Gay War Against Novotel Bangkok

[farang prince]

Gay people annually spend millions of "pink baht" in Thailand. If a boycott is actually organized against Novatel, they will feel the pain, although I don't know what Simsiriwong was thinking when he went to CM2. It is a dive and my ladyboy and I wouldn't be caught dead in the place. There are plenty of classy venues in Bangkok that cater to the "Third Sex" community and do very well financially because of it.

I may be wrong but I doubt you will find many gay farang in the Novotel, they are all in Silom or Babylon! If not in Pattaya or Phuket!

[sandy]

Sandy, if a boycott is actually organized, the Novotel Siam in Bkk will not be the only one targeted. Gay groups around the world are very attuned to cases of gay discrimination, no matter where they occur. It will take one email to alert the gay and lesbian and transgendered organizations in North America and Europe about the situation. I'm still waiting to see how Novotel handles this...and so are a lot of other gay people.

[geriatrickid]

http://www.ukgaynews.org.uk/Archive/07/June/2902.htm

An interesting read. Accor and its hotels were deemed to be "gay friendly" by the group cited. It is unfortunate that thousands of employees and franchise holders of this company will suffer because of the actions of a few people. Is a collective punishment really justified? It's like saying that the gays that patronize the bars featuring young impoverished men selling themselves are representative of all gays. The man/woman has a grievance. Making threats or hurling insults from either side will only make the matter worse. Novotel will most likely try to make clear its corporate stance on the issue, but I suspect the grieving parties will not listen because there is now another agenda at stake. There will be no winners from this.

As gays are not a monolithic group the proposed boycott won't hve much impact in the long run. Novotel will simply reduce prices if need be and create the guest traffic to compensate. Gays are like any other consumer when it comes to price sensitivty. When Christian evangelicals with their millions of adherents boycotted Disney afer it introduced same sex benefits and gay day promotions, there was a similar prediction of economic ramifications. Evangelicals still went to Disney and the boycott fizzled.

[donmeurett]

I don't mean to bash Katoeys, but I have witnessed a few of them getting into trouble at several nightspots, Qbar, etc.. Not sure of the reason.

It's a FACT they get in much less trouble than the Farangs do.

[TAWP]

If it's a FACT we are awaiting the source. =)

[colino]

I see in Todays The Nation,, Novotel are going to apologise

[jumnien]

When in a scuffle with a transvestite that has declared war on you it is best to treat him(her) like a three year old and say you are oh so sorry and buy them a tricycle and a popsicle and everything will be better. Otherwise, they'll shreak like a banshee until they get the attention they think they deserve. I think it's the drugs, including the medications they take that compels them to act this way, coupled with the narcissism of course.

My father's gay and i've grown up in a world which includes a lot of self-centered narcissists. I want to be sure to say that not all transvetites are like this one. I've met some lovely "ladies" too!

Edited July 5, 2007 by mdeland

[A_Traveller]

I have to say that this particular establishment has had a long history of being unwelcoming at the door to Ladyboys, even those, as it appears in this case, who are working in the cosmetics industry.

Rumour has it that it goes back to a set of incidents involving guests at the hotel, some of whom were slightly surprised upon returning to their rooms accompanied.

Regards

[farang prince]

When in a scuffle with a transvestite that has declared war on you it is best to treat him(her) like a three year old and say you are oh so sorry and buy them a tricycle and a popsicle and everything will be better. Otherwise, they'll shreak like a banshee until they get the attention they think they deserve. I think it's the drugs, including the medications they take that compels them to act this way, coupled with the narcissism of course.

My father's gay and i've grown up in a world which includes a lot of self-centered narcissists. I want to be sure to say that not all transvetites are like this one. I've met some lovely "ladies" too!

What rubbish!

[jumnien]

It might seem like rubbish to you, but I still say it's best to apologize, however ridiculous the whole thing is, and stop the escalation of this international incident!

[chanchao]

ONCE AGAIN THIS IS NOT ABOUT GAYS... IT IS ABOUT SLEAZY KATOYS TRYING TO TRICK FARANGS NOTHING MORE. THIS IS NO DIFFERENT THAN SOME SLEAZY OLD SOD TRICKING UNDERAGE GIRLS.

I AM SURE RESPECTABLE GAYS ARE WELCOME

Your CAPS lock can be found above your left 'shift' key. and how is Canada today?

Don't bother feeding the forum trolls.

[chanchao]

Gay people annually spend millions of "pink baht" in Thailand.

'brown baht', no ?

No.

why pink and not brown ?

One of you hasn't heard of bleaching treatments / products.

[farang prince]

A formal apology was issued Thursday by Novotel management and the boycott has been called off. It took two weeks for Novotel management to issue the apology because they said the incident "was so unbelievable we had to investigate on our own." Apparently their "investigation" determined that the personnel at CM2 had screwed up, hence the apology. Better late than never. I still don't plan on going to the place...but that's just personal preference.

Edited July 5, 2007 by farang prince

[Jai Dee]

Novotel Apologizes To Thai Trans Woman

Faced with the threat of an international boycott of its hotels, the Bangkok Novotel on Thursday apologized to a transsexual who was barred from its nightclub.

Hotel security guards at the door of the club barred Suthirat Simsri-wong, from entering the premises on the grounds that she was not a "legitimate woman".

The action enraged Thai LGBT civil rights activists who called for a worldwide boycott of Novotel. More than 100 LGBT organizations signed on to the boycott.

Thursday, at a news conference at the Novotel Bangkok manager Gerald Hougardy issued an apology.

"On behalf of Novotel Bangkok in Siam Square, I would like to extend my sincere apology to Suttirat Simsri-wong for the unfortunate incident that took place" said Hougardy.

Suthirat and LGBT rights advocates also attended the news conference.

Suthirat said she accepted the apology and urged rights groups to end the boycott.

"What's past is past. In the future I will be a guest of the Novotel," she said.

Thailand is considered one of the world's most LGBT accepting countries. Gays and lesbians have long had their rights enshrined in the constitution. The country's new constitution also includes transgenders.

Source: 365Gay.com Newscenter - 05 July 2007

[BambinA]

As i know,Miss Mod (her nickname) Suthirat Simsri-wong is a Hi-So(from her surname) and well education transgirl.

She provokes TH law to adjust #30 issue (democracy)

And it is done ..Thank you Novotel

[geriatrickid]

As most people with commonsense expected, Accor made the corporate apology and dealt with the situation.

Accor was not overly concerned with any threat of a "gay boycott". What was a priority was its reputation; for corporate social responsibility and as an ethical employer and its status as a leader in gender equality. For those that decided to join the lynching party, read of pages 32-34 of the annual report and look at what Accor has done in Thailand and its involvement with worldwide Aids prevention and in stopping sex tourism. How many international hotels can say the same?

Thankfully this is over.