the third sex

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I get emails from time to time asking how to meet young ladyboys who are college or university students, rather than the professionals who work in the bars. Are there pubs and clubs where they congregate, people ask me.

Many years ago, before I really became involved with the ladyboy scene away from the bars, I used to think the same thing. That there must be places near to the universities where ladyboys gather, and consequently if I was to hang around there myself, I would find some sweet company.

But, as I was to discover, this is not the case. Our thoughts are coloured by our own experiences. Although students in Thailand are like any others, gathering in like-minded groups, there is not really the kind of pub and bar scene that we are used to in the West.

In fact, as many of the Thai students are from genuinely poor backgrounds, they eke out what money they do have on food on rent, rather than spend it on booze. And, generally speaking, ladyboys do not drink – not the young ones, anyway. They are far too concerned about their appearance. Rather than getting plastered, they will spend what spare money they do have on makeup and clothes.

Of course they enjoy music and dancing, but if they do go out it will be to a place unknown to any Western traveller, where English is not spoken, and where any Caucasian would be a distinct and conspicuous oddity. Even in RCA, the avenue of entertainment places in Bangkok where young Thais tend to congregate, a foreign visitor will feel uncomfortably prominent.

Student ladyboys tend to congregate on campus, where because there are so many of them they often have their own bathroom facilities, or they get together in their own rooms. As they tend to stay together in groups, you will often find a large number of ladyboys rooming in the same apartment building. Find one of those, which will usually have its own coffee shop, and you can meet students.

But really, the best way is to hook up with a young ladyboy from one of the bars. Often you will find she really is a student trying to make some money. These girls are not necessarily hardened hookers. And if she herself is not a student, then she will probably have friends who are. If you are spending any length of time in this country, and you really want to meet young and non-commercial ladyboys, this is the route to take.