Eat, play, love: Why China’s gays see Thailand as the Land of Smiles – and second homes

Heeseon Xu and Jesson Liu have a dream – that one day they will own property in Thailand.

The southeast Asian nation has made its name globally among investors and those seeking a second home thanks to its spicy food, ancient temples and tropical islands, but what attracts Xu and Liu is something else. Acceptance.

The couple from Chongqing ( 重慶 ), southwest China, are gay. Isolated in their hometown, they have become frequent visitors to the Land of Smiles, where they can show their attachment in public, hang out with friends and enjoy a beer at gay-friendly bars. “We are saving money to buy a flat,” said Liu, a 42-year-old English teacher. “Ideally, it would be a one-bedroom apartment and we hope to settle down in Pattaya.”

Members of China’s Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender (LGBT) community seeking overseas property are contributing to Beijing’s headache as it tries to shore up its economy and stem the amount of money leaving its shores.

And, like the many middle-class Chinese investing abroad due to fears over the weakening of the yuan, many LGBT property buyers find themselves drawn to a land where property is relatively cheap – Thailand.