7th Phuket Gay Festival

7th Phuket Gay Festival

Sing if you’re glad to be…

Now in its seventh year, Phuket’s annual Gay Festival has become one of the island’s top tourist draw cards, and this year is likely to be no exception. Staged again in Patong, from 2 to 5 February, it is expected to attract over 10,000 participants from as far a-field as the UK and US, Italy, Germany, Japan Singapore and Hong Kong. With a grand parade through Patong, stage shows at the Paradise Complex, street cabarets and sporting events, it is also set to be the most colourful three days the island has ever seen.

In the past Thailand’s leaders have often cited the country’s strict moral code as a reason for blocking such event as this, but Chanok Kaewseenuan, better known as Khun Tangmo – Chairman of the Phuket Gay Community and festival organizer – believes that things are slowly thawing out as authorities begin to understand just how much spending power the international gay community can bring to the country.

“Thailand has become more open about this matter. We have a better image and are accepted in the society,” he says. “The recent international gay event at Crown Plaza Phuket in Karon brought a lot of income to the island. There should be more events with different concepts organized here that will promote Phuket as a beautiful destination and show that we are even better after recovering from the tsunami,” Khun Tangmo told Phuket Post, adding that Phuket will be hosting the International Gay Games this October for the first time.

Last year’s Phuket Gay Festival raised over 500,000 baht in five days to support schools, temples and villages damaged by the tsunami, and Khun Tangmo’s plan is for this year’s donations to go to those who have yet to be reached by government support. “This festival is mainly organized to boost harmony among everyone, for fun and to support the island. We don’t organize activities like this only for the fun of it. We give something back to the public.”

Patong’s gay community was also instrumental in helping to establish the Sabaidee Clinic at Patong Hospital. Open daily from 4.30pm to 9.30pm the clinic was established to give Phuket gay population a place to seek medical advice, assistance and counselling.

An addition to this year’s festival will be the Patong Business Fair in Soi Paradise, where local associations and businesses, including entertainment venues, beauty salons, massage parlours, hospitals and hotels, will be exhibiting their services – and again showing just how important the gay community is to the financial health of Phuket. “We have done a lot for the island and more people accept us for what we are,” Khun Tangmo said. “Being gay is not wrong. We can be happy living in the same society with others and I hope that more people will be more open to this.”

http://phuket-post.com/article.php?id=147