A Pride parade is planned for June 4 in Bangkok under the theme of "Door to Equal Asia" as Thailand aims to host World Pride 2028.
Waaddao Chumaporn, Bangkok Pride founder, told the Bangkok Post that the parade will be bigger than last year's, showcasing Thailand's readiness to host the 2028 World Pride event.
Ms Waaddao said this year's event is co-hosted with Naruemit Pride, the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA), over 40 civil society organisations and members of the private and public sectors.
The parade will feature six groups of marchers, each representing one of the six colours of the pride flag, displaying key messages on the importance of health and wellbeing in the LGBTQ+ community, she said.
The parade will also show pro-social justice messages for others, including those living with disabilities and ethnic minorities, she said.
"Starting at 2pm on June 4, [people will march] from the Pathumwan intersection in front of Bangkok Arts and Cultural Center and proceed to the Ratchaprasong intersection," she said.
"Last year, about 20,000 people attended the march at Silom Road," she added. "For this year, we aim for 20,000 marchers and 100,000 spectators.
"We will have about 2,000 volunteers who will take care of the parade," she said. "We also have the supervision of the Metropolitan Police Bureau and the BMA."
She said 38 organisations will join the parade to show support for LGBTQ+ rights, including officials from the National Human Rights Commission, the Justice Ministry, UN agencies and diplomats from various embassies.
Thailand has a strong potential to serve LGBTQ+ people around the world due to its tolerance for LGBTQ+ people, she said, calling the country a "safe space" for LGBTQ+ people in the world, especially for those from intolerant countries.
She said Thailand could tap into the LGBTQ+ tourist market through the tourism, entertainment, media and health and wellness industries.
Other parades will be held in the provinces as well to promote awareness and tolerance, she said. Also, the Naruemit Pride group will organise an art exhibition called "Road to Bangkok World Pride 2028" on May 29 in front of the BACC building, she said.
"Pride parade is not only about celebrating who we are but also about elevating the livelihoods of the LGBTQ+ community," she said. "We also want to signal to the government to accelerate LGBTQ+ laws to ensure that our country becomes truly LGBTQ+ friendly.
"If we can celebrate pride every year, we will open the door of equality to neighbouring countries, and it will show our readiness to become the 2028 World Pride host."
