Gay activists inflame an incident at Novotel Siam Square

[Guest wowpow]

"Gays take on Novotel in club row - The Nation

Global campaign planned as hotel is accused of barring transvestites

 

Gay-rights advocates plan to launch a global boycott against a high-end Bangkok hotel after it barred a transvestite from its nightclub.

 

Nikorn Arthit, president of Bangkok Rainbow Organi-sation, said yesterday that a campaign called "Novotel - No Homosexual" would soon be started through an online network of "third gender" groups. The campaign is to fight back against the Novotel Siam Square after it banned a transvestite from entering its Concept CM2 Club. "It is fine if you ban gays and transvestites, but you have to pay the price," Nikorn said.

 

The controversy sprang to media attention when Sutthirat Simsiriwong, a transvestite who is a local brand manager for a French cosmetics firm, was told he could not enter the club last Friday. A cross-dressing Sutthirat said his ID card was checked by club staff. Once the staff found that the card identified him as "Mr", he was not allowed entry, even though he went there with a VIP guest of the club. "The staff said it is hotel policy to not allow katoey to enter," he claimed.

 

The word "katoey" is loosely used in Thailand to describe cross-dressers and transgender people.

 

The hotel, part of the Accor Group, yesterday issued a press statement signed by its executive general Michael Thomas denying the accusation.

Though admitting that Sutthirat was barred from entry, Thomas said the refusal was not part of the club's entry policy and was not supported by its management. He said the club regularly supported the gay community by hosting Mardi Gras, gay beauty pageants and singing contests.

 

"The unfortunate incident was an isolated instance of an error in judgement aris-ing from non-conformity of the official ID on the part of the door staff involved in the altercation with Mr Sutthirat," Thomas said. He did not say what the staff told Sutthirat. He said customer-service training for CM2 staff would be undertaken. He also said the process to check ID cards of the club's guests was for security reasons.

 

Sutthirat yesterday flied a complaint to Human Rights Commissioner Naiyana Sup-apung, who said she would investigate the case. After his fate was publicised, many transvestites called Sutthirat and told him they had received similar treatment from CM2 staff. "If the hotel wants to ban katoey, it should show a clear sign and we would not go to be treated like this," he said. Nikorn believed the incident was based on the hotel's policy to ban katoey but claimed it was not brave enough to declare its policy publicly.

 

He claimed a once-popular Silom nightclub was bankrupted within a month after putting up a sign reading "No homosexuals" on its door.

 

He wants CM2 to get a taste of its own medicine. "The club is not a popular place for katoey, but don't forget that big numbers of gay tourists come to Thailand," he said. Nikorn said CM2 and other clubs probably did not realise the size of the gay market because many gay people cannot be recognised from their appearance."

 

The Nation

 

This article was posted on several boards by TravelerJim who called for a boycott of Accor Hotels worldwide. GayThailand has posted on Baht Stop that he has cancelled a booking with Accor Hotels and written to tell them why.

 

My response was:

 

I am rather shocked at TravelerJim and GayThailand, both to my mind sensible chaps, for boycotting the whole of Accor Hotels because of this incident.

 

The Novotel Siam management already announced that they are not anti homosexuals and they hold regular gay events at that club. They have undertaken to re-train the staff involved to ensure that no such incident should recurr. What more can they possibly do?

 

Other Accor Hotels are most welcoming to gay clients and their joiners. The Novotel Regency on Suckhumvit is Utopia's Gay Hotel in Bangkok where they arrange special prices and packages. The Silom Sofitel has always had a gay following and makes no problems for joiners. The Novotel Chiang Mai is very popular with the Gay community. This is patently not an anti homosexual group and Accor is in the main a management company rather than owner's of the hotels.

 

Personally I would rather people got angry about the guest houses in Bangkok which display signs such as No Israelis, No Indians and No Arabs.

 

A storm in a C cup unattractively whipped up by Gay Militant activists. Confrontation like this is not the Thai way to behave.

 

[TotallyOz]

I have always refused to spend money on a group that refuses admittance to gays or transexuals based on that alone. If the hotel in question really does make a public apology and they absolutly change the policy and that is seen by others, then I am game for another chance. However, I prefer to spend my money where I wish to spend it. I have not eaten at Cracker Barrel in many years because of their admittted anit-gay hiring policy. I love their food but I have not eaten there in so many years I cannot even remember.

[Guest wowpow]

"Novotel gets a week's notice - The Nation

 

Transvestite Sutthirat Simsiriwong yesterday gave Novotel Siam Square a week to formally apologise and admit its mistake in denying him entry to its nightclub because of his sexual orientation. "I will wait until next Wednesday; if there is no statement of apology from the hotel, I will take legal action," he said at a press conference at the Office of the National Human Rights Commission. Sutthirat, accompanied by advocates of gay and lesbian rights, filed an official report of last Friday's incident to the commissioners. He said the controversy between him and the hotel would be over if the hotel issued its statement in time.

 

Besides admitting its mistake and apologising, Sutthirat also wants the hotel's statement to say that the sort of "archaic" social perspective displayed by its actions would not longer be its policy. "I'm highly confident that a world-class corporation, such as Novotel (Accor), will eventually accept responsibility for their actions and policies; policies that have affected me personally, affected others who suffer discrimination of any type and affected those whose hearts have been touched by our struggle," he said in a statement in English that he distributed to the media.

