Governor Petitioned To Ban The Second Chiang Mai Gay Pride Parade

[sriracha john]

Red shirted demonstrators from the Rak Chiang Mai 51 group tangle with police as they try to halt the Gay Pride march in Chiang Mai.

Demonstrators hold placards bearing anti-gay slogans and shout abuse at the parade participants.

A number of gays and lesbians meditated and held a silent vigil outside Wat U-Pakut as the protests went on around them.

Gay Pride march halted by red shirt militants

Militant action by 200 Rak Chiang Mai 51 activists, led by Phetchawat Rattanaphongsirikul, brought the proposed Chiang Mai Gay Pride March to a halt on Saturday evening February 21 only minutes before it was due to start.

The parade had been scheduled to begin at the Saeng Tawan intersection, having first assembled at Buddha Sathan, and to continue along Chang Klan Road, finishing at Tawan Trendy Centre, where a party and other activities were to be held, including displays set up by HIV/Aids prevention NGOs.

Despite reassurances that the parade would be allowed by both the local authorities and the police, by 4.30 p.m. the Rak Chiang Mai 51 group, many masked and all wearing red, had gathered outside the forecourt at Buddha Sathan, where 20 of the mainly Thai organisers of the gay parade had already assembled.

The activists surrounded the compound, shouting abuse and homophobic comments and refusing entry to other participants.

Approximately 80 police were on the perimeter of the compound, attempting to keep order. Within the compound, an expat family including 5 children, all costumed for the parade, were threatened by the activists, who threw water containing cactus spines over the group, causing pain and irritation.

According to Rak Chiang Mai 51 members, the Gay Pride parade had been organised by local gay group Mplus with the intention of denigrating and harming the culture, history, and Lanna heritage of the beautiful city of Chiang Mai.

They stated that any such event should be permanently banned from taking place in the city.

Tempers continued to run high for several hours, although the presence of a large number of police prevented a major escalation. Participants in the parade who had assembled in Buddha Sathan were prevented from leaving the forecourt by the red-shirted activists.

Finally, Phetchawat and five core leaders of the group entered the forecourt and called for an end to the parade and an apology from the organisers.

Having no option, as the parade had not been allowed to leave the area, and fearing a violent outcome if they refused, the organisers accepted Rak Chiang Mai 51’s terms, cancelled the parade, and apologised. A request was made to police to ensure the gay group’s safe dispersal to their homes.

Pongthorn Chanlearn, one of the parade’s organisers, said, “This is the first time that conservative groups have attacked gay people - they say they are fighting for democracy. This is not democratic, this is unfair.”

Many sympathisers, both homosexual and heterosexual, including Chiang Mai students, expressed their sadness at the cancellation; with one saying, “This action has set back gay rights, harmed community relations and may have damaged much needed tourism.”

Meanwhile, at Tawan Trendy Mall, the proposed end of the parade, a stage had been set up for a beauty pageant and other entertainments. NGOs working with HIV/Aids, including Cultural Canvas and Mpower, had created displays and information stations aimed at gay men and sex workers. Visitors from all over Thailand, from China and from Burma were present at the mall.

At approximately 5.45 p.m, a small group of about 20 older Rak Chiang Mai 51 activists arrived, and immediately chased a tuk-tuk driver and his decorated vehicle containing foreign passengers from the area. Police prevented the activists from entering the mall itself. A woman who was photographing the activists was threatened - the police intervened, but would not let her continue photographing, although activists were allowed to continue doing so.

Shortly afterwards, the organisers were forced by the mall’s owner to take down the stage and all the information and exhibition booths.

The activists continued to shout abuse, stating that the parade had connections with the People’s Alliance for Democracy (PAD) and that they were protesting in favour of Lanna culture and Buddhism.

At Buddha Sathan, after the parade had been cancelled and the activists had dispersed, a number of gays and lesbians who had been meditating and holding a silent vigil outside Wat U-Pakut, walked into the compound carrying candles. An emotional 2 minutes’ silence was held. The meditators had previously been verbally abused by a group of activists, but had not responded.

