Pride, a party and a protest, kicks off in Bangkok, Thailand

Bangkok was awash with rainbow colors on Sunday as thousands of people wearing eye-catching outfits took to the streets for Thailand's annual Pride parade. Some participants danced atop floats, while others marched for hours through the city center, proudly waving rainbow flags.

Thailand's Pride parade kicked off Sunday with a show of political support. Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra (pictured center, with white cloak) participated in the march as only the second sitting prime minister to do so since the kingdom's first LGBTQ+ pride celebration, the Bangkok Gay Festival, in 1999.

Touted as "Asia's biggest Pride festival," organizers estimated that over 300,000 people turned out to celebrate. The parade stretched for 3 kilometers (1.9 miles) through central Bangkok, passing a number of prominent city landmarks including the Wat Pathum Wanaram temple.

A highlight of this year's parade was the unfurling of a rainbow flag that stretched more than 200 meters — a "first for Thailand and the world," according to the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration.

A 2025 survey by the World Population Review estimated that around 10% of Thailand's 71.6 million-strong population identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual, pansexual, omnisexual, or asexual — ranking the country among the top 10 globally for the highest proportion of LGBTQ+ individuals.

Thailand became the first Southeast Asian country to legalize same-sex marriage when it enacted the Marriage Equality Act on January 23, 2025, making it only the third place in Asia to do so after Taiwan and Nepal. Thousands across the kingdom celebrated the milestone by tying the knot, including Thai actors Apiwat "Porsch" Apiwatsayree (left) and Sappanyoo "Arm" Panatkool.

Transgender and intersex people still face challenges when marrying — official documents include gender titles that sometimes do not align with their identities. Activists are urging the government to pass the Gender Recognition Bill, which would allow people who do not identify as male or female to select a gender-neutral option. Four versions of the bill are currently under consideration.

Equal rights for LGBTQ+ people in Thailand remain a work in progress, Pride co-organizer Puncharus "Candy" Talert said Sunday. She is among those calling on the government to pass legislation that would promote equal rights. "I want the government to legislate laws, such as the Gender Recognition Act, which is underway, the Non-discrimination Act and the other laws that promote gender equity."

The global, monthlong Pride celebration traces its roots to Gay Pride Week in June 1970 — held one year after police raided the Stonewall Inn, a gay bar in New York. The raid sparked clashes between patrons and onlookers. This ultimately led to the formation of new activist groups and the birth of the modern gay rights movement.