 

The hotel is facing an international boycott from more than 100 gay and lesbian organisations. Rights commissioner Naiyana Supapheung supported Sutthirat's request and said she would soon summon the hotel's representatives to ask about the case.

 

Sutthirat's fight to protect his rights as a transvestite has served as a wake-up call for gays and their advocates.

 

Natee Theerarojnapong, president of the Gay Political Group of Thailand, told the commissioners yesterday that his rights had been violated by life insurance companies that refused to sell him life insurance for his "soul mate", and demanded that the commission investigate such policies."

 

The Nation

 

Well this is certainly one feisty katoey.

[Guest wowpow]

 

Transvestite Sutthirat Simsiriwong shows his driver’s licence at a press conference at the Office of the National Human Rights Commission

 

courtesy The Nation

[Guest wowpow]

Novotel will apologise to transvestite - The Nation

 

After a week-long boycott campaign by gay networks, Novotel Siam Square will today formally apologise to Sutthirat Simsiri-wong, a transvestite who was barred entry to a nightclub at the hotel two weeks ago. A spokesman for the high-end hotel's public relations division said a press conference would take place today at the hotel. The general manager of the hotel and a representative of Accor Group, which represents hotel chains including Novotel, will be present.

 

Sutthirat said he was also invited to the press conference. "Tomorrow everything will be concluded," he said in a telephone interview. The apology by the hotel arrived in time for a deadline set by Sutthirat, who said last Thursday that if the hotel did not apologise to him within a week, he would bring the case to court as he had been discriminated against because of his sexual orientation.

 

Sutthirat, a local brand manager for a French cosmetics firm, was denied entry to the Concept CM2 nightclub at the hotel on June 22. The reason given by door staff was because he is a katoey. The Thai word refers to transvestites. More than 100 organisations worldwide that advocate the rights of gays, lesbians and transvestites launched a campaign to boycott the hotel. Bangkok Rainbow Organisa-tion launched a boycott campaign called "Novotel No Homo-sexual" through its website.

 

In the travel section of UK Gay News - an online media centre for gays and lesbians - tags that read "gay friendly" had been removed from a list of Accor hotels and replaced with "This hotel is part of the Accor group and there is currently an international ban on the company following a problem in Bangkok." A statement posted on the UK Gay News website said the tag "gay friendly" would not be reinstalled unless the problem in Bangkok is resolved.

 

Nikorn Arthit, president of Bangkok Rainbow Organisa-tion, said the campaign would end once the hotel admitted its mistake." The Nation

 

 

I have mixed feelings over this situation which has been blown out of all proportion.

 

It is heartwarming to see the worldwide Gay community flex it's, not inconsiderable, muscle over discrimination. I applaud Gay Times but wonder if 200 organizations really did anything - I suspect only a tiny fraction did anything.

 

It is not attractive to see the Thai Rainbow Organisation do a 'Tatchell' and antagonize the situation. It always smacks of personal publicity revelling.

 

It was very foolish of the Novotel Siam General Manager not to have apologized immediately and done something to compensate the injured parties. He admittd that it was wrong but did not say "sorry" - maybe he is French! Being right is not enough in the PR world.

 

It is rather sad that this should have happened in Thailand where there is less discrimination of lady-boys than any other place on Earth. Does Thailand have anti-discrimination laws? If so I suspect that they are not followed.

[Guest wowpow]

Novotel Bangkok - a member of the French Accor hotel chain - on Thursday issued an apology to a Thai transvestite barred from the hotel's nightclub, after the discriminatory act prompted a boycott by gay groups.

"On behalf of Novotel Bangkok in Siam Square, I would like to extend my sincere apology to Suttirat Simsri-wong for the unfortunate incident that took place on Friday June 22 between her and the CM2 management and staff," said Novotel Bangkok manager Gerald Hougardy in front of a roomful of journalists and gay-rights advocates.


 


Door staff at the CM2 nightclub at Novotel Bangkok two weeks ago barred Suthirat Simsri-wong, from entering the premises on the grounds that he was a "katoey," the Thai word for a transvestite.

The discriminatory act prompted more than 100 gay-rights-advocate organisations worldwide to launch a boycott of the Bangkok hotel and other Accor properties.


 


"I accept the apology," said Suttirat, who added, "What's past is past." Suttirat urged gay rights groups to now drop their boycott of the Novotel Bangkok and other Accor hotels. "In the future I will be a guest of the Novotel," said Suttirat.


 


Thai society, in general, has a liberal view towards homosexuality and trans-gender conduct.

Drafters of the country's 18th constitution recently agreed to recognise "the third sex" in the new charter, granting the unique gender equal constitutional rights and protection.

 

"Tomorrow I am going to go with 100 third-sex friends to the national Constitution Drafting Dommittee to present them with a bouquet of flowers," said Natee Theerrojnapong, leader of the Bangkok Rainbow Organisation that launched the "Novotel No Homosexual" boycott on the group's website."

 

Bangkok Post

 

[billyhouston]

Perhaps this is a good time to remind others stuck in the UK that they can take their pleasures vicariously:

[Guest tdperhs]

 

Perhaps this is a good time to remind others stuck in the UK that they can take their pleasures vicariously:

Vicariously: Is that sex with a Vicar?