At a press conference held the following morning, attended by representatives of 22 local NGOs and other organisations, Kittinan Daramadhaj, President of the Rainbow Sky Association of Thailand, told the Chiang Mai Mail’s reporter that he would like to thank the people of Chiang Mai and Rak Chiang Mai 51 for expressing their opinions, although he did not consider their mode of expressions appropriate. He stated that he did not harbour any anger or contempt for them. He feels this is a case of serious misunderstanding, which has occurred because the Chiang Mai Gay Pride Parade had been misrepresented by certain individuals who may have other agendas, saying that, “When the activists forced the cancellation of the parade, my organisation had to obey, but I consider that being made to apologise under threat is a violation of basic human rights.

The Rak Chiang Mai 51 group initially concerned itself purely with political matters, and advocated democracy. However, while the parade was still in the planning stages, their representatives spoke with us many times, but did not listen to or respect our opinions or our human rights and freedom of expression, which I consider they have now violated.”

Kittinan added that, “Chiang Mai is advertised as a city of culture and tourism, however, it seems that, at present, Rak Chiang Mai 51 are controlling everything, even the security of visitors and foreign tourists.”

Director of the parade’s organisers, Mplus’ Pongthorn Chanlearn added that, “What happened has been a huge learning curve for our organisation, and has made apparent the need to further bridge understanding regarding sexual rights and diversity with the general public. During this entire episode, we have received a great deal of support from groups throughout Thailand.

As a result, the Sexual Diversity Network and many local organisers have decided to commemorate February 21 annually nationwide in an attempt to promote sexual rights and diversity. A fund has been set up to this effect, which will also be used for legal costs in human rights lawsuits.”

Pongthorn, in conclusion, stated that his group will sit in meditation to spread peace and charity to all, especially Rak Chiang Mai 51 and those who are harming Thailand by their actions.

- Chiang Mai Mail / 2009-03-03

[tiza]

Nothing against gays, they make the same contributions to society as everyone else.

But why the need for a parade?

Most everyone knows their own sexuality - can't it just be left at that?

This is absolutely right. I was always under the impression that gay people want to be treated like everyone else. There has never been a heterosexual pride parade ever. No need for a gay pride parade, unless they want to be singled out and mocked.

The reason why straight people don't need a parade cuz when you're born guys or girls people have already assumed that you're attracted to opposite sex. When you have a parade, it sorta like an announcement the existence of sexual diversity. The good thing is young GBT people then would know that they 're not alone.

You may consider straight couples' public affection, a pride parade in a way.

[PeaceBlondie]

Congratulations to Chiang Mai Mail for their very fine March 3 coverage of the events of February 21 and 22.

[sriracha john]

Nothing like upping the ante with a bit of international media coverage of an issue...

International News

Thai Pride Parade Canceled After Protest

The second gay pride parade in Chiang Mai, Thailand, was called off at the last minute Feb. 21 following virulent on-site protests by 30 members of a group called Rak Chiang Mai 51, The Nation newspaper reported. Pride organizers said they feared the march would descend into violence, despite the presence of 150 police officers.

Rak Chiang Mai 51 spokesman Petchawat Wattanapongsirikul said pride events should be held in other cities, such as Phuket and Pattaya.

“Chiang Mai people cannot accept this and will stop the parade by all means, even violence,” he said.

- San Francisco Bay Times (USA) / 2009-03-05

[Paagai]

Congratulations to Chiang Mai Mail for their very fine March 3 coverage of the events of February 21 and 22.

Were you being sarcastic?

[Thaihog]

Why has this thread not been closed, ancient history now?

[WaiWai]

By contrast, see red & yellow, side by side in Sydney: http://www.news.com.au/common/imagedata/0,,6519725,00.jpg .

Vermillion and canary

Together in perfect harmony

...

[sriracha john]

Without equality, tolerance for gays is just a myth

THERE'S a myth, especially among foreigners, that Thailand is "tolerant" towards gays and transgenders. After all, hardly a day goes by without one seeing ladyboys or katoeys (male-to-female transgenders). Most Thais also like to believe in such a feel-good story, as well as spin it to foreigners. To say anything to the contrary will cause a loss of face. However, that kind of simplistic rationale based on visibility is akin to reasoning that Thai women must have equal rights to men because every other Thai appears to be female.

