Thailand's Senate approves same-sex marriage

The Thai Senate has overwhelmingly passed a bill allowing same-sex marriage, Associated Press reports .

The bill passed the final reading in the Senate of Thailand and received 130 votes in favor. Another four senators voted against, and 18 abstained. After approval by the Senate, the law must be approved by the country's King Maha Vajiralongkorn and published in the Government Gazette. Together with the publication, the date of the law's entry into force will be set.

Among other things, the law proposes amendments to the Civil and Commercial Codes of Thailand, in which the words “man” and “woman” must be replaced with the more neutral word “person.” However, one member of the Senate demanded that gender-specific terms be retained, as, in his opinion, their removal would seriously “undermine the institution of the family” in Thailand.

"I am proud of the collective efforts of all stakeholders, which confirms the strength of 'unity in diversity' in Thai society. We will continue to fight for social rights for all people, regardless of their status," said Prime Minister of Thailand Settha Thaweesin, commenting on the adoption of the law.

As the Associated Press notes, Thailand has a reputation for inclusiveness, but has struggled for decades to pass a marriage equality law. Thai society is largely conservative, and members of the LGBTQ+ community say they face discrimination in their daily lives.

According to the publication, the Thai government and state agencies are also historically conservative, and gender equality advocates have had a hard time getting lawmakers and government officials to pass marriage equality legislation.

The Associated Press also adds that Thailand is the first country to legalize same-sex marriage in Southeast Asia and the third in Asia overall. Taiwan and Nepal have previously legalized same-sex marriage.

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