2010 Miss Tiffany's Universe Winner Crowned

Something else that transpired while I was in the process of moving to H-town was the 13th annual Miss Tiffany's Universe pageant in the resort city of Pattaya, Thailand, 150 km (90 miles) away from the chaotic political situation in Bangkok.

This year's winner of the nationally televised pageant was 19 year old university student Nalada Thamthanakorn. She walks away with the 100,000 baht ($3,100) cash prize and a Honda Jazz car.

The Miss Tiffany's Universe Pageant is the Thai transwomen only one that determines who represents the 'Land of Smiles' for the open to all international transwomen Miss International Queen Pageant later this year.

Assuming the political drama wracking the capital doesn't spread to the rest of the country, it's scheduled to be held at Tiffany's Cabaret Theater.

This year's competition theme was, 'I am what I am', which is applicable to transpeople around the globe. The hundreds of applicants were whittled down to the 28 lucky ladies that took part in the televised portion of the contest.

In addition to being the most prominent transgender pageant in the world, Miss Tiffany's Universe continues to get more educated girls competing every year.

Out of the 28 contestants, 75 percent of them were students pursuing bachelor's degrees in Thailand's prominent universities such as Mahidol University, Bangkok University and Khonkaen University. Their majors or professions varied from safety trainer for firefighting to film director.

If everything stays relatively calm in the Pattaya area, 2009 Miss International Queen winner Ai Haruna of Japan will be making another trip to Thailand to crown her successor.

The Thais are hoping that Nalada Thamthanakorn is the girl that will keep the title at home this year.

Network of Transgender Women of Thailand Calls For End To Transphobic Education Uniform Regulations

TransGriot Note: Yep, even in the ostensibly transgender friendly 'Land Of Smiles' we have to fight tooth and nail for our basic human rights. An interesting December 11 story from The Nation.

The Network of Transgender Women of Thailand has urged the Education Ministry and universities to cancel regulations forcing transgender persons to wear male uniforms to classrooms, exams and graduation ceremonies.

Network chairperson Yollada Suanyot said yesterday they had received complaints from transgender students, alumni and lecturers about the regulations, which she believes stem from society's misunderstanding of transgender, identified medically as transsexuฌalism.

She claimed people with transgender inclination needed therapy before undergoing a gender change and to dress and live according to their sexual inclinations.

She said the universities' dress code violated their rights and obstructed the treatment of transsexualism. As a result, she said, many transgender youths did not want to study further.

Yollada said the network had submitted an appeal to Education Minister Jurin Laksanawisit on Wednesday. However, Jurin said he hadn't yet received it and would look into the issue today.

She added that the network had asked the Royal Household Bureau if transgender people could wear female uniforms in a graduation ceremony. They were told the bureau did not limit people's rights and that they should contact the Education Ministry and universities about the matter, she said.

Thammasat University (TU) vice president Parinya Thewanaruemitkul said his institution didn't object to transgender students wearing female uniforms - but those who hadn't undergone a gender change could not stay in girls' dorms or use women's toilets.

Parinya said universities would be willing to comply with a request by the Royal Household Bureau or Education Ministry.

The Miss International Queen Pageant Is Back!

After a year's absence due to political turmoil in Thailand, the 2009 edition of the Miss International Queen transgender pageant will finally take place.

The pageant has garnered international media attention in its short existence and was missed by contestants and pageant fans alike.

The cool thing about this pageant and the Miss Tiffany's Universe one, which is reserved for Thai transwomen only, is that the winners of these pageants are treated with the same respect and attention as the ciswomen who represent Thailand in the Miss Universe and Miss World competitions.

There was a kick off press conference held October 2 in Bangkok for this 5th anniversary edition of Miss International Queen, which has become a prestigious title in the trans pageant world. The winner receives $10,000 USD plus prizes, and Tiffany's management reported they received 68 applications around the world from potential contestants interested in competing in this year's edition of Miss International Queen.

It was whittled down to the 25 contestants from 15 countries who will journey to Pattaya and Tiffany's Show Theatre October 26–31 to battle for the crown

Transphobia At The Hippodrome

I was shaking my head as I read this story from Yarmouth, England about a threatened walkout by female Hippodrome employees.

What's got them ticked off enough to walk out from their jobs?

Is it better wages? A protest against rampant sexism? Their working conditions?

