The 500-member House of Representatives voted Wednesday in the ultimate reading of the so-called “marriage equality” bill, which is technically an amendment to the Civil and Commercial Code. As many as 400 lawmakers supported the bill, 10 opposed it and five members abstained or didn’t vote after nearly 4 hours of debate.
The landmark laws goals to formally change the composition of marriage from “a person and a lady” to “two people” and alter the official legal status from “husband and wife” to “marriage”.
Nepal advertises itself as an LGBT-friendly country, wanting to develop a “pink economy”
Nepal advertises itself as an LGBT-friendly country, wanting to develop a “pink economy”
Since 2015, Thai laws have protected LGBTQ people from most kinds of discrimination, but efforts to formalize marriage rights have stalled. In 2021, the Constitutional Tribunal upheld a law recognizing marriage as exclusively between a person and a lady. Last 12 months, a bill recognizing same-sex partnerships failed to realize parliamentary approval before the elections.
Sretta’s government also promised to work on a law recognizing gender identity, and the health ministry also proposed legalizing industrial surrogacy to enable LGBTQ couples to adopt children. Thailand is bidding to host WorldPride events in Bangkok in 2028.
Legalizing same-sex marriage could have a positive impact on tourism, which generates about 12 percent of the nation’s $500 billion economy. In 2019, before the pandemic froze international tourism, LGBTQ travel and tourism to Thailand generated about $6.5 billion, or 1.2 percent of gross domestic product, based on industry consultant LGBT Capital.
Formal recognition could boost the repute of a destination already considered amongst the very best in Asia for LGBTQ guests, said Wittaya Luangsasipong, managing director of Siam Pride, an LGBTQ-friendly travel agency in Bangkok.
“This will become an asset for Thailand and increase our strength in the international arena,” Wittaya said. “This will create a peaceful and safe atmosphere for tourism and help attract more and more LGBTQ visitors. We could also see more marriages between LGBTQ couples, which could generate revenue across industries and local communities.”
