The Prime Minister also attended the Pride parade in Bangkok this year. And Thailand will soon become the third Asian country with same-sex marriage.
Thais' understanding of LGBTQ is growing Photo: Chalinee Thirasupa/Reuters
The Thai capital celebrates Pride Month. The large and luxurious shopping centers are, depending on who observes them, a dream or a nightmare with the colors of the rainbow. The columns of the elegant EM Quartier shopping center are decorated with flashing LED rainbows. Not far away, in the luxurious EmSphere Mall, there is a gigantic gorilla waving the rainbow flag on the facade. It's unclear what King Kong has to do with gay pride. But at least: it's bright pink.
The Teletubbies in front of the Siam Paragon no longer even have a color reference to one of the LGBTQ communities. You stand among palm trees along a wide rainbow staircase that leads to a gigantic rainbow in the lobby. Kids are excited to be photographed with the Teletubbies, while dad or mom snaps a quick snapshot of the rainbow splendor after the Kids Teletubbies selfies.
An Arab tourist seems a little surprised at the opulence of the rainbow. “Something like that,” he says, “wouldn't be possible here. It's not entirely clear whether he's happy or regrets it.” Parnthum Nakabutara, for his part, is visibly happy with the rainbow. “I think it's great that we celebrate Pride. From what I can see, Thais' understanding of LGBTQ is growing and expanding. “It's a wonderful thing,” says the gay man.
Mookdapa Yangyuenpradorn criticizes the rainbowization of Bangkok's consumer palaces. “Many in the community are frustrated and angry about the commercialization of Pride,” says the activist, who identifies as a queer woman. Bangkok Pride, as organizer of Pride Month, is responsible for cooperation with shopping center operators. The malls, Mookdapa explains angrily, are actually just sponsors, but now they present themselves as co-organizers.
Gay marriage is coming
Of course, Pride Month is about more than a rainbow-colored mall. On June 1, a parade with tens of thousands of participants marched through Bangkok, of course with the giant rainbow flag, obligatory at almost all Prides around the world. The parade in Bangkok earned the label “historic” thanks to the presence of Srettha Thavisin, who was the first Prime Minister of Thailand to be honored at a gay pride event. Srettha was wearing a plaid shirt that could be seen as colorful or rainbow-colored depending on the viewer.
More obvious are the rainbow badges worn (must be worn, it must be said) by many mall employees. “These are instructions from the owners that are best followed,” says Mookdapa.
The waiters at a cafeteria in Mall Park Silom wear colorful sashes. Someone who simply introduces themselves as Kanita doesn't think it's a bad thing. It's just that sanuk, she says. This means something like fun or joy, which, however, is an inadequate translation. sanuk This is perhaps the most important life principle of Thais: life happens here and now, not tomorrow or yesterday, so you should always have fun right away. For many Thais, wearing a rainbow badge is the same sanuk like reindeer antlers, Santa hats or kitten ears at Christmas.
In front of Park Silom, LGBTQ nightlife rocks without exaggeration. Where the rainbow lives, you don't need to show your colors. But there's even more: cocktails, music and opulent drag shows. sanuk. Because gays and lesbians in Thailand have every reason to celebrate: in June, after the House of Representatives, the Senate will also give its yes to gay marriage. Thailand will become the third Asian country to allow same-sex couples to marry, after Taiwan and Nepal. If that's not a reason for Sanuk and Pride.