Phuket : A paradise for Indian LGBT

[Mid]

Happy to be gay, especially in Thailand!
Rohit Vaid
June 12

They soak in the romantic settings, walk hand in hand and cosy up to each other without a worry in the world. Faced with social stigma in their own country, members of the Indian queer community are thronging Thailand -- thanks to its open culture and accommodating reputation.

"We chose Thailand as our holiday destination because there is no discrimination of queer or social isolation that we would have faced if we had gone to the holiday somewhere in India," 24-year-old Tushar Sethi, an engineering student from Kolkata, told IANS.

According to Sethi, cultural similarities, affordable pricing and openness about sexual orientation are some of the reasons that brought him and a batch of seven gay friends, which included his boyfriend, to the island nation.

Sethi's definition of the southern Thailand province of Phuket as a paradise for Indian LGBT -- an acronym for Lesbian Gay Bisexual Transgender -- community is backed by Kolkata-born Aaffzal Khan, the proprietor of the largest Indian food chain in Phuket.

"I have witnessed a boom in the Indian tourist inflow here. People come for various reasons. The gay community being present here is no surprise as the culture is fairly open here and everyone minds their own business," Khan, 39, said.

Sethi says one of the key reasons for him to choose Phuket as a holiday destination was because of marketing of the place as gay friendly -- something India doesn't offer thanks to a very medieval outlook towards alterative sexuality.

"In India, we face a lot of challenges like acting straight, not holding hands. Even when two guys stay together, you have to register your relationship status. Everywhere you go, there are prying eyes, other tourists questioning who you are and why you are with another guy," said Ashok Raj, another member in Sethi's group of friends.

"We want a hassle-free environment. Over here, no one asks us who we are and what are we doing because these things don't matter to them. I don't understand why in India people try to get into our private lives," says Raj.

A casual walk around the famous Bangla street -- known for a Thai kickboxing stadium, nightlife and thriving massage parlours -- gives a glimpse of many Indian men holding hands or coming out of gay bars like Boys Inn, Lion Gate or Phuket's Finest.

"Gay men usually come in groups from Western Europe, the US and Canada for massages and have a gala time here. Recently, a lot of Indian men have been coming in too," said Mantikan Kundhari, a masseur at Lion Gate club.

However, renowned documentary filmmaker and former journalist Ranjit Monga says members of the Indian queer community have been travelling abroad for many decades to escape prying eyes and to be themselves.

"On holidays, people want to relax. They want to be themselves. Where in India can a gay be himself... where? That's why the community goes to places like Thailand. They have been doing that for many years," says Monga, a gay himself.

Sensing a business opportunity, travel agencies are also organising special gay trips to the tourist destination.

"Yes, we do organise such trips for our clients. Recently we had a package tour for Bangkok and Phuket. Eleven Indian gay tourists visited theses places through us," said Sanjay Malhotra, founder of gay travel agency Indjapink.

Keyur Joshi, chief operating officer and co-founder of MakeMyTrip.com, agrees with Malhotra.

"This is a niche travel segment which I expect will grow in the coming time. If we see a major opportunity in this business in the future, we too will defiantly provide our services," he said.

(Some names have been changed on request) (Rohit Vaid can be contacted rohit.v[at]ians.in)

--IANS

newkerala.com

[Rural Surin]

[blue]

SICK!!!!

It makes for sad reading, but nothing new here,
paedophiles/gays have be travelling abroad to practice thier perversions for a long time now.
Solution? charge them with breaking the law when they arrive home in India; Germany have already jailed a few of thier overseas offenders.

Shame it's happening in a once family friendly place like Phuket, guess its just goes hand in hand with the general lowering of moral standards and increased crime there.

I find it distasteful that the article chooses to call these people suffering from homosexuality- QUEER, true thier odd movements, expressions and strange sounds are, well, very queer indeed, but they need help, not been labelled and laughed at, though I guess if it helps them realise and admit that they have a problem it is the first step on the road to recovery.

[lom]

I guess if it helps them realise and admit that they have a problem it is the first step on the road to recovery.

They don't have a problen Blue, it's you who has it.

[Mr Earl]

Shame it's happening in a once family friendly place like Phuket, .

Yep the euro and ozzie families love it. Pappa will shag a ladyboy while mama gets diddled by a massage lady or gogo girl. While the kids are attended to by foot massage ladies.
That's why these people keep coming back year after year. There's a little something for everyone.

[sabaii sabaii]

I haven't really noticed too many gays here in Thailand. I see guys with ladyboys, but they tend to be discreet and in their own bars

Unlike the UK with Gay Pride taking place in every city where it's right in your face

[harrybarracuda]

There's a big poofter area in Patong and has been for years. So if they are going there, and shagging Burmese boys, then they aren't doing anything Westerners haven't been doing since god knows when.

[Agent_Smith]

paedophiles/gays have be travelling abroad to practice thier perversions for a long time now.

One group commits crimes against children and the other engages in mutually consenting relationships.

Why do you lump them together?

[harrybarracuda]

paedophiles/gays have be travelling abroad to practice thier perversions for a long time now.

One group commits crimes against children and the other engages in mutually consenting relationships.

Why do you lump them together?

