COMMENTARY

LONDON, June 29, 2007  –  It was a total shock to hear yesterday, through a Reuters agency report, that a transvestite had been refused entry to the Novotel Hotel in Bangkok.

The Novotel “brand” is part of Accor, a French-based international company which has a robust diversity policy for it hotels across the globe.

Now, the Bangkok Rainbow Organisation (BRO) is calling for a world-wide boycott by the gay community.

BRO did not take this decision lightly.  They told UK Gay News the it was only after the management of the Novotel Bangkok “brushed aside the incident as a misunderstanding” that they decided to go ahead with the international call for a boycott.

It all started when the brand manager of a French cosmetics company, Suttirat Simsiriwong, went with friends to the Novotel Hotel’s ‘Concept CM2’ nightclub in the trendy part of the Thai capital in Siam Square.

There, an ID check was made, despite the fact that the small group had VIP tickets.  And when it was found out from the ID card that Suttirat Simsiriwong was in fact a man, it was pointed out that the establishment did not allow “katoey” to enter.

Katoey is the local not-too-pleasant slang for cross-dresser, transvestite or transgender.

“What happened on Saturday night was regrettable but was most definitely not part of the CM2 nightclub entry policy, nor was it supported by its management,” hotel general manager Michael Thomas said in a statement to Reuters.

Before the hotel said in its statement that it was all a misunderstanding between its staff and Suttirat Simsiriwong – and added that that there was a security reason to check IDs, a senior member of the Novotel staff ‘spilled the beans’.

“Our own probe with a senior manager at the hotel, and staff, before the hotel’s statement was released found that it is, in fact, a policy to bar transgenders,” Nikorn Arthit of BRO told UK Gay News.

But this policy, BRO found out, is not in writing.  “All staff have learned about the order to prevent TGs from the bar,” Nikorn Arthit added.

Suttirat Simsiriwong said:  “I want to be treated like other people.  I respect rules, but they must be made clear.  : I’m not expecting we will or lose.”

Already, BRO has received support from around the world.  “We expect that Novotel hotels around the world have the same policy,” BRO said.

“Should they claim to have a non-discrimination policy, Bangkok is the exception.”

Yesterday, UK Gay News emailed Accor in Paris for comment on what had happened in Bangkok.  After more than 18 hours, no reply has been received.

Accor brands include Sofitel, Novotel, Mercure, SuiteHotel, Ibis, ETAP, Formule1, Motel6, Club Med and Cie des Wagons-Lits.  It has recently sold its Redroof hotel brand in the USA.

■  UK Gay News is a regular user of Accor hotels – mainly Novotel, Ibis and ETAP – and has never encountered any anti-LGBT problem.  In the travel section of this website Accor hotels are listed as “gay friendly”.

While the listings will remain, the “gay friendly” tags will be removed until such time that the problem in Bangkok is resolved – and we receive word from Accor head office that they don’t discriminate against those who identify themselves as LGBT in any of their “brands” throughout the world.

Additionally, in solidarity with our friends in Thailand, UK Gay News is joining the boycott – three future reservations, involving five nights, for next month have been cancelled, with the individual hotels being told the reason why.