Bangkok Pride parade aims to boost Thailand’s 2028 World Pride bid

[reader]

From the Thaiger

Bangkok is set to host a Pride parade on June 4, with the theme “Door to Equal Asia,” as the city prepares to bid for World Pride 2028. Waaddao Chumaporn, the founder of Bangkok Pride, informed the Bangkok Post that this year’s event will be larger than the previous year, highlighting Thailand’s preparedness to host the global celebration in 2028.

The upcoming parade is a collaborative effort between Naruemit Pride, the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA), over 40 civil society organisations, and members of the private and public sectors. Featuring six marching groups, each representing a colour of the pride flag, the parade will focus on the importance of health and well-being within the LGBTQ+ community. Additionally, it will promote social justice messages for those living with disabilities and ethnic minorities, reports Bangkok Post.

The parade will commence at 2pm on June 4, starting at the Pathumwan intersection in front of the Bangkok Arts and Cultural Center and concluding at the Ratchaprasong intersection. Waaddao stated, “Last year, about 20,000 people attended the march at Silom Road. For this year, we aim for 20,000 marchers and 100,000 spectators.”

Around 2,000 volunteers will assist with the event, under the supervision of the Metropolitan Police Bureau and the BMA. A total of 38 organisations will participate in the parade to show their support for LGBTQ+ rights, including representatives from the National Human Rights Commission, the Justice Ministry, UN agencies, and various embassies.

[gayinpattaya]

World Pride? It's all going a bit far now isn't it. 

Either way, Thailand shouldn't get it till they have equal marriage laws. Not that I will ever understand why anyone would want to be married. 

[reader]

Reminder that Bangkok Pride 2023’s main event—the parade—will take place Sunday, June 4, beginning at 2p.m. Whether it draws the huge turnout organizers  are hoping for remains to be seen. What has been lacking (at least in the English language media) has been a comprehensive listing of all the month-long events. Silom and Patpong venues don’t seem to be participating in any official capacity although I’d be surprised if Soi 4 didn’t see an uptick in activity while the massage shops and Patpong gay bars get some overflow business.

==================

From a press release:

Bangkok Pride 2023 is expected to have hundreds of thousands of participants on a 1.5 kilometer long road from Pathum Wan Intersection to Ratchaprasong Intersection (Rama 1 Road) and a stage to celebrate the pride in front of Central World Plaza Is the heart of the heart, able to accommodate about 15,000 people, while the entire Ratchaprasong intersection can accommodate about 400,000 people.

 

[jason1975]

Oh no! I arrive in evening of Sunday! I hope this doesn't cause a terrible traffic jam! Lol!

[PeterRS]

On 5/24/2023 at 1:56 PM, gayinpattaya said:

Thailand shouldn't get it till they have equal marriage laws. Not that I will ever understand why anyone would want to be married. 

I really wonder why you suggest that. Taipei started its Gay Pride Parades in 2003. It did not pass a law permitting gay marriage until 2019 in which year 200,000 attended the Pride Parade. Which comes first?

There is absolutely no doubt that the develpment of the Taipei Pride Parades, each of which had a different social message about inclusion and education, helped in a major way to overcome the prejudices held by those with anti-gay feelings on the island.

[TotallyOz]

I love Pride parades. I don't know if I will get to this one as it does seem a bit out of the way for the gay area. Why did they move from Silom?

I do remember when Hillary ran for Senate in NY. She walked the entire route (as did I for many years). I was impressed as most politicians would come and take photo and leave.

I have many fond memories of the event. But, my favorite was one of my boys in NYC brought home an actor from Queer as Folk. It was a surprise to me, but a good one.

[Riobard]

7 minutes ago, TotallyOz said:

I love Pride parades. I don't know if I will get to this one as it does seem a bit out of the way for the gay area. Why did they move from Silom?

I do remember when Hillary ran for Senate in NY. She walked the entire route (as did I for many years). I was impressed as most politicians would come and take photo and leave.

I have many fond memories of the event. But, my favorite was one of my boys in NYC brought home an actor from Queer as Folk. It was a surprise to me, but a good one.

Cast about half and half Yank & Canuck, I think. But I’d go for Brit Hunnam. 

[PeterRS]

14 hours ago, TotallyOz said:

Why did they move from Silom?

Am I right in thinking last year it started from close to Samyan MRT station?

My own view is that if a Parade is going to be a regular annual event, the starting point - and preferably the route - has to be the same each year. In Taipei with one exception the Parade has always started near the Presidential Office Building close to New Park. I recall only one year when it was switched to an open space close to Taipei 101. That did not prove popular and so the start was moved back. Even though numbers most recently were around 200,000, there was still room for almost all the marchers. Wherever it is located, there should be room for hoped for expansion of numbers in future years.

[hojacat]

Such a shame that Kaohsiung was stripped off the right to host the World Pride in 2025. It's a beautiful city and it would had attracted crowds from all over Asia, much more than Sydney did (even though the crowd was amazing there and I had so much in every way). 

I have been to the last three editions of the world pride (NYC, Copenhagen and Malmo) but not sure if I want to go to the one in Washington DC in 2025, probably will go the one in Amsterdam one year later. Hopefully they assign it to Bangkok in 2028 as I'm sure the crowd will be great but that it still 5 years away.

[reader]

On 5/30/2023 at 8:25 PM, Riobard said:

Cast about half and half Yank & Canuck, I think. But I’d go for Brit Hunnam. 

