Putting Interesting LGBTQ+ Thai Series On Your Radar
So recently I came across three plot-heavy Thai series (one completed, one ongoing and one premiering soon) featuring sapphic/LGBTQ+ protagonists so I thought I'd do my duty as your trusted lakorn watcher to report on whenever I see veteran lakorn actors are taking on LGBTQ+ characters.
Tathata I Am What I Am ตถตา ตัวกูของกู
Premiered July 21 | Ongoing (3/8 episodes) | Currently airing on TrueVisions Now, every Tuesday (English subtitles is available on TrueVisions Now but Thai VPN is needed)
Synopsis: The story follows Liu, a supporting actress who dreams of performing on the theatre stage. She secretly admires Bell, a rising starlet who is determined to become a top-tier star like Kaew and will stop at nothing to get there. One day, Liu passes an audition to be an extra in a legendary stage play starring Kaew. This production is the final gamble for Wichai, the theater owner, who desperately wants to restore his own reputation and revive the theater. However, Kaew becomes furious after Wichai gives her an ultimatum: this play will be her last, as he plans to push a new generation actress to replace her. Consumed by hatred, Kaew tries everything to prove to everyone that she is still number one. Then, one day, one of the cast members is brutally murdered inside the theatre. Inspector Jak is assigned to investigate and hunt down the killer. This serves as the catalyst that drags everyone into a terrifying and increasingly dark spiral.
As of EP 3, there are strong sapphic undertones between Liu (played by former CH3 and veteran lakorn actress Mint Chalida) - our female protagonist, Bell - the rising actress she idolizes, and Kiwi - the fellow supporting actress who's just offered Liu to stay with her.
and there's definitely gonna be a kiss between Liu and Kiwi...
It's only EP 3 and they're already flirting like this,,,,,,
In any case, aside from the potential lesbians, there are also confirmed GAYS because Inspector Jak (played by former CH3 & CH7 actor Bank Artit) is GAY!
Imagine my surprise because I thought Fool In Love was going to be the first time Bank would be taking on a gay character but NO! He's queer man in this series too, it just isn't a BL series. And I am now 150% more excited for Fool In Love.
tw: flashing
Still Water วารี ๑๐๐ ศพ
Premiering August 28 | Disney+ Thailand (English subtitles is probably going to be available on Disney+)
Synopsis: The small town of Wari Pasop appears peaceful, but beneath the calm exterior hides dark secretes. Years earlier, the unexplained disappearance of a woman set off a chain of events leading to a complex series of murders and a race to uncover a well-buried truth.
While it is not confirmed whether the characters are lesbians or LGBTQ+, there is definitely sapphic undertones and women kissing women in this gory thriller murder mystery.
The show features a strong veteran cast whom BL/GL audience may already know for their supporting roles in QL series.
The most notable appearances are Punpun Sutatta (former Nadao Bangkok) and Chippy Sirin (former CH3) who play the possibly sapphic female leads in this story.
Before moving onto the third series, I want to share the reason why I actually started this post. So this post started because after the release of the trailer for Still Water, I had realized that both series (Still Water and I Am What I Am) were written and produced by the same new production house Ideal Creation, led Pattaya millionaire property developer Petch Itthi Chawalitthamrong. Still Water is co-produced by veteran lakorn actress Pang Ornjira and I Am What I Am is co-produced by former CH3 actress Janie Tienphosuwan. Both were filmed in 2025.
I'm always particularly drawn to projects which have major veteran cast but don't have platforms/channels associated with them at the blessing ceremonies. The first question that popped into my head at the time I saw these blessing ceremony pictures were, which TV channel or platform is going to distribute these series????? What is going to be the difference between these series and the 5+ horror/thriller series that Monomax put out every year? And I think I kinda understand it now...
It's very interesting (and somewhat frustrating) that the platforms which bought these are nicher Thai audience-targeted platforms so access to these series are not always the easiest, not just for international fans (thought not impossible) but even for Thai watchers because majority of Thai people subscribe to the few popular streaming platforms: Netflix, Viu, iQIYI, WeTV... (We'll have to see if Still Water is actually available Disney+ Worldwide though because that's still highly possible). At the same time, I could see why they wouldn't want to market these shows to have LGBTQ+ because it does seem to be sensationalising what is only a really small (but key) part of the show along with other aspects. Not saying they should go all out with the queerbaiting in terms of promotion but I personally don't think it hurts anyone to let audience in on the fact that some of these main characters are canonically GAY. For example, by EP 3, there is already a scene of confession between Jak and his lover but judging from the clips posted on TrueVisions Now socials, you would have NO IDEA that the male lead detective is GAY! I mean like I'm happy because some fans will surely appreciate this plot twist being kept underwrapped but like??????
In a conversation I had with a fellow lakorn watcher friend, I thought it was interesting that these plots are the kind of stories that these veteran actresses wanted to produce and they happened to be the kind of stories to feature LGBTQ+ protagonists played by veteran lakorn actors. They are also not marketed/branded as 'GL series' either so you would have to find out on your own that these stories contain sapphics and gays by watching them (or at the very least the trailers). I understand that this mostly comes from the fact that these shows are one-off acting projects so there is no koojin or pairing to be promoted but it really won't hurt them to promote their well made series a bit MORE ಥ_ಥ. Like why do platform (Monomax, TrueVisions Now, Prime Thai, Viu) original series get minimal promotions (except for Netflix Thai original series) even though some have really great plots and production value. Anyhow, through all this I was reminded of watching Monomax's suspense thriller Sweet Dreams and finding out only in the last episode FL (played by veteran actress Donut Manatsanun) is a lesbian even though her romantic relationship is not the focus of the story (but it IS crucial to the narrative).
My Sexy Shadow คนโหดบานฉ่ำ
Premiered July 3 | Complete (10 episodes) | Monomax (English subtitles is available)
Synopsis: The story follows twin brothers raised in completely different worlds, brought together by a secret mission to uncover the truth behind their birth. Mek, a professional boxer, heads to Bangkok chasing his dream of fighting on the big stage. By chance, he meets Man, an LGBTQ+ cabaret performer who looks exactly like him, like a twin. The two decide to switch identities to investigate the mystery of their origins. Along the way, Mek grows closer to Namjai, Man’s best friend, and soon finds himself falling for her.
Even though this kind of switcheroo of straight/gay twin plot is not exactly unfamiliar as lakorn fans may have visited this in Ruk Nee Jae Jad Hai, Love Bipolar, Woon Ruk Nakkao or even in QL series like Not Me and Pluto, I personally thought it was very refreshing to watch former CH3 Ken Phuphoom play a flamboyant drag queen whose ex-boyfriend is played by guest star actor Typhoon Kanokchat (interesting and deliberate casting choices considering that Ken and Typhoon played mortal enemies with homoerotic obsession tension in their last Monomax series - The Fridge). The mystery plot was boring and the pacing was kind of slow for 10 eps in my opinion, so I would recommend this only for Ken's versatile performance as the twins and his drag performances 😁. But nevertheless I commend Monomax for diversifying their original series plots so it's not just action-thriller-horror (aka what they do best).
tldr: truevisions and monomax should really promote their originals more and let people know that their series have lgbtq+ protagonists rather than let fans have to watch for themselves and find out 🤨🙏😭
