(BKK Post) Sexualities in Thailand
Vagabond
By KARNJARIYA SUKRUNG
Bangkok Post
16 Jun 2004
In the past, there was room at the table for those who weren't
necessarily heterosexual. Researcher and scholar Peter Jackson argues
that the situation changed when Thailand adopted Western cultural mores
The Ministry of Culture was quick to douse what might have been a
cultural fire. After stirring up criticism with the suggestion that
homosexual and transgendered people should be barred from working in the
government sector, the ministry did an about-face, claiming that the
official who offered the suggestion had been misquoted by the media.
The end of the story? Not quite.
Dr Kla Somtrakul, the ministry's deputy permanent secretary, said he had
never told the press that homosexuals should be barred from the
government. Local news reports, however, quote him as saying that
homo-sexuals and transgendered persons were "unnatural". He asked that
their exposure in the media be restricted. He also asked that television
stations shy away from images of homosexuals and transgendered persons
on the small screen for fear that those images would encourage
youngsters to deviate into inappropriate and "un-Thai"-like behaviour.
"Homosexuals and transgendered persons are not new to traditional Thai
culture," said Peter Jackson, gay activist and researcher of Thai
history from the Australian National University, during a recent seminar
on trans-genderism at the Princess Sirindhorn Anthropology Centre.
These individuals, he said, have coexisted, and have been assimilated
and mentioned, in Thai society for centuries. Thailand's linguistic,
mural painting and literary heritages have not shied away from their
existence.
According to Jackson, the word katoey, a Thai term for transgendered
persons, has its roots in the Khmer word that means "those who are
different". There is also a term in the northern dialect that refers to
trans-gendered individuals as those who have elements of both male and
female.
"Clearly from these linguistic examples, we can infer that pre-modern
Thais saw these individuals merely as 'different'. They did not have a
stark distinction or description of straight, homosexuality or
transgender like we do today," Jackson said.
He added that for ancient Thais, homosexuality was seen as a behaviour,
not an identity. But people today see homosexuality as a fixed identity.
Erotic scenes depicting same-sex relationships can be found on mural
paintings. "Ancient Thais talked openly about sex. There are erotic
pictures of people engaging in sexual activities, representing a part of
daily life in their time. Some of these include erotic scenes of
same-sex relationships," said Jackson.
Literature, too, recorded stories that suggest homoeroticism and
same-sex relationships. Cross-dressing was apparent.
"There are many heroes in Thai literature who felt attracted to women in
the guise of men," said Teodsak Romjampa, a history graduate student.
If homosexuality and transgenderism have been part of Thai life for
centuries, why is there a sense of discomfort today? According to
Jackson, the changed perspective is a reaction toward Western
colonialism and the concept of modernity. European imperialists viewed
pre-modern Thais as semi-barbarians because of three main aspects in
their culture: that Thai men had many wives, that Thai people were
barely clothed, and that Thai men and women looked similar, sharing
similar costumes and hair-dos.
"In order to escape colonialism, the Thai state recreated a Thai culture
and civilisation based on the Western concept of what civilisation was,"
Jackson said.
From the time of King Rama V to Gen Field-Marshal Plaek Pibulsongkram,
the Thai state went through a series of nationalistic policies, which
modified, fortified and recreated "civilised" Thai citizens. Thais
started to cover up their bodies. Monogamy was exalted. State propaganda
demanded that husbands kiss their wives before leaving home for work.
Remarkably, Dr Jackson pointed out, it was at this point that Thai men
and women started to see clear divisions between themselves. In order to
accentuate their sexualities, men and women sported completely different
costumes, hairstyles and dialects. Jackson also noted that after the
time of King Rama IV (when Siam opened itself to Western powers), mural
paintings never again depicted erotic scenes.
As a result, modern Thai society has maintained two sexualities, men and
women, while marginalising "the others". Male and female homosexuals,
and transgendered persons, are thus ignored, denied and discriminated
against _ a subtle form of violence in society, he said.
Along this line of thought, sex, the "third" sex and eroticism have all
become taboo.
"To me, the Thai state is a vigorous guardian of Victorian values.
Modern Thai society allows people to do whatever they want, but it has
to be done in the private space. Homosexuality exists, but must be kept
behind closed doors. They shouldn't be in the mass media or express
themselves in public," said Jackson.
He observed that an increasing number of people are resisting the
state's monolithic structure that tries to uphold the dual sexual
division.
"Members of the new generation now accept that there are varieties of
sexual identities," said Teodsak.
Even in the government itself, there seems to be a new breed of thought.
"It's dangerous to set cultural policies without having adequate
knowledge about it," observed a participant who came from the Ministry
of Culture.
"It creates mistrust among the public against the state."
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