THAILAND: Hundreds gather in fancy feathers for Bangkok's annual gay pride parade

Record ID: 450231

  • Title: THAILAND: Hundreds gather in fancy feathers for Bangkok's annual gay pride parade
  • Date: 11th November 2006
  • Summary: (L!3) BANGKOK, THAILAND (NOVEMBER 5, 2006) (REUTERS) VARIOUS OF GAY MEN IN FANCY COSTUMES WAITING FOR PARADE START
  • Embargoed: 26th November 2006 12:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Thailand
  • Country: Thailand
  • Topics: Light / Amusing / Unusual / Quirky
  • Reuters ID: LVA70P8YVD0EBK5V8UN6NXQ5YCLR
  • Story Text: Hundreds of gay men, lesbians and transvestites marched down the streets of Bangkok on Sunday Sunday (November 5) to mark the end of an annual, eight-day festival.
    Most participants flaunted costumes as ball gowns, ostrich feathers and brightly colored wigs but a few donned traditional Thai costumes depicting mythological characters.
    The parade down the streets of the Thai capital has been going on every year to create a sense of community amongst the homosexual population in Thailand and to empower everyone with a stronger sense of pride, regardless of their sexual orientations.
    "Thailand is more tolerant and they not afraid of being hit or harmed just because they are open about being gay and lesbian and this is the special part about Thailand. Although, Thai lesbians and gays still suffer are more of internal social control and they are too shy to be open. And there's not many lesbian like myself who would speak up and be open to the camera," said committee member Anjana Suvarnananda.
    The festival has become the annual highlight for Bangkok's very visible and thriving gay community and attracts hundred of onlookers -- mainly homosexuals -- who watch trucks packed with gyrating dancers.
    Pride celebrations started in Thailand with the support of several Thai gay businesses in 1999.
    The event is part of a worldwide network of gay pride festivals, including mega parades in Sydney, Tokyo and San Francisco.
    For gay men like Japanese Sensho Takuchi, life is much easier in Thailand.
    "Japanese gays are still in the closet, which not the same as in Thailand where it is very open. It is more comfortable to live here," said Sensho Takuchi participated in the parade for the first time.
    The week-long events included a film festival, volleyball tournaments and a swimsuit competition for the gay, lesbian, bisexual and transsexual community.
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