Nope, they demanded to be allowed to wear “I am not a lady boy” T-shirts to prove to showgoers that they are all woman or else they were walking because of the upcoming performance of the Lady Boys of Bangkok traveling cabaret May 27-28.

Excuse me?

Hippodrome staffer Ruth Patterson (left in first picture) organized the protest after she heard about the show opening in Brighton. Allegedly a number of women staffers were asked if they were real women. “The Lady Boys may be very, very attractive but I don't want people to confuse me for one of them.

“I certainly don't want people in Yarmouth asking me if I'm a Lady Boy - although I am jealous of their fabulous figures.”

“Because it is a cabaret being performed in a real party atmosphere, some people just get carried away with the whole thing.”

With its tag line of “You'll never look at the opposite sex the same way again”, The Lady Boys of Bangkok cabaret show blends fun and music. The 16 member troupe of performers covers a wide range of styles from the disco floor to the Broadway musical stage. It also features tributes to musical artists such as Katy Perry, Whitney Houston, Girls Aloud and Kylie Minogue.

Hippodrome Owner Peter Jay agreed to let the ciswomen employees wear buttons stating they were 100% woman.

Can you say the words 'transphobia' and 'cisgender privilege' boys and girls? Thought you could.

Peter Jay wasn't much better than Ruth Patterson when he made these comments to the British media in relation to this story. While noting there had never been an incident like this in the Hippodrome's 108 year history, he stated, "You could say it has been a storm in a D cup but it has all blown over now. Maybe my girls can share make-up tips with the Lady Boys before or after the shows.

Yeah right, I think it would be the other way around, Mr. Jay.

Ms. Patterson, you need to take remedial science classes. You're only 50% woman, to put it bluntly since half of your genetic material comes from daddy.

And stop slurping the hateraid from the three liter bottles because your transphobia is showing.

Miss Tiffany Universe 2009 Update

This is Miss Tiffany's Universe pageant week in Pattaya. The competition has been pared down to the 30 Thai transwomen who will compete for the crown and the chance to represent Thailand when the Miss International Queen pageant is held later this year.

The finals will be televised on May 15 at 10:30 PM local time live on Thai television.



So while you're waiting for this year's winner to be announced, here's the 2008 finals and the crowning of Miss Tiffany Universe 2008.

Past Miss International Queen Pageant Highlights

Since Thailand's recent political turmoil postponed Miss International Queen 2008, thought I'd post some video from the past pageants to give y'all an idea what we pageant fanatics missed this year.

I'm happy to hear that some of the Thai political turmoil is starting to fade a bit since the Thai constitutional courts weighed in on the issue that triggered the crisis and led to the opposition group's boycott and occupation of Bangkok's two airports.

The shutdown stranded over 300,000 international tourists in Thailand and is estimated to have cost the country $2 billion USD in tourist revenue.

Now that they're on the road to sorting out the political problems, let's hope political stability reigns in the 'Land of Smiles' for a while, people resume visiting Asia's best beaches and my Thai transsisters can get back to work dazzling tourists at the various cabarets they're famous for along with the other 1.8 million Thais the tourism industry employs..

It'll also be cool to see those two highly anticipated transgender pageants take place there in 2009.


The 2004 Pageant


The 2005 Pageant


The 2006 Pageant

2008 Miss International Queen Pageant Postponed

If you're wondering why I haven't done a post yet about who won Miss International Queen 2008, the reason is because the pageant won't be happening until October 2009.

It's been affected by a double whammy of political unrest and a border clash between Thailand and Cambodia near the 11th century Preah Vihear temple.

Which country claims it has been a source of drama between Thailand and Cambodia for decades. The World Court awarded it to Cambodia in 1962, but the sovereignty issues over some of the land around the temple were not clearly resolved.

UNESCO approving Cambodia's application to designate the temple a World Heritage Site led to July 15 troop deployments by both nations along the disputed border. Despite a late August troop pullback, a brief gun battle broke out between the two sides in October which ended up with one Cambodian and two Thai soldiers wounded.

In addition, the political tension in Thailand between the People’s Alliance for Democracy (PAD) and the People’s Power Party-led coalition government has ratched up to armed confrontation levels between protesters and riot police. An October 7 demonstration resulted in one person killed and several injured.

While the political turmoil has largely been confined to the capital of Bangkok and the border situation is quiet for now, some of the collateral damage has been felt in Thailand's tourism industry, which contributes (depending on what stats you read) 6% to 14% of GNP to Thailand's economy.

