Thailand Passes Bill To Legalise Marriage Between Members Of LGBTQIA+ Community
Once the bill is passed into law, Thailand will become the first nation in Southeast Asia to legally recognise same-sex marriage.
Earlier this week, Thailand's parliament passed a bill legalising same-sex marriage, marking a significant step for LGBTQIA+ rights in Southeast Asia
The Thai lower house of parliament overwhelmingly voted to legalise the marriage equality bill, which has been over a decade in the making. 400 elected representatives voted in favour of the bill, with only 10 against it.
"This is the beginning of equality. It's not a universal cure to every problem but it's the first step towards equality in Thai society," Danuphorn Punnakanta, a member of parliament (MP) and chairperson of the lower house's committee on marriage equality, told parliament while presenting a draft of the bill.
"This law wants to return these rights to this group of people, not grant them the rights."
However, the bill still requires approval from the Senate and endorsement from the king before it can become law, a process that could still take months, according to Reuters.
Thai LGBTQIA+ community participates in a Gay Freedom Day Parade in Bangkok, Thailand, on 29 November, 2018
Image via Soe Zeya Tun/Reuters via Al Jazeera
Once the bill is passed into law, Thailand will become the first nation in Southeast Asia to legally recognise same-sex marriage
It would also make the country the third in Asia to allow marriage equality, following in the footsteps of Taiwan and Nepal.
"Thailand is poised to send an important message to the rest of Asia by recognising same-sex relationships," said Kyle Knight, interim co-director of the LGBT rights program at Human Rights Watch (HRW).
He added that it could create momentum across the region to respect the fundamental rights of LGBTQIA+ people.
According to HRW, the bill amends the language of the civil and commercial code language concerning spouses by replacing "men and women" and "husband and wife" with "individuals" and "partners".
It would also allow married same-sex couples to adopt children
Thai law currently allows only heterosexual couples to adopt, although single women can adopt children with special needs.
"The amendment of this law is for all Thai people. It is the starting point to create equality," Punnakanta said.
Meanwhile, The Guardian reported another member of the amendment committee telling parliament, "We are now writing a new Thai history that will change Thai society forever. The social situation has changed, and it is time that the law should catch up with the current situation."
Thai lawmakers inside parliament celebrate the passing of the marriage equality bill.
Image via Rungroj Yongrit/EPA via The Guardian
Last year, when a Malaysian man criticised Thailand's acceptance of the LGBTQIA+ community, he was promptly slammed:
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