Plastic surgery is so common today that it seems to be as simple as getting a good haircut. Breast augmentation, eye, nose, lip augmentation, liposuction and tummy tucks are all procedures undertaken every day. With something so simple many people are now seeking off-shore treatment at much lower costs. The term for this is "medical tourism" and it's a fast growing market segment. Bangkok Thailand is one such destination, hailed as the plastic surgery capitol of Asia. Thailand built its reputation on the most unlikely type of procedures, yet the procedures in question are amongst the most sophisticated. Yes we are talking about gender-reassignment.

Thailand has long been known as a country with liberal attitudes towards the "Third" gender. Having lived many years in Bangkok I have seen with my own eyes that gender choice is simply not an issue amongst most Thais. More important is how you interact with society, how good a person you are. So with this being the underlying social environment it's no wonder that Thailand became a pioneer in many gender-realignment procedures.

Due to the high demand for this sophisticated end of plastic surgery options this in fact had many ramifications. Surgeons became highly skilled in their art and in their science. The latest medical equipment was introduced and the revenues from this type of surgery helped build many substantial specialized hospitals and clinics. These establishments started to offer other forms of plastic surgery, the demand for more plastic surgeons became an issue and with demand and higher rewards medical students quickly embraced this career choice. Most trained both in Thailand and overseas, the United States and the United Kingdom being the most popular training destinations. They returned with highly sort after specialist degrees and the experience in working with sophisticated medical equipment. The plastic surgery industry in Thailand boomed.

Important to the Thai plastic surgery industry was government support which was forthcoming in spades. This along with the Thia's natural embracing of international standards for recognition, perhaps acknowledging potential customer's apprehension of going overseas for surgery has ensured a vibrant highly regarded industry that is considered a prime destination for medical tourism in Asia.

Most international oriented cosmetic surgery establishments in Thailand have cutting edge equipment and offer the very latest procedural methods. The Chief Surgeon will most likely have undergone training in Thailand and the United States or the United Kingdom and now has a host of degrees, certifications and publications under his belt. The establishment will have highly trained staff with nurses and administrative staff speaking English proficiently. Their websites will contain detailed information about each procedure and specifically how they administer to international patients. It will be easy to either find pricing in the website or provide contact details to obtain pricing to which they will quickly respond. During the process of selecting a clinic they will make you feel comfortable and confident giving you a variety of ways to communicate with them. They usually also provide suggestions about local hotels and restaurants and other services such as laundry and supermarket access with links to their websites where appropriate.

Then there is the bonus. Whilst undergoing recovery you can relax at one of the many exotic beaches, get yourself some great shopping bargains at some of the biggest and most famous shopping centers in Asia, all for a cost that is inclusive of the air travel, accommodation and surgery is often less that going to a local facility. This combination of modern medical establishment operating to international standards, well trained, internationally certified Doctors and professional, friendly, English speaking nurses and administrative staff together with the exotic recovery options make Thailand an excellent choice for plastic surgery, but, here is the clincher! You will probably save up to 50% to 70% of European or North American prices for the same procedures.