Thai ladyboys chosen as flight attendants

A new Thai airline is hiring transsexual ladyboys as flight attendants with aim of setting itself apart from its competitors.

Known as "katoeys", transgenders and transsexuals have greater visibility in Thailand than in many other nations, holding a variety of mainstream jobs.

They are especially common in cosmetics and health shops. PC Air, a charter airline set to start operations in April, originally planned only to hire male and female flight attendants. But it changed its mind after receiving more than 100 job applications from transvestites and transsexuals. A total of four were chosen.

The airline said that the qualifications for the ladyboy attendants were the same as for female flight attendants, with the additional provisos that they be like women in how they walk and talk, and have a feminine voice and the right attitude.