Xinyu Wen traveled to Thailand in June, planning a two-week vacation around Bangkok’s Pride parade.
A gay Chinese couple looks at a facility during a condominium tour in Bangkok, Thailand, Friday, Aug. 18, 2023. LGBTQ+ people from China who are frequently scorned and ostracized at home are coming to Thailand in droves. They're drawn by the freedom to be themselves. Bangkok is only a 5-hour flight from Beijing, and Thailand's tourism authorities actively promote its status as among the most open to LGBTQ+ people in the region.
Wen got interested in Thailand when her friend sent her a photo of rainbow-colored, Pride-themed ice cream being sold on the streets.Wen describes herself as queer, which she says means that her partners can be any gender and she can be any gender.
"Using a photo of LGBTQ+ individuals in tourism advertisements is considered as offering a warm welcome without discrimination,” he said. “Among Chinese gay people, Thailand is called gay’s heaven,” he said, noting that there are many chat groups where gay men from China coordinate trips to Thailand and share information about parties and tickets to events.
The 28-year-old, who works in the television industry, first visited Thailand four years ago and remembers being shocked to hear people talk casually about their same-sex partners. Yang disliked lying to her cousins and friends about the marriage and moved to Thailand in February, saying she wanted to distance herself from her hometown.
At the Silver Sand gay bar in Bangkok, owner Adisak Wongwaikankha said about 30% of his customers are LGBTQ+ people from China, and that number has been growing.“Most of our Chinese customers come with excitement and curiosity,” he said.