Thailand's Cultural Diplomacy: Attracting Gender Reassignment Surgeries (GRS) Patients Through Soft Power

DOI: https://doi.org/10.26565/2310-9513-2026-23-05
Keywords: culture diplomacy, Thailand, GRS, LGBT, Gender

Abstract

People with sexual orientation deviations are certainly difficult to be accepted in the wider community, both in daily activities, in school or workplace environments, even when deciding to undergo transgender surgery. Most of them experience social discrimination that has fatal consequences, such as decreased self-confidence, depression, and even suicide. Therefore, a supportive environment will make them feel comfortable. Thailand, a country that is friendly to LGBT, provides hospitals with sex change surgery facilities. Thailand's image as the "Mecca" of transsexual body modification offers an inclusive environment that makes transgender patients feel comfortable. This study focuses on the culture that strengthens Thailand's image, so that it is able to promote sex change surgery hospitals on the international stage. Through cultural diplomacy, researchers found several cultures that are the basis for Thailand being friendly to LGBT, namely the cultural approach through Theravada Buddhism which recognizes four gender categories, the existence of art through drag and cabaret festivals and Thai music, also LGBT-friendly tourism that makes patients feel comfortable. With a strong cultural base, government, and business actors in Thailand in creating an inclusive LGBT environment, Thailand has succeeded in attracting patients for sex change surgery for both local and international communities. This is proven by the large number of foreign patients from Europe, the US and Asia who undergo surgery and medical travel in Thailand.

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Published
2026-05-30
Cited
How to Cite
Arofah Minasari, Erina Ikawati, Ahadina Hanifati Amimah, Nona Berlin Neffertiti Meylim, & Muhammad Rifky Apriansyah. (2026). Thailand’s Cultural Diplomacy: Attracting Gender Reassignment Surgeries (GRS) Patients Through Soft Power. The Journal of V. N. Karazin Kharkiv National University. Series: International Relations. Economics. Country Studies. Tourism, (23), 53-63. https://doi.org/10.26565/2310-9513-2026-23-05
Issue
No. 23 (2026): The Journal of V. N. Karazin Kharkiv National University Series «International Relations. Economics. Country Studies. Tourism»
Section
The world economy and international economic relations

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