Thailand Senate approves landmark bill to legalise same-sex marriages

[Coss]

Thailand's Senate voted overwhelmingly on Tuesday to approve a bill that would legalize same-sex marriage, clearing the last legislative hurdle for the country to become the first in Southeast Asia to enact such a law.

Thailand has a reputation for acceptance and inclusivity but has struggled for decades to pass a marriage equality law. Thai society largely holds conservative values, and members of the LGBTQ+ community say they face discrimination in everyday life.

The government and state agencies are also historically conservative, and advocates for gender equality have had a hard time pushing lawmakers and civil servants to accept change.

Thailand will become the third place in Asia, after Taiwan and Nepal, to allow same-sex marriage. The marriage equality bill, which grants full legal, financial and medical rights for marriage partners of any gender, sailed through the House of Representatives right before the previous parliamentary session concluded in April with the approval of 400 of the 415 members who were present.

It passed its final reading in the Senate on Tuesday with the approval of 130 of the 152 members in attendance, with 4 voting against it and 18 abstaining.

The bill now needs the pro forma endorsement of King Maha Vajiralongkorn, followed by its publication in the Government Gazette, which will set a date within 120 days when it becomes effective.

A supporter celebrates after the bill passed. Photo: AP

The timing of the Senate's vote on Tuesday, the first day of the current parliamentary session, suggests the urgency in getting the bill passed. The legislation will amend the country's Civil and Commercial Code to replace gender-specific words such as "men and women" with gender-neutral words such as "individual."

But it was not approved without a hitch. One member of the Senate, retired army Gen Worapong Sa-nganet, argued that the gender-specific terms should still be included in the law along with the gender-neutral terms. He said excluding them would be a severe "subversion of the institution of family" in Thailand.

After the vote, Plaifah Kyoka Shodladd, an 18-year-old who identifies as non-binary, took the floor and thanked everyone who supported the legislation, calling it a "force of hope" that will help Thailand become more accepting of diversity.

"Today, love trumps prejudice," Plaifah said.

In Bangkok, Thailand, on 18 June 2024. Photo: AP

The government, confident of the bill's passage, announced several days ago it would host a celebration of the occasion later Tuesday at Government House. The ground in front of the main building was decorated with rainbow carpets, flags and a giant balloon in the shape of two hands making a heart sign. The party was joined by politicians, celebrities, diplomats and activists from the LGBTQ+ community and their supporters who rode in a colourful parade of floats from Parliament after the vote.

Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin, who could not join the event because he recently tested positive for Covid-19, wrote his congratulations on social media platform X.

"I am proud of the collective effort of all stakeholders which reiterates the power of 'unity in diversity' of the Thai society. We will continue our fight for social rights for all people regardless of their status," he wrote.

Fireworks shoot up at Government House in Bangkok, Thailand on 18 June 2024. Photo: AP

Passing the law is a "triumph for justice and human rights," said Mookdapa Yangyuenpradorn of the human rights organisation Fortify Rights.

"The Thai government must now focus on ensuring swift and effective implementation of this law to safeguard LGBTI+ rights," she said.

"Marriage equality is fundamental to human dignity, and it is essential that Thailand protects these rights without delay or discrimination."

The government led by the Pheu Thai party, which took office last year, has made marriage equality one of its main goals. It made a major effort to identify itself with the annual Bangkok Pride parade earlier this month, in which thousands of people celebrated in one of Bangkok's busiest commercial districts.

- AP

Good news !

https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/world/519961/thailand-senate-approves-landmark-bill-to-legalise-same-sex-marriages

[Coss]

And some not entirely unrelated,  'merican homo erotica, from 'merica's right:

https://www.adl.org/resources/blog/white-boy-summer-meme-mobilization

 

 

[buffalo_bill]

The Thai same sex marriage thing made it even into the German Radio and TV-news yesterday. I appreciate that all these people can organize their life as they wish to although I cannot hear all the lgbt-crap any more. Recalling the news over the last 5 years you get the impression that at least 80 % of the population are either gay, something else or even nothing at all . A 14 year old person can now see the local authorities and declare they are not a boy/girl any more but wish to be regarded as male/female right away. Totally sick. May Buddha bless them all, me BuBi like woman too mut.

