- Thailand’s Senate passed a bill to legalize same-sex marriage, clearing the final legislative hurdle for the country to become the first in Southeast Asia to enact such a law, on June 18, 2024. .
- The Senate voted on Tuesday, the first day of the current parliamentary session, suggesting the urgency of passing the bill.
- The government organized a celebration at the Government House. The grounds were decorated with rainbow rugs, flags and a giant balloon shaped like two hands making a heart sign. The party was joined by politicians, celebrities, diplomats and LGBTQ+ community activists and their supporters, who took part in a colorful parade of floats from Parliament after the vote.
Thailand’s Senate voted overwhelmingly on Tuesday to approve a bill that would legalize same-sex marriage, clearing the final legislative hurdle for the country to become the first in Southeast Asia to enact such a law.
Thailand has a reputation for acceptance and inclusion, but has struggled for decades to pass a marriage equality law. Thai society largely has 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 gender equality advocates have had difficulty pressuring lawmakers and public officials to accept change.
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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 to spouses of either gender, passed the House of Representatives just 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 present, 4 votes against and 18 abstentions.
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 for it to come into force.
Fireworks shoot into the sky in Bangkok, Thailand, on June 18, 2024, after the country’s Senate voted to approve a bill legalizing same-sex marriage. (AP Photo/Sakchai Lalit)
The timing of the Senate vote on Tuesday, the first day of the current parliamentary session, suggests the urgency of 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 problems. One member of the Senate, retired army general Worapong Sanganet, argued that gender-specific terms should still be included in the law alongside gender-neutral terms. He said excluding them would be a serious “subversion of the family institution” in Thailand.
After the vote, Plaifah Kyoka Shodladd, an 18-year-old who identifies as non-binary, spoke and thanked everyone who supported the legislation, calling it a “force of hope” that will help Thailand better embrace diversity. .
“Today, love triumphs over prejudice,” Plaifah said.
The government, confident of the bill’s passage, announced several days ago that it would host a celebration of the occasion later Tuesday at Government House. The grounds in front of the main building were decorated with rainbow rugs, flags and a giant balloon shaped like two hands making a heart sign. The party was joined by politicians, celebrities, diplomats and LGBTQ+ community activists and their supporters, who took part in a colorful parade of floats from Parliament after the vote.
Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin, who was unable to attend the event as 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 that reiterates the power of ‘unity in diversity’ in Thai society. We will continue our fight for the social rights of all people regardless of their status,” he wrote.
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The passage of the law is a “triumph for justice and human rights,” said Mookdapa Yangyuenpradorn of the human rights organization Fortify Rights.
“The Thai government must now focus on ensuring rapid and effective implementation of this law to safeguard LGBTI+ rights,” he said. “Marriage equality is fundamental to human dignity and it is essential that Thailand protects these rights without delay or discrimination.”
The Pheu Thai party-led government, which took power last year, has made marriage equality one of its main goals. He went to great lengths to identify with the annual Bangkok Pride parade earlier this month, which saw thousands of people celebrate in one of Bangkok’s busiest shopping districts.
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