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By Root 4479 0

You say you love Patong’s frenzy of neon lights? Great! Click here for an assortment of lodging options. You hate it? We’re not surprised – Phuket’s capital of hedonism isn’t everyone’s cup of tea. You see, we measure globalisation in Patong by Starbucks rather than 7-Elevens, so that perfect slice of sandy paradise you saw on a poster on your travel agent’s wall is somewhere else on the island. But don’t get us wrong, even though this beachside wonderland is a testament to unchecked tourism instead of paradise with a capital ‘P’, it is definitely a must see. Besides the much-talked-about unsavoury tourism, Patong promises smiles with colourful cabarets ( Click here), endless shopping, boisterous boxing rings, watersports, see-and-be-seen resorts and amazing dining options from hot tin shacks to schmancy high-end eats ( Click here).

PHUKET TOWN

Long before boardshorts or flip-flops, Phuket was an island of rubber trees, tin mines and cash-hungry merchants. Attracting entrepreneurs from as far away as the Arabian Peninsula, China, India and Portugal, Phuket Town ( Map) was a colourful blend of cultural influences, cobbled together by tentative compromise and cooperation. After a visit to Phuket Town you can put a tick in the culture category of your Phuket checklist. If you’re interested in staying longer, there are plenty of quality places to spend the night ( Click here), not to mention a heap of great eating options ( Click here) if you’re spending the day.

Phuket’s historic Sino-Portuguese architecture is the town’s most evocative sight: stroll along Ths Thalang, Dibuk, Yaowarat, Ranong, Phang-Nga, Rasada and Krabi for a glimpse of some of the best buildings on offer. The most magnificent examples in town are the Standard Chartered Bank ( Map; Th Phang-Nga), Thailand’s oldest foreign bank; the THAI office ( Map; Th Ranong); and the old post office building, which now houses the Phuket Philatelic Museum ( Map; Th Montri; admission free; 9.30am-5.30pm), a first stop for stamp boffins. The best-restored residential properties are found along Th Dibuk and Th Thalang.

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POP’S CULTURE: LIFE AS A LADYBOY

Pop, age 45, is what Thais call a gà·teu·i (also spelt kàthoey), usually referred to as a ‘ladyboy’ in English. Thailand’s transgender population is the subject of many debates and conversations, especially amongst tourists. Although tolerance is widespread in Buddhist Thailand, concealed homophobia prevails – for gà·teu·i, this can be a challenging life, with the entertainment and sex industries the only lucrative career avenues open. We spent the day with Pop and got the skinny on what life was really like as a member of Thailand’s oft-talked-about ‘third sex’.

Let’s start with a question that many tourists in Thailand would like to ask: why does there seem to be so many gà·teu·i in Thailand? Well, that’s like asking me why I am a ladyboy! I have no idea. I didn’t ask to have these feelings. I think the more important thing to notice is why there are so many ladyboys in the cabaret or sex industry. First, however, let me start by staying that the word gà·teu·i is the informal way of saying ‘person with two sexes’; the term phuying kham pet is generally more polite. Also, gà·teu·i is strictly reserved for people who still have male body parts but dress as female, so I am not technically gà·teu·i any more.

Most tourists think that there are tons of ladyboys in Thailand because they are in places that many tourists visit. Yes, some ladyboys want to be cabaret dancers, just like some women want to be cabaret dancers, but most of them don’t. These types of jobs are the only ones available to ladyboys, and the pay is lousy. Life is not as ‘Hollywood’ for a ladyboy as it may seem on stage. Most ladyboys don’t have the chance to have a job that is respected by the community. We are not allowed to become doctors or psychologists and most corporations do not allow ladyboy employees because they don’t want gà·teu·i to be associated with their company’s image. Since many of us cannot have proper jobs, many