Thai avoids caning due to new sex

A prostitute who has had a sex change has escaped caning for drug dealing in Singapore after a doctor confirmed her new gender, the Straits Times reports.

The confusion arose because Mongkon Pusuwan, from Thailand, was identified as a man - her original gender - in her passport, the paper reported.

A man could have faced up to 15 strokes of the cane, but women are exempt.

Mongkon Pusuwan pleaded guilty to charges including cocaine trafficking was sentenced to six years in jail.

She underwent a sex change from man to woman 10 years ago, the Straits Times said.

But her fate had been uncertain for weeks while the court waited for a medical report confirming her new gender.

She was arrested in December and charged with trafficking 1.52 grams of cocaine and 2.5 grams of ketamine.

A larger amount of drugs in her possession could have earned her the death penalty.