Thailand has announced that the passports of Thai transsexuals and transvestites who have undergone a complete appearance or gender change will have both the 'before' and 'after' photographs, according to media reports.

This is to put an end to the confusion immigration officials face when the photograph and details on the passport do not match the person.

Under Thai law, the birth sex of the individual is always listed even though he has undergone a complete sex change.

Mr Thamin Somboon, a Labour Minsitry official, originally highlighted the problem last year. He said that Thai transsexuals in Germany who had married Germans were facing legal problems over their identities. A large number of transsexuals go to Germany because they can live as women socially and legally.