Tiffany’s in Pattaya: A bewitching showcase of equality | Business Story EP.31
Behind the glitz and glamour put on stage at Tiffany’s Show in Pattaya lies one message – everybody is beautiful
Pattaya’s world-renowned Tiffany’s Show was launched in 1974, becoming the first-ever transgender cabaret to be performed in Southeast Asia.
Five decades later, this dazzling spectacle staged by some of Thailand’s most glamorous transgender artists has become a “must-see” for all tourists.
The show had run every single day for 46 years until March 2020, when it came to an abrupt halt due to Covid-19. The stage lights went off and feathered headdresses and glittering costumes were put away for nearly three years.
Between the many waves of Covid-19, the theatre on Beach Road tried to survive by opening on weekends and public holidays. However, it was never able to earn enough to support its cast of dancers, crew and staff, and was eventually forced to look elsewhere to make ends meet.
Apart from being a sparkling, bedazzling spectacle of dance and music, Tiffany’s has been much, much more. It served as a showcase for transgender culture long before LGBTQ+ became widely accepted. And even now, despite becoming a tourist attraction, Tiffany’s remains a symbol of human rights and equality.
In a move to celebrate beauty, Tiffany’s launched “Miss Tiffany’s Universe” in 1998 and “Miss International Queen” in 2004. These beauty pageants have become world famous, attracting people from across the world and giving transgender women a platform from where to shine.
Varunsuda Karunayadhaj
Host, The Nation
The contests are broadcast live from Pattaya and have become a model of acceptance, tolerance and equality.
Alisa Phanthusak
Managing Director, Tiffany's Show Pattaya Co., Ltd.
