BANGKOK – Police raided a luxury hotel in Sukhumvit early on Sunday and arrested 29 men, 28 Thai nationals and one Filipino, at what officers described as a drug-fuelled gay sex party. The operation began at about 12.30 am at an upscale hotel on Sukhumvit Soi 13 in the Watthana area.
National police chief Pol Gen Kittharath Punpetch ordered the raid after a tip about drug parties among so-called upper-class groups. Around 50 officers from several narcotics suppression units carried out the surprise search. In a suite, they found dozens of men in underwear. Many were reportedly taking part in sexual activity when officers entered.
Police seized a small amount of methamphetamine (1.11 grammes), two meth tablets, a bottle of liquid ecstasy, ketamine (0.75 grammes), two boxes of Viagra, 30 bottles of amyl nitrite (poppers), syringes, drug-taking equipment, and large quantities of condoms and lubricant.
Three men have been charged with drug possession. Urine screening showed four people had used illegal substances. They were sent to investigators at Lumpini police station. Others were being identified and questioned as the inquiry continued.
Police Maj Gen Teeradej Thumsutee, deputy chief of the Metropolitan Police Bureau, said an undercover officer, a muscular, well-built man who had infiltrated the party scene, provided the tip about the private event.
He said the gathering was organized by the same group arrested during a similar raid in the Thong Lor area on 8 December last year.
He warned that amyl nitrite is meant for medical purposes, but is often misused recreationally, particularly among gay men, to ease anal sex. Using poppers without medical oversight is illegal and unsafe, he said.
Health risks linked to gay sex parties in Bangkok
Gay sex parties in Bangkok, often called chemsex or ice parties in Bangkok’s nightlife scene, may include multiple partners, group activity, and sometimes drugs such as methamphetamine (known as ice or yaba) or GHB.
These events sit within wider LGBTQ+ social life, yet the mix of high-risk sex and substance use raises health risks. Thailand has advanced HIV prevention, with broad access to PrEP and condoms, but gaps remain, especially among men who have sex with men (MSM). Below are key risks from recent Thai data and studies up to 2025.
1. Sexually transmitted infections, including HIV
- High transmission risk: Group settings allow rapid spread of infections through unprotected anal or oral sex and close skin contact. In Bangkok, MSM at these parties report uneven condom use. One study found that half of young MSM in the city who do not use condoms consistently acquire HIV within five years of sexual debut. Encounters at saunas or paid sex increase risk by 60 to 120 percent.
- Prevalence snapshot:
Condition General population prevalence (2025) MSM or party setting prevalence (recent estimates) Notes HIV About 1% 1.7 to 5% in Bangkok party networks, incidence around 3.5 per 100 person-years Rates rose after COVID, with more private gatherings; over 8,800 new cases in Thailand by mid-2025, the highest among teens and MSM. Syphilis Under 1% 3 to 14%, up to 12.46 per 100,000 in urban clinics Rising in Bangkok from 2019 to 2025, staying high among MSM. Gonorrhoea and chlamydia Around 0.5% 4 to 10%, growing among young MSM Often without symptoms, which fuels the spread in group settings. Hepatitis B and C 2 to 5% Around 4.4% in MSM and sex workers Linked to blood exposure and unprotected sex, with uneven vaccination. Sources include Thai health ministry data via WellMed Bangkok (2024 to 2025), peer-reviewed work on post-lockdown trends (2024), and ARIMA analyses from dermatology clinics (2025).
- Why risks are higher at parties: Many MSM delay or avoid testing, with clinics such as Silom Community Clinic reporting that 46 percent have never tested. Stigma reduces prevention uptake. After 2021 restrictions, more private chemsex events pushed risks higher.
2. Drug-related harms in chemsex
- Chemsex involves using drugs to boost arousal or lower inhibitions, and it is linked to unprotected sex and higher HIV incidence. Ice parties among young MSM in Thailand often include secrecy, pressure to take part in risky acts, and a lack of consent.
- Key dangers:
- Overdose and dependence: Methamphetamine and GHB can trigger heart issues, seizures, and breathing failure. There is a risk of addiction and long-term brain harm.
- Mental health strain: Higher rates of anxiety, depression, and suicidality, especially among MSM sex workers with money worries in places such as Phuket. A 2024 study tied chemsex to psychological distress and not testing for HIV.
- Physical harms: Severe dehydration, injuries from prolonged sessions, and contaminated substances increase overdose risk. Raids during the COVID period, including 62 arrests in 2021, highlighted patterns of heavy use.
- Evidence sources include Reuters (2021), PMC qualitative studies on Bangkok YMSM (2018 to 2024), and Nation Thailand (2025) on STI surges linked to partying.
3. Other health issues
- Mental health and violence: Some parties involve coercion or intimate partner violence, which deepens depression in MSM who have disclosed their identity. Social support helps, but stigma in Thailand, including blood donation bans for MSM, adds to isolation.
- Respiratory infections, including COVID-19: Packed indoor settings after 2021 drove transmission, with MSM facing overlapping risks.
- Long-term effects: Untreated STIs can cause lasting problems, such as infertility with gonorrhoea. Injecting drug use raises hepatitis C risk. Delayed HIV treatment worsens outcomes.
Practical steps in Thailand
Thailand’s public health system offers free HIV and STI testing, PrEP, and treatment through clinics such as Silom Community Clinic and the universal coverage scheme. Helpful actions include:
- Prevention: Use condoms, test for STIs every 3 to 6 months if at high risk, and consider PrEP. Current uptake among eligible MSM is around 10 percent.
- Harm reduction: Avoid mixing sex and drugs. Apps such as Grindr promote reminders for testing.
- Support: Groups including Bangkok Rainbow and PSI provide peer support and counselling.
These issues are not unique to Thailand, but party tourism in hubs such as Bangkok and Pattaya can intensify them. HIV has fallen since 2014 thanks to prevention scale-up, yet data from 2024 to 2025 show rebounds among young people and partygoers. For tailored guidance, contact a Thai clinic or check WHO resources. If you plan to travel, arrange health checks in advance.
