Katoey.com shares real stories of Thai trans women, from love and family to work and nightlife. Our guides explain the words, the history and the law in plain English, and our videos bring the stories to the screen.
Kathoey (กะเทย, also spelled katoey) is the Thai word most people use for transgender women. It's often translated as "ladyboy" in English. Many Thai trans women prefer phuying kham phet (transgender woman) or sao praphet song ("a second kind of woman").
It depends on who's speaking and how. Some trans women use these words with pride, and others don't like them. The respectful approach is to use the word she uses for herself. If you're unsure, say "trans woman."
Both. They're two ways of writing กะเทย in English letters. Katoy and k'teuy are other spellings of the same Thai word.
Not yet. Thai ID cards still carry the birth-sex title, and as of March 2026 there was no legal way to change it. Several gender recognition bills are pending (Outright International).
Yes. Thailand's marriage equality law took effect on 23 January 2025 and opened marriage to any two people (Library of Congress). Because legal gender recognition doesn't exist yet, a trans woman still marries under her birth-sex legal identity.
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