Thailand
Temporarily Bans Castration Done for Nonmedical Reasons

Thailand's Health Ministry ordered hospitals and medical clinics to temporarily stop performing castrations for nonmedical reasons, saying Wednesday that the procedure performed on transsexuals needs stricter monitoring.

The move came after a leading gay activist, Natee Teerarojjanapongs, called on the Medical Council of Thailand to take action against clinics that perform castrations on underage boys, who seek them in part because of Internet advertisements that promise cheap operations resulting in feminine qualities such as softer skin.

Natee, head of the Gay Political Group of Thailand, said he received several complaints from these underage boys' parents.

Suphan said he did not have official statistics on the numbers of castrations performed in Thailand, but said many underage patients were unaware of the risks it posed, including hormonal imbalances and stunted physical development.

A letter will be sent to medical facilities around the country telling them to halt so-called commercial castrations until further notice, he said. Violators could face closure of their practices.

''As of today, doctors can perform the surgery if there is a medical reason to do so -- not for any other reason,'' ministry spokesman Suphan Srithamma said.

The ministry and the Medical Council will draft new guidelines that doctors must follow before carrying out the procedure, Suphan said.

Existing rules require boys under age 18 to have parental consent before undergoing castration, but it is suspected that many doctors overlook the rule, Suphan said.

''It's a totally wrong perception that castration will make boys more feminine,'' Natee told The Bangkok Post last week. ''These youngsters should wait until they are mature enough to thoroughly consider the pros and cons of such an operation.''

Dr. Thep Vechavisit, owner of the Pratunam Polyclinic in Bangkok, which specializes in sex-reassignment surgery, said the surgery was a better option than taking excessive female hormones, which can cause liver damage. Many young male transsexuals take hormones, he said.

His clinic charges $125 for nonmedical castrations and has performed 205, mostly for Thais, since first offering the service in 2004, he said.

''There's nothing wrong with this procedure,'' Thep said. (AP)