Around 1% of Thai population are ladyboys, men who use hormones and surgery to become female. The series looks at ladyboys demanding equal rights as they blaze a trail beyond Thailand’s infamous go-go bars 

Episode 02 - Beauty Queens
Meet the beauties battling to be crowned the world's most stunning transsexual. In Pattaya, Thailand, 23 women are vying to be crowned Miss International Queen, the transgender equivalent of Miss World. Entering the pageant for the first time is 27-year-old trans-gender female, Sahhara. She lives in London, but was born a boy, in Nigeria, to strict Christian parents. Sahhara knew she could never be accepted in her home country. So she fled, arriving all alone in London at the age of 19. 

She has entered Thailand's Miss International Queen as Miss Nigeria to make a statement that as a transgender woman you can follow your dreams. In Nigeria, homosexuality is illegal and in some states, men who dress as women even face execution by stoning. Mokha Montrese is representing the USA. In her quest to turn from a man into a woman, Mokha has spent over £60,000 on surgery. This includes jaw shaving, chin, eye and nose jobs, lip filling, multiple breast implants, buttock augmentation, and four rib removals. 

Thirty-year-old Yuni Carey is representing Cuba, but now lives in California. Yuni always knew she had been born into the wrong body. As a young woman she headed to Los Angeles, seeking the liberal freedom denied her in Cuba. If she wins the $US10,000 prize, she's having a sex change before she returns home. The pageant will be watched on live TV by millions across South East Asia. 

Part 1: External link

Part 2: External link

Part 3: External link

Part 4: External link

Hospitality and Tourism Bangkok

Ladyboys shows are rated in most popular tours, the better known cabaret venues Bangkok are Calypso <> Playhouse theater.  

There are many promoted in traditional tourism channels which are local culture (no or little western signage and language), they are nonetheless very entertaining but recommend you have a local host.

Tourism Bars: typically you will find ladyboy bars in nightlife zones Nana, Soi Cowboy and Patpong, refer Bangkok Nightlife zones