"12 JANUARY 2013 - BANGKOK, THAILAND:  Ladyboy entertainers check themselves in the mirror in front of the Cockatoo bar in the Soi Cowboy red light district in Bangkok. In Thai, the ladyboys are called kathoey. Many work in the entertainment and night life sectors of the Thai economy. Prostitution in Thailand is illegal, although in practice it is tolerated and partly regulated. Prostitution is practiced openly throughout the country. The number of prostitutes is difficult to determine, estimates vary widely. Since the Vietnam War, Thailand has gained international notoriety among travelers from many countries as a sex tourism destination. One estimate published in 2003 placed the trade at US$ 4.3 billion per year or about three percent of the Thai economy. It has been suggested that at least 10% of tourist dollars may be spent on the sex trade. According to a 2001 report by the World Health Organisation: ""There are between 150,000 and 200,000 sex workers (in Thailand).""    PHOTO BY JACK KURTZ"
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