Even long-term foreign residents aren't likely to have heard about, for example, a bisexual woman who was burned alive in 2006, and the rape, murder and burning of a lesbian last year. Both cases were reported only in the Thai dailies. Rarely will they pick up stories on constant harassment and discrimination against katoeys, whose life options are severely limited. These "non-issues" are often brushed aside by Thais.

The shutdown of the Chiang Mai Gay Pride parade in February burst the "gay paradise" bubble of many who now scramble to explain the violent display of homophobia by the Rak Chiang Mai 51 group. Alarmingly, even after shutting down the event, this particular red-shirt group continues to use its radio station to incite violence against gays and katoeys.

More liberal red-shirt supporters argue that homophobia is not written in their ideology. It needn't be. Preying on unpopular groups is a classic political tactic. Rak Chiang Mai 51's violence may be the most extreme case, but they were only trying to score points from the deep-seated homophobia in Thai society at large.

And they were not alone. While spreading outrageous accusations as facts, the local media shut their eyes and ears to the explanation of the organising NGOs about the parade's cultural sensitivity and its human rights and anti-HIV objectives. Similarly, government agencies including the governor's office showed disapproval of the event, irrationally claiming that it would tarnish Chiang Mai's culture. Their concerted opposition was then used by the disrupters to justify their action. Finally, the police not only didn't help, but even pressured the organisers to apologise to the abusers. None of these actors have so far take responsibility for the incident, showing implicit approval of the homophobic violence.

The past few years have shown the extent to which the Thai public is willing to allow homophobia. During their Sanam Luang protest, yellow-shirt protestors comfortably got away with a giant main stage sign taunting a political enemy with homophobic slander. Their mouthpiece, Manager newspaper, perpetrates the same practice.

But homophobia is far from new in Thailand. Despite the Buddha's core teaching of compassion, many Thai "Buddhists" believe that homosexuals and transgenders deserve low social status in the present because they supposedly committed sins - specifically adultery - in their past lives. Some even believe that homosexuality and transgenderism are, by themselves, sexual misconduct.

The cultural aspect of homophobia was obvious during the Chiang Mai incident. Some of the disrupters' signs branded gays and katoeys as "kheud" - a northern term for "inauspicious" or "unlucky". Foreigners, naturally, are unlikely to be subject to such treatment. Rak Chiang Mai 51 even took the trouble of going around the city with loudspeaker trucks to warn foreigners to stay away from the event for risk of getting hurt.

Thailand's superficially observed "tolerance" for gays and katoeys is in fact the result of the non-confrontational culture. While disapproval of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) people is not worn on most people's public sleeve, the anonymity of the Internet, however, is rife with homophobic comments made in private. The truth is, Thai-style "tolerance" only applies when you stay put in your place according to the cultural pecking order. Unsurprisingly, Chiang Mai Gay Pride organisers were told by the authorities that there would be no objection if the parade was held on some back streets and other activities shifted to inside a hotel.

The violence in Chiang Mai shows what happens when people refuse to stay put in their place and start demanding equal rights. Exceptions to the non-confrontation rule burst out when homophobia finds its outlet in those in very high or very low groups who think might makes right. Some may view the concerted homophobia in Chiang Mai as an isolated occurrence, but it in fact sits well in the company of Rajabhat Institute's 1997 initiative to reject students who are "sexual deviants" and the Ministry of Culture's 2004 plan to get rid of the "homosexual presence" from television. These latter two examples of institutional homophobia are more worrisome. Political dissenters can shut down a gay event but it's actually power-wielding civil servants who can arbitrarily shut down civil rights under the legitimacy of government.

Despite Article 30 of the present constitution, which prohibits discrimination on the basis of sex, including sexual orientation and gender identity, Thai governments have yet to show signs of recognising the equal rights of LGBT people. The number of laws to ensure equality and non-discrimination for LGBT people remains the same: zero.

