CIVICUS discusses Bangkok Pride and LGBTQI+ rights in Thailand and Southeast Asia with Ryan Silverio, Executive Director of ASEAN SOGIE Caucus, a civil society organisation that advances the rights of LGBTQI+ people in Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) countries.
Over 300,000 people flooded the streets of Bangkok from 30 May to 1 June in Asia’s largest Pride event. This was a historic celebration, marking the first Pride since Thailand’s same-sex marriage law took effect in January. The festival offered both a moment to celebrate and a renewal of the struggle for rights, highlighting Thailand’s position as a regional leader on LGBTQI+ rights while underscoring that the fight for full equality continues, in Thailand and across Southeast Asia.