BANGKOK,Thailand -The House of Representatives in Thailand passed a bill legalizing same-sex marriages. This is a significant step towards making Thailand the first Southeast Asian country to grant marriage rights to same-sex couples. The bill was approved with 393 votes in favor, three against, and one abstention. The Senate now has 60 days to approve the same bill or propose amendments. The bill will then be reviewed by the Constitutional Court and the sovereign.
The bill that was voted on by the House is based on a text presented by the coalition government of Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin. It also includes modifications suggested by representatives of civil society and the main opposition party, Andiamo Avanti. The bill proposes changes to the civil and commercial codes of Thailand, replacing the terms “wife” and “husband” with “spouse”, and removing references to “man” and “woman”, instead referring only to the “individual”.
The Pracharat Party, which has its main base of support in the far south of the Muslim-majority country, did not oppose the bill. However, they called for protections for Muslim preachers and Christian priests who do not wish to perform same-sex marriages. During the vote, several members of the House of Representatives displayed rainbow-colored flags.
