Thailand gay bar boy

There are no laws against homosexuality in Thailand. The capital, Bangkok, boasts over 60 gay bars and sex establishments. No-one seems to bat an eye-lid. The reality is, alas, somewhat different and more complex. They mistakenly assume that this means there is equality for homosexuals in Thailand. In fact, the social integration of gay people is quite ambiguous, even precarious.

The toleration of so many gay bars has as much to do with maintaining the profits of the tourist industry as with the social acceptance of homosexuals. Gay idea that Thai society has a somewhat contradictory attitude towards homosexuality is echoed by Chuan, a gay university lecturer:. Our culture is very gentle. Thai men are much less macho.

A lot of them are open to homosexual experiences and these are fairly well tolerated by our society. On a personal level, these conflicting attitudes are most directly experienced within family life. The prevalence of homosexuality, and the pattern of thailand families, means that almost every Thai family has a gay son.

Rather, it is a question of subtle negation through invisibility and a lack of social awareness about homosexual people. Nevertheless, though many people acknowledge the existence of homosexuality, they are still not used to the idea of openly gay people. Even fewer have any understanding of the notion of lesbian and gay rights.

Quite so. Any attempt at public discussion about homosexual emancipation is usually greeted with laughter and incomprehension, even by most Thai gay men. Activity is boy to a fairly small group of individuals and is primarily focused around campaigns for AIDS prevention; though there are tentative plans by Natee and his friends to launch a gay rights lobby later this year.

In contrast, other Thais who have had contact with the western lesbian and gay movements are now in the forefront of the efforts towards greater public visibility. So, for Thai homosexuals, foreign influences have been a double-edged sword, both for ill and for good. For the few lesbian and gay activists in Thailand, bar tactics are very different from the confrontational approach of their western counterparts.

This is largely due to Thai cultural traditions which attach great value to conciliation and consensus.

What are the best gay bars in Bangkok?

So be good people. Do some good work for society, and society will accept our lifestyles. In recent years, the taboos on the public discussion of sex have begun to break down and gay people have benefited from this. There have been a number of television and newspaper interviews with openly gay people, notably Dr.

Seri Wongmontha. A well-known actor, Seri has nevertheless been strongly criticised by other Thai gays for the negative public image he presents of the gay community.