Thailand Roundup: Pride Month, Miss World, closure of border with Cambodia

Thailand holds first Pride Parade since legalising same-sex marriage

Thailand launched its annual LGBTQ+ Pride Month celebrations on Sunday, June 1, with a Pride Parade in Bangkok, the first since the legalisation of same-sex marriage earlier this year. Participants marched with rainbow flags, joined by political figures including Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra. The recently enacted Marriage Equality Act makes Thailand the first Southeast Asian nation and the third in Asia to legalise same-sex marriage.

Opal Suchata Chuangsri becomes first Thai woman to win Miss World title

Opal Suchata Chuangsri, 22, became the first Thai woman to win the Miss World title on Saturday, May 31. She was crowned at the 72nd edition of the international pageant held in Hyderabad, India, after competing among 108 contestants worldwide. In her first official address, Chuangsri described the win as a shared dream for young women seeking visibility and change. She is a native of Phuket and is currently studying international relations at Thammasat University. She speaks Chinese, English, and Thai.

Thailand set to benefit from Pride Month boost in rainbow economy sectors

Thailand is among several countries expected to gain from increased economic activity linked to Pride Month in June, particularly in tourism, entertainment, and lifestyle sectors. The rainbow economy is expanding rapidly, driven by the global LGBTQIAN+ community, estimated at 400–800 million people, or 5–10% of the world’s population. According to Coherent Market Insights, the global LGBTQ+ travel market is projected to reach US$357 billion (11.71 trillion baht) by 2025, with potential growth to US$604.34 billion (19.34 trillion baht) by 2032. Marriage equality legislation is expected to boost both tourism and investment. The Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) estimates that LGBTQIAN+ tourism alone could generate US$2 billion (65.59 billion baht) annually.

Thailand’s first-ever world No. 1 clinches badminton title

After becoming Thailand’s first-ever men’s singles badminton player to be ranked world No. 1, Kunlavut Vitidsarn won the men’s singles title at the Singapore Open 2025 on Sunday, defeating China’s Lu Guang Zu 2-0 in 37 minutes. This marks Vitidsarn’s fourth title of the year. Recently promoted to the unofficial world No. 1 ranking, Vitidsarn dominated the match, taking the first game 21-6. Despite Lu’s attempts to recover in the second game, unforced errors allowed Vitidsarn to maintain control and close out the match 21-10. The victory extends Vitidsarn’s head-to-head lead over Lu to 6–1.

Thailand to close border checkpoints with Cambodia following troop clash and boycott threats

Thailand will close six permanent and ten temporary border crossings with Cambodia, including the Preah Vihear and Ta Muen Thom tourist checkpoints, in response to rising tensions. A May 28 clash between Thai and Cambodian troops near Chong Bok in Ubon Ratchathani Province resulted in one Cambodian soldier killed and several injured. The incident triggered nationalist backlash in Cambodia, with social media users calling for a boycott of Thai products. Thai security agencies cited safety concerns for border communities and cross-border traders as the reason for the closures.