21-12-2023 (BANGKOK) Thailand’s Parliament took a historic step towards legalising same-sex marriage on Thursday night, with lawmakers overwhelmingly approving four draft bills on marriage equality in their first reading.
In a landmark vote, 360 out of 371 members present in the House of Representatives voted in favour of the government-drafted Marriage Equality Bill, with only 10 and one abstention. This move paves the way for Thailand to become the first country in the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) to legally recognise same-sex unions.
In addition to the government’s bill, three other draft bills were also passed: one drafted by civil society groups, and one each by the opposition Move Forward and Democrat parties.
The passage of these four bills sets the stage for the formation of a committee tasked with merging them into a single bill, using the government-drafted version as the primary framework. This consolidated bill will then undergo further debate and votes in the second and third readings, expected to take place next year.
If the legislation is successfully enacted and receives royal assent, Thailand will become the third country in Asia, after Taiwan and Nepal, to recognise same-sex marriage.
Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin, a staunch advocate for marriage equality, hailed the first reading as a crucial step towards positive change. In a post on social media platform X, he stated, “The first step towards change has begun today.”
Rights activists have long argued that Thailand’s laws and institutions fail to reflect changing social attitudes and continue to discriminate against lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) people and same-sex couples.
Last year, parliament debated similar draft laws, including a same-sex civil union bill proposed by the then-government. However, these bills did not reach a final vote before the parliamentary session concluded.
Deputy Prime Minister Somsak Thepsuthin, presenting the government’s draft bill to the House, emphasised its aim to amend specific provisions in the Civil and Commercial Code. This, he explained, would pave the way for individuals of any gender to enter into marriage, ensuring equal rights, responsibilities, and family status to heterosexual couples.
Mr. Somsak cited a recent government survey conducted between October 31 and November 14, which revealed that 96.6% of respondents supported the draft bill.
The government’s bill seeks to amend 68 provisions under the Civil and Commercial Code to redefine legal terms and ensure gender equality and diversity. Mr. Somsak stated that relevant agencies would be required to review related laws to align with the bill within 180 days.
He also clarified that the government’s intention was to amend existing laws rather than create new ones, ensuring that the bill would not conflict with religious practices and beliefs, particularly those held by the Islamic community.
Tunyawaj Kamolwongwat, a Move Forward list-MP, explained that the party’s version of the bill aimed to provide same-sex couples with the legal rights they deserve.
Nachalae Boonyaphisomparn, an LGBT activist and supporter of the civil sector bill, highlighted its focus on amending the Civil and Commercial Code to allow same-sex couples to legally register their marriages and enjoy the same rights as heterosexual couples, including the right to adopt children.
Sanphet Boonyamanee, a Democrat MP for Songkhla, stated that the party’s bill was designed to ensure equality for all. He noted that it would allow 18-year-olds to marry foreigners and inherit from their deceased spouse’s estate.
However, Sugarno Matha, a Prachachat Party MP for Yala, voiced his opposition to all the bills, arguing that they contradicted Islamic principles.
