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The spirit of Buddhist tolerance and non-confrontation make Thailand accepting, if not actively supportive, of same-sex relationships. Most Thais are horrified at the idea of discriminating against a person because of his sexual orientation. There are no legal restrictions against homosexuality between consenting adults, and little social stigma is attached to it. Yet, given Thai society’s strong emphasis on continuing the family lineage, many lesbians and gays feel pressure to stay closeted.
The absence of blatant discrimination based on sexual orientation in Thai society, however, takes away any impetus for the gay community to mobilize itself. It comes as no surprise, then, that informal social networks predominate over political organizations. Globalization has posed a unique set of challenges regarding homosexuality. On the one hand, many educated, upper-class Thais have absorbed homophobic prejudices from Westerners. On the other hand, Thais who have had contact with Western gay movements have returned to Thailand to spearhead domestic awareness campaigns. Thai health officials are beginning to recognize the issues of homosexuality in their crusade against HIV/AIDS, so more attention is likely to be focused on the GLBT community in the future.
Gender norms as a whole are different in Thailand, and foreign ideas and preconceptions will serve for little. Camaraderie between members of the same sex, particularly between men, is much more common than travelers may be used to. For example, hand-holding between men has entirely different implications than it has in Western culture. In any case, most Thais believe that sexuality is a private matter and should be treated with discretion, regardless of one’s sexual orientation. Public displays of affection are frowned upon under any circumstance.
Regardless, a booming gay nightlife—much of it divorced from the sex industry—remains quite accessible to foreigners and makes Thailand an extremely popular destination for gay travelers. As a result, Thai tourism officials have seen the economic benefits of gay bars and establishments. Conversely, lesbian communities, often inaccessible to outsiders, remain largely underground, and their nightlife comparatively subdued.
To avoid hassles at airports and border crossings, transgendered travelers should make sure that all of their travel documents consistently report the same gender. Many countries (including the US, the UK, Canada, Ireland, Australia, and New Zealand) will amend the passports of post-operative transsexuals to reflect their physical gender, although governments are generally less willing to amend documents for pre-operative transsexuals and other transgendered individuals.
Listed below are contact organizations, mail-order catalogs, and publishers that offer materials addressing some specific concerns. Out and About (www.planetout.com) offers a weekly newsletter addressing travel concerns and a comprehensive site addressing gay travel concerns. The online newspaper 365gay.com also has a travel section (www.365gay.com/travel/travelchannel.htm).
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For 52 years, we have published the world’s favorite budget travel guides, written entirely by students and updated every year. With pen and notebook in hand and a few changes of underwear stuffed in our backpacks, we spend months roaming the globe in search of travel bargains.
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