CHAKARUNA DRAG OPERETTA PRESENTS, "GAWDLAND: I BELONG." DRAG DREAM — THE JOURNEY OF GAWDLAND

Chakaruna, a global gathering of culture, community, and consciousness rooted in Bangkok, has announced its landmark debut event: GAWDLAND: I BELONG. Drag Dream — The Journey of Gawdland, taking place on Saturday, 30 May 2026 at Sphere Hall, Emsphere, as an official partner event of Bangkok Pride Festival 2026.

The evening is built around a simple, radical belief that sits at the heart of everything Chakaruna stands for: Belonging is a birthright. And no one alive right now tells that story better than Gawdland.

Just weeks ago, Gawdland (Thai drag artist Tharathep Thaweephon) was crowned winner of RuPaul's Drag Race UK vs The World Series 3, becoming the first Asian in history to win an international Drag Race title and the youngest winner the franchise has ever seen. She left Bangkok with six baht in her bank account. She came back as the Queen of the Mothertucking World.

I BELONG is their story, on a Bangkok stage, for the community that raised her.

"Bangkok is where I first believed I could be something. Every struggle, every stage, every moment of doubt, it all brought me back here. I BELONG is not just a show. It is a love letter to everyone who ever felt like they had to fight for their place in the world. Tonight, we claim it together." Said, Gawdland

The show is part pop musical, part drag operetta, part mythic storytelling. It traces Gawdland's journey from a young kid in Bangkok discovering drag for the first time, all the way to standing under the lights of an international stage and claiming her place on it. Music, choreography, fashion, theatre, all woven together into something that moves through the full truth of that journey: the dreaming, the doubt, the sacrifice, and the triumph. It arrives, like Gawdland herself, at Belonging.

This is also the perfect city for it. Thailand legalized same-sex marriage in 2024, the first in Southeast Asia to do so. Bangkok Pride this year expects half a million people. There is something happening here that goes beyond celebration, a genuine shift in how we gather, how we connect, how we hold each other. Chakaruna was built for exactly that shift.

The name Chakaruna comes from Andean tradition. It means Bridge Person, someone who moves between worlds, between earth and sky, masculine and feminine, ancient wisdom and modern identity. Its founders span Bangkok, New York, and Los Angeles, and its community brings together artists, activists, wisdom keepers, and seekers.

"We built Chakaruna because we believe the world is ready for a different kind of gathering, one that holds both the celebration and the depth, the joy and the meaning. There is no better way to begin than with Gawdland's story. She is everything Chakaruna stands for: someone who walked between worlds and dared to claim her place on a global stage." said, Tulaya Pornpiriyakulchai, Founder, Chakaruna.

I BELONG is where that vision begins. And Gawdland's homecoming is where it begins best.

Tharathep Thaweephon started doing drag at 20, performing at House of Heals while studying Communication Arts at Chulalongkorn University. She competed on Drag Race Thailand Season 3 in 2024 before being chosen to represent Thailand on RuPaul's Drag Race UK vs The World Series 3, where she made history in March 2026 as its first Asian winner. Razor-sharp looks, undeniable stage presence, and a deep pride in Thai culture, she is not just a drag queen. She is a Bridge.

GAWDLAND. I BELONG is proudly presented by Chakaruna in partnership with Bangkok Pride and Em District.

Saturday, 30 May 2026 | Sphere Hall | 5F | Emsphere

Tickets: https://www.ticketmelon.com/chakaruna/gawdlandibelong

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