Bangkok Pride Parade Returning

[readerc54]

From Khoasod website:

BANGKOK — The capital city will celebrate diversity in May with its first pride parade in 11 years.

Organized by a number of LGBT organizations, the six-day Bangkok Pride event promises to host workshops, film screenings, and “lots of parties.”

“We can not wait to make one of the most important LGBT celebrations a reality in Bangkok,” said Paul Heymans of Out BKK. “It’s time to fly our rainbow flags high and show the world that Thailand is also progressing towards free and equal rights for everyone.”

The event is scheduled for May 15 through May 20, with the pride parade to take place on the last day.

Heymans said the original plan to hold it on Silom Road, long a popular gay nightlife destination, had to be changed to another location to be announced next month.

http://www.khaosodenglish.com/life/even ... p-bangkok/

[Gaybutton]

Thank you very much for posting this. I think many of us will want to be there. Please keep us updated, especially when the the parade location is announced.

[readerc54]

Associated links but no location yet.

http://www.facebook.com/events/1577498905886980

http://pridebangkok.org/

[Alex]

I think Bangkok has been doing just fine without that kind of wankfest. That said, I will be there.

[Undaunted]

Thank you very much for posting this. I think many of us will want to be there. Please keep us updated, especially when the the parade location is announced.

I hope you are as excited as I am and suspect a myriad of folks from Pattaya want to go, I wonder if special bus service is being contemplated?

[Alex]

Considering the state of many Pattaya expats, make that a bus staffed by a few (handsome? male?) nurses, followed by an ambulance just in case...

[Undaunted]

Considering the state of many Pattaya expats, make that a bus staffed by a few (handsome? male?) nurses, followed by an ambulance just in case...

Some years back a group of us were having a conversation about having an assisted care facility in Pattaya for gay people and enhancing the quality of life at the facility with a go go named "Paddles".

[Gaybutton]

an ambulance just in case...

If I need an ambulance, it will more likely be when I see some of the boys in the parade - especially if by some miracle any of them cast an approving glance my direction . . .

[readerc54]

If you're ready to commit to attend the parade (Saturday, May 20), some good hotel rates are showing availability on Agoda. I just priced dates for the the Pride period and found these offerings in Silom-Sathorn area:

Dusit Than 3,510
Dvaree 1,529
Raya 1,610
Crowne Plaza 3,795
Meridien 3,981
Pinnacle 1,180
Patnip Suites 2,077
Malaysia 887
Ibis 1,800

[readerc54]

Has "gay" suddenly become a word to be avoided in some Thai mainstream media outlets?

I bring this up because I'm puzzled why, three days after organizers of the Bangkok Pride 2017 event circulated a press release announcing it on Jan. 13, only one English-language news site that I can find (Khaosod) opted to use it.

Since it's taking place in May, a month not particularly popular among tourists, it should bring smiles to those in the hospitality business. And in view of reports that Chinese tourists numbers are sinking due to the crack down on "zero-dollar" tour packages, a week-long event that can attract visitors with higher disposable income would be cause for celebration by tourism authorities.

While the press release has been posted just about verbatim on non-media sites (i.e., Facebook and various generic event listing services), the Bangkok media remains mum. Maybe it's just that they haven't gotten around to it yet.