Bangkok Pride
{{Infobox recurring event
| name = Bangkok Pride Festival
| logo = Bangkok Pride Logo.png
| years_active = 1999-2006, 2022-present
| first = {{Start date|1999|10|31}}
| last = {{End date|2024|06|1}}
| next = {{Start date|2025|06|1}}
}}
Bangkok Pride Festival is an annual series of events which celebrates lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer (LGBTQ+) life in Bangkok, Thailand.{{Cite web |date=2024-06-01 |title=After a quarter century, Thailand's LGBTQ Pride Parade is seen as a popular and political success |url=https://apnews.com/article/gay-lgbtq-pride-bangkok-marriage-equality-be93561331d5bf3a7d052de033d1433b |access-date=2024-09-25 |website=AP News |language=en}}{{Cite web |last=Bangkok |first=Chad de Guzman / |date=2024-06-01 |title=Bangkok Pride in Full Swing as Marriage Equality Seems Close |url=https://time.com/6984236/bangkok-pride-parade-marriage-equality-thailand/ |access-date=2024-09-25 |website=TIME |language=en}} The festival culminates in a pride parade held on Silom Road in June. The event is hosted by Naruemit Pride, the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration, and the Ministry of Tourism and Sports.{{Cite news |last= |first= |title=Naruemit Pride flies the rainbow flag on the road to equality |url=https://www.bangkokpost.com/life/social-and-lifestyle/2805425/naruemit-pride-flies-the-rainbow-flag-on-the-road-to-equality |access-date=2024-09-25 |work=Bangkok Post |language=en}}
History
Thailand's first LGBT pride celebration was the “Bangkok Gay Festival", held over Halloween weekend in 1999.{{Cite web |date=1999-11-10 |title=Thailand Celebrates Its 1st Bangkok Gay Pride Festival - The Cambodia Daily |url=https://english.cambodiadaily.com/news/thailand-celebrates-its-1st-bangkok-gay-pride-festival-90541/ |access-date=2024-09-25 |website=english.cambodiadaily.com |language=en-US}}
In 2022, "Naruemit Pride 2022" was held as the country's first official pride parade since 2006.{{Cite news |last= |first= |title=Bangkok celebrates first Pride parade in 16 years |url=https://www.bangkokpost.com/life/social-and-lifestyle/2321446/bangkok-celebrates-first-pride-parade-in-16-years |access-date=2024-09-25 |work=Bangkok Post |language=en}}{{Cite news |last=Ratcliffe |first=Rebecca |last2= |first2= |date=2022-06-03 |title=‘Like a bridge that connects us’: Pride parade comes to Bangkok amid new hope for LGBT rights |url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2022/jun/03/bangkok-pride-parade-new-hope-lgbt-rights |access-date=2024-09-27 |work=The Guardian |language=en-GB |issn=0261-3077}} Founded by Ann "Waaddao" Chumaporn, the march was supported by Governor of Bangkok Chadchart Sittipunt.{{Cite web |title=Thailand: Bangkok sees first LGBTQ Pride march in years – DW – 06/05/2022 |url=https://www.dw.com/en/thailand-bangkok-sees-first-lgbtq-pride-march-in-years/a-62038933 |access-date=2024-09-25 |website=dw.com |language=en}}{{Cite web |date=2024-05-22 |title=Organisers collaborate on Bangkok Pride Festival 2024 |url=https://www.nationthailand.com/life/40038227 |access-date=2024-09-25 |website=nationthailand |language=en-US}}
In 2023, leading opposition candidate Pita Limjaroenrat participated in the parade on 4 June 2023, along with Paetongtarn Shinawatra.{{Cite web |title=Thailand Kicks off Pride Month With Massive Parade in Bangkok |url=https://thediplomat.com/2023/06/thailand-kicks-off-pride-month-with-massive-parade-in-bangkok/ |access-date=2024-09-25 |website=thediplomat.com |language=en-US}}{{Cite news |last=Ratcliffe |first=Rebecca |last2=Siradapuvadol |first2=Navaon |date=2023-06-03 |title=‘Time of new hope’: Optimism is high for Bangkok Pride after Thai elections |url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2023/jun/03/optimism-is-high-for-bangkok-pride-after-thai-elections |access-date=2024-09-25 |work=The Guardian |language=en-GB |issn=0261-3077}}{{Cite web |date=2023-06-04 |title=Thousands join Bangkok Pride Parade |url=https://www.nationthailand.com/lifestyle/entertainment/40028260 |access-date=2024-09-25 |website=nationthailand |language=en-US}}
In 2024, Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin became the first Thai prime minister to participate in the festival.{{Cite news |last= |first= |title='First' as PM set to join Pride |url=https://www.bangkokpost.com/business/general/2797014/first-as-pm-set-to-join-pride |access-date=2024-09-25 |work=Bangkok Post |language=en}}
With the legalization of same-sex marriage in Thailand on 23 January 2025, Naruemit Pride hosted a mass same-sex wedding at Siam Paragon.{{Cite news |last=Paddock |first=Richard C. |last2=Suhartono |first2=Muktita |date=2025-01-23 |title=Thailand Starts Recognizing Same-Sex Marriage |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2025/01/22/world/asia/thailand-same-sex-marriage-law.html |access-date=2025-01-23 |work=The New York Times |language=en-US |issn=0362-4331}}
The next march is expected to be held 1 June 2025.{{Cite web |date=2024-09-25 |title=Thailand legalizes same-sex marriage in a first for Southeast Asia |url=https://www.nbcnews.com/news/world/thailand-legalizes-same-sex-marriage-first-southeast-asia-rcna172597 |access-date=2024-09-25 |website=NBC News |language=en}}