[PeterRS]

8 hours ago, hojacat said:

Such a shame that Kaohsiung was stripped off the right to host the World Pride in 2025. It's a beautiful city and it would had attracted crowds from all over Asia, much more than Sydney did (even though the crowd was amazing there and I had so much in every way).

Do you know why Kaohsiung was stripped of the right? Was it stripped or did Washington just pip it at the post? (I have no idea - merely asking!) I have been a few times. I agree it's a pleasant city and it does have its own annual Pride Paade with tens of thousands participating. But it does not have a lot of very active gay venues. As it's not at present regarded as a major gay centre, I do question whether it would actually rival such an entrenched and huge event as the Sydney Pride.  I agree thouands would descend on the city from around Asia - but from elsewhere? Just curious.

[PeterRS]

28 minutes ago, reader said:

But I’d go for Brit Hunnam.

What memories! I recall watching a vdo of the first edition of the British Queer as Folk and being quite amazed that it was shown on a regular TV channel, albeit very late in the evening. Hunnam was then drop dead gorgeous! I read that casting of that character had proved extremely difficult and he was only discovered a few weeks prior to commencement of filmlng. I am sure half the gays in the UK were drooling at that first fully naked gay sex scene between Hunnam as a raw 15 year old (he was 18 at the time of filming) and the older, experienced Aiden.

[hojacat]

On 5/31/2023 at 7:19 PM, PeterRS said:

Do you know why Kaohsiung was stripped of the right? Was it stripped or did Washington just pip it at the post? (I have no idea - merely asking!) I have been a few times. I agree it's a pleasant city and it does have its own annual Pride Paade with tens of thousands participating. But it does not have a lot of very active gay venues. As it's not at present regarded as a major gay centre, I do question whether it would actually rival such an entrenched and huge event as the Sydney Pride.  I agree thouands would descend on the city from around Asia - but from elsewhere? Just curious.

It was because of a naming issue, about which many people felt it had political undertones. As per Wikipedia: 

Quote

WorldPride 2025 was scheduled to be held in Kaohsiung, Taiwan, which was to be the first WorldPride event in Asia.[50] However, the event was later cancelled over naming disagreements between InterPride and the Taiwanese organizers.[51] Taiwanese organizers had been using the name "WorldPride Taiwan" during the application process. Nonetheless, they alleged that Interpride insisted the name be changed to "WorldPride Kaohsiung", removing "Taiwan" in the event's name, in the final contract.[52] On the other hand, InterPride states it suggested the use of the name "WorldPride Kaohsiung, Taiwan".[53]

Washington DC just came up as an immediate alternative. While I agree that the most natural choice in Taiwan would have been Taipei, sometimes these events are also used for promoting a city in the eyes of the world and not just reaffirming established gay capitals. I mean Kaohsiung has as many gay venue or even more than Copenhagen has, which even though an amazing, tolerant  and livable city, it's not probably in the top 10 gay cities in Europe when it comes to nightlife. It was however selected for the World Pride 2021.

To be completely honest, I wanted it to be held in Kaohsiung so that I could feast my eyes and hopefully another part of my body in a sea of Asian twinks. There were a good number of them during Sydney pride, both locals and visitors. Most of the tourists though were more from the richer Asian countries like: Taiwan, Singapore, Korea, etc even though I met a guy from Indonesia and another from the Thailand visiting Sydney just for the pride. In terms of visas, cost and time you would definetly get a bigger gathering in Taiwan.

I guess for now there is only Taipei Pride and to a certain degree Songran and NYE party in Bangkok for people looking for a large gathering of young Asian gay guys.

[PeterRS]

So the withdrawal of Kaohsiung was clearly political. Just as athletes from Taiwan are stated to be from "Chinese Taipei" and airlines no longer use the name "Taiwan" as a country, the powers that be in the Executive Yuan would surely have been concerned at the use of Taiwan in the title. Whatever the reason, it was surely more than stupid of the Kaohsiung World Pride organisers not to have compromised. They have denied their city a place on the world gay map and a galaxy of visitors who would have spent a fortune on flights, hotels, food etc. I would happily have joined @hojacat but will aso now be stuck with the Taipei Pride Parade (not that that is anything but a great pleasure!)

[fedssocr]

Apparently the BKK governor and the PM in waiting both participated in the parade. For sure a short route in a relatively odd location. But I guess then everyone could go shopping

[reader]

 

 

Tens of thousands of people from around the world, including the leaders of the Move Forward and Pheu Thai parties, joined “Bangkok Pride Parade 2023” on Sunday (June 4).

“Pride Month 2023”, a worldwide celebration, is currently held each year in the month of June to commemorate the 1969 Stonewall Uprising in Manhattan, New York when LGBTQ+ individuals faced systemic discrimination and oppression.

The  Bangkok Pride Parade 2023 on Sunday started from the Pathumwan intersection and headed towards the Siam Center shopping area, from where the activities moved towards CentralWorld in Ratchaprasong.

The parade enjoyed the support of numerous top Thai politicians, including prime minister-in-waiting and Move Forward leader Pita Limjaroenrat, and the Pheu Thai Party’s prime minister candidates, Paetongtarn Shinawatra and Chonlanan Srikaew.

The group of Thai politicians, which also included Pheu Thai’s Nattawut Saikuar, Thai Sang Thai’s Sita Divari and Bangkok Governor Chatchart Sittipunt, also offered flowers in front of Pathum Wanaram Rachaworawihan temple to commemorate the victims who lost their lives during the 2010 crackdown on red-shirt protesters.

Continues with photos

https://www.nationthailand.com/lifestyle/entertainment/40028260