Thailand: PM Thavisin feels proud as Parliament nods same-sex marriage!

Virendra Pandit

New Delhi: With its Parliament legalizing it, the Buddhist-majority Kingdom of Thailand has become the first Southeast Asian nation—and the world’s 26th—to make same-sex marriages lawful.

Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin said he was “proud” after the approval of the bill.

“The passing (of this draft law) in the Parliament today is a proud moment for Thai society who will walk together towards social equality and respect differences,” he wrote on the social media website X (formerly Twitter).

Those advocating for LGBTQI rights on Wednesday hailed it as a key step forward when the Thai Parliament passed a same-sex marriage bill almost unanimously, the media reported.

While Thailand welcomes the international LGBTQ community, its activists have struggled for decades against conservative attitudes and values.

The said bill sailed through on 399 to 10 votes in the Lower House, although it must still be approved by the Upper House (Senate) and endorsed by the Thai monarch before it becomes the law of the land.

“Today, the Thai society has proved to us that they care about LGBT rights,” said Tunyawaj Kamolwongwat, an MP with the progressive Move Forward Party, which has long pushed for LGBTQ rights.

“Now we finally will have the same rights as others.”

The legislation will change references to “men,” “women,” “husbands,” and “wives” in the country’s marriage law to gender-neutral terms.
Across Asia, only Taiwan and Nepal recognize same-sex marriage. Last year, India’s Supreme Court deferred the decision to Parliament, and Hong Kong’s top court stopped just short of granting full marriage rights.

The Thai vote follows a decision by PM Srettha’s cabinet in 2023 that gave the go-ahead for the parliament debate.

The PM has vocally supported the LGBTQ community, making the marriage equality policy a signature issue and telling reporters last year that the change would strengthen family structures.

After the vote, Pheu Thai party spokesperson Danuphorn Punnakanta welcomed the decision of the Lower House.

“Today, Thailand is one step ahead in terms of making everyone equal,” he said.

Describing the law as one for “all Thai people”, he emphasized that it would not violate heterosexual couples’ rights — but expand them to all relationships.

While Thailand has a reputation for tolerance, much of the country remains conservative and LGBTQ people, while highly visible, still face barriers and discrimination.

Activists have been pushing for same-sex marriage rights for over a decade, but in a conservative kingdom where politics is regularly upended by coups and mass street protests, the advocacy did not get far.

In 2022 Thai lawmakers gave initial approval to two bills that would allow same-sex marriages and two others that would permit civil partnerships.

But the legislation was dropped when Parliament was dissolved to pave the way for a general election held last year.

Across the world, 25 countries have legalized same-sex marriage nationally through legislation. Among these, Australia, Ireland, and Switzerland legalized same-sex marriage through legislation only after nationwide votes.

Another 10 countries have legalized same-sex marriage nationally through court decisions — Austria, Brazil, Colombia, Costa Rica, Ecuador, Mexico, Slovenia (followed by national legislation), South Africa, Taiwan, and the United States of America.

Also, two countries–South Africa and Taiwan—enacted legislation legalizing same-sex marriage after courts mandated them to do so.