Celebrating Lunar New Year in Thailand with Punyarat Kaewkuljeerapat

Cissa Group's Customer Service Representative Punyarat Kaewkuljeerapat talks to myGwork about her Lunar New Year celebrations as a member of the Thai LGBTQ+ community.

Image credit: Punyarat Kaewkuljeerapat

Could you tell us a bit about yourself?

My name is Punyarat, but I usually go by Namngern for short. I’m 28 years old and currently working for a private company in Thailand.

What does Lunar New Year mean to you?

It is a special holiday that everyone in my family gets together for. I get to meet my beloved parents, siblings, relatives and my lovely dog and have fun sharing activities together.

How do you celebrate Lunar New Year?

My family is not of Chinese descendent, but we respect their gods. We have three statues of Chinese gods in our house: Katyayana, Ji Gong and Mahayana Bodhisattva named Wei Tuo, the most respected god within the family. So, every year we have a small ceremony with the family to pay our respects to them. Also, my family celebrates three days of the Chinese New Year. On the first day, we all usually go shopping and pay respects to our ancestors and gods. Then on the second and the last day of the celebration, my family goes out and simply enjoys the day together.

What is your favorite Lunar New Year tradition?

I like the second day the most when we pay our respects to our ancestors and gods. There is so much delicious food, and it is the day we get our red envelopes. It is very exciting to see how much each of us will get.

Can you share some of the main challenges you/members of the LGBTQ+ community may face during the Lunar New Year?

I am fortunate to have a supportive family who accepts me for who I am. I’ve never once been judged, or at least not in front of my face for my sexuality. I guess other members might not be as lucky as I am, and as a result be asked inappropriate or uncomfortable questions.

What is your advice for someone who is still in the closet and spending Lunar New Year with their family?

I think we should just be ourselves. Don’t worry too much about what others think of us. Don’t change or hide your true self just to please other people. If we love ourselves enough then one day, those people will finally see our worth and accept us for who we are.