Transgender actress marries wealthy Thai businessman

Transgender actress, model, and beauty queen Poyd Treechada Petcharat yesterday tied the knot with wealthy Thai businessman Oak Bhavagha Hongyok.

The ceremony, held at Phuket’s Baan Ar-Jor, followed the traditional Peranakan style, which originated with the wave of Chinese immigrants to the region six centuries ago, reported The Straits Times.

The 36 year old Poyd gained international recognition after winning Miss Tiffany and Miss International Queen pageants in 2004. Since then, she has become a prominent figure in the entertainment industry in Thailand and the region, working as a model, actress, and performer in music videos. She even made her debut in Hong Kong cinema in 2013, where she worked alongside Hong Kong stars.

The groom, Oak, is a member of a prominent family with roots tracing back to the beginning of Phuket’s tin industry. The Hongyok family patriarch, Tan Jin Nguan, was a Chinese immigrant who launched tin mining in the province and was bestowed with the royal surname “Hong Yok” for his contributions to the industry.

The bride and groom donned Peranakan wedding costumes, with the attire costing around 20 million baht (US$772,103).

Poyd’s bridal gown was embroidered with gold thread and antique gold jewellery and was complemented by a handmade “hua kuan,” or flower crown, crafted from pure gold by artisans from Ranong province. The crown took three months to finish, and both the bride and groom’s wedding costumes took months to complete.

The wedding ceremony was attended by close family and friends of the couple, who have known each other for 20 years. Oak is the brother of Poyd’s best friend, and she began using his family name at her bachelorette party in Bangkok last month.

Poyd has been open about her journey as a transgender woman, revealing that she underwent gender-affirming surgery at the age of 17. Before the surgery, she was forced to hide her identity and live as a male. However, since then, she has expressed feeling as if she has been reborn.

Poyd’s accomplishments and visibility as a transgender woman have helped to raise awareness and acceptance of the LGBTQ+ community in Thailand and beyond. She won the Miss International Queen transgender beauty pageant in 2014 and has acted in several films, including With Love (2010), The White Storm (2013), From Vegas to Macau II (2015), Insomnia Lover (2016), and Witch Doctor (2016).