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'Victory for the people': Thailand approves same-sex marriage

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Agence France-Presse

<div><span class="fr-img-caption fr-fic fr-dib" style="width:960px"><span class="fr-img-wrap"><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1718700461440AFP__20240618__34X87W6__v1__Preview__ThailandPoliticsMarriageLgbt.jpg" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" alt="Members of Parliament (MPs) and parliamentary interns from the Move Forward Party (MFP) pose during a presser ahead of the final senatorial vote on the same sex marriage bill at the Thai Parliament in Bangkok on June 18, 2024. Lillian SUWANRUMPHA, AFP"/><span class="fr-inner" style="text-align:left">Members of Parliament (MPs) and parliamentary interns from the Move Forward Party (MFP) pose during a presser ahead of the final senatorial vote on the same sex marriage bill at the Thai Parliament in Bangkok on June 18, 2024. <em>Lillian SUWANRUMPHA, AFP</em></span></span></span></div><p>BANGKOK, Thailand (<strong>UPDATED</strong>) -- Thailand on Tuesday became the first country in Southeast Asia to legalise same-sex marriage, in a historic parliamentary vote hailed as a &quot;victory&quot; by campaigners.</p><p>The upper house Senate gave final approval -- by 130 votes to four, with 18 abstentions -- to changes to the marriage law allowing same-sex couples to tie the knot.</p><p>The new legislation will now go to King Maha Vajiralongkorn for royal assent and come into force 120 days after publication in the official Royal Gazette.</p><p>Thailand will become only the third place in Asia where same-sex couples can get hitched, after Taiwan and Nepal, and activists are hoping the first weddings could be celebrated as early as October.</p><div><a class="fr-green fr-strong" href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/lifestyle/2024/6/2/thousands-march-for-pride-as-thailand-nears-same-sex-marriage-legalization-1933">• Thousands march for pride as Thailand nears same-sex marriage legalization</a></div><p>&quot;We are very proud of everyone involved in this historic moment. You have helped to bring about a massive change,&quot; Plaifah Kyoka Shodladd, an LGBTQ activist and member of the committee that scrutinized the law, told senators after the vote.</p><p>&quot;Today love wins over prejudice.&quot;</p><p>Ahead of the vote, Tunyawaj Kamolwongwat, an MP with the progressive Move Forward Party, said the change in the law was &quot;a victory for the people&quot;.</p><p>The new legislation changes references to &quot;men&quot;, &quot;women&quot;, &quot;husbands&quot; and &quot;wives&quot; in marriage laws to gender-neutral terms.</p><p>It also gives same-sex couples the same rights as heterosexual ones when it comes to adoption and inheritance.</p><p>&quot;My partner has one boy and I want to have legal rights to formally adopt him as my child and to have a say about his well-being. This bill will allow it,&quot; Kevin Pehthai Thanomkhet, 30, told AFP.</p><p>Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin, who has been vocal in his support for the LGBTQ community and the bill, opened his official residence to activists and supporters for a celebration after the vote.</p><p>&quot;We have fought a long time because we believe in all equal rights,&quot; Srettha wrote on his X account after the vote.</p><p>&quot;Today is our day. We celebrate to &#x27;diverse&#x27; love, not &#x27;different&#x27;. Love is beautiful and powerful.&quot;</p><div><a class="fr-green fr-strong" href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/2024/3/6/thai-police-investigate-2-filipino-transgenders-after-brawl-956">• Thai police investigate 2 Filipino transgenders after brawl</a></div><p>In central Bangkok, a crowd of activists celebrated the news by watching a drag show and decorating the grounds of the Bangkok Art and Culture Centre with a giant rainbow flag.</p><p>&quot;As a Thai person, I am very proud,&quot; Korakoch Jeumsanga, a 23-year-old spectator, who was watching the event, told AFP at the celebration.</p><p>&quot;This bill benefits both straight and gay people. I had goosebumps when the bill passed.&quot;</p><p>Miles Enriquez-Morales, a tourist from California, said he hoped more countries would follow Thailand&#x27;s example.</p><p>&quot;With all the anti-LGBTQ sentiment in US and Europe, I hope that more countries will follow suit in legalizing same-sex marriage in different parts of the world,&quot; he said.</p><p>Joe Yang, 32, a tourist from Guangzhou in China who attended the event with friends, said the outcome of the vote was &quot;great news&quot; for Thailand.</p><p>&quot;This would not happen in China,&quot; he said.</p><p>&quot;You know, given the reputation of Thailand I thought that you guys would have legalized it already. I am happy for Thai people.&quot;</p><div><a class="fr-green fr-strong" href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/lifestyle/2024/6/10/thai-boys-love-tv-dramas-conquering-asia-1430">• Thai &#x27;boys&#x27; love&#x27; TV dramas conquering Asia</a></div><div><strong>- Long struggle -</strong></div><p>Thailand has long enjoyed a reputation for tolerance of the LGBTQ community, and opinion polls reported in local media show overwhelming public support for equal marriage.</p><p>More than 30 countries around the world have legalized marriage for all since the Netherlands became the first to celebrate same-sex unions in 2001.</p><p>But in Asia only Taiwan and Nepal recognize marriage equality. India came close in October, but the Supreme Court referred the decision back to parliament.</p><p>&quot;I am so happy to see how far we have come,&quot; said Chotika Hlengpeng, a participant in the Pride march that drew thousands of enthusiasts in Bangkok early in June.</p><p>Tuesday&#x27;s vote is the culmination of years of campaigning and thwarted attempts to pass equal marriage laws.</p><p>While the move enjoys popular support, much of Buddhist-majority Thailand still retains traditional and conservative values.</p><p>LGBTQ people, while highly visible, say they still face barriers and discrimination in everyday life.</p><p>And some activists have criticized the new laws for failing to recognise transgender and non-binary people, who will still not be allowed to change their gender on official identity documents.</p><div><strong>© Agence France-Presse</strong></div><div><strong>— By Montira Rungjirajittranon, </strong><span id="isPasted" style="color:rgb(65, 65, 65);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"><strong>Agence France-Presse</strong></span></div><div><span id="isPasted"><strong>RELATED VIDEO</strong></span></div><div><span><strong><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/xjNxMRTmTFc?&amp;wmode=opaque&amp;rel=0" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen="" class="fr-draggable"></iframe></span></strong></span><br/></div><div><br/></div><div><br/></div><div><br/></div>

<p>Thailand on Tuesday became the first country in Southeast Asia to legalize same-sex marriage, in a historic parliamentary vote hailed as a "victory" by campaigners.</p>

Thailand on Tuesday became the first country in Southeast Asia to legalize same-sex marriage, in a historic parliamentary vote hailed as a "victory" by campaigners.