Drag Race Thailand

Drag Race Thailand is a Thai reality competition show based on the American version with RuPaul. The series was licensed by the Kantana Group and premiered on 15 February 2018. The show is hosted by fashion stylist Art Arya, while drag performer Pangina Heals co-hosts.[1]

For the concluded regular season, see Drag Race Thailand (season 2).

Drag Race Thailand
Thaiแดร็ก เรซ ไทยแลนด์
GenreReality competition
Created byRuPaul
Based onRuPaul's Drag Race
Judges
Opening theme"Drag Race Thailand" theme (season 1–present)
Ending theme
Country of originThailand
Original languages
  • Thai
  • English
No. of seasons2
No. of episodes21 (list of episodes)
Production
Executive producer
  • Piyarat Kaljaruek
Camera setupMultiple-camera
Running time55–60 minutes
Production companiesKantana (season 1-2)
O4 Media
World of Wonder
Release
Original network
  • LINE TV
Original release15 February 2018 (2018-02-15) –
present (present)
Related

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.[2] The third season's casting applications has not yet opened.

Thai Drag

The co-host is drag queen Pangina Heals. 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 "ladyboys" are the same thing, saying "Thai people are really accepting of transgender girls, especially with the popularization of the Miss Tiffany's pageant shows."[3]

Heals is the most famous drag queen in Thailand, dubbed the "RuPaul of Thailand", and was the winner of Thailand's first TV drag competition T-Battle.[4][5]

Format

The show takes a distinctively different approach to other international Drag Race franchises. As well as using some challenges from the original American version, Drag Race Thai has a lot of unique challenges that reflect Thai culture, including mythology, food and pop culture. Runway looks are also quite different, requiring a much greater level of storytelling, relating again to Thai culture. The style of the show is also noticeably unique, particularly the Werk Room which, instead of being hot pink and plastered with photos of RuPaul, takes on a more minimalist industrial look. The hosts also use significantly less RuPaul quotes than other franchises, using a variety of Thai expressions rather than simply translating RuPaul's sayings into the language.[6][7]

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, 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.

Judges on Drag Race Thailand[8]
Judge Season
1 2 3
Art Arya Main TBA
Pangina Heals Main

Series overview
Main article: List of Drag Race Thailand episodes
SeasonContestantsEpisodesOriginally airedWinnerRunner(s)-upMiss Congeniality
First airedLast aired
110815 February 2018 (2018-02-15)5 April 2018 (2018-04-05)Natalia PliacamAnnée Maywong and Dearis DollB Ella
2141311 January 2019 (2019-01-11)5 April 2019 (2019-04-05)Angele AnangKana Warrior and Kandy ZyanideMaya B'Haro

Season 1
Main article: Drag Race Thailand (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, with B Ella winning Miss Congeniality.

Season 2
Main article: Drag Race Thailand (season 2)
Season 2 winner Angele Anang

A casting announcement for season two was announced on 4 March 2018.[9] 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.[10] The winner of the second season was Angele Anang, with Maya B'Haro winning Miss Congeniality.

Season 3

In July 2021, Piyarat Kaljaruek, Vice-President of the Kantana Group, 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.[11] 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.[12][13]

References
  1. "Bangkok queen Pangina Heals will be hosting Drag Race Thailand". Gay Times. 17 January 2018. Retrieved 18 January 2018.
  2. November 14, Joey Nolfi; EST, 2022 at 12:05 PM. "'RuPaul's Drag Race' exploring new seasons in India, Japan, Singapore, South Korea". EW.com. Retrieved 22 November 2022.
  3. Villarreal, Daniel (23 January 2018). "Pangina Heals of 'Drag Race Thailand': 'There's One Big Difference Between Me and Michelle Visage'". Hornet Stories. Retrieved 24 January 2018.
  4. Stein, Matthew (25 February 2017). "Meet the RuPaul of Thailand". OZY. Archived from the original on 2 September 2019. Retrieved 8 June 2019.
  5. Sargeant, Chloe (18 January 2018). "Meet Art Arya & Pangina Heals, the fierce queens hosting 'Drag Race Thailand'". SBS Sexuality. Special Broadcasting Service (Australia). Retrieved 8 June 2019.
  6. "Drag Race Thailand star Genie on how the show's runway is different to the original". GAY TIMES. 1 March 2019. Retrieved 19 October 2023.
  7. Chang, T.W. (2021) Transitioning Drag: A Comparative Reading of Drag Race Thailand and RuPaul’s Drag Race [thesis, University of California] eScholarship Publishing. https://escholarship.org/content/qt67r246ph/qt67r246ph_noSplash_e833540e15189032359f5f7a885f98b4.pdf
  8. Sargeant, Chloe (18 January 2018). "Meet Art Arya & Pangina Heals, the fierce queens hosting 'Drag Race Thailand'". SBS. Retrieved 17 September 2021.
  9. @DragRaceTH (4 March 2018). "ควีนที่คันไม้คันมือและพร้อมที่จะเผยตัวตนใน #DragRaceTH SS2 อ่านตรงนี้
    โชว์ความสามารถของคุณให้น่าประทับใจที่สุด ภายในเวลาไม่เกิน 15 นาที
    ไม่ว่าจะเป็น Skills แต่งหน้าทำผม, ทำชุด หรือทำโชว์
    ไอเดียใครเจ๋ง จะได้เข้าสู่รอบต่อไป
    ส่งคลิปมาที่ dragracethailand@kantana.co.th ถึง 5 เม.ย."     (Tweet) – via Twitter.
  10. "Drag Race Thailand on Instagram: "ถ้าคุณคิดว่ามีคุณสมบัติพร้อม จะรออะไร จิกวิก เปิดกรุเครื่องสำอาง สะบัดชายผ้าแล้วเข้ามาสมัครออดิชั่นกันกับ Drag Race Thailand Season 7 -…"". Instagram. Archived from the original on 26 December 2021. Retrieved 14 September 2018.
  11. @tae_kantana (16 July 2021). "Unofficial Soft Launch Trailer
    THE 70th ANNIVERSARY OF @kantanagroup public company Limited 🇹🇭 . . . ปล่อยให้ชมกันคลายเครียด ทำYear Campaign กันไปยาวๆ รวม Fashion / Lifestyle ทุกเพศทุกวัย The Face Thailand @thefacethailand season 9 และ 10 รวม Drag Race 3 @dragracethailand และ @et_thailand ขอระดมทุน 200 ล้านสำหรับปีหน้า2022 ผู้มีวิษัยทัศนคติดี และมีความมั่นใจกล้หาญ ลงทุน จะ ผลาญเงินอย่างมีประโยชน์ประสิทธิภาพสูงสุด รับปะกันคุณภาพมาแล้ว 10ปี ติดต่อ มา หา เรา ได้เลย @kantanagroup 🇹🇭 #OnceYouGoPerry #IgSeries @perry_kantana @tae_kantana 🇹🇭 #KLs"     – via Instagram.
  12. Ago, 8 Days (14 November 2022). "O4 Media & World of Wonder partner to expand 'Drag Race' format in Asia". TBI Vision. Retrieved 22 November 2022.
  13. "World of Wonder, O4 Media to expand Drag Race in Asia". 14 November 2022. Retrieved 22 November 2022.

Further reading
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