CarnalNation

For US$2,000, it is possible for a man to become a woman in Thailand. However this has changed since Wednesday.

The Thai government is making it tougher for patients to undergo the sex change procedure, forcing them to prove they are psychologically fit before surgery. Anyone wanting to swap gender in Thailand must live as a woman for a year, take female hormones, and obtain the approval of two psychiatrists. For men aged between 18 and 20, parental consent must be obtained before surgery.

Greater legal protections are necessary to guard against gender swaps that too often backfire on those who make an irreversible choice. However the new rules are creating hurdles for foreigners who have been taking advantage of Thai laws.

Thailand has one of the largest transgender populations and surgeons who have pioneered ever cheaper and quicker sex change techniques. My question is whether the new laws could drive sex change procedure underground making it more dangerous.