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''Drag Race Thailand'' is a Thai reality competition show based on the American version with
RuPaul RuPaul Andre Charles (born November 17, 1960; stylized as RuPaul) is an American drag queen, television personality, actor, musician, and model. Best known for producing, hosting, and judging the reality competition series ''RuPaul's Drag Race'' ...
. The series was licensed by the
Kantana Group Kantana Group is a production company established in Bangkok, Thailand in 1951 by Pradit and Somsook Kaljaruek. Kantana took its first step from radio dramas to films, television dramas, variety programs, and eventually moved on to become an int ...
and premiered on 15 February 2018. The show is hosted by fashion stylist Art Arya, while drag performer
Pangina Heals Pan Pan Narkprasert ( th, ปันปัน นาคประเสริฐ; born July 22, 1988), known as Pangina Heals, is a Thai drag queen and judge on '' Drag Race Thailand'', who later went on to compete on '' RuPaul's Drag Race: UK vs th ...
co-hosts. In November 2022, O4 Media acquired the series from Kantana Group as part of the ''Drag Race'' franchise's expansion into other parts of Asia, including neighboring country Singapore. The third season's casting applications has not yet opened.


Thai Drag

The co-host is drag queen
Pangina Heals Pan Pan Narkprasert ( th, ปันปัน นาคประเสริฐ; born July 22, 1988), known as Pangina Heals, is a Thai drag queen and judge on '' Drag Race Thailand'', who later went on to compete on '' RuPaul's Drag Race: UK vs th ...
. Heals spoke about drag as an artform, saying "People are understanding that drag isn’t about sex or gender, but about performance and making other people happy." Heals also addressed the idea that drag and "
ladyboy ''Kathoey'' or ''katoey'' ( th, กะเทย; ) is an identity used by some people in Thailand, whose identities in English may be best described as transgender women in some cases, or effeminate gay men in other cases. Transgender wo ...
s" are the same thing, saying "Thai people are really accepting of transgender girls, especially with the popularization of the Miss Tiffany's pageant shows." Heals is the most famous drag queen in Thailand, dubbed the "
RuPaul RuPaul Andre Charles (born November 17, 1960; stylized as RuPaul) is an American drag queen, television personality, actor, musician, and model. Best known for producing, hosting, and judging the reality competition series ''RuPaul's Drag Race'' ...
of Thailand", and was the winner of Thailand's first TV drag competition ''T-Battle''.


Format


Maxi challenges

The maxi challenges usually takes place before the runway, where the queens must perform in various challenges for a prize that usually consists' of gift cards and vacations. The winner(s) of the maxi challenge are not exempt from elimination however, as that is determined via the runway challenge.


Runway challenges

Unlike ''
RuPaul's Drag Race ''RuPaul's Drag Race'' is an American reality competition television series, the first in the ''Drag Race'' franchise, produced by World of Wonder for Logo TV (season 1–8), WOW Presents Plus, VH1 (season 9–14) and, beginning with the f ...
'', ''Drag Race Thailand'' involves a runway challenge for the competitors, where their performance from the maxi challenge is tallied with their performance in the runway challenge. This determines the winner of the runway challenge, who will be safe from elimination. However, the bottom queens are usually determined through the runway challenge only.


Judging panel

A panel of judges cast opinions about the challenge performances and runway looks, first to the contestants onstage, and then again with them offstage.


Seasons


Season 1

The first season of ''Drag Race Thailand'' premiered on 15 February 2018, on LINE TV. The show was adapted from the American version ''RuPaul's Drag Race'', with references and inclusion of RuPaul's music throughout the show. The winner of the first season was
Natalia Pliacam Natalia Pliacam, stage name of Assadayut Khunviseadpong, is a Thai drag performer, best known for winning the first season of '' Drag Race Thailand'', the Thai spinoff of ''RuPaul's Drag Race''. Biography Khunviseadpong is of Chinese descent, a ...
, with B Ella winning Miss Congeniality.


Season 2

A casting announcement for season two was announced on 4 March 2018. A casting commercial was shown on September 13, 2018, and stated any genders were allowed to apply, as well as non-Thai citizens. The show premiered on 11 January 2019. The winner of the second season was
Angele Anang Angele-Anang Pokinwuttipob, known professionally as Angele Anang, is a Thai drag performer, best known for winning the second season of '' Drag Race Thailand'', the Thai spinoff of ''RuPaul's Drag Race''. She was the first transgender winner in t ...
, with Maya B'Haro winning Miss Congeniality.


Season 3

In July 2021, Piyarat Kaljaruek, Vice-President of the
Kantana Group Kantana Group is a production company established in Bangkok, Thailand in 1951 by Pradit and Somsook Kaljaruek. Kantana took its first step from radio dramas to films, television dramas, variety programs, and eventually moved on to become an int ...
, announced on social media that ''Drag Race Thailand'' would be returning for a third season in 2022 to coincide with the 70th anniversary of the Kantana Group. In November 2022, however, ''Drag Race'' license owner and production company World of Wonder announced that O4 Media has acquired the series from Kantana Group.


References


Further reading

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External links


Drag Race Thailand
at
IMDb IMDb (an abbreviation of Internet Movie Database) is an online database of information related to films, television series, home videos, video games, and streaming content online – including cast, production crew and personal biographies, ...
{{Portal bar, LGBT, Television, Thailand 2010s LGBT-related reality television series 2018 Thai television series debuts Thai LGBT-related television shows Thai reality television series Thai television series based on American television series Transgender-related television shows