It has also been felt 110 kilometers away in the resort city of Pattaya, home to the Tiffany's transgender cabaret shows and two of the best known transgender pageants on the planet.

Due to the travel warnings that several countries have issued since the October 7 clashes between police and protesters in Bangkok and the border clash with Cambodia, Tiffany's Cabaret, which usually has no problem filling its 2000 seat auditorium for it's world renowned show, has seen its business drop 50%.

Alisa Phanthusak, (right in photo) the organizer of the Miss Tiffany’s Universe and Miss International Queen pageant and whose family owns Tiffany's Cabaret, admitted feeling “terrible” that the international pageant had to be “postponed”.

“But we had to take this painful decision because international tourist arrivals dropped after the government declared emergency rule (on Sept 2, after a Thai was killed when anti and pro-government groups clashed on the streets of Bangkok) and several countries advised their citizens not to travel to Thailand,” she explained.

The Miss International Queen 2008/2009 Pageant will take place next October, presuming the political unrest has settled down by then. This year's Miss Tiffany winner Kangsadan Wongdu­sadeekul will represent Thailand alongside Miss Tiffany 2009.

While Miss Tiffany 2008 is disappointed she won't get to compete this year against the world's best transwomen pageant contestants, she's looking at it with glass half full optimism.

“She feels the postponement will be an advantage, as it will give her time to improve her English, looks and outfit.” she said through a translator.

Hopefully, they will hold an election in Thailand soon to sort out the political drama, and cooler heads will prevail and hash out an amicable settlement between Thailand and Cambodia over the disputed border area.

I not only don't want to see any more drama and bloodshed over those two issues, it would be nice to see this pageant finally take place.

To paraphrase the old Thai proverb, even though the elephants are battling, the ants don't deserve to get squashed.

Miss Tiffany 2008 Wrapup

TransGriot readers,
I told y'all about the annual Miss Tiffany Universe pageant that takes place in Thailand in May, but thanks to all the last minute activity swirling around me in preparation for the NE Transgender Pride weekend I didn't let you know who won.

The judges had a tough job deciding which one of these thirty beautiful ladies would wear the crown, but Miss Tiffany Universe 2008 is 21 year old college student Kangsadarn Wongdusadeekul or Nong Noeng. She received 100,000 baht ($3000 USD) and a Honda Jazz in addition to the crown and all the assorted gifts that come with this title.





First runner up was Nannapas Wechakul or Nong Golf, who received 40,000 baht ($1200 USD) and also received a trophy and sash. Second runner up was Pailin Denfahnapapol or Nong Bank who received 20,000 baht ($600 USD) a sash and a trophy.

Her father is a Thai army officer and she grew up on a military base. She actually tried to join the army, but as she told the audience, "Last year, I went to register as a soldier but my figure had changed, so the government did not let me."

"We are beautiful - so we have no need to be soldiers," she went on. Transgender people are barred from serving in the Thai military despite a law classifying them as “mentally disturbed” being overturned in March.

The nationally televised pageant is one with a purpose. In addition to promoting Pattaya, 100 miles southeast of Bangkok, as a worldwide tourist destination and the Tiffany's transgender cabaret, it also serves as a fundraiser for several Thai charities.







Nong Noeng will be the Thai representative later this year at the 2008 Miss Universal Queen pageant which is hosted around October by Tiffany's in Pattaya as well. That pageant is open to transwomen around the world, and Nong Noeng has the task of trying to keep that increasingly popular and prestigious title at home.



But the major goal of the Miss Tiffany Universe pageant is promoting acceptance of Thai transwomen and showcasing their beauty and intelligence.



Miss Tiffany 2004, Treechada Malayaporn, known as Polly, is an example of the growing success of those efforts to improve the images of Thai transwomen. She is now a successful actress and television presenter and was on hand during the night's festivities as an awards presenter.



Everyone thought I was a real girl before Miss Tiffany but after that everybody knew me as I am, a ladyboy," Polly said. "Everything changed. Now I'm studying international law. I just want to be someone who is clever and socially accepted."



And that's what your transgender sisters (and brothers) in Thailand and around the world want as well.

