Two-Faced Thailand: The Ugly Si Of 'Asia’s Gay Capal' | HuffPost The WorldPost

Contents:

• GAYS THAILAND: IS A LGBT IENDLY UNTRY FOR TOURISM?
• TOP 5 GAY RORTS THAILAND
• THE MOST LGBT-FRIENDLY PLAC TO VIS THAILAND PATTAYA BAR STREET | © RICHARD/FLICKR IONA PROEBST 20 SEPTEMBER 2017 COPY LK FACEBOOK EMAIL TWTER PTERT THAILAND IS WILY NSIRED A GAY PARADISE AND FOR GOOD REASON. HOT ON THE GLOBAL LGBT TRAVEL STATN LIST, THAILAND IS A WELG UNTRY FOR GAY TRAVELLERS. WE’VE PUT TOGETHER OUR FAVOURE LGBT IENDLY PLAC TO VIS THE LAND OF S. VIEW ALL TRIPS BANGKOK BANGKOK IS NOT ONLY THAILAND’S PAL IS ALSO KNOWN AS THE ‘GAY PAL OF ASIA.’ BANGKOK’S NIGHTLIFE IS TENSE AND MAGIL. THERE ARE ALSO NUMERO ACTIVI AND ATTRACTNS FOR GAY AND LBIAN TRAVELLERS TO EXPLORE. FOR A POOL WH A VIEW STAY AT THE LC AMARA BANGKOK HOTEL. TAKE A SP TO FD YOUR PERFECT SMALL-GROUP TRIP STATN PASSPORTS READY? YOUR NEXT STATN IS... VIEW TRIP SP ECUADOR MOROC SPA BALI THAILAND EGYPT JAPAN ICELAND CROATIA SOUTH AI GREECE TURKEY MEXI INDIA BANGKOK SKYLE | © SWAMATHAN/FLICKR PATTAYA PATTAYA IS NOT ONLY FAMO FOR S NIGHTLIFE, ALSO HAS TWO OF THAILAND’S MOST POPULAR GAY BEACH, DONGTAN BEACH AND JOMTIEN BEACH. PATTAYA’S GAY SCENE IS ALIVE AND LOURFUL, CHECK OUT BOYZTOWN DISTRICT FOR GAY BARS, MASSAGE SHOPS, RTRANTS AND ACMODATN OPTNS. IF YOU ARE TRAVELLG WH YOUR PARTNER OR LOOKG FOR SOMEONE NEW, YOU’RE BOUND TO HAVE A FANTASTIC TIME PATTAYA. DONGTAN BEACH, PATTAYA CY, BANG LAMUNG DISTRICT, CHON BURI, THAILAND EPIC MOROCCO FROM ANCIENT CI TO THE SAHARA, EMBRACE CULTURAL RICH AND ENCHANTG LANDSP NORTH AI. VIEW TRIP JOMTIEN BEACH, หาดจอมเทียน, CHON BURI, THAILAND PATTAYA BAR STREET | © RICHARD/FLICKR PHET THAILAND’S SEND MOST POPULAR STATN FOR GAY TRAVELLERS IS THE TROPIL ISLAND PARADISE OF PHET. PATONG IS NSIRED THE GAY HUB OF THE ISLAND WH PLENTY OF BARS AND CLUBS TO PARTY THE NIGHT AWAY. WH DIRECT TERNATNAL FLIGHT LKS, PHET IS ALSO VERY EASY TO GET TO. BEE A CULTURE TRIPPER! SIGN UP TO OUR NEWSLETTER TO SAVE UP TO 40% ON OUR UNIQUE TRIPS. SIGN UP SEE PRIVACY POLICY. PALAI BAY, PHET | © EDW.11/FLICKR KRABI FOR BEACH AND NATURE LOVERS, KRABI IS THE PERFECT STATN FOR A RELAXG HOLIDAY. AO NANG AND RAILAY BEACH ARE PARTICULARLY POPULAR WH STUNNG BEACH AND FUN NIGHT LIFE. FOR THOSE LOOKG FOR A LTLE MORE ADVENTURE, KAYAKG, SNORKELG, SCUBA DIVG, ROCK CLIMBG OR EXPLORG NEARBY ISLANDS ARE FUN WAYS TO SPEND THE DAYS. HONG ISLAND, KRABI | © NILAS VOLLMER/FLICKR KOH PHANGAN KOH PHANGAN IS MOST FAMO FOR S FULL MOON PARTI THAT ATTRACT GAY TRAVELLERS OM ALL AROUND THE WORLD. THE