Thailand: a big step towards “marriage for all”
In Thailand, MPs gave the green light this Wednesday, March 27, to same-sex marriage. The kingdom could thus become the first country in Southeast Asia to recognize the union between two people of the same sex, the third in Asia, after Taiwan and Nepal.
Members of the Move Forward party, including Pita Limjaroenrat (center) and Tunyawaj Kamolwongwat (2nd from left), celebrating in June 2022, with LGBTQIA+ activists and supporters, the initial adoption of the Gender Equality Bill wedding in front of Parliament in Bangkok. AFP - LILLIAN SUWANRUMPHA
By: Heike Schmidt Follow
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When the voting result was announced
in the hemicycle in Bangkok
, many MPs stood up to applaud, rainbow flags in hand. After several failed attempts in Parliament in recent years, 400 of the 415 deputies approved “marriage for all”. The new Prime Minister,
Srettha Thavisin
, therefore kept her campaign promise, despite conservative pro-army forces within her coalition.
Srettha Thavisin knows he has the support of the population. Last year, the government published a poll, in which 96.6% of respondents were in favor of same-sex marriage. After decades of struggle, members of the LGBTQ+ community should finally be equal before the law, for example in matters of adoption and inheritance.
“We will finally have the same rights”
“
Today, Thailand takes another step towards equality
,” said Danuphorn Punnakanta, spokesperson for the ruling Pheu Thai party. “
With this law, we want to give LGBTQ+ people back the fundamental rights they had lost.
»
For the MP from the opposition Move Forward party, Tunyawaj Kamolwongwat, who has campaigned for years for the legalization of gay marriage, this vote marks “
a historic day for the Thai Parliament. Now we will finally have the same rights as others
,” he adds.
The text aims to remove references to “
men
” and “
women
”, which will leave room for the term
"
people
"
.
The words “
wife
” and “
husband
” will be replaced by
“
marriage partners
”
.
Small downside for LGBTQ+ activists: in the new law, the words
“
mother
” and “
father
” will not be replaced by “
parents
”
.
The text must still pass before the Senate
The vote in Parliament is a crucial first step towards the legalization of “marriage for all”, but for the law to come into force, the text must still pass before the Senate, before being signed by King Maha Vajiralongkorn. Even if it is rare for senators to reject a bill adopted by the lower house, this procedure could still take several weeks, even months. Then, 60 days after publication in the
Royal Gazette
, the project will have the force of law, and the first couples will be able to celebrate their union.
With this ongoing development, Thailand is strengthening its reputation as one of the most liberal countries in Asia. “
This is not just a change in legislation, but an important stand for inclusion in a society known for its vibrant and diverse LGBTQ+ community
,” writes the
Thai Enquirer
newspaper .
Moreover, the daily underlines, the country has long been a popular destination for gay tourism.
Malaysia, Indonesia and the Philippines remain on their line
The kingdom should therefore follow the example of Taiwan, which already recognized gay marriage in 2019. Nepal recorded the first union between two people of the same sex last November, five months after the authorization by the Supreme Court. In Japan too, things are moving: the Sapporo High Court and the Tokyo District Court highlighted, on March 14, the unconstitutional nature of the Japanese government's ban on same-sex marriage.
In Southeast Asia, Thailand could, however, play a pioneering role, becoming the first country to legalize “marriage for all”. In other states in the region, such as Malaysia, Indonesia and the Philippines, same-sex unions are still prohibited.
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