Would you like to receive notifications on latest updates of the following headlines?

Thailand Passes Bill To Legalise Same-sex Marriage

POSTED ON June 18, 2024 •   Metro      BY Benedicta Bassey
Same sex marriage/ Photo credit: Global Cocktails

Thailand’s Senate has passed a marriage equality bill, paving the way for the country to become the first in Southeast Asia to recognise same-sex marriage.

The upper house on Tuesday approved the measure in its final reading – with 130 votes in favour from the 152 members in attendance, four against and 18 abstentions.

The bill will grant legal recognition to same-sex marriage.

The legislation will now go to King Maha Vajiralongkorn for assent, a formality that is widely expected to be granted. It will come into force 120 days after it is published in the royal gazette.

Once the law takes effect, Thailand will become the third Asian jurisdiction after Nepal and Taiwan to legalise gay marriage.

LGBTQ advocates called the move a “monumental Step forward"

It will cement Thailand's reputation as a relative haven for LGBTQ+ couples in a region where such attitudes are rare.

"This is the beginning of equality. It's not a universal cure to every problem but it's the first step towards equality," Danuphorn Punnakanta, an MP and chairman of the lower house's committee on marriage equality, told parliament while presenting a draft of the bill. 

He noted: "This law wants to return these rights to these group of people, not grant them the rights."

The new law, which was passed by 400 of 415 lawmakers present, describes marriage as a partnership between two individuals, instead of between a man and woman. 

And it will give LGBTQ+ couples equal rights to get marital tax savings, to inherit property, and to give medical treatment consent for partners who are incapacitated.

Under the law, married same-sex couples can also adopt children. However, the lower house did not adopt the committee's suggestion to use the term "parents" instead of "fathers and mothers".

Past attempts to legalise same-sex marriage failed despite broad public support.

A government survey late last year showed that 96.6% of those polled were in favour of the bill.

"Yes, I'm watching the parliamentary debate and keeping my fingers crossed," says Phisit Sirihirunchai, a 35-year-old openly gay police officer. "I'm glad and already excited that it is really going to happen. I am coming closer and closer to seeing my dreams come true."

Phisit said he and his partner, who had been together for more than five years, had been planning to get married on the day the law comes into effect.

However, the Thai parliament has so far rejected proposals to allow people to change their gender identity, despite the high visibility of transgender communities here.

READ ALSO
Customs Seizes N1.28bn, Arrests Seven Smugglers in Lagos, Ogun, Oyo
BY Abiodun Saheed Omodara June 5, 2025 0

    The Federal Operations Unit (FOU), Zone A of the Nigeria C...

READ ALSO
EFCC's Crackdown on Illegal Mining, Two Chinese Nationals Charged in Lagos Court
BY Abiodun Saheed Omodara June 5, 2025 0

LAGOS, Nigeria - The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has charged two Chinese nationa...

READ ALSO
Enugu Proposes Bill to Curb Criminal Activities Linked to Traditional Practitioners
BY Abiodun Saheed Omodara June 5, 2025 0

ENUGU, Nigeria - Enugu State Governor Peter Mbah has proposed an Executive Bill to the Enugu State H...

READ ALSO
Controller General Issues Urgent Security Directive for Correctional Facilities
BY Abiodun Saheed Omodara June 4, 2025 0

The Controller General of Corrections, Sylvester Nwakuche, has issued a strict order to all Zonal Co...

READ ALSO
NEMA Mobilizes Teams to 15 States Amid Flood Warnings
BY Abiodun Saheed Omodara June 4, 2025 0

The National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) has sent officials to 15 high-risk states to educate...

READ ALSO
Tinubu Orders Urgent Repairs on Flood-Damaged Bridge in Mokwa
BY Abiodun Saheed Omodara June 4, 2025 0

NIGER, Nigeria (NAN)- President Bola Tinubu has instructed the Federal Ministry of Works to repair t...

READ ALSO
EFCC Charges Two Men for Posing as Fake Sureties in Illegal Mining Case
BY Abiodun Saheed Omodara June 3, 2025 0

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has charged two individuals, Shehu Abdu and Isah...

READ ALSO
Court Sentence Scrap Seller to 12 Years for Sexual Assault of Four-Year-Old Girl
BY Abiodun Saheed Omodara June 3, 2025 0

A scrap seller, Nasiru Usman, was sentenced to 12 years in prison by an Ikeja Sexual Offences and Do...

OUR CHANNELS:

NEMA Mobilizes Teams to 15 States Amid Flood Warnings
BY Abiodun Saheed Omodara June 5, 2025 0

The National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) has sent officials to 15 high-risk states to educate...


Edo Faces Diphtheria Outbreak, Two Confirmed Deaths
BY Abiodun Saheed Omodara June 5, 2025 0

EDO, Nigeria (NAN) - A diphtheria outbreak has been confirmed in Edo State, resulting in two deaths....


Tinubu Honors Bill Gates with National Award for Global Philanthropy
BY Abiodun Saheed Omodara June 5, 2025 0

LAGOS, Nigeria - President Bola Tinubu commended Bill Gates, the co-founder of Microsoft and chairma...


Bahrain, Colombia, DRC, Latvia, and Liberia Join UN Security Council for 2026-2027 Term
BY Abiodun Saheed Omodara June 5, 2025 0

The UN General Assembly on Tuesday elected five new non-permanent members to the UN Security Council...


Tinubu Orders Urgent Repairs on Flood-Damaged Bridge in Mokwa
BY Abiodun Saheed Omodara June 5, 2025 0

NIGER, Nigeria (NAN)- President Bola Tinubu has instructed the Federal Ministry of Works to repair t...


Nigeria Needs ₦2.2 Trillion to Eliminate Cervical Cancer by 2030, Says Task Force Chair
BY Abiodun Saheed Omodara June 5, 2025 0

ABUJA, Nigeria — Nigeria will need ₦2.2 trillion to roll out comprehensive cervical cancer ini...


EFCC Charges Two Men for Posing as Fake Sureties in Illegal Mining Case
BY Abiodun Saheed Omodara June 4, 2025 0

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has charged two individuals, Shehu Abdu and Isah...


Court Sentence Scrap Seller to 12 Years for Sexual Assault of Four-Year-Old Girl
BY Abiodun Saheed Omodara June 4, 2025 0

A scrap seller, Nasiru Usman, was sentenced to 12 years in prison by an Ikeja Sexual Offences and Do...


70-Year-Old Faces Manslaughter Charges After Fatal Accident
BY Abiodun Saheed Omodara June 5, 2025 0

LAGOS, Nigeria - A 70-year-old man, Isiaka Afolayan, has been detained for careless driving and the...


Police Arrest 49 years old Suspect for Abduction of Two-Month-Old Baby
BY Abiodun Saheed Omodara June 5, 2025 0

DELTA, Nigeria - The police in Delta reported the arrest of a suspect named Joy Temitope for the abd...


More Articles

Load more...

Menu