FULL MOON PARTI ATTRACT THOANDS OF PEOPLE AND ARE HELD EVERY MONTH ON HAAD R BEACH. KOH PHANGAN IS ALSO A STUNNGLY BETIFUL ISLAND TO EXPLORE OR JT RELAX ON A CRCENT WHE SAND BEACH. MOST BEACH ARE GAY-IENDLY WH BOTTLE BEACH, SALAD BEACH AND HAAD YAO BEACH BEG AMONGST THE MOST POPULAR. THERE ARE ALSO TWO GAY BARS ON THE ISLAND, FOR YOU AND ALVE, ALONG WH A HOST OF BEACH-SI BARS. FOR YOU, 145/1 MOO 1, KOH PHANGAN , SURAT THANI 84280, TAMBON KO PHA-NGAN, AMPHOE KO PHA-NGAN, ST 84280, THAILAND HAAD R, BAN TAI, KO PHA-NGAN DISTRICT, SURAT THANI, THAILAND FULL MOON PARTY, KOH PHANGAN | © MARíA GABRIELA LUCERO/FLICKR KOH SAMUI RORT SHARE ADD TO PLAN COPY LK FACEBOOK EMAIL TWTER PTERT © STEPHANIE KRS/FLICKR KOH SAMUI KOH SAMUI OFFERS S GAY TRAVELLERS A MORE CHILLED, RELAXED HOLIDAY ATMOSPHERE THAN S NEIGHBOUR KOH PHANGAN. KOH SAMUI IS RENOWNED FOR S LUXURY ACMODATN OPTNS AND BETIFUL BEACH. CHOOSE TO STAY AT THE ABSOLUTE SANCTUARY TO NOURISH MD, BODY AND SOUL. THIS STUNNG WELLNS RORT IS ALSO ONLY SIX KILOMETERS AWAY OM BO PUT, THE CENTER OF THE ISLANDS GAY SCENE.ABSOLUTE SANCTUARY, KOH SAMUI KOH SAMUI | © STEPHANIE KRS/FLICKR KOH KUT LOOKG FOR AN EXCLIVE HONEYMOON OR ANNIVERSARY GETAWAY? KO KUT’S VIBE IS EXOTIC, TROPIL AND ROMANTIC, ALL THE NECSARY GREDIENTS FOR AN UNFETTABLE HOLIDAY. KOH KUT | © THAILANDPL -ประเทศไทย พอ/FLICKR CHIANG MAI CHIANG MAI, WHICH IS ALSO KNOWN AS THE ‘JEWEL OF THE NORTH’, HAS A THRIVG AND DIVERSE GAY SCENE. CHECK OUT THE CI GO-GO BARS, BARET VENU, GAY-IENDLY NIGHTCLUBS, SNAS AND MASSAGE SHOPS. CHIANG MAI ALSO HAS A BUNCH OF EXCG SIGHTSEEG AND ACTIVY OPTNS WAG TO BE EXPLORED. CHIANG MAI BARET SHOW | © CONNIE/FLICKR VOLNIC ICELAND EPIC TRIP MEET OUR LOL INSIR HANNA HOW LONG HAVE YOU BEEN A GUIDE? 2 YEARS. WHAT DO YOU LOVE ABOUT YOUR JOB? IT'S THE PERSONAL NTACT, THE PERSONAL EXPERIENC. I LOVE MEETG PEOPLE OM ALL OVER THE WORLD... I REALLY LIKE GETTG TO KNOW EVERYONE AND FEELG LIKE I'M TRAVELG WH A GROUP OF IENDS. WHAT DESTINATION IS ON YOUR TRAVEL BUCKET-LIST? I HAVE SO MANY PLAC ON MY LIST, BUT I WOULD REALLY LOBE TO GO TO AI. I NSIR MYSELF AN “ADVENTURE GIRL” AND AI FEELS LIKE THE ULTIMATE ADVENTURE! EVERY CULTURE TRIP SMALL-GROUP ADVENTURE IS LED BY A LOL INSIR JT LIKE HANNA. SEE OUR CULTURE TRIPS KEEN TO EXPLORE THE WORLD?
• GAY THAILAND TRAVEL GUI
• BANGKOK GAY NIGHTLIFE
• GAY THAILAND RORTS YOU HAVE TO STAY AT
• THE 10 BEST THAILAND GAY CLUBS & BARSGAY CLUBS & BARS THAILAND
• THAILAND GAY TRAVEL
• TWO-FACED THAILAND: THE UGLY SI OF 'ASIA’S GAY CAPAL'

GAYS THAILAND: IS A LGBT IENDLY UNTRY FOR TOURISM?

