Sereechai Sukmak holds the position of senior sergeant major in the tourist police force in Nakhon Ratchasima province. But for Thai TikTokers, he is known as ‘Phi Serg Nicky’ and has 132,400 followers.
What sets him apart from his colleagues is that he is openly gay, dresses in women's clothing, and goes to parties as a drag queen when not working. His superiors have no issue with his lifestyle. Sereechai has often represented his office in beauty contests or sports events as a cheerleader.
He mentions that his family fully supports him and has no problem with his LGBT+ identity. “I chose to become a police officer because my father wanted me to join the army or the police. My mother is happy with my feminine side,” states Sereechai, sharing that his sister is also gay and he promised his father to be like a daughter to him, which made his father smile.
What matters most to him is that his father acknowledges his skills and his character. “He only wishes for me to do well,” Sereechai reveals.
He is glad that Thai society now accepts the gay community, unlike around 20 years ago. “When I first became a police officer, some colleagues did not accept my homosexuality. They believed that the police needed to appear tough. They expressed feeling ashamed to be seen with me,” he recollects.
However, his life choices are now more widely accepted, partly because he shows respect for the uniform when wearing it.
With pride, he shares that in February, he participated in a Chinese New Year festival in Nakhon Sawan province as a cheerleader, carrying a ‘wan’ before a parade, and volunteered after finding out the organizers were unable to find any volunteer beauty queens and hiring one would be expensive.
“Many people wanted to take photos with me, calling me beautiful,” he remarks, adding that they were surprised to discover his true gender.
“My TikTok account receives some negative comments, but I overlook them because I have a positive mindset. Often, my followers defend me,” he states.
Discussing his TikTok account, the sergeant shares that he posts video clips and photos of his work as a police officer and his off-duty time as a woman.
“By seeing my video clips and photos, I hope that the audience will develop greater affection for the police force and the gay community,” he expresses.
