Thai govt approves equal marriage bill

Bangkok, Nov 21 (EFE).- Thailand’s government approved Tuesday a bill on equal marriage, which if approved by parliament will make the country the third nation in Asia to allow unions between people of the same sex.

Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin told the media Tuesday after concluding the meeting with his cabinet at the Government House that the bill would be presented to the Legislature on Dec. 12.

Although Thailand has one of the largest and most visible LGTB+ communities in Asia, activists argue that the country’s conservative laws do not reflect the changes and attitudes of society.

In 2022, the country’ lower house debated several bills concerning marriage, ranging from civil unions for same-sex couples to equal marriage, but did not approve any proposal before the legislature’s dissolution prior to the May elections.

The current bill is heir to one of those proposals promoted by the Move Forward party, which won the elections but failed to form a government, endorsed by lawmakers in the first reading.

In Thailand, bills must undergo three readings in the lower house, before passing through the upper house and receiving approval from the constitutional court to come into force with the king’s signature.

If this marriage equality bill is passed by parliament and receives royal assent, Thailand would become the third country in Asia, after Taiwan in 2019 and Nepal in June, to recognize marriage between people of the same sex. EFE

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