Thailand makes history by reaching first round in WorldPride 2030 host bid

Thailand has made history by advancing past the first round of bidding to host WorldPride 2030 in Bangkok, entering the final selection process alongside global cities Barcelona in Spain and London in the United Kingdom.

The next stage of the host-city bidding process will take place during InterPride’s World Conference and Annual Meeting 2026 in Phuket from October 29 to November 1, with strong participation expected from representatives of LGBTQ+ networks from around the world. 

The voting result is expected to be announced in January 2028.

Ann “Waaddao” Chumaporn, president and founder of Narumit Pride, organiser of the Bangkok Pride Festival, Marriage Equality Day and Valentine Valen Than: Heritage of Love, said: “Seeing competitors such as London and Barcelona is exciting because it gives Thailand the chance to prove its potential against globally renowned cities.”

“This is a major opportunity for Thailand to become the first country to open the door for Asia and build global cooperation on LGBTQ+ rights, while also driving the economic benefits that would come from hosting an event of this scale,” Ann said.

Janjira Boonprasert, a representative of the Foundation for Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity Rights and Justice (FOR-SOGI), stressed the country’s legal foundation and the strength of its networks.

“This is an important first victory, and we believe Thailand will receive strong support because the country has made significant progress, with the marriage equality law now in force, as well as the development of strong Pride event networks across every region of the country,” Janjira said.

Meanwhile, Rati Taesombat, a representative of the Thai Transgender Alliance (ThaiTGA), highlighted the challenges ahead and the need to further strengthen gender rights.

“The biggest challenge is communicating Thailand’s readiness to welcome transgender, non-binary and intersex people from around the world. We are now accelerating efforts to push forward the draft Gender Recognition Bill so that Thailand can become a place that is genuinely safe and accepting of everyone’s identity,” Rati said.

However, Thailand’s passage through the first round is only the beginning of proving its readiness in every dimension, including human rights, infrastructure and safety. 

If Thailand is selected, it would mark the first time WorldPride is held in Asia, helping to boost both the economy and global awareness of diversity in a sustainable way.