal proselytism! Who'd a thunk it? It would seem to undermine the basic thinking behind Thatcher's Section 28.
Of course, it could be that the Thai acceptance of sexual variance is part of their Buddhist belief that people are incarnated according to a divine ruling based upon choices made in previous lives, i.e. you're born this way, it's not a matter of vice on your part.
Which brings us to the kathoey, or as they are known in large parts of Thailand, the ladyboys - homosexual men who have taken on a female identity. We happened to be walking past a village bar (honestly) earlier this evening, when we saw that they were having a cabaret evening. The whole troupe of performers were kathoey and dressed in absolutely over the top glamorous drag. The punters were mainly enthusiastic middle-aged to elderly European couples, so this was definitely the Danny La Rue end of the entertainment spectrum, not at all sordid.
It did make you think about Thai tolerance though - why weren't these guys working in banks and legal offices, earning good money rather than performing in a tawdry little bar? Maybe there are still prejudicial attitudes to overcome which drive the kathoey into these self-mocking jobs. Maybe their preferred term for their type - "transformed goddesses" - is just an attempt to boost low self-esteem. Maybe I pontificate too much.
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