ABSTRACT
The issue of gender equality in Thailand has been evolving gradually. Thailand presents a 'gender paradox', where women's newly gained success in educational and economic spheres does not translate into gender equality in other spheres. This chapter looks at gender issues around nursing in Thailand, a female-dominated profession in a transforming but still largely traditional society. Issues of gender have been identified as being of considerable importance in explaining the position of nurses in developed countries, however "the conceptualisation of gender varies from one country to another, depending on cultures, traditions and values". Focusing on nursing, the chapter explores whether and how gender shapes the choice of careers and influences the interactions of nurses with doctors and patients. It argues that gender segregation exists between the professions of medicine and nursing, founded on Thai traditional values and the social construction of a skills/caring dichotomy.