Thailand's Transgender Cabarets

The transgender cabarets of Thailand have been for several decades showcases for the beauty, grace and talents of Thai transwomen. They have also been the sponsoring and host venues for two beauty pageants that have garnered increasing worldwide press coverage and increasing numbers of contestants from Thailand and all over the planet.



Here's a clip from a story about the transgender cabarets.

Miss Tiffany Universe 2008

The 2008 Miss Universe Pageant won't be taking place until this July in Vietnam. Until then, pageant happy Thais can satisfy their pageant jones with the 2008 edition of the Miss Tiffany Universe Pageant.

The transgender Miss Tiffany Universe pageant is now entering its second decade and according to the Pattaya Daily News is taken as seriously as any pageant with biowomen contestants. The pageant has 22 businesses sponsoring it this year, according to Ms. Alisa Bpanthusak, the chair of the contest and Assistant Managing Director of Tiffany's, the Pattaya cabaret that hosts the pageant. The May 30 finals will also be broadcast live on Thai television.

Sorry pageant girls, this one's only open to Thai transwomen. The winner of Miss Tiffany Universe not only receives a cash prize and a car, but serves as Thailand's representative for the pageant they host at Tiffany's for the rest of the world's transwomen called the Miss Universal Queen Pageant. They also send the winner to the Queen of the Universe Pageant held in Los Angeles.

Ms. Bpanthusak also noted in the May 7 press conference held in Bangkok that the pageant was not only gaining increased acceptance and cachet, but the quality and variety of the contestants that entered was rising as well. She noted she had more contestants that were college students or had thespian training.

The judges definitely will have a tough job whittling the pool of applicants down to the 30 girls who'll take part in various related scheduled activities from May 26-29 and selecting Miss Tiffany Universe 2008.

ID Issues In Thailand

TransGriot Note: One of the things that's a major irritant to those of us who transition is the refusal of some nations to allow transgender people to change our identity documents to reflect the person we are now, not at birth. This September 20, 2007 article touches on some of the issues that mismatched ID can cause a transitioned transperson and how those identity document issues can lead to other issues that impact our quality of life.

Please call me "Miss," Transgendered Thais Say
September 20, 2007
Copyright © 2008 AFP

BANGKOK (AFP) — Yonlada Krerkkong Suanyot says she's every bit a woman, except for on her identity card which identifies her as a man.

Yonlada was born male but completed her sex change operation five years ago and has lived as woman for even longer.

Although Thailand has a worldwide reputation as a paradise for transsexuals, with gender reassignment surgery widely available and relatively cheap, the kingdom does not allow people to officially change their gender for legal purposes.

Activists are now trying to change that, proposing a new law that would allow transvestites and transsexuals to legally change their gender and adopt the title "Miss".

It's a minor legal change with profound legal implications.

The difference between Yonlada's appearance and the gender on official documents such as her national identity card and passport has caused her countless problems, including rejection for bank loans and refusal of jobs.

"I have lost a lot of opportunities to work for good companies or even government agencies," she said.

When she tried to get a bank loan to start her own business, the loan was refused because the bank thought she was using a stolen ID.

"I know the bank thought I didn't look reliable," she said.

Some transsexuals also have problems travelling overseas, because they are listed as men on their passports but appear as women at the immigration counter.

Natee Teerarojjaongs, chairman of the Gay Political Group, said he had proposed the legal change to Thailand's parliament specifically to end such discrimination.

"This would clear obstacles for them working and travelling," he said.

Natee is also pushing for the law to cover people who dress as the opposite sex or have undergone some surgery, as well as those who have completed their gender reassignment surgery.

Thailand is believed to have one of the largest transsexual populations in the world.

Transsexuals, known locally as kathoey, have long had a place in Thai culture, with roles reserved for them in traditional festivals, in folk theatre, and even as geisha-style "companions."

Kathoey are also among Thailand's most visible cultural exports, with Vegas-style transsexual cabarets performing to audiences of thousands and popular movies about their lives playing the global film festival circuit.

That history of acceptance, combined with easy access to Thailand's top-rate hospitals, has made it relatively easy for people to undergo a sex change.

Academics estimate at least 10,000 live in Thailand, though other guesses are more than 10 times higher. Even the conservative number would mean that per capita, Thailand has many more transsexuals than most developed countries.

"We estimate that only three percent of transvestites complete their sex change because the medical bills are so expensive, but we want to make sure everyone is equal and can be covered by the law," he said.

