The Trump administration is no longer demonstrating concern with its own purported human rights priorities, and Thailand knows it.

Thailand has grown closer to China as its power has expanded, but it has by no means gone all-in on Beijing. This week, it began its annual Cobra Gold military exercise with the United States.

Thai activists were able to form a cohesive and organized effort that targeted both the public and the government in order to create perhaps the greatest shift in LGBTQ+ perceptions in Asia. With legalized same-sex marriage as the shining trophy of their efforts, many are optimistic about the future of the queer community in the country.