[Mekong]

Bubi, your comments on the Pride and LBGT movement make you appear to be a grumpy old cantankerous curmudgeon  who has had enough of it in your face.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Well said sir, I am in 100% agreement 

[Old Hippie]

On 6/19/2024 at 4:24 AM, buffalo_bill said:

The Thai same sex marriage thing made it even into the German Radio and TV-news yesterday. I appreciate that all these people can organize their life as they wish to although I cannot hear all the lgbt-crap any more. Recalling the news over the last 5 years you get the impression that at least 80 % of the population are either gay, something else or even nothing at all . A 14 year old person can now see the local authorities and declare they are not a boy/girl any more but wish to be regarded as male/female right away. Totally sick. May Buddha bless them all, me BuBi like woman too mut.

I share your feelings (NOT in a gay way of course) and having lived most of my life in San Francisco, ground zero for this LBGTQAETC crap, I too am very sick of it. Here of course, we take it even further…a child of ANY age can now declare they are a different gender or no gender and do as they please, parents are even encouraged to play along, and there is a push for “gender reassignment surgery/medications” for kids of all ages. Our governor “Gayvan Screwsem” (Gavin Newsome) passed a bill that says schools can allow kids to declare a different gender, store clothes and what not, and the school cannot tell the parents I mean seriously, WTF?  

       As na young good looking blonde kid growing up here I can tell you these homos ARE VERY predatorial and harass and stalk others, it is NOT a healthy behavior and when men do it to women it is borderline illegal. Yet, the pickle kissers seem to get away it and you better look over your shoulder in lockerooms and restrooms etc… We were in Taiwan Dang in Surin 2 years back and some toothless old fag who worked there was cruising the men’s room, it is annoying and disgusting and should come as no surprise to anyone why AIDS spreads so fast among these sick fucks… 

     All fine and dandy for this very small minority to live as they want, but no need to “celebrate” every damned thing, no need for a flag flying at government buildings and embassies around the world etc…  You cannot change your gender anymore than you can change your race, age etc, so stop forcing everyone to play along with this nonsense! You bang a dude in a skirt, you are banging a dude, gay plains simple even the psychiatric community is divided on this…no apparent physical cause so many consider it what it is, a personality disorder or “deviance from the norm” others say “oh whatever, all normal here, play along or you are the wrong one…”  WTF is it these people are supposed to be so proud of anyway? Why do these people need a whole month to “celebrate” and to be “celebrated” yet veterans only get 1 day a year? Sick of the whole load of crap…but I don’t want to rant and be labeled “intolerant…”

[Coss]

ditto

Whilst I err on the side of tolerance for the .. ahh .. non-binary, I think they like to be called, the amount of oxygen that the rainbow community consume, is excessive in my opinion.

Which brings a new perspective to the old programming joke: "There are two kinds of people, those who understand binary, and those who don't",  the new perspective being, that the non-binary folk don't understand the Hetero folk, this is their (non-binary) failing, not ours.

I currently live in Auckland and we, like most cities have a tolerance for and many parades, with these rainbow folk.

But to be fair, I take more interest in the many Polynesian festivals and events around the place, more interesting, more friendly and some of the girls... mmm...

[bust]

Unfortunately these days you have more rights as a minority than the majority.

[Mekong]

Minority, an oft misused word.

Blacks aren’t a minority, whites are only 16.3% of global population 

We have Black history month, but no white

We have International Woman’s day, but no mens

We have Pride month, nut no Heterosexual celebrations 

We, us board members, are the minority, White Heterosexual Males

[buffalo_bill]

12 hours ago, Coss said:

But to be fair, I take more interest in the many Polynesian festivals and events around the place, more interesting,...

Dear Sir, before I pass away I shall visit the Isaan Rocket festival. I swear.

[Coss]

Also Laos has this fun.