There would be conditions to legally change genders, including a mandatory psychiatric evaluation and a background check, he said.

Natee found a sympathetic ear in member of parliament Kanjana Silpa-archa, who heads the subcommittee on women's affairs.

"I believe people should have equal rights. Transgendered people should have the same rights as any other sex," she said. "For a person who is not happy with his sex and who lives as the opposite sex, he deserves the chance to receive what he wants."

Kanjana's committee has taken up Natee's proposal, but the measure still needs approval from the higher-ranking committee on women, youth and the elderly before going to the entire parliament.

The current parliament was appointed by the military after last year's coup, so Natee and Kanjana acknowledge that there's not much time to give the bill a hearing before legislative elections on December 23.

Yonlada said the current system just encourages transgendered people to break the law by getting fake IDs. She admits to bribing a Bangkok city worker to get a fake card with the title "Miss," but said that didn't help in the long run as potential employers found her out anyway.

"If we could really have the title 'Miss,' it would help us live our lives more easily," she said.

Miss International Queen 2006

Since I mentioned the Miss International Queen Pageant in conjunction with the post I just composed about the 2007 Miss Tiffany Universe Pageant, thought I'd take a moment to drop some knowledge about it.

Thais, like Texans, Venezuelans and Puerto Ricans love pageants and take them seriously. Because of the increasing popularity and attention the Miss Tiffany's Universe pageant garnered across Asia Japanese and Korean transwomen entered the competition. The language barriers they encountered inspired the sponsors of the Miss Tiffany Universe Pageant to create the Miss International Queen one in 2004 and restrict the Miss Tiffany Universe to Thai contestants only.

For a three year old pageant, it has rapidly become a sought after title. It offers a $10,000 USD first place prize in addition to the trophy, crown and other prizes. Like its sister pageant Miss Tiffany International the finals are televised live on Thai television.

A similar four year old transgender beauty pageant in Manila, the Amazing Phillipines Beauty Contest sent its winner to the Miss International Queen.

The first Miss International Queen in 2004 was won by a Thai, Treechada Petcharat. In 2005 Mimi Marks from Chicago's Baton club and a former 1992 Miss Continental winnerwon over the Thai and Korean runners-up in what was considered by the Thais an upset.

In last year's Miss International Pageant held October 23-28 San Antonio based Erica Andrews, representing Mexico beat out Patricia Montecarlo from the Phillipines and the Thai rep Ratravee Jiraprapakul to take the crown.

The Donald may want to reconsider the 2004 decision made by the Miss Universe organization banning transwomen from participating. It was done in the wake of transwoman Chen Lili winning the Miss China pageant that qualified her to compete in Miss Universe several yers ago. Transgender pageants have not only grown and proliferated around the world since the 1980's, they are beginning to garner attention and stature that used to be reserved for the Miss Universe, Miss USA and Miss America systems.

Miss Tiffany Universe 2007 Pageant

90 miles southeast of Bangkok lies the resort town of Pattaya, home to of one the first and more famous all-transgender cabaret shows in Thailand, Miss Tiffany's and its rival the Alcazar.

The transgender cabaret shows are popular with Asian and western tourists and regularly pack the 2000 seat auditoriums at both venues to see the Vegas and Parisian styled revues.

Since 1998 they have held a transgender beauty pageant there that draws contestants from all over Thailand and is a fundraiser for Thailand's Royal Sponsored AIDS Foundation. In addition part of its mission is to promote acceptance of transgender people worldwide.

The Miss Tiffamy's Universe Pageant has become so popular it is covered not only on local televison but has been mentioned on the BBC, CNN and other world newsgathering organizations. The pageant is limited to Thai contestants. In addition to offering the winner a 100,000 baht cash prize ($2,700 USD), a diamond studded crown, a trophy and a Mercedes-Benz car the Miss Tiffany winner is Thailand's representative in the Miss International Queen pageant open to transwomen around the globe that Thailand sometimesplays host to.

My homegirl Domanique Shappelle took home The Most Talented Title in the 2006 Miss International Queen pageant that was hosted in Thailand October 29 but my fellow Texan Erica Andrews, representing Mexico won it to the surprise of many Thai observers, who say that they have the prettiest transwomen on the planet.

The pageant has come a long way. The inaugural one couldn't even get local TV time while the 10th anniversary version, which was held earler this month had the finals televised live across Thailand and drew an estimated 25 million viewers.

