Thailand's LGBTQ+ community draws tourists from China looking to be themselves

[reader]

From the Associated Press

By YUCHENG TANG

BANGKOK (AP) — Xinyu Wen traveled to Thailand in June, planning a two-week vacation around Bangkok's Pride parade.

Instead, the 28-year-old stayed a month and a half, as her experience at the parade gave rise to discussions and discoveries in the Thai capital's thriving LBGTQ+ community.

LGBTQ+ people from China, frequently scorned and ostracized at home, are coming to Thailand in droves, drawn by the freedom to be themselves. When Wen walked along the parade on the streets in Bangkok, “I felt like I was in a big party or a huge amusement park. We could forget all upsetting things and feel fun-filled,” she said.

Bangkok is only a 5-hour flight from Beijing, and Thailand’s tourism authorities actively promote its status as among the most open to LGBTQ+ people in the region.

Wen got interested in Thailand when her friend sent her a photo of rainbow-colored, Pride-themed ice cream being sold on the streets.

“I wanted to go to Thailand to take a look,” she said.

Wen describes herself as queer, which she says means that her partners can be any gender and she can be any gender. At home, Wen said she regularly gets judgmental stares on the street for wearing her hair short like a man’s, and was once asked by her barber: “What happened to your life?”

But at the Bangkok Pride parade in June, Wen noticed people confidently wore what they wanted. She was excited to be able to express herself publicly and finally drop her guard. More than that, she said she was also impressed by the protest element to the event, in which people carried signs written in traditional Chinese with slogans like “China has no LGBTQ” and “Freedom is what we deserve.”

“I felt a mixed feeling, touched but sad,” she said.

Ahead of her trip, she read up on the situation in Thailand, finding reports that showed there is still widespread discrimination, especially in the workplace. Thailand does not recognize same-sex unions or marriages, which also means they're barred from adopting children, and other legal processes that straight couples have access to.

Wen arrived at the parade somewhat skeptical. But she ended up finding it empowering.

“Although I initially had a critical attitude toward the parade in Bangkok because discrimination against LGBTQ individuals hasn't disappeared, I still felt inspired because the neglected groups and the suppressed feelings matter here.”

Owen Zhu, a gay real estate agent in Bangkok who sells houses to Chinese clients, said many are also coming to stay. He estimated some 2/3 of his clients are LGBTQ+, many of whom buy apartments to live in part- or full-time.

“Among Chinese gay people, Thailand is called gay’s heaven,” he said, noting that there are many chat groups where gay men from China coordinate trips to Thailand and share information about parties and tickets to events.

[scott456]

The lighter skin color of Chinese are especially welcomed in Thailand.  There is a tremendous bias against dark skin color in Thailand.

[hojacat]

6 hours ago, scott456 said:

The lighter skin color of Chinese are especially welcomed in Thailand.  There is a tremendous bias against dark skin color in Thailand.

I've been quite surprised in my last 2-3 visits to Thailand of how much popular Chinese guys are on gay apps. Not just on Blued but even on Grindr which tend to be more used by Thais looking for Westerners, I see every time profiles with "Looking for Chinese only" on them.

Have to agree though that a large number of Chinese guys coming from big cities from a middle or upper-middle-class background can be quite sexy and attractive. They definitely take care of themselves and their bodies.

[a-447]

1 hour ago, hojacat said:

They definitely take care of themselves and their bodies.

I returned to Japan from Korea last night.

OMG!!! Some of the most handsome, cutest guys on the planet live there! I went on a tour to the DMZ and I couldn't take my eyes off our guide. I melted every time he smiled.

At the airport I was patted down as I stepped out of the body scanner. Instant hard -on and it took all my willpower to resist the temptation to put my arms around him.

Body image is important in Asia and especially in Korea.

[fedssocr]

1 hour ago, hojacat said:

I've been quite surprised in my last 2-3 visits to Thailand of how much popular Chinese guys are on gay apps. Not just on Blued but even on Grindr which tend to be more used by Thais looking for Westerners, I see every time profiles with "Looking for Chinese only" on them.

Have to agree though that a large number of Chinese guys coming from big cities from a middle or upper-middle-class background can be quite sexy and attractive. They definitely take care of themselves and their bodies.

Twitter is full of gorgeous, ripped Chinese guys with big cocks. Almost makes me want to go there....almost.

I'm not surprised that queer women would find a home in Bangkok. I see lots of Tom/Dee couples every time I am in the city.

[scott456]

1 hour ago, a-447 said:

I returned to Japan from Korea last night.

OMG!!! Some of the most handsome, cutest guys on the planet live there! I went on a tour to the DMZ and I couldn't take my eyes off our guide. I melted every time he smiled.

At the airport I was patted down as I stepped out of the body scanner. Instant hard -on and it took all my willpower to resist the temptation to put my arms around him.

Body image is important in Asia and especially in Korea.

Why don't you try sex tourism in Korea?

[scott456]

3 hours ago, hojacat said:

I've been quite surprised in my last 2-3 visits to Thailand of how much popular Chinese guys are on gay apps. Not just on Blued but even on Grindr which tend to be more used by Thais looking for Westerners, I see every time profiles with "Looking for Chinese only" on them.

Have to agree though that a large number of Chinese guys coming from big cities from a middle or upper-middle-class background can be quite sexy and attractive. They definitely take care of themselves and their bodies.

