Thailand inches closer to Southeast Asia's first equal rights for LGBTQ couples
Thailand's Senate propelled the same-sex marriage bill, previously endorsed by the lower house, to a panel for further examination, paving the way for the nation to potentially become Southeast Asia's first to secure equal rights for homosexual and lesbian couples.
The bill successfully cleared its initial reading during a Senate session on April 2, with an overwhelming 147 out of 158 members voting in favour of the marriage equality bill.
This landmark legislation acknowledges marriage registrations of same-sex partners aged 18 and above, guaranteeing them rights to inheritance, tax benefits, and child adoption, among other privileges.
Reacting to the senators' affirmative vote, LGBTQ gender rights activist Waaddao Chumaporn expressed elation, stating, "It's as if we have received the greatest gift since I've been pushing for 12 years."
Following this development, the upper house established a 27-member committee comprising senators, civil society representatives, and ministers to meticulously review the bill.
A subsequent vote is anticipated in July when the parliament reconvenes after a scheduled recess starting in mid-April.
Earlier, lawmakers in Thailand's lower house overwhelmingly endorsed the marriage equality bill on March 27, positioning the nation on the brink of pioneering equal rights for marriage partners of any gender in Southeast Asia.
Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin hailed the achievement as a societal consensus towards building an egalitarian society devoid of discrimination, particularly in gender and family formation.
“I consider this success to be the consensus of Thai society. to work together to create a society of equality that does not discriminate Especially gender and family formation, which are basic human rights that the state should guarantee,” he wrote on social media platform X following the lower house vote on March 27.
The bill, which garnered approval from 400 out of 415 attending members of the House of Representatives in its final reading, with 10 against, 2 abstentions, and three not voting, had previously seen significant support with all but 11 of 380 Thai lawmakers passing four draft bills on same-sex marriage in their first reading in December 2023.
In the event of Senate rejection, the lower house retains the option to initiate a fresh round of votes to pass the bill without Senate endorsement. The legislation is slated to come into effect 120 days after its publication in the Royal Gazette, following parliamentary approvals and royal assent.
Upon final approval, Thailand will join the ranks of Taiwan and Nepal, emerging as the third location in Asia to formally recognise same-sex marriage.