Ever seen a Venn diagram?

[blue]

Latest Reputation Received
Phuket : A paradise for... 14-06-2011 02:49 AM
Bexar County Stud fuck off with that noise


MR Stud, I love Teak Doors wide range of opinions
any chance we can hear yours here ?
rather than foul mouthed personal messages ?

[Agent_Smith]

Ever seen a Venn diagram?

Because a small percentage falls into both categories? Lame. You can include any group into that sort of argument. Hell, you can include the whole human race based on that. How many times has Blue had homoerotic fantasies in the past week (and then hated himself afterward)? We'll probably never know, or care, but he would fit neatly into at least one of those circles in your Venn diagram.

Gotta do better than that, Mr. Barracuda.

[blue]

ok try to get your head around these statistics secret agent smith,
concentrate now,,,
Paedophiles abuse accord to sexual preference-ie
gays abuse boys,
hetrosexuals abuse girls

gays are 1% of males
so out of 100 children abused 99 should be female and 1 male.
correct ?
but reported abuse cases in the media etc , suggests boys are at least as likely to be abused as girls if not more so,
this suggests that homosexuals are way more likely to be paedophiles than heterosexual males.
Like it or not it is the truth

[Cujo]

SICK!!!!

It makes for sad reading, but nothing new here,
paedophiles/gays have be travelling abroad to practice thier perversions for a long time now.
Solution? charge them with breaking the law when they arrive home in India; Germany have already jailed a few of thier overseas offenders.

What do you mean 'offenders'?
They're just enjoying going to where they're allowed to be who they are, I find it distasteful too, but each to their own. As long as they're not affecting you Blue, why do you care?

[Bettyboo]

I haven't really noticed too many gays here in Thailand.

Are you sure? Bangkok, Phuket and Chiang Mai attract massive numbers of our gay brothers and sisters from around the world; never mind the massive percentage of gay Thai folk.

Here's one for you, Blue... Enjoy, and don't yank too hard or you might hurt it!

[Cujo]

^ I think trans sexual is different to gay.

[Bettyboo]

^ you may well be right, but it seems that there is a link. Most, though possibly not all, transexuals are/were gay, wouldn't you say?

[Agent_Smith]

Paedophiles abuse accord to sexual preference-ie gays abuse boys, hetrosexuals abuse girls

There's the flaw in your argument. I have to go now, but I'll be back later to elaborate.

[redbaron]

Good on 'em. If they aren't hassling me, I won't be hassling them. Live and let live...

but reported abuse cases in the media etc , suggests boys are at least as likely to be abused as girls if not more so,
this suggests that homosexuals are way more likely to be paedophiles than heterosexual males.
Like it or not it is the truth

Sorry blue, you're way off the mark there. Pedophiles are more likely to be male (they seem to be), and prey on either whoever they can get to (their own kids, boys, girls) or an image of themselves...

Some further reading since you (blue) seem such an expert on the subject

Homosexuality and Pedophilia: The False Link | Psychology Today

[redbaron]

... or simply do a google for a plethora of other information

[blue]

What do you mean 'offenders'?

they are going abroad to commit a crime that an offence in thier home country.

Some further reading

comical how the author ends with-
''We can understand child sexual abuse further when people's bias and prejudice are removed and the evidence is empirical and scientific.''

As a gay himself he sounds far from open minded.

[dirtydog]

Got to admit if it is a crime in India to be gay, they really should be prosecuted on their return and stoned to death, well, if thats the punishment for being gay in India.

[alwarner]

SICK!!!!

It makes for sad reading, but nothing new here,
paedophiles/gays have be travelling abroad to practice thier perversions for a long time now.
Solution? charge them with breaking the law when they arrive home in India; Germany have already jailed a few of thier overseas offenders.

Shame it's happening in a once family friendly place like Phuket, guess its just goes hand in hand with the general lowering of moral standards and increased crime there.

I find it distasteful that the article chooses to call these people suffering from homosexuality- QUEER, true thier odd movements, expressions and strange sounds are, well, very queer indeed, but they need help, not been labelled and laughed at, though I guess if it helps them realise and admit that they have a problem it is the first step on the road to recovery.

There's a lot of straight people going overseas to fuck poverty stricken women too.

[buriramboy]

Have they still not managed to isolate the gay gene yet so they can start work on finding a cure????

[dirtydog]

There's a lot of straight people going overseas to fuck poverty stricken women too.

Is shagging poverty stricken women a disease also?

[Agent_Smith]

Have they still not managed to isolate the gay gene yet so they can start work on finding a cure????

Find a cure for the stupidity gene first. Priorities, man.

Pedophiles are more likely to be male (they seem to be), and prey on either whoever they can get to (their own kids, boys, girls) or an image of themselves...

Exactly, and here's the rub for the busy-body haters out there. Pedophiles sexual preference is not relevant when it comes to abusing children, even though they may have a certain gender preference (in adult relationships they are usually hetero) but merely seek to cause pain and suffering on children for their own sick & twisted gratification (power trip).

The difference comes down to mutual consent. Homosexuality and heterosexuality - it's all irrelevant as long there is mutual consent involved.

As red baron mentioned: Live and let live.