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Agence France-Presse

<div><span class="fr-img-caption fr-fic fr-dib" style="width:958px"><span class="fr-img-wrap"><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1712045443661171152674197320240327-Bangkok-Pride-Parade-2023-EPA-EFE.jpg" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib"/><span class="fr-inner" style="text-align:left"><span id="isPasted" style="color:rgb(51, 51, 51);letter-spacing:normal;orphans:2;text-align:left;text-indent:0px;text-transform:none;widows:2;word-spacing:0px;-webkit-text-stroke-width:0px;white-space:normal;background-color:rgb(255, 255, 255);text-decoration-thickness:initial;text-decoration-style:initial;text-decoration-color:initial;display:inline !important;float:none">People from the LGBT community take part in the Bangkok Pride Parade 2023 to celebrate pride month in Bangkok, Thailand, June 4, 2023. <em>Narong Sangnak, EPA-EFE/File</em></span></span></span></span></div><p>BANGKOK — The Thai senate passed the first reading of a bill to legalize same-sex marriage on Tuesday, taking the kingdom another step closer to becoming the first Southeast Asian country to recognize marriage equality.</p><p>Thailand has long enjoyed an international reputation for tolerance of the LGBTQ community, but activists have struggled for decades against conservative attitudes and values.</p><p>The lower house easily passed the law last week and the legislation has moved to the country&#x27;s unelected senate, which is stacked with conservative appointees named by the last junta.</p><div><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/world/2024/4/2/thailand-same-sex-marriage-bill-moves-to-senate-1321">READ: Thailand same-sex marriage bill moves to senate</a></div><p>&quot;The senators voted to pass the bill with 147 agreed, four against and seven abstaining,&quot; said senate deputy president Singsuk Singpai.</p><p>Earlier, senators debated the legislation which would change references to &quot;men&quot;, &quot;women&quot;, &quot;husbands&quot; and &quot;wives&quot; in the marriage law to gender-neutral terms.</p><p>&quot;Now I have faith in this country, that it can eventually change,&quot; campaigner Naiyana Supapung told AFP as she watched the debate, ahead of the vote.</p><p>The legislation will now pass to a committee for further consideration. The senate cannot reject the proposed changes but can send the bill back to the lower house for further debate for 180 days.</p><p>It will come back for two more senate votes, with the next probably no earlier than July.</p><p>LGBTQ activist and a representative of the bill, Chanya Rattanathada, thanked parliament ahead of the vote.</p><p>&quot;The world is watching, and I thank everyone for making this happen.&quot;</p><div><span class="fr-video fr-deletable fr-fvc fr-dvb fr-draggable" contenteditable="false" draggable="true"><iframe width="640" height="360" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/hgsnV6-Lbgc?&amp;wmode=opaque&amp;rel=0" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen="" class="fr-draggable"></iframe></span><br/></div><div><strong>&#x27;Proud of our pride&#x27;</strong></div><p>Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin said he was &quot;proud of our pride&quot; after the lower house voted to approve the bill in a 399-10 landslide.</p><p>&quot;The passing (of this law) in the parliament today is a proud moment for Thai society who will walk together towards social equality and respect differences,&quot; he wrote on social media platform X.</p><p>Across Asia, only Taiwan and Nepal recognise same-sex marriage. Last year, India&#x27;s highest court deferred the decision to parliament, and Hong Kong&#x27;s top court stopped just short of granting full marriage rights.</p><p>LGBTQ activists celebrated last Wednesday&#x27;s vote as a significant milestone on the road to equality.</p><p>Paulie Nataya Paomephan, who won Miss Trans Thailand in 2023, said until recently she had never dreamed that transgender people would be able to legally marry in Thailand.</p><p>&quot;I think it is because politicians have to adapt themselves to the changing world,&quot; she told AFP, adding that she and her boyfriend of three years planned to marry if the law passed.</p><p>The prime minister has been vocal in his support for the LGBTQ community, making the marriage equality policy a signature issue and telling reporters last year that the change would strengthen family structures.</p><p>Opinion polls reported by local media show the law has overwhelming support among Thais.</p><p>While Thailand has a reputation for tolerance, much of the Buddhist-majority country remains conservative, and LGBTQ people, while highly visible, still face barriers and discrimination.</p><p>Activists have been pushing for same-sex marriage rights for more than a decade, but in a kingdom where politics is regularly upended by coups and mass street protests, their advocacy did not get far.</p><p>Activist Ann Waaddao Chumaporn said she knew of dozens of LGBTQ couples ready to tie the knot once the law is passed, which she hoped would happen this year.</p><p>&quot;Once the law is enforced, yes of course, it will change Thai society,&quot; she told AFP.</p><p>&quot;It will inspire other fights for other equalities.&quot;</p><div><strong>© Agence France-Presse</strong></div><div><strong>RELATED VIDEO</strong></div><div><span class="fr-video fr-deletable fr-fvc fr-dvb fr-draggable" contenteditable="false" draggable="true"><iframe width="640" height="360" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/r2Ii3ZjsoFk?&amp;wmode=opaque&amp;rel=0" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen="" class="fr-draggable"></iframe></span><br/></div>

<p>Thailand has long enjoyed an international reputation for tolerance of the LGBTQ community, but activists have struggled for decades against conservative attitudes and values.</p>

Thailand has long enjoyed an international reputation for tolerance of the LGBTQ community, but activists have struggled for decades against conservative attitudes and values.

Thai same-sex marriage bill passes first reading

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Thai same-sex marriage bill passes first reading

Agence France-Presse

Published Apr 02, 2024 04:10 PM PHT

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Updated Apr 02, 2024 04:11 PM PHT

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Bangkok

Thailand

Marriage equality

Same-sex marriage

LGBTQIA+

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