Pending ultimate approval, invoice will cement Thai credentials amongst Asia’s most liberal societies on LGBTQ points.
Thailand is ready to develop into the primary Southeast Asian nation to recognise equal marriage after politicians handed a same-sex marriage invoice.
The decrease home of parliament overwhelmingly voted in favour of the invoice, with 400 supporting its passage and simply 10 towards it in a ultimate studying on Wednesday. Ought to the invoice take impact, Thailand can be simply the third Asian nation to legalise homosexual marriage.
The invoice now requires approval from the nation’s Senate, and at last endorsement from the king, earlier than changing into regulation. Greater than a decade within the making, the laws might take impact inside 120 days of royal approval.
“I need to invite you all to make historical past,” mentioned Danuphorn Punnakanta, chairman of the parliamentary committee, forward of the vote. “We did this for all Thai individuals to scale back disparity in society and begin creating equality.”
The laws would change references to “males”, “girls”, “husbands” and “wives” within the marriage regulation to gender-neutral phrases. It might additionally grant LGBTQ {couples} inheritance and adoption rights equal to these of heterosexual marriages.
Whereas Thailand enjoys a welcoming status for the worldwide LGBTQ group, activists have struggled for many years towards conservative attitudes and values.
The Constitutional Court docket in 2020 dominated that present matrimonial regulation, which solely recognises heterosexual {couples}, was constitutional. However it additionally advisable laws be expanded to make sure minorities’ rights.
In December, the parliament permitted the primary readings of 4 completely different draft payments on same-sex marriage and tasked a committee to consolidate them right into a single draft.
On the information that the invoice had been permitted, one consultant introduced an enormous rainbow flag into the chamber.
Throughout Asia, solely Taiwan and Nepal recognise same-sex marriage.