Thailand's House of Representatives passes marriage equality bill

On March 27, the Thai House of Representatives passed a marriage equality bill. This is considered a turning point, bringing the country closer to becoming the third territory in Asia to legalize same-sex marriage.

The bill received support from all major parties in Thailand and was passed by 400 of the 415 lawmakers present. The bill needs to be passed by the Senate and approved by the King of Thailand before becoming law.

LGBT community in Bangkok marches in support of marriage equality. Photo: BANGKOK POST

According to Bangkok Post, MP Danuphorn Punnakanta (Pheu Thai Party), Chairman of the above-mentioned bill drafting committee, said that the bill aims to reduce social disparities and begin to create equality.

Thailand has long been a popular destination for same-sex couples, with a vibrant LGBT community for locals and expats, and campaigns to attract LGBT tourists. If the bill is passed, Thailand would follow Taiwan and Nepal in becoming the first places in Asia to legalize same-sex marriage.

The law took more than a decade to develop, in part due to political upheaval in the country and disagreements over its approach. In 2020, the Constitutional Court ruled that Thailand’s current marriage law, which only recognizes heterosexual couples, was constitutional, recommending that it be expanded to include the rights of other genders. In December 2023, the Thai parliament passed four separate bills on same-sex marriage and tasked a committee with merging them into a single bill.

HUY QUOC

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