The labels used to describe this community are layered and vary by speaker:
A more formal and respectful Thai term for transgender women who identify fully as female. asian lady boys
Thailand is often viewed as exceptionally tolerant because of the high visibility of kathoey in daily life. The labels used to describe this community are
The standard Thai word for "woman," which many transgender women prefer for themselves. Cultural Roles and Social Status asian lady boys
A traditional Thai term for individuals assigned male at birth who adopt feminine roles, mannerisms, or identities. It predates Western concepts like "transgender" and is rooted in ancient Buddhist origin myths describing four genders.