Rights group says protection for transgender Thais lacking

By BUSABA SIVASOMBOON
Associated Press

BANGKOK (AP) — Thailand has a positive international image when it comes to the rights and lifestyles of LGBTQ communities, but a new report by Human Rights Watch says the reality may be more precarious. It says the absence of a procedure for transgender people in Thailand to change their legal gender, coupled with insufficient legal protections and social stigma, limits transgender people’s access to vital services and exposes them to daily indignities. One woman who underwent a sex change operation several years ago tells AP her Thai state identification card still identifies her as a man, causing her serious complications when applying for a job. Last month, Thailand’s Constitutional Court failed to endorse same-sex marriage as a constitutionally protected act.