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 Phuket
is home to quite a number of internationally acclaimed musical,
dance and theme shows. Well worth the time to visit, the more well
known venues include:
Phuket FantaSea
Based very much on Las Vegas style showtime, this cultural theme
park is housed in a purpose built theatre just 20 minutes from
Patong at Kamala Beach. The show is approximately 90 minutes and
tickets can be purchased either with or without accompanying buffet
dinner. Words simply do not do justice to this show which is suitable
for all ages and includes disappearing elephants, tigers and a
whole host of spectacular pyrotechnic effects. Check out their
website for more detailed information.
Simon Cabaret
 Probably
the biggest "transvestite" cabaret show to be found locally this
show features a spectacular musical floor show performed by the
world famous "ladyboys" of Simon Cabaret. See for yourself - Guys,
can you tell the difference? And Ladies - wouldn't you just die
for a figure like that?
Virat Ruayrin has 100 children. At least her family of transvestites
and transexuals at Phuket's Simon Cabaret call her "mommy".
Khun Virat has been training cross dressing entertainment business
for 15 years. And she wouldn't want to do anything else.
"I understand these ladyboys. They feel more comfortable
living as women. They love to dress up and entertain. They consider
it an art of which they are very proud," she comments. "Many
of my ladyboys have college degrees or have held important posts
in the government but they feel more comfortable, more natural
in this line of work."
Khun Virat has devoted her life to grooming and caring for her
100 "children". She lives with them, supervises their
make-up, designs their costumes and gives them advice when they
have trouble with their "husbands". She is also careful
to explain that her "children" are professional performers
unlike the numerous kateoys who are transvestite sex workers that
are seen in Patong and Karon Beach beer bars.
Phuket Simon Cabaret opened in Phuket in 1991 and was an instant
success, especially with Asians from neighboring countries where
cross dressing is illegal. Each night, more than 1000 customers
line up to see one of the most spectacular stage shows in Asia.
 There
are a minimum of two shows per night. The theater holds 250 VIP
and 300 standard seats which are always full. There's a great
view of the spectacular costumes and sets from every location.
The opening show has a Thai theme with grand temple ruins which
remind the audience of the long history of the region. Graceful
kinnarees, or mythical creatures that are part bird and part female
move to traditional Thai dances.
Khun Virat has designed 21 different sets and shows which she
rotates depending on her audience. For group tours from China,
she presents her stunning Chinese themed temple act where elegant
dancers float around stage in bright red and gold costumes.
As the majority of the audience comes from Asia, she has also
included classical performances from Korea, Japan, and Taiwan
in their native languages and costumes which further delights
the audience.
An evening at Phuket Simon Cabaret turns any adult into a child
full of wonder. In quick succession, shows themes change from
Egyptian with dancers coming out of a 10 metre high head of a
Pharoah, to the latest saucy, sexy Latin beat with a Gloria Estevan
look-a-like lip-synching the action.
 "We
train every night for two hours after the shows. Sometimes we
sit and watch the latest music videos and make notes on dance
choreography or costumes," explains Khun Virat. "I fly
to Hong Kong to research costumes and materials for the set designs.
It's important that we create authentic costumes, sets and dances
that are enhanced by staging and lighting."
An evening at Phuket Simon Cabaret is great fun. There are so
many things to enjoy. First, the audience is amazed at how beautiful
the performers are even know they have been warned that they are
not really females. And then there's the variety of beautiful
sets and costumes which compete with a Las Vegas show.
“Many people ask me if my "children" are really
female. I tell them that about 80 per cent of my ladyboys have
had the required surgery to turn them into women. They have every
function except the ability to give birth. I find they are much
happier once they've made the transformation into what they feel
they really are," finishes Khun Virat.
Other transvestite shows
 Going
to the cabaret on Phuket has a different meaning than almost anywhere
else in the world.
The island boasts extravagant cabaret shows with stunning costumes,
bright lights, expensive sets and a unique feature, most of the
performers are men dressed as women.
In Europe and America, the tradition of men dressed as women
for theatre roles dates back five hundred years when a respectable
woman could not be seen on the stage. During World War II, many
of the great English pantomines featured men dressed as women
as there were no women on the war fronts where the shows took
place.
However, in Thailand, due to the considerable tolerance of the
culture, a great number of males who feel more natural as females,
find a career as cabaret performers.
On Phuket, one can join the fun at Simon Cabaret where lavish
sets and brilliant costumes amuse the audience. Performers lip-synch
songs popular in countries around the world. In nearby Patong,
transvestite performances can be enjoyed at Andaman Queen Cabaret
and in many of the neighboring open air bars.
 The
Royal Paradise complex has Tangmoo Cabaret with several shows
a night. The most popular transvestite cabaret happens each night
at the Boat Bar which mixes a floor show with a disco.
Many of Phuket's five star resorts feature transvestite cabaret
performers for special occasions. The demand is so great that
a number of performing cabaret groups travel each night from club
to hotel and to resort to present a rehearsed one hour show.
Pictured are a group from the Tyara Show who made a special performance
at Baan Rim Pa for a group of computer executives from Singapore
and Hong Kong. They left the audience clapping for more.
But behind the scenes, the life of a transvestite cabaret performer
is seldom easy.
While many of the performers are transvestites with more normal
jobs during the day, many are actually transsexuals who have undergone
extensive surgery to transform themselves from biological males
to technical females. The man most responsible for the transformation
is Dr. Sanguan, whose office in Phuket town is busy with Thais
and foreigners who come to Phuket for sex reassignment surgery.
"I am kept very busy changing the sex of young men who want
to live their lives as women. I trained at Chulalongkorn University
in Bangkok with Thailand's top sex reassignment surgeon and I
get many males who come to Phuket for the operations as they are
much more affordable here," explains Dr. Sanguan. In his
Mae Luan Road office, he displays breast implants and diagrams
of what is involved in transforming a man into a woman. "My
patients are generally much happier after the surgery as they
can live their lives more honestly. Many become cabaret performers,"
he continues.
 The
popularity of transvestite and transsexual cabaret performers
has spread to most parts of Phuket. Now one can be entertained
at bars on Karon and Kata beach as well as in karaoke bars in
Phuket town.
The cabaret artist works hard. Many elaborate costume changes
are required for each show. And these are seldom in adequate changing
rooms but done in hallways, outdoors and wherever there's any
space. Complex dance routines have to be memorized and extensive
makeup and hair styles created for each show. And then there's
always the rush from one performance to another.
But customers can always count on a remarkable display of emotion
and talent by these professional performers who overcome many
obstacles to share their talents with visitors to Phuket.
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