9 May 2013

Thai pop star Pongsak 'Aof' Rattanaphong comes out

Singer and TV host Pongsak "Aof" Rattanaphong joins singer Ben Chalatit and lesbian singer Zee as being openly gay stars in Thailand.

Pop star and TV host Pongsak "Aof" Rattanaphong has come out as gay on NineEntertainment TV in March this year.

Pongsak "Aof" Rattanaphong. Photo: Facebook

In an article titled To no surprise, Aof comes out, The Nation newspaper quoted him as saying that although he was reluctant for a while, he was always sure his fans knew.

"Who didn't know I was in the closet? No one," he says. "But I think coming out will let my fans trust me more and make me more accessible to them. Now there are no doubts about me."

He explained further in the Bangkok Post: "My life has not changed. I have not come out of the closet as such, as everyone knows."

While he would previously neither confirm or deny when posed the question, he now says he will answer in the affirmative but will not volunteer the information.

"If someone asks, I tell them. If no one asks, I don't see why I should have to say anything. Of course, there are some who will understand, and others who won't. But since I am like this, I should admit it."


Lesbian singer Zee (left) and Ben Chalatit

He's the second gay male pop star in Thailand to come out publicly after Ben Chalatit who published a photo of himself and his boyfriend on the Internet in August 2011. Thailand's first openly lesbian singer is a 24-year-old known as Zee.

 

Thailand