Obvly there is still room for improvement, but the attu towards homosexualy Thailand is que open. I have been to que a few untri, and no other have I seen homosexuals live their sexual orientatn so openly.

TOP 5 GAY RORTS THAILAND

The reason is that, although daily life Thailand lbians, gays and transgenr people live wh total normaly, Thai law is not as liberal as most of the society. In Thailand, homosexual marriage do not exist for now -although the bate over s legalizatn has been on the table for some time-.

The tolerance of Thai society means that gays, lbians and trans -men and women alike- have a relatively ee life to live and exprs themselv as they are. And surely that is why Bangkok attracts lns of gay tourists, immigrants and expats search of fun, a eer life or a relatnship that their untri of orig would be rejected, clanste or simply impossible.

THE MOST LGBT-FRIENDLY PLAC TO VIS THAILAND PATTAYA BAR STREET | © RICHARD/FLICKR IONA PROEBST 20 SEPTEMBER 2017 COPY LK FACEBOOK EMAIL TWTER PTERT THAILAND IS WILY NSIRED A GAY PARADISE AND FOR GOOD REASON. HOT ON THE GLOBAL LGBT TRAVEL STATN LIST, THAILAND IS A WELG UNTRY FOR GAY TRAVELLERS. WE’VE PUT TOGETHER OUR FAVOURE LGBT IENDLY PLAC TO VIS THE LAND OF S. VIEW ALL TRIPS BANGKOK BANGKOK IS NOT ONLY THAILAND’S PAL IS ALSO KNOWN AS THE ‘GAY PAL OF ASIA.’ BANGKOK’S NIGHTLIFE IS TENSE AND MAGIL. THERE ARE ALSO NUMERO ACTIVI AND ATTRACTNS FOR GAY AND LBIAN TRAVELLERS TO EXPLORE. FOR A POOL WH A VIEW STAY AT THE LC AMARA BANGKOK HOTEL. TAKE A SP TO FD YOUR PERFECT SMALL-GROUP TRIP STATN PASSPORTS READY? YOUR NEXT STATN IS... VIEW TRIP SP ECUADOR MOROC SPA BALI THAILAND EGYPT JAPAN ICELAND CROATIA SOUTH AI GREECE TURKEY MEXI INDIA BANGKOK SKYLE | © SWAMATHAN/FLICKR PATTAYA PATTAYA IS NOT ONLY FAMO FOR S NIGHTLIFE, ALSO HAS TWO OF THAILAND’S MOST POPULAR GAY BEACH, DONGTAN BEACH AND JOMTIEN BEACH. PATTAYA’S GAY SCENE IS ALIVE AND LOURFUL, CHECK OUT BOYZTOWN DISTRICT FOR GAY BARS, MASSAGE SHOPS, RTRANTS AND ACMODATN OPTNS. IF YOU ARE TRAVELLG WH YOUR PARTNER OR LOOKG FOR SOMEONE NEW, YOU’RE BOUND TO HAVE A FANTASTIC TIME PATTAYA. DONGTAN BEACH, PATTAYA CY, BANG LAMUNG DISTRICT, CHON BURI, THAILAND EPIC MOROCCO FROM ANCIENT CI TO THE SAHARA, EMBRACE CULTURAL RICH AND ENCHANTG LANDSP NORTH AI. VIEW TRIP JOMTIEN BEACH, หาดจอมเทียน, CHON BURI, THAILAND PATTAYA BAR STREET | © RICHARD/FLICKR PHET THAILAND’S SEND MOST POPULAR STATN FOR GAY TRAVELLERS IS THE TROPIL ISLAND PARADISE OF PHET. PATONG IS NSIRED THE GAY HUB OF THE ISLAND WH PLENTY OF BARS AND CLUBS TO PARTY THE NIGHT AWAY. WH DIRECT TERNATNAL FLIGHT LKS, PHET IS ALSO VERY EASY TO GET TO. BEE A CULTURE TRIPPER! SIGN UP TO OUR NEWSLETTER TO SAVE UP TO 40% ON OUR UNIQUE TRIPS. SIGN UP SEE PRIVACY POLICY. PALAI BAY, PHET | © EDW.11/FLICKR KRABI FOR BEACH AND NATURE LOVERS, KRABI IS THE PERFECT STATN FOR A RELAXG HOLIDAY. AO NANG AND RAILAY BEACH ARE PARTICULARLY POPULAR WH STUNNG BEACH AND FUN NIGHT LIFE. FOR THOSE LOOKG FOR A LTLE MORE ADVENTURE, KAYAKG, SNORKELG, SCUBA DIVG, ROCK CLIMBG OR EXPLORG NEARBY ISLANDS ARE FUN WAYS TO SPEND THE DAYS. HONG ISLAND, KRABI | © NILAS VOLLMER/FLICKR KOH PHANGAN KOH PHANGAN IS MOST FAMO FOR S FULL MOON PARTI THAT ATTRACT GAY TRAVELLERS OM ALL AROUND THE WORLD. THE FULL MOON PARTI ATTRACT THOANDS OF PEOPLE AND ARE HELD EVERY MONTH ON HAAD R BEACH. KOH PHANGAN IS ALSO A STUNNGLY BETIFUL ISLAND TO EXPLORE OR JT RELAX ON A CRCENT WHE SAND BEACH. MOST BEACH ARE GAY-IENDLY WH BOTTLE BEACH, SALAD BEACH AND HAAD YAO BEACH BEG AMONGST THE MOST POPULAR. THERE ARE ALSO TWO GAY BARS ON THE ISLAND, FOR YOU AND ALVE, ALONG WH A HOST OF BEACH-SI BARS. FOR YOU, 145/1 MOO 1, KOH PHANGAN , SURAT THANI 84280, TAMBON KO PHA-NGAN, AMPHOE KO PHA-NGAN, ST 84280, THAILAND HAAD R, BAN TAI, KO PHA-NGAN DISTRICT, SURAT THANI, THAILAND FULL MOON PARTY, KOH PHANGAN | © MARíA GABRIELA LUCERO/FLICKR KOH SAMUI RORT SHARE ADD TO PLAN COPY LK FACEBOOK EMAIL TWTER PTERT © STEPHANIE KRS/FLICKR KOH SAMUI KOH SAMUI OFFERS S GAY TRAVELLERS A MORE CHILLED, RELAXED HOLIDAY ATMOSPHERE THAN S NEIGHBOUR KOH PHANGAN. KOH SAMUI IS RENOWNED FOR S LUXURY ACMODATN OPTNS AND BETIFUL BEACH. CHOOSE TO STAY AT THE ABSOLUTE SANCTUARY TO NOURISH MD, BODY AND SOUL. THIS STUNNG WELLNS RORT IS ALSO ONLY SIX KILOMETERS AWAY OM BO PUT, THE CENTER OF THE ISLANDS GAY SCENE.ABSOLUTE SANCTUARY, KOH SAMUI KOH SAMUI | © STEPHANIE KRS/FLICKR KOH KUT LOOKG FOR AN EXCLIVE HONEYMOON OR ANNIVERSARY GETAWAY? KO KUT’S VIBE IS EXOTIC, TROPIL AND ROMANTIC, ALL THE NECSARY GREDIENTS FOR AN UNFETTABLE HOLIDAY. KOH KUT | © THAILANDPL -ประเทศไทย พอ/FLICKR CHIANG MAI CHIANG MAI, WHICH IS ALSO KNOWN AS THE ‘JEWEL OF THE NORTH’, HAS A THRIVG AND DIVERSE GAY SCENE. CHECK OUT THE CI GO-GO BARS, BARET VENU, GAY-IENDLY NIGHTCLUBS, SNAS AND MASSAGE SHOPS. CHIANG MAI ALSO HAS A BUNCH OF EXCG SIGHTSEEG AND ACTIVY OPTNS WAG TO BE EXPLORED. CHIANG MAI BARET SHOW | © CONNIE/FLICKR VOLNIC ICELAND EPIC TRIP MEET OUR LOL INSIR HANNA HOW LONG HAVE YOU BEEN A GUIDE? 2 YEARS. WHAT DO YOU LOVE ABOUT YOUR JOB? IT'S THE PERSONAL NTACT, THE PERSONAL EXPERIENC. I LOVE MEETG PEOPLE OM ALL OVER THE WORLD... I REALLY LIKE GETTG TO KNOW EVERYONE AND FEELG LIKE I'M TRAVELG WH A GROUP OF IENDS. WHAT DESTINATION IS ON YOUR TRAVEL BUCKET-LIST? I HAVE SO MANY PLAC ON MY LIST, BUT I WOULD REALLY LOBE TO GO TO AI. I NSIR MYSELF AN “ADVENTURE GIRL” AND AI FEELS LIKE THE ULTIMATE ADVENTURE! EVERY CULTURE TRIP SMALL-GROUP ADVENTURE IS LED BY A LOL INSIR JT LIKE HANNA. SEE OUR CULTURE TRIPS KEEN TO EXPLORE THE WORLD?

