Malaysian gets slammed online for criticizing Thailand’s celebration of Pride Month
By Bryan Ke
Several Twitter users slammed a Malaysian man for his online comments targeting Pride Month celebrations in Thailand.
What happened: In a tweet on Saturday, Twitter user Faisal Rahim criticized Thailand for how it celebrated Pride Month by turning malls into “drag queen shows with trans women wearing revealing clothes and dancing in public,” according to Coconuts.
“It is so inappropriate for kids. I guess that’s what ‘pride’ means to them,” he continued.
What people are saying: Rahim’s tweet, which has garnered over 9.4 million views, was met with a wide variety of responses from other Twitter users, many of whom defended Thailand’s tradition of celebrating Pride Month.
“Imagine feeling this entitled at one of the most LGBTQ affirming & visible countries in Southeast Asia,” one user wrote. “Bangkok has been celebrating Pride since 2006. The new Thailand government has even pledged to recognise same sex marriage.”
“Coming from someone who definitely lacks the wisdom to comprehend things,” another user said. “Embarrassing tweet. Lgbt-safe conditions are huge tourist pull factors for countries such as Thailand and others I shall not name. Let’s keep it safe and fun for everybody.”
Another Twitter user defended the drag shows Rahim purportedly saw by calling them “works of art.”
Meanwhile, others addressed Rahim’s Muslim beliefs, with one user writing, “I’m Thai and feel annoyed with Muslims from other countries. If you don’t like and feel uncomfortable about LGBT that much then don’t travel to Thailand. This place is not suitable for you, and as Thais, we won’t welcome Muslims who are close-minded also.”
Another user wrote, “As a Thai, I want to say that despite Buddhism making up the most of population, Thailand is, unlike yours, a secular state. This is a small chunk of diversity we Thais uphold. You can’t use your religious belief to insult other people. Each person has their own belief.”
The bigger picture: Pita Limjaroenrat, the front runner for Thailand’s prime minister seat, promised at a Pride parade in Bangkok on Sunday to make same-sex marriage legal in Thailand once elected as the next Prime Minister.
The 42-year-old candidate, who leads the Moving Forward Party, is reportedly speaking with other opposition members to form a coalition that would help pass laws to ensure equal rights for all in Thailand, including the Marriage Equality Act.
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