The House of Representatives passed a marriage equality bill in its final reading on Wednesday, marking a significant milestone that brings the country closer to becoming the third in Asia to legalize same-sex marriages.
The bill must receive approval from the Senate and royal endorsement before it can become law, anticipated to occur later this year. It garnered broad support from major political parties and received a favorable vote from 400 out of the 415 lawmakers present, with 10 voting against it.
Danuphorn Punnakanta, a Pheu Thai list-MP and chairman of the parliamentary committee on the draft bill, emphasized that the legislation aims to reduce societal disparities and promote equality for all Thai citizens. He urged fellow lawmakers to make history by supporting the bill, which would grant same-sex couples equivalent legal rights and privileges enjoyed by heterosexual couples.
These rights would encompass government-funded medical treatment and benefits, tax deductions, spousal medical decision-making authority, asset management and inheritance rights, child adoption, and the ability to organize the funerals of spouses.
The Senate is slated to review the bill on April 1, 2, and 9, during the final days of the current parliamentary session, according to Kamnoon Sidhisamarn, the Senate chief whip. Following this, a Senate committee will scrutinize the bill during the session break and present it for a final vote before the new 200-member Senate—which will be indirectly elected—assumes office upon the conclusion of the existing senators’ term on May 11.
The bill’s passage represents a crucial stride in solidifying Thailand’s reputation as one of Asia’s most progressive societies regarding lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) matters, where an open-minded and accepting approach coexists with traditional Buddhist values.
Upon receiving royal approval, the bill could take effect within 120 days, making Thailand the third Asian country, after Taiwan and Nepal, to legalize same-sex unions.
The legislative process for this bill has been ongoing for over a decade, facing delays due to political instability and disagreements over the bill’s content and approach. Following the Constitutional Court’s 2020 ruling that the current marriage law, recognizing only heterosexual couples, was constitutional, Parliament endorsed four draft bills on same-sex marriage in the first reading in December. A committee was tasked with consolidating these drafts into a unified proposal aimed at amending 68 provisions under the Civil and Commercial Code to ensure gender equality and diversity.
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