The Jomtien pride carnival last weekend displayed the resort’s sexual diversity in all its splendor, not to say feathers. Hundreds of mainly young Thais thronged the beach road on Saturday afternoon for three hours, narrowly missing the earlier rains. Assembled were soberly dressed enthusiasts, drag queens, amateur cabaret stars, staff from bars and massage parlors, often wearing home-made glitzy costumes that left little to the imagination. Foreigners mostly kept away from the floats, although a few waved a rainbow flag or cheered from the sidelines.
Political input, as usual, was low key. There were signs and posters embracing sexual diversity, promoting marriage equality and an end to traditional gender norms. The only complaint came from a cross-dressing star who…
