Thailand hopes to host WorldPride 2028 and boasts one of Asia’s most visible LGBTQ populations.
Pita is prioritizing a same-sex marriage measure that previously failed to pass.
Pita is the leader of the Move Forward Party, which gained the most seats in the May 14 election.
Thailand’s incoming prime minister As Bangkok unveiled a proposal to host WorldPride in 2028 in a metropolis with strong claims to being Asia’s most liberal city, Pita Limjaroenrat vowed to push through an equal marriage laws if he can form a government.
Millions of foreign tourists visit Thailand every year attracted by the country’s reputation for tolerance and having one of Asia’s most visible LGBTQ communities. However, the same-sex marriage measure failed to pass the last parliament, demonstrating that the law has not kept up with the societal opinions of many Thai people.
The law is a priority of the eight-party coalition Pita leads, provided it is permitted to seize power in the coming weeks, according to Pita, leader of the Move Forward Party, which won the most seats in a May 14 election.
A Japanese court declared on Tuesday that prohibiting same-sex marriage was unconstitutional, a ruling that activists said was a step toward marriage equality. Taiwan is the only other Asian country to have enacted a marriage equality law.
The charismatic 42-year-old Pita stated on Monday at the opening of Bangkok’s WorldPride 2028 bid while surrounded by drag queens and listening to the Village People’s YMCA soundtrack: “I don’t see this as Pride month… but it’s Pride always
.”Hosting WorldPride is not just about boosting the economy and attracting tourists; it’s also about spreading the message that everyone’s rights, freedoms, and dignity must be equal, he added, noting that Bangkok was aiming to become the fourth city to host the massive event after Sydney, Washington, DC, and Amsterdam.
Pita claimed that under a deal reached with coalition partners, any government led by Move Forward is obligated to advance two draft bills on gender equality, including one that would legalize same-sex unions and another that would establish a gender identity law, allowing Thais to identify for the first time by their non-birth sex and names.
“We are getting ready to push all of this before WorldPride to demonstrate to the world that this nation’s strength lies in its acceptance of diversity.”
Pita’s party garnered the support of 14 million Thai voters with a platform of measures to advance social and economic liberties in a nation ruled for nine years by an army-aligned administration.
That entails passing the same-sex marriage law, abolishing conscription, ensuring free speech, and challenging monopolies that make it difficult for regular Thais to expand their business ideas.
It was a shocking victory that indicated political support for more liberties. But before Move Forward can assume power, there are still numerous obstacles to overcome. Among them is a potent Senate with ties to the army, which has the power to obstruct Pita’s election to office if they choose to oppose him and the will of the people.
Pita is also the subject of a media holdings investigation spearheaded by conservative political adversaries, which could result in a suspension from politics.
A younger, more liberal segment of Thai society, however, who senses a line has been drawn between old, reactionary power and a contemporary, forward-looking society, has not yet succumbed to Pita mania.
The first official Pride celebration march across the Thai capital since 2006 took place last year. Previous gatherings, according to activists, were not Pride activities exclusive to the global Pride months but rather parades against homophobia, biphobia, and transphobia.
This year’s “Pride Sunday” co-organizer Waddao Chumaporn addressed the LGBTQ community in the area, praising Bangkok’s potential as “the gateway of Asia for diversity” and sharing a message.
The purpose of hosting Pride this year, according to Waddao, is to show our solidarity for our LGBT brothers and sisters around the globe, particularly in nations with strict laws that prevent them from coming out. “We want them to feel safe in Bangkok, where they can go and be themselves,”The “Beyond Gender” theme for the 2023 Pride parade on June 4 will be used throughout Bangkok’s commercial sector.
The governor of Bangkok, Chadchart Sittipunt, voiced his conviction that social transformation is inevitable.
According to him, society in Thailand advances more quickly than the law. It’s about equality for everyone, not just the LGBTQ community. It conveys the idea that everyone may coexist in harmony and talks about the fundamental realities of life.
