Sex reassignment surgery in Thailand
Encyclopedia
Thailand
is believed to have the largest number of Male-to-female transsexuals per capita in the world. A number of international Transsexuals
opt to travel to Thailand in order to pursue male-to-female sex reassignment surgery
operations.
(SoC) as set by the Harry Benjamin International Gender Dysphoria Association
.
or Australia
.
Thailand has a few of the most experienced surgeons for MtF surgeries, who have highly positive international reputations.
Transsexual genital surgery is illegal in Thailand without psychiatric approval, "real life experience" (if possible) and hormones (unless medically contraindicated), which is disadvantageous to transsexuals who are unwilling or unable to follow the SoC. This is not the case in the USA, most states of Australia, and many other countries, where there is no legal requirement to follow the SoC; most Western surgeons do restrict access to treatment in a manner similar to the SoC, but where there is no legal requirement for them to do so, some do not.
Some jurisdictions do not recognise the sex of transsexuals who have had surgery overseas. For example, an Illinois, USA birth certificate cannot be amended to state the reassigned sex of a person who has had transsexual surgery outside of the USA.
Illinois has amended it's requirements to allow NON-U.S. licensed physicians. If the surgery is performed by a NON- U.S. licensed physician, the affidavit must be accompanied by an additional affidavit, “Affidavit by Physician Verifying Completion of Gender Reassignment”. The additional affidavit must be completed by a physician licensed to practice within the United States and confirm that the gender reassignment surgery was completed.
Two local associations provide education or certification for surgeons doing SRS. The Society of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgeons of Thailand and The Thai Academy of Cosmetic Surgery and Medicine.
Thailand
Thailand , officially the Kingdom of Thailand , formerly known as Siam , is a country located at the centre of the Indochina peninsula and Southeast Asia. It is bordered to the north by Burma and Laos, to the east by Laos and Cambodia, to the south by the Gulf of Thailand and Malaysia, and to the...
is believed to have the largest number of Male-to-female transsexuals per capita in the world. A number of international Transsexuals
Transsexualism
Transsexualism is an individual's identification with a gender inconsistent or not culturally associated with their biological sex. Simply put, it defines a person whose biological birth sex conflicts with their psychological gender...
opt to travel to Thailand in order to pursue male-to-female sex reassignment surgery
Sex reassignment surgery male-to-female
Sex reassignment surgery from male to female involves reshaping the male genitals into a form with the appearance of and, as far as possible, the function of female genitalia. Prior to any surgeries, trans women usually undergo hormone replacement therapy and facial hair removal...
operations.
Westerners travelling to Thailand
Under a Thai law introduced in 2009, access to transsexual surgery is legally restricted in a manner similar to the Standards of CareStandards of care for gender identity disorders
The Standards of Care for the Health of Transsexual, Transgender, and Gender Nonconforming People are non-binding protocols outlining the usual treatment for individuals who wish to undergo hormonal or surgical transition to the other sex...
(SoC) as set by the Harry Benjamin International Gender Dysphoria Association
Harry Benjamin International Gender Dysphoria Association
The World Professional Association for Transgender Health, Inc. is a professional organization devoted to the understanding and treatment of gender dysphoria. The organization was originally named after Harry Benjamin, one of the earliest physicians to work with transsexuals...
.
Advantages for Westerners
The cost of surgery is generally less in Thailand than in the USA, EuropeEurope
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
or Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
.
Thailand has a few of the most experienced surgeons for MtF surgeries, who have highly positive international reputations.
Disadvantages for Westerners
For the most expensive Thai surgeons, the total cost of surgery plus travel can exceed the cost of having surgery in the patient's home country, particularly for patients who live far from Asia.Transsexual genital surgery is illegal in Thailand without psychiatric approval, "real life experience" (if possible) and hormones (unless medically contraindicated), which is disadvantageous to transsexuals who are unwilling or unable to follow the SoC. This is not the case in the USA, most states of Australia, and many other countries, where there is no legal requirement to follow the SoC; most Western surgeons do restrict access to treatment in a manner similar to the SoC, but where there is no legal requirement for them to do so, some do not.
Some jurisdictions do not recognise the sex of transsexuals who have had surgery overseas. For example, an Illinois, USA birth certificate cannot be amended to state the reassigned sex of a person who has had transsexual surgery outside of the USA.
Illinois has amended it's requirements to allow NON-U.S. licensed physicians. If the surgery is performed by a NON- U.S. licensed physician, the affidavit must be accompanied by an additional affidavit, “Affidavit by Physician Verifying Completion of Gender Reassignment”. The additional affidavit must be completed by a physician licensed to practice within the United States and confirm that the gender reassignment surgery was completed.
Surgery in Thailand
Gender Reassignment is regarded as a common procedure in Thailand. There are over 170 active surgeons.Two local associations provide education or certification for surgeons doing SRS. The Society of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgeons of Thailand and The Thai Academy of Cosmetic Surgery and Medicine.