A landmark of the last ten years

Pride Nation Samui International Festival 2024

Name: Pride Nation Samui International Festival 2024
Start: 2024-06-24
End: 2024-06-29
Location: Chaweng walking street

Pride Nation Samui was held from 24 to 29 June 2024 to mark Pride Month and promote Thailand to LGBTQ+ travellers.

When: 24 - 29 June 2024
Where: Chaweng walking street, Chaweng, Koh Samui

A mesmerizing view of illuminated sky lanterns floating against a dark night sky during a festival. — A general photo of this kind of event, not a photo of this event. Photo: Chait Goli, Pexels License

About this event

Pride Nation Samui was built by the Tourism Authority of Thailand to mark Pride Month and to present Thailand as a welcoming destination for LGBTQ+ travellers. The 2024 concept was titled 'Let's Join PRIDEradise', an attempt to turn the island into a 'PRIDEradise island'. Festivities began at Samui International Airport, where arriving tourists were greeted, and the Thailand government's guide book carried the announcement.

The tourism authority described the closing celebration as the start of a history of Samui as a Pride destination, which suggests this was the first edition. The programme combined creative seminars and workshops with community parties, photo spots and art installations at hotels and landmarks, so much of Pride Week took place around the island instead of in one place. The authority ran the same message in its wider 'Pride 2024 events in Thailand' round-up. The 2025 edition followed under a new national banner.

The facts

1 Pride Week (24 to 28 June) included seminars, workshops, a marriage-certificate registration activity, parties and art installations around the island.
2 The closing music festival on Chaweng walking street on 29 June featured Engfa Waraha, MILLI, Badmixy and the DJs Sick Individuals and Rave Republic.

Why it matters

Samui's largest TAT-backed Pride event, with major Thai pop stars and international DJs.

Line-up

Engfa Waraha, MILLI, Badmixy, Sick Individuals, Rave Republic

Festivals and culture on Koh Samui

Samui's cultural calendar follows the Thai lunar and Buddhist year. Songkran, on 13 to 15 April, is a water fight on the east coast, in Chaweng and Lamai, while west-coast villages keep a calmer, temple-centred version with blessings and merit-making. Loy Krathong falls on the November full moon, when people float small baskets on lakes and ponds. Chinese New Year brings feasting and temple visits. The Samui Festival has held a parade ending at Pru Chaweng Park. Expect restricted alcohol sales on holy days, and check dates a few weeks ahead.

Around Chaweng

Chaweng is the main resort town on Samui's east coast, with the longest beach on the island, roughly 7 km of sand. Soi Green Mango, just back from the beach, is the nightlife alley, and Central Festival Samui sits between the beach road and Chaweng Lake. Chaweng Beach Road is one-way northbound and slows to a crawl between 17:00 and 20:00 with taxis, scooters and pedestrians. Most club nights, pool parties and Muay Thai bouts are here, and Pru Chaweng Park hosts public festivals and races.