Thailand’s House of Representatives passes marriage equality bill

Bangkok Pride, 2022
Photo: Wikimedia Commons

Same-sex couples in Thailand may soon have the same legal rights to marry as those in heterosexual relationships, thanks to a bill that was passed in the country’s parliament on Wednesday.

As the Associated Press reports, the bill would amend Thailand’s Civil and Commercial Code, swapping existing language like “men and women” and “husband and wife” for “individuals” and “marriage partners,” and thus granting same-sex couples the same rights under the law enjoyed by people in heterosexual relationships.

The bill passed Wednesday by an overwhelming majority, with 400 of the Thai House of Representatives 415 lawmakers voting in favor and only ten voting against it. Two others chose to abstain, and three did not vote, according to the AP. A consolidation of four previous marriage equality bills that passed in December, Wednesday’s bill had support from all of Thailand’s major political parties, CNN reports.

Thailand enjoys a reputation as a particularly LGBTQ+-friendly country, and a poll last November found that 96.6% of the public supports marriage equality. But lawmakers have struggled…

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