Thailand is closer to becoming the first country in Asia to host WorldPride as it has officially entered the race, competing against Spain and the United Kingdom to organise the event in 2030.

“A new chapter in Asia’s struggle for equality is being written!” the Bangkok Pride Facebook wrote on Wednesday.

The country has officially cleared the qualification screening and is now a formal candidate to host the event in 2030, it said.

Bangkok Pride, the organiser of annual pride festival in the capital since 2022, hailed the position as a monumental milestone of its mission to become the first Asian country to host the global movement.

“It stands as a testament to Thailand’s unwavering commitment to advancing human rights on the world stage,” Bangkok Pride said, adding that it is not just to bid for the event but “to become the ultimate sanctuary and destination for the LGBTQIA+ community from every corner of the globe”.

The official bidding process and unveiling of the strategic roadmap for the event will take place at the InterPride General Meeting & World Conference (GM&WC) 2026, held in Phuket in October.

Bangkok Pride has expressed a commitment to securing WorldPride 2030 since June last year when the Bangkok Pride Festival took place in the wake of a historic milestone for Thailand’s LGBTQ+ community — the enactment of the Marriage Equality Bill.

Photo gallery: Bangkok Pride Parade 2025

Alongside Bangkok are two other world-class contenders: Barcelona Pride (Spain) and Pride in London (United Kingdom).

WorldPride is a major international LGBTQIA+ event organised by Interpride and held every two to three years featuring parades, festivals and human rights conferences. The 2026 event will take place from July 25 to Aug 8 in Amsterdam.

https://www.bangkokpost.com/thailand/general/3215498/bangkok-among-finalists-vying-to-host-worldpride-2030