THAILAND: Gay people from around the world converge on Thai beach resort of Phuket for annual parade

Record ID: 277152

  • Title: THAILAND: Gay people from around the world converge on Thai beach resort of Phuket for annual parade
  • Date: 11th February 2006
  • Summary: MAN WITH YOUNG CHILD
  • Embargoed: 26th February 2006 12:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Thailand
  • Country: Thailand
  • Topics: Arts / Culture / Entertainment / Showbiz,Lifestyle
  • Reuters ID: LVA6YONX8OUAWY9IGVG0DB955J21
  • Story Text: A thousand gay people from around the world converged on a 2km stretch of beach Thailand on Sunday (February 5) to participate in a parade aimed at reviving tourism in Phuket, a beach resort devastated by the Indian Ocean tsunami over a year ago.
    Participants in outrageous costumes and headgear danced down the streets of Patong, a popular strip of beach on the resort island, accompanied by equally extravagant floats decorated in a riot of colours.
    It may be a Gay Parade, but it wasn't just gay Thais who paraded down the streets.
    Organisers say participants in the annual parade hailed from 40 nations.
    This year's parade had the more specific objective of boosting tourism to the 360 square metres island set in the Andaman Sea.
    Parade organiser Chanok Kaewsinuan said, "We intend to restore the economy of Phuket to the same level as before and build tourists' confidence in the potential of Phuket so they will return again. Our scenery is even better than before."
    The annual gay parade is part of the Phuket Gay Pride Festival, and is said to be one of the most colourful events on the tourist calendar in the popular tourist resort.
    Events over the four-day festival include a volleyball competition, street parties, games and shows.
    The eye-popping Gay Parade however is the undisputed highlight, and is an obvious crowd-pleaser with tourists.
    Swedish tourist, Peter Olsson told Reuters, "I enjoyed myself very much. Very good things to see, beautiful boys and girls. Happy, and they were all cheering. It's nice to be here. And the weather was perfect for the parade."
    Thailand's largest island was one of the several places hit by the Boxing Day tsunami in 2004, which saw a total of almost 5,500 dead in the country.
    Although the death toll on the island was relatively low at 279, the economic damage in the wake of the disaster was extensive.
    In the immediate six months following the tsunami, the island lost at least Bt60 billion in tourism dollars and led to the closure of over four hundred hotels, restaurants and souvenir stores, leaving more than 5,000 people out of a job.
    The island has made a spectacular physical recovery since with most hotels and restaurants back in business, and the beaches and waters pristine.
    The economic recovery however hasn't quite matched up, and organisers are hoping the parade will help attract the tourism dollars back.
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