Although party to many UN human rights treaties, Thailand doesn't fare better internationally under those terms. Late last year, Thai activists met with the Foreign Ministry, requesting that Thailand sign the UN General Assembly statement calling for decriminalisation of homosexuality worldwide. The request fell upon deaf ears and Thailand abstained. It is time the government re-examined the Foreign Ministry's claim that saying yes to the statement would affect relationships with countries with gay-hostile cultures. To reject LGBT rights - an integral part of human rights - in favour of special treatment for cultural jingoism will expose Thailand's lack of integrity and encourage more homophobia on home turf. To prevent the Chiang Mai incident from repeating itself elsewhere, the government must reaffirm all constitutionally guaranteed human rights as the minimum common denominator across the country.

Campaigning in Pattaya for the general election, Democrat Party leader Abhisit Vejjajiva said in 2007 that, "The Democrat Party hopes that Thai society will recognise human dignity for all persons including those of the "third sex" … All of us must put the highest priority on human rights, liberty and equality. There should be no discrimination on the grounds of sex. Society should accept the differences as they exist in the modern world."

Now that he's become the country's leader, it's time he makes good on those words. Or else, his government will continue to raise doubts on its human rights commitments. The first step is to sign the UN non-discrimination statement, as US President Obama belatedly did by reversing the position of his predecessor. After that, he must bring to account government offices in Chiang Mai for tacitly condoning homophobic violence. This will send a powerful signal throughout the country and the world that Thailand has no place for homophobia and that tolerance can only begin when all persons stand in equality, not the cultural pecking order.

- The Nation / 2009-04-03

[Jingthing]

Why has this thread not been closed, ancient history now?

Because a great injustice has been done by the red shirted thugs. You think people will forget that so easily?

[BigSnake]

No place for gays in Chiang Mai culture?

Conservative groups in Chiang Mai have petitioned the Governor to ban the second Chiang Mai Gay Pride parade planned for February 21, arguing that such an event undermines the city's age-old culture. As director of MPlus, one of the event's organisers, I believe that cultural heritage and the expression of sexual identities are not mutually exclusive.

A flowing current brings fertility from upstream to downstream and prevents the decay that comes with stagnation. Likewise, culture, without being held hostage, renews itself in time and nourishes subsequent ages. This is true of all cultures, as they withstand the passage of time and pass on the legacy of previous generations.

For a culture to bear the passing of time, it needs to evolve alongside the people in that culture. It can't be frozen like a dead entity, because like life itself, culture goes through the cycles of creation, change and evolution. Should it stand still and fail to enrich itself with new values, decline would immediately set in. We should remember that all cultures are social constructs that are born, exist and pass away, according to the Buddhist principle of impermanence.

It is simply untrue that local cultures are completely distinct and separate from other cultures, as no cultures exist in a vacuum. They evolve through interaction within the culture and with other cultures. As a result, no individual or group can claim exclusive ownership of the culture in question.

What exactly is a culture? How did it come to be? Who owns it? For whom does it exist? These are questions that must be asked about any culture, including Chiang Mai culture, rather than accepting exclusive claims and definitions imposed by powers-that-be such as the nation state.

Culture is the total sum of the ways of life for various groups of people. It is not a sole property of the government, or capitalists, to be conveniently put in a neat package and sold for monetary gain,

Every Chiang Mai citizen is entitled to dignity and the right to contribute to their own culture according to their life being lived, not for other incentives. The capitalist culture or the authority culture is obviously not the same as the people's culture.

However, even in terms of people's culture, Chiang Mai culture today is not the same as it was 100 years ago. The differences reflect the inevitable changes in society. It is neither possible nor desirable to stop new elements flowing into Chiang Mai culture, just as it's impossible to stop tributaries pouring into a river.

A more constructive way to preserve Chiang Mai culture is by recognising impermanence and the changes to social and cultural constituents rather than categorically blocking all new elements without any guiding principles or sense of direction. The latter will become a dead weight that inhibits the regeneration of culture.

