The combination of transgenderism with Thailand's most macho sport caught the world's attention in March 1998. The fuss was over Nong Toom, a young crossdressing Muay Thai boxer who expressed his sexual desire for men in no uncertain terms. Because the kickboxing establishment and the Thai general public appeared to embrace Nong Toom, the international media used this story as an opportunity to comment on Thailand's acceptance of transgenderism and homosexuality. For example, The New York Times declared that "unlike most of its East Asian neighbors, Thailand is not a closet society, and people have no problem with transvestites", while according to the Associated Press, "most Thais, in fact, accept transvestites".
Indeed, the perception that homosexuality is an accepted part of Thai culture is widespread among non-Thai observers. Thailand is frequently portrayed as a country in which discrimination is absent. Joe Cummings, whose Lonely Planet guidebook is found in most travelers' backpacks, states that "Thai culture is very tolerant of homosexuality, both male and female . . . [T]here is no 'gay movement' in Thailand as such since there's no anti-gay establishment to move against. Whether speaking of dress or mannerism, lesbians and gays are generally accepted without comment" (1997: 135). The Gay Travel Guide also paints a positive picture: "Katoeys - whether transsexuals . . . or simply transvestites - are a common sight in Thailand and public crossdressing, for whatever reason, rarely raises a plucked eyebrow or a snigger" (Hammer 1997: 21).
Transvestism (trans...- Lat. vestio - to put on; travestism as a synonym), is a striving for dressing up into the contrary gender' clothes.
We all have already heard about transvestites, but usually the discussion was devoted to men, while woman, who likes dressing up into the male clothes, can be a transvestite too. History of women, wearing male clothes, has much more deeply rooted then it may seem at first sight.
Theatre and cinema Overwhelming majority has heard about Japanese theatre Kabuki, where men perform all possible roles, including women roles; less amount of people is concerned about another ancient Japanese theatre - Takarzuka, where all the roles, male ones among them, were performed by women only.
Ladyboys is a rather over-used Thai word to describe a transvestite, a male who takes on the appearance of a female. Transvestitism in this country is very different to that in the west. In the west, Charlie Smith who lives next door might put on a blonde wig and a pair of silk stockings but he still looks like Charlie Smith in a blonde wig and a pair of silk stockings. He certainly wouldn’t go waltzing around the supermarket looking like that.
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Transvestism (trans...- Lat. vestio - to put on; travestism as a synonym), is a striving for dressing up into the contrary gender' clothes. 
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