It also received two major publicity boosts. One was courtesy of the now defunct Asiaweek newsmagazine. It asked its readers to judge who was prettier – Miss Thailand Universe 1999 Apisamai Srirangsan (a biowoman) or Miss Tiffany’s Universe 1999 Pattareeya Siringamwong. Surprisingly, the readers chose the Miss Tiffany's winner. The 1999 pageant also managed to get local TV coverage which was then picked up as a CNN newsfeed, catapulting the then unknown pageant into an international news event.

The Miss Tiffany's Universe title is considered a prestigious one among Thai transwomen and the competition for it is fierce. 60 girls showed up on May 7 vying to make the round of 30 for the nationally televised finals.

Thanyaras Jiraphatphakorn was crowned the new Miss Tiffany Universe on May 11. She answered in reponse to a question asked during the interview phase whether it was possible for a 'katoey' or 'ladyboy' to become a politician, "Sure, it is. In the future, there might be a prime minister who is a ladyboy."

However, she added that much depends on whether Thai society can change their negative views of katoeys.

"Society should judge people by what they do rather than considering what sex they are," said Thanyaras.

Amen to that and congratulations.

Thai Spice Girls Preach Transsexual Power

20th February 2007 17:04
Amy Bourke
From Pink News.co.uk




A girl band of transsexuals who model themselves on the Spice Girls are hoping to change social attitudes and achieve pop chart success in Thailand.

Venus Flytrap's five members were all born males and later underwent gender reassignment surgery.

Like the famous British group, they have onstage personas, namely Cool Venus, Naughty Venus, Posh Venus, Sweet Venus and Hot Venus.

They have achieved the dream of many a struggling artist and been snapped up by Sony BMG Music Entertainment, one of the world's biggest recording companies.

However, this is a purely commercial venture by a company looking to exploit a niche market in Thailand.

Sony auditioned 100 transsexual performers before selecting the final five, who later underwent a year of singing, dancing and acting lessons.

The band hope that their first single, 'Cause I'm Your Lady, will help to promote tolerance and inclusion of transsexuals in Thailand.

Their first album, Visa for Love, was released in December.

It has not had any chart success yet, but has earned the girls a lucrative concert deal, and has enjoyed repeat play on Bangkok's SkyTrain rail network

Sony's director for artists and repertoire Amonrat Homhoul told AFP: "It was not easy.

"Recording was time-consuming because the group members sing as women, but cannot keep their voices at a high pitch for more than a few hours.

"The response has been good, even if their songs aren't in the charts yet."

Thailand is believed to have the largest transsexual population in the world.

Experts estimate at least 10,000 trans people live in Thailand, though some put the figure at 10 times that.

Even the conservative number would mean that per capita, Thailand has many more transsexuals than most developed countries.

Although no-one is sure why Thailand attracts so many, part of the reason may be that medical treatments for sex change operations are extremely cheap.

They cost roughly 150,000 baht, (£2,000).

Some clinics in Pattaya will perform the surgery for as little as £500.

Thai people are often more tolerant of trangender people than other countries.

Transsexuals are known as "kathoey," and have special roles to play in village festivals, usually involving decorations or performances.
Transgender people are also often represented in the media and in public Thai life, but they can still draw negative attention.

More often than not their only option of work is dancing as exotic entertainers in cabaret revues.

Laws in Thailand are also heavily stacked against transgender people. They are not covered by rape laws, and are not allowed to marry.

The band's dream is that the music's appeal will extend to beyond the cabaret clubs tucked away in seedy red-light districts.

"I see being in Venus Flytrap as another chance for me, a ladyboy, to work in another field of entertainment other than cabarets and beauty pageants," Dhanade Ruangroongroj, or Cool Venus told AFP.

Krerkkong, who is studying for a masters in political science, said she hopes her experience with the band will help earn recognition for other transsexuals.

Ploypaitoon Moukprakaaiphed, or Hot Venus, lets us know why transsexuals do it better.

She told AFP she had the edge because, "I can sing both as a woman, and a man."


TransGriot Note: There's a glaring inaccuracy in this report. One of the paragraphs states that Thailand is believed to have the largest transgender population in the world. That's doubtful. The US alone has 300 million peeps and with a conservative estimate of one in 500 births being transgender that translates to roughly 2 million transpeeps in the US.