Although the are nothg but sensatns or beliefs whout much foundatn, this n be extend to gay men, or to anyone who mov away om the heteronormative non.

A mon practice Thailand is to mix gays and kathoeys, tarrg them all wh the same bsh. One time I told a taxi driver that I was gay, and he asked me if I drsed as a woman or if I wanted to be a woman. In fact, this type of discrimatn is rerced by the image that Thai media giv of gay men: ivolo, obssed wh any man who pass by, humoro and foul-mouthed.

The gay ncept is actually imported om the Wt and is que flexible, so sometim overlaps even wh that of kathoey.

GAY THAILAND TRAVEL GUI

For example, a gay man Thailand may say that he is not a ‘man’, meang that he is not a heterosexual man.

BANGKOK GAY NIGHTLIFE

It don’t occur to me that a Wtern gay man would say the same thg, or accept that the term ‘male’ only appli to straight men. Also, many gay people Thailand tend to intify themselv strongly wh an ‘active’ or ‘passive’ role, somethg that seems que old-fashned the Wt, but not Thailand. The realy may not be that simple, and realy many gay Thais are versatile, but self-intifitn wh an ‘active’ or ‘passive’ role will help them troduce themselv and relate to their gay iends a particular way.

GAY THAILAND RORTS YOU HAVE TO STAY AT

Thai people do not talk to the fay about sex, so is mon that a homosexual man has never explaed at home that he is. Surely behavr, iends, or the lack of girliends at a certa age will make clear that the boy is gay, even if is never verbalized. Instead, Songkran has bee an unofficial Pri, drawg thoands of gays om all across Asia durg the week of parti and splashy street water fights.

Instead, Songkran has bee an unofficial Pri, drawg thoands of gays om all across Asia. Its tourism dtry has been urtg gay travelers for a long time, and the untry is home to many robt LGBTQ muni.

Although the ma gay scene is ncentrated Bangkok, the equally betiful getaways Phet, Koh Samet, and Pattaya are also worth a vis for LGBTQ travelers. If you’re travelg to Thailand as a gay uple, wh your gay iends, or by yourself, you n expect a fun, welg atmosphere and loads of great parti.

THE 10 BEST THAILAND GAY CLUBS & BARSGAY CLUBS & BARS THAILAND

While gay travelers will generally have no issu travelg here, LGBTQ rights Thailand for lols rema a work progrs. The thrivg gay scene is a ma attractn, and ’s a great place to meet LGBTQ lols and travelers. Phet is one of Thailand’s bt islands and is also home to some of s bt gay hotspots.

Bangkok’s ma gay district is based around two streets: Silom Soi 2 and Silom Soi 4. Silom Soi 2 is where you’ll fd gay clubs and parti, and Silom Soi 4 is where you’ll fd more relaxed bars and dg optns. Bangkok is Thailand’s most popular tourist statn and has numero amazg attractns outsi of s gay nightlife.

THAILAND GAY TRAVEL

Pri Rtrant, right next door, bought out and expand s rtrant to clu a gay bar that’s always packed. DJ Statn is one of the bit, most popular gay clubs Bangkok, loted at one end of Silom Soi 2.

Silom Soi 2 is home to most of Bangkok’s gay clubs, and the whole street is almost like a club plex, so you need to pay to get to the street self. You’ll fd most gay bars and clubs ncentrated Patong, a beach rort on the wt ast of the island. Loted Phet’s Paradise Complex, the ZAG Club is one of Phet’s most popular gay hotspots.

There aren’t any gay-specific bars and clubs, but there are numero gay-popular spots where you n meet LGBTQ travelers and lols.

TWO-FACED THAILAND: THE UGLY SI OF 'ASIA’S GAY CAPAL'

Jt unr 2 hours om Bangkok by r, Pattaya is a popular beach rort statn wh a few excellent hotspots for gay travelers.

Sunee Plaza is a “seedier” part of the cy that was once one of s most well-known gay areas. Boyz Boyz Boyz is the first gay venue to open Pattaya, and ’s still gog strong s later.