It is time to expand the ownership of Chiang Mai culture to include all subgroups of people with different ways of life and who are ready to share with and learn from others. A society and culture of diversity is more adept to cope with adverse social issues. To resist change and hang on to outdated images of culture will only cause conflict and alienation, both mental and physical. The question should be how to happily exist in a society with great diversity in sexuality, ideas, religion, politics and history.

Most importantly, every individual has a unique way of life, often in contradiction of an imaginary "golden age" of culture. The simplistic value judgement of good versus bad is an obstacle to the flow of the cultural stream and the recognition of the inherent diversity within culture.

Gay Pride is the expression of a group of people who exist in our society. Notwithstanding the negative portrayal of gays and lesbians often fed to society at large, it is important to remember that homosexuals exist in all professions; that they are our colleagues, friends and relatives; and that they make no less a cultural contribution to society than any other group.

When we talk about gay pride, some people conjure up the tired image of "improperly dressed" marchers. The truth is, Gay Pride parades in various countries also vary in character, depending on the issues being presented. Some Gay Pride participants in the West may be scantily clad, but that's to attract the attention of the public and not to sexually arouse. (This writer also believes that anyone who is so easily aroused by such images needs professional help.)

Intelligent viewers can recognise the message that any parade intends to impart, whether its human rights, HIV prevention or anti-discrimination. Nobody seeks out a Gay Pride parade for sexual pleasure, which can be found much more easily and abundantly elsewhere.

On the contrary, Gay Pride is a form of social expression by sexual minorities who, as citizens, are entitled to the right to freely express their identities and sexualities - so long as that expression does not infringe on the rights of others.

Such rights of expression are also afforded to heterosexuals. But Gay Pride has another dimension for gays and lesbians. In addition to allowing people to "come out" on an individual level, Gay Pride is also a "coming out" on a social level, because it opens up not only a physical space but also a conceptual space in the minds of others to recognise sexual minorities.

Gay Pride is thus part of the natural cultural evolution, a reflection of the river of social change and diversity. It's hoped that people in our society will think further than the simplistic binary system of what's sexually explicit or sexually arousing, polite or impolite, good or bad. This will be a learning process that takes us beyond the superficial attitudes that can only increase social conflict. Let us all hope for peace based on the understanding of the inherent diversity in all areas of life.

MPlus is an NGO working in HIV prevention among men who have sex with men, in Chiang Mai since 2002.

- Opinion By Pongthorn Chanlearn / The Nation / 2009-02-05

Well said(written) I hope the Governor does the RIGHT thing and turn DOWN this Petitioned, than this Conservatie Group can protest in the street(their right) other words what goes around will come around.

Edited April 3, 2009 by BigSnake

[PeaceBlondie]

Why has this thread not been closed, ancient history now?

Because a great injustice has been done by the red shirted thugs. You think people will forget that so easily?

And we did not close the history book after the Nazi holocaust killed Jews, gays, and political dissenters.

[WinnieTheKhwai]

> Because a great injustice has been done by the red shirted thugs. You think people will forget that so easily?

[...]

> the Nazi holocaust

Please. Back to Boystown now guys.

Edited April 4, 2009 by Mario2008
remark containing wordplay on someone's name removed. - mario2008

[marsteele]

There are certainly a lot of Gays here and it is no secret that they have large disposable incomes and are not usually trouble makers. Why not a Gay Pride parade?

because we don't need it shoved in our faces. keep it in the closet.

[PeaceBlondie]

There are certainly a lot of Gays here and it is no secret that they have large disposable incomes and are not usually trouble makers. Why not a Gay Pride parade?

because we don't need it shoved in our faces. keep it in the closet.

We are not shoving it in your face. A very unusual, atypical form of HOMOPHOBIA was violently shoved in our Thai and farang faces by violent red-shirted culturally insensitive, intolerant Thai thugs. Welcome to Thailand, where gays need not hide in closets.

[StevieH]

There are certainly a lot of Gays here and it is no secret that they have large disposable incomes and are not usually trouble makers. Why not a Gay Pride parade?

because we don't need it shoved in our faces. keep it in the closet.

you only get it shoved in your face if you want it and go to the right bars. what say intolerance rather than homosexuality is kept in the closet eh?