Phuket Pride 2012 update

Phuket Pride 2012 – April 22 to 28

The Phuket Loves You (PLU) Club in its first year of promoting a new way of Celebrating Pride, with the theme "Join our family," enabled our community to raise almost 300,000 baht which will be donated to various LGBT & HIV/AIDS charities or initiatives in Thailand. The following are the organizations and initiatives that will receive these donates: Andaman Power Phuket, The Life home Project Foundation Phuket, Patong Hospital, Phrabatnampu Temple in Bangkok and finally developing and implementing an awareness program for HIV/AIDS and STD for Paradise Soi.

These monies were raised from several events throughout the week and a special acknowledgement and thank you to the following businesses and individuals: Mr Gay Phuket competition run by Fong Kaew Mansions (125,000 Baht), Charity auction by Backstage Bar (50,000 Baht), Private collection by Mr. Barry and friends (42,000 Baht) and finally PLU Club events and donations.

Pride week consisted of various events such as an intercultural workshop, an educational film screening, four nights of street parties in Soi Paradise, a grand Pride parade through the streets of Patong and culminated in 2 day Big Stage event at the football field in Patong.

"Join our Family" theme challenged our community to become involved in creating and implementing this year's event.  Special acknowledgement and thank you are given to the staff of Sundowners, Club One Seven and CC Bloom's Hotel, plus many of our Farang and Thai community members who contributed their time and effort to help make the 2 day Big Stage events and Pride Parade possible.

Given our effort to become more visible to our LGBT Community by having our event at the football field in Patong, we received a last minute donation of 50,000 baht from Mr. David P. Mitchelhill from Techasia Limited who stated that "anything that increases the visibility, acceptance and community spirit around the LGBT community on Phuket, both resident and visitors, can only be applauded."  He further stated that "Techasia Limited would like to support your efforts for 2013 and be a corporate sponsor. We therefore will make a sponsorship payment of Baht 200,000 in support of Phuket Pride 2013."

PLU Club would also like to thank Patong Municipality and our many sponsors who, without their generous donations of money, time and media coverage, Pride week could not have taken place.

The Chair of the PLU Club Ken Miller said "despite only having four months to plan and having so many challenges thrown at us including a real Tsunami warning two weeks before and an internet rumor of another one on 28th April, it was through the dedication of everyone involved including those who attended the week's events and lined the streets of Patong to support our parade that we were able to keep the events on course. On behalf of the PLU Club and the Pride Committee, we would like to thank each and every one of them for supporting our events and community."

The aim of the PLU Club over the next few years is to widen the week's event; it is fully accepted that Patong is where the heart of our LGBT community lives but the soul of our community is located throughout Phuket Island. During the next few years it is hoped that PLU Club will hold Pride events throughout Phuket, bringing together the whole of Phuket's Thai and Farang LGBT communities as well as our non-gay supporters.
Creating a healthier community for our LGBT community, we will be working towards raising over one million Baht a year for LGBT & HIV/AIDs organizations and initiatives.  For information on how to get involved in Phuket Pride as a volunteer or sponsor please email: info@phuket-pride.com.

Source CambodiaOut
Photo courtesy of www.beachpatong.com