On Wednesday, Thailand’s lower house of parliament took a landmark step by passing a marriage equality bill at the final reading, bringing the country closer to becoming the third territory in Asia to legalize same-sex unions.
All of Thailand’s major parties supported the bill, and 400 of the 415 lawmakers present voted in favor, with 10 voting against it. The bill now awaits approval from the Senate and endorsement from the king before it can become law.
“We did this for all Thai people to reduce disparity in society and start creating equality,” Danuphorn Punnakanta, chairman of the parliamentary committee on the draft bill, told lawmakers ahead of the reading.
“The speaker’s call to action sets the stage for history.
With the bill’s passage, Thailand moves closer to affirming its liberal stance on LGBT rights, juxtaposing openness with traditional values. Pending royal approval, the legislation is poised to make Thailand the third Asian territory to legalize same-sex unions, following Taiwan and Nepal. Despite over a decade of drafting, political turmoil and content disagreements delayed its progress. However, in 2020, the Constitutional Court’s ruling against Thailand’s heterosexual-only marriage law spurred the push for inclusive legislation. Parliament’s consolidation of four draft bills on same-sex marriage in December signifies further progress towards equality.”
GrabGossip – your fastest source for breaking news! Read now.
