5 Most LGBT-Friendly Countries in Asia

1. Thailand

Homosexuality has been legal in Thailand since 1956 and it also legally bans some forms of anti-gay discrimination. The military accepts citizens regardless of sexual orientation, and in a recent poll, 88.7% of Thais were shown to be accepting of gays. In 2022, a Partnership Registration Bill for LGBT couples was approved that allows same-sex couples to be recognized as “life partners” and provides them with the same rights and privileges as heterosexual couples including the option to adopt children. It hosted the Thailand Pride Parade in 2022 as the first formal Pride in Bangkok’s history and while no formal attendance data was reported, an organizer estimated around 10,000 participants. It also hosts the Songkran Gay Circuit Party the Asia Circuit Festival, and the BankokThai International Film Festival of which the LGBT segment is a significant portion. The largest concentration of gay bars and clubs is in Bangkok with notable places including Stranger, DJ Station, and Balcony. Other cities including Pattaya, Chiang Mai, and Phuket also have a prominent number of LGBT-friendly places.

See also Top 13 Countries with Biggest Gay Populations and 20 Most Gay Friendly Countries In The World.