In Thailand, Locals Are Expanding on the Country's Queer Legacy
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Daytime Bangkok is an industrial opera—flashing tuks-tuks, hectic motorbikes, and dogged taxis whizz by the end of a side street, creating a soundtrack of car horns and engines, which then layer onto an Adele playlist blasting out of one of the many gay bars along Silom Soi 4 road. But hidden at the very end, where the noise of the traffic becomes a dull hum, is the Stranger Bar, its black facade bleeding into the other buildings on either side. Come nightfall, a quick metamorphosis begins—it's nondescript no more as the crowds funnel in, waiting for the night’s five drag acts to dazzle inside the bar-cum-threater.
Clad in catsuits and ball gowns, bodysuits, and bejeweled bikinis, anything goes here for the performers and 350-plus patrons. They gravitate toward the silver-curtained stage, where the MC, Miss M Stranger Fox (also known as Chakgai Jermkwan, a former Drag Race Thailand contestant), introduces each act.
“Positivity always brings people in,” shares Jermkwan, who opened the bar 13 years ago with Irish husband Sean L'Estrange. The couple, who legally married in the United States, take a brief reprieve from setting up for the night’s show and, sinking into black leather armchairs, explain how Thailand has always been somewhat inclusive and appealing to LGBTQ+ locals and tourists for that reason. “If you dress like a drag queen walking around [the skytrain], it's no problem,” says Jermkwan who, at 5 p.m., has yet to transform into Miss M.
As Thailand moves closer to legalizing same-sex marriage—something that’s set to be finalized this year—that’s only going to make Thailand more of a leader in the region and appealing to travelers.
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“Same-sex marriage really cements everything for me and for other people in terms of permanent, clear, cemented evidence of acceptance,” says Thai-American Robert Conner, an LGBTQ+ activist known for his work with the Human Rights Campaign, explaining why now more than ever people should be putting Thailand atop their “must-visit” lists. “Never in my life have I seen so many pride events in Thailand.”
The year begins with the iconic White Party, Thailand's largest gay New Year’s dance festival, which sees some 30,000 people descend on Bangkok for four days of themed partying across two locations. 2025’s theme is Techtopia, and all-white must be worn for the main event.
Pride in June is now, of course, the most celebrated moment. The celebration returned to Bangkok in 2022, after a hiatus of almost 16 years due to conservative political leadership and a lack of national coordination. “They didn't know the power of the pink dollar [at that time],” said Ken Kreangsak Leing, founder of G-Spot Entertainment, which organizes and promotes LGBTQ+ events. It continues to grow and is a great time for travelers to visit. “What more excuse do you need?” he asks. Visitors can sample those quintessential notes of Thai culture—think street food and traditional music—whilst tapping into a queer community far from home. And it’s not just Bangkok; several other destinations in the country have followed suit with Pride events of their own.
Conner recalls the Prides of his childhood in Phuket as small-scale and lacking in cooperation from local police—before they disappeared altogether. “Now, in 2024, it warmed my heart to witness a sea-change illustrated by the effective coordination from local businesses, Phuket politicians, as well as the national Tourism Authority of Thailand in executing a highly-publicized and joyous [event],” he says.
Smaller events can also be found year-round in the party epicenter of Pattaya, just a short drive south of Bangkok, whilst over on the lesser known island of Koh Samet, which is gaining a reputation as Thailand’s answer to NYC’s Fire Island, Silver Sand Resort and Night Club hosts a weekly gay party.
For those more inclined to don sneakers than sandals, the northern city of Chiang Mai (known for its hiking trails and jungle vistas) hosts Stranger Bar’s sister drag show. In more rural and remote locations, such as the eastern region of Issan where regal temple ruins are interspersed with tranquil rice paddies, small villages began holding their first parades in 2024.
It’s this variety that brings in people from elsewhere in Asia, says Leing, “It's only about three hours flying… It's cheap. It's an international hub here."
Other countries in the region are also stepping up to embrace their queer heritage and protect LGBTQ+ civil rights. Taiwan legalized same-sex marriage in 2019 and now hosts some of the biggest attended Pride events in Asia, such as last year’s Pride March, where nearly 180,000 people took over the streets of Taipei; Nepal has legally recognized the protected rights of a third gender since 2007; and in Hong Kong, the Supreme Court issued a new ruling last year allowing transgender citizens to change their gender on legal identification without having to undergo reassignment surgery.
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But it’s Thailand, an already popular holiday destination known for its dramatic ocean vistas, resident wildlife, and ornate temples, that has entered a bid to host the ultimate LGBTQ+ event: World Pride in 2028.
If it goes ahead, L’Estrange believes other LGBTQ+ events in the country will only get bigger, which is part of the reason The Stranger Bar recently moved across the street to a roomier location. “I think we can do big events like that through drag or other things that will boom,” he said.
It’s this increase in the rights of queer locals and the reflection of that in events and spaces that’s making the country altogether more appealing to foreigners.
Recognizing this, organizations are trying to make it easier for travelers to stay longer, marry, and honeymoon in the Land of Smiles. “We want to be like a one stop service,” says Ploy Rahong, a real estate agent who lives on Koh Samui, an island where crystal waters give way to white sands and high end hotels. “We’ve got hotels and bars dedicated to this community,” she said, sharing that she herself supports the marketing of Kongsiam, a bar in the beach town of Bo Phut. “It’s fun, quirky and everyone can be themselves and have a good time,” she says, explaining why it is popular with the LGBTQ+ community.
Rahong herself is set to marry her girlfriend in a beachside ceremony later this year and is working with other local businesses to prepare for what she believes will be an expansion of the LGBTQ+ wedding scene. “To have the beach as the backdrop for your wedding is something special,” she says.
In tandem, organizations like Borderless.lgbt are expanding Thailand’s health and wellness offerings for queer travelers. Borderless.lgbt is set to launch a series of "pink plus" packages for tourists who may want to marry in Thailand but also tap into gender-affirming medical services. “We are going to introduce a network of resorts that are not only inclusive, but come with different programs, whether it's skincare, aesthetics, [or] slimming but that are also wedding or honeymoon friendly,” said Dr Wei Siang Yu, founder of Borderless.lgbt and a TV celebrity known for sexual health and fertility shows in Singapore. It is supported by government-backed organization, Thailand Privilege, which offers long-term visas alongside other perks such as health and financial check-ups as well as store discounts. “We cherish love regardless of gender,” says Manatase Annawat, president of the organization, which means that it’s poised to support overseas LGBTQ+ couples and families in exploring a stay beyond the typical tourist visa allowance of 60 days.
Over the years, Annawat says Thailand Privilege is in fact seeing an increase in inquiries from the community who are starting to see Thailand beyond just a backpacker hotspot for outdoorsy types, and more as a high-end destination with an all-year-round queer calendar. “We have a lot of LGBTQI+ couples as our members, and we see the trend is growing,” he said.
Whilst the country continues its inclusive revolution, L’Estrange hopes the next step after same-sex marriage legalization will be to grant more rights to trans people who still can’t legally change their identity in Thailand. “A lot of our drag queens are trans, and a lot of the people that come to visit are trans. That would be a nice thing to see,” he says.
Conner’s hope is that more LGBT characters will find their way onto Thai TV in a more representative way so that “Thailand can live up to its general perception and outside image of being truly accepting.”
Originally Appeared on Condé Nast Traveler
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