It's been 11 years since Bangkok held its last Gay Pride Parade. 2017 will see Rainbow Flags all over the Capital of Thailand. The nation itself has seen more recent Pride parades, namely on the island of Phuket (pronounced poo-Ket). Each year, the island has played host to LGBTers showing their pride, but now, the parade will also take place in the nation's capital.
"It was the lack of organisation and a lack of a definite plan back then that really affected Pride to go ahead," Paul Heymans, founder of OUT BKK, one of the LGBTQ organisations involved in Bangkok Pride, told Mashable.
The pride parades of a decade ago were organised by the business sector, and capitalised on the gay movement, and were less focused on promoting visibility or acceptance for the LGBTQ community, claims Rapeepun Jommaroeng, the deputy secretary-general of Rainbow Sky Association of Thailand (RSAT), another one of the organisers.
"It was more about promoting their businesses in the views of activists," Jommaroeng wrote in an email. "I never perceived solidarity within this sector."
Organisers are also hopeful that increased visibility will help the community move toward gender and marriage equality.
"(Pride) could be another opportunity to sensitise Thai society about gender diversity issues," said Jommaroeng.
Heymans added: "Getting married legally is a basic human right and one many Thai LGBT organisations set as a main priority." – mashable.com
Plans were for the Pride Parade to take place in May, then October or November this year, but now has been pushed a little further to November / December due to a year of mourning for King Bhumibol Adulyadej who died in October 2016.
We, at OUT BKK are deeply saddened by the passing of His Majesty King Bhumibol Adulyadej.
Therefore, out of respect of the national one year mourning period, and our love for the beloved late KING, we will be postponing Bangkok Pride to the end of the year. (Nov/ Dec)Please follow this page or the OUT BKK page to stay up to date with the new dates. – Facebook
Keep up to date by visiting Bangkok Pride's Facebook page. The six-day pride event will feature a lineup of workshops, film festivals, social events and a pride march.
Let us know when dates are finalized so we can attend!
Have you been to Bangkok? Worth the trip? Will you go to Bangkok Pride?
h/t: mashable.com