Phuket Pride Festival wraps up in style

Tens of thousands of revelers flocked to Phuket Town on June 29 to enjoy spectacular celebrations marking the end of this year’s Pride month.

The ‘Discover Phuket Pride 2024’ parade took place on the streets of the Phuket Old Town area and saw local residents, expats and tourists alike join in the fun.

An array of LGBTQI+ related groups marched in the official procession, many on floats, as the Old Town came to life in a wash of vibrant colour, music and entertainment.

The parade was led by a star cast of Thai celebrities, including Kam Wichayanee, Patcha Ohmjongruay, Jennifer, Kim-Mum, Laconik, Ben Chalatit, Mick Thongraya and Aof Chanaphon, while beauty pageant celebrities Mainta Farmer (Miss Thailand 2022), Tharina Botes (Miss Thailand World 2024) and Phuket’s own Lin Malin (Miss Grand Thailand 2024) were also involved.

Highlights from the event included the grand rainbow flag parade in the heart of Phuket Old Town and an elaborate drone performance, courtesy of Ultimate Technology Co., Ltd., which saw 500 drones deliver a spectacular light and sound show that WOWed onlookers.

Yesterday’s parade marked the conclusion of a month of celebrating the LGBTQI+ community, not only in Phuket but all over the world. The parade started at Queen Sirikit Park on

Thalang Road at 2pm and ended at the Chartered Bank Intersection around 7pm – where an official ceremony was held, overseen by Phuket Town Mayor Saroj Angkanapilas. The festivities then progressed well past midnight as revellers enjoyed the vibrant spectacles and fun activities on hand.

Mayor Saroj reiterated in closing remarks that the festival showcased Phuket’s stance on diversity and its standing as a location that supports and celebrates equality which welcomes one and all to its shores, regardless of sexual preference or identity.

The month-long event was also estimated to have generated around B10 million for the local economy, officials declared.

To mark its Phuket Pride celebrations for the month of June, Phuket City Municipality had adorned its major attractions in rainbow colours, including the popular – and now-renamed ‘Rainbow Bear’ – a large ‘teddy bear’ inflatable standing several storeys high near the Chartered Bank Intersection in the Phuket Old Town area.

The Chartered Bank Intersection itself also sported ‘rainbow pedestrian crossings’, and several other major features throughout the town, including ‘Nong Ya Ya’ at the Suriyadej Circle, were adorned in rainbow colours.

Six ‘Pride’ checkpoints were set up throughout the town where people could take photos. Those who collected photos at all six checkpoints and posted them online with the the hashtag #DiscoverPhuketPRIDE stood to win prizes, with winners announced on July 5.

Finally, a ‘Pride Wall’ was set up at the dragon statue in Queen Sirikit Park where people were able to freely leave their messages in support of Pride Month.

Adding to the excitement of this year’s event, and last night’s closing spectacular in particular, was the recent news that the Senate had passed the marriage equality law enabling same-sex marriage, an act that will now be promulgated before it takes effect in the next few months.