Again, most Thais spend their whole lives chasing light/white skin.  In Thailand, nobody wants to be dark, not to mention dating dark skinned people. This is the same concept in gay community.  Light color skin is very desirable in Thailand. Darker Thai guys can't get light skinned Thais, so they pursuit Chinese tourists.

[floridarob]

3 hours ago, scott456 said:

In Thailand, nobody wants to be dark, not to mention dating dark skinned people.

I like the dark skin Isaan guys .... when they tell me they're 'black"...I show them Chris Rock and say, That's black.

[reader]

18 hours ago, scott456 said:

There is a tremendous bias against dark skin color in Thailand.

It comes from the non-indigenous population, a minority of Thais who tend to reside in Bangkok and Chiang Mai who never worked am outdoor job in their lives. Certainly doesn't come from forum members I know.

 

[scott456]

6 minutes ago, reader said:

It comes from the non-indigenous population, a minority of Thais who tend to reside in Bangkok and Chiang Mai who never worked am outdoor job in their lives. Certainly doesn't come from forum members I know.

 

That is correct.

[macaroni21]

A good proportion of Thais, especially in urban areas, have some mix of Chinese ancestry. There's been steady immigration for centuries. I think this genetic factor is at least as important than "working in the fields" in accounting for differences in complexion among various provinces. Certainly the Lanna Thais in the Chiang Mai area are nearly as light coloured as the Chinese.

[fedssocr]

3 hours ago, reader said:

It comes from the non-indigenous population, a minority of Thais who tend to reside in Bangkok and Chiang Mai who never worked am outdoor job in their lives. Certainly doesn't come from forum members I know.

 

of course this attitude is not only limited to Thailand. I think all of those skin whitening creams originated in India. And places like Korea value pale skin

[scott456]

17 hours ago, hojacat said:

... Not just on Blued but even on Grindr which tend to be more used by Thais looking for Westerners, I see every time profiles with "Looking for Chinese only" on them.

These Thai guys know Westerners tend to be much older, many are as old as or even older than their fathers.  But with Chinese, they have better chance of finding someone similar age.

Of course, the Thai money boys are different stories, they care about money, not age.

[hojacat]

22 hours ago, scott456 said:

Again, most Thais spend their whole lives chasing light/white skin.  In Thailand, nobody wants to be dark, not to mention dating dark skinned people. This is the same concept in gay community.  Light color skin is very desirable in Thailand. Darker Thai guys can't get light skinned Thais, so they pursuit Chinese tourists.

As you said the preference for lighter skin is not found just in Thailand, but it’s pretty common all over Southeast Asia, including a good portion of southern China. I think most of the Chinese guy probably are after fair-skin Thais. I’ve known a few darker ones who go with foreigners mostly because the locals look a bit down on them, but they usually go after Westerners, as the success rate is usually much higher than pursuing other Asians.  I think the high number of “ foreign only” profiles you see on gay apps in Thailand has more to do with the high presence of xenophilia among gays in there, which is usually taken to more extremes that in neighboring countries. Most of my fwbs in places like Vietnam, Taiwan, HK, etc don’t mind messing around with both foreigners and locals but in Thailand I only know 1-2 guys that play with other Thai guys, The others straight out say that they don’t like Thais and most of them are tall, fair skin guys who wouldn’t have problems getting other locals. 

[vinapu]

21 hours ago, floridarob said:

I like the dark skin Isaan guys ...

you not alone

[vinapu]

16 hours ago, reader said:

It comes from the non-indigenous population, a minority of Thais who tend to reside in Bangkok and Chiang Mai who never worked am outdoor job in their lives. 

 

or never worked at all in a sense of question ' how many people work in this building?" , ' about half"

[vinapu]

2 hours ago, hojacat said:

 I’ve known a few darker ones who go with foreigners mostly because the locals look a bit down on them,

and they find it painful. I heard comments from boys to this effect quite a few times. On another hand , as consolation , they realize very well that farangs like boys with tan or darker skin.

12 hours ago, fedssocr said:

 all of those skin whitening creams ..

 I have a habit  when walking with guy to my room to ask them if they want something from 7/11 when we pass by one. Sometimes they do, sometimes they don't  .

Whatever they pick up , I gladly buy for them with one exception. You guessed it , skin whitening cream. And always tell them I don't like people using it. I sense I score some points with them

[Boy69]

Dark skin in Thailand associated with manual workers and lower class this is why you see so many Thais wearing long shirts and pants even on very hot weather to keep their skin light .dark skin guys in Central and north Thailand tend to suffer from the locals looking down on them but not at south and North East (Isaan) where dark skin is fairly common.

[Tomtravel]

About 15 years ago I passed a volleyball court near Jomtien beach (still active?) and among the players I noticed very dark muscled hunk, who I thought was exceptionally handsome. He was really the only dark guy among the pale players. He noticed me…and I did not visit my hotel for 3 nights as I moved to his flat. Good times, I got emotionally attached and when I left I think I gave him 400 euros or so (that was my initiative, he just asked some support). I also remember various „solutions“ like me renting a condo and he would always be for me when I am there😃. That sounded a bit too much though..

[floridarob]

9 hours ago, vinapu said:

you not alone

As I suspected...