The House committee studying the marriage equality bill will be inviting influential members of the LGBTQ community to serve as advisers and provide their valuable input. This decision comes after the committee’s first meeting, which took place on Wednesday following the House’s approval of all four bills seeking to amend the Civil and Commercial Code to allow same-sex marriages during their first reading on December 21.
These bills, which will eventually be consolidated into one, aim to redefine legal terms to promote gender equality and diversity within the country. The committee is composed of 39 MPs and members of the civil sector, with Danuporn Punnakanta, a Pheu Thai list-MP and former actor, chosen as the chair and seven others selected as deputies. Rudklao Suwankiri, the deputy government spokesperson, has been appointed as the committee’s spokesperson.
In addition to government officials from various ministries and organizations such as the justice, finance, interior, social development, and foreign affairs ministries, as well as the Office of the Judiciary and the Council of State, the committee will also be inviting LGBTQ influencers and celebrities to serve as advisers. This includes TV show hosts such as Kachapa “Mod Dam” Toncharoen and Vuthithorn “Woody” Milintachinda, event organizer Sombat “Pa Tue” Tirasaroj, and Kritkul “Thank” Chumkaew, the owner of After Yum restaurant.
The committee aims to pass a bill into law by the end of this year. Akkaranan Kankittinan, a Pheu Thai MP for Kanchanaburi and deputy chair of the committee, stated that the advisers would be appointed on Wednesday and are expected to participate in the committee’s meetings.
This bill, once finalized, will be the first in history to include public participation in the amendment process, marking a significant step towards equality for the LGBTQ community. Chumaporn Taengkliang, a civil society representative, commended the committee’s decision to have LGBTQ representatives attend meetings, stating that the bill holds the potential to bring hope to those eagerly awaiting nationwide equality.
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