Thailand poised to legalise same-sex marriage | EUROtoday

Thailand has change into the primary nation in southeast Asia to go a invoice legalising same-sex marriage, cementing it’s repute because the area’s haven for LGBTQ+ {couples}.

After years of campaigning, the landmark laws was handed by an awesome majority on Wednesday – with 400 of the 415 lawmakers current approving the invoice.

“I got goosebumps [when it passed]it’s really a historic moment, it’s monumental,” Mookdapa Yangyuenpradorn, a human rights affiliate at Fortify Rights who suggested parliament on the invoice, informed the Telegraph.

“Marriage equality is not just about two people getting married, it’s a matter of life and death – it’s the right for a couple to be able to sign health care consent forms, to be able to adopt, access inheritance, or spousal benefits like tax deductions,” she stated.

The laws – which adjustments the definition of marriage from “a man and a woman” to “two individuals” – nonetheless requires approval from the Senate and royal endorsement to change into legislation, however that is broadly anticipated to happen earlier than the top of the yr.

This will make Thailand solely the third nation in Asia to recognise same-sex marriage, following Taiwan and Nepal. It additionally additional cements its repute as a relative haven for the LBGTQ+ neighborhood in southeast Asia, the place international locations together with Brunei and Malaysia nonetheless criminalise same-sex intimacy.

‘It’s the start of equality’

“I hope this will inspire other countries in the region to follow suit and make changes to laws, policies and practices regarding LGBTQ+ rights and protections,” stated Ms Yangyuenpradorn.

Despite broad public assist – with a ballot late final yr suggesting 96 per cent of individuals have been in favour of the invoice – getting thus far has been a bumpy street for Thailand, with a number of earlier drafts failing to make it by means of parliament.

“When the vote won today, we were crying in parliament – because it’s not just today, our struggle has been over 10 years,” Matcha Phornin, an activist concerned in drafting the invoice, informed the Telegraph.

She added that the laws demonstrates that Thai society accepts the LGBTQ+ neighborhood, and can “make a better life for the next generation”. She additionally intends to marry her long-term associate as soon as the legislation comes into pressure, to capitalise on the rights already accessible to hetrosexual {couples}, from marital tax financial savings to inheriting property.

Thanawin Khampan, 32, additionally stated he’s now beginning to consider marrying his boyfriend of three years after the landmark ruling.

“This is great news, it’s the beginning of equality. I’m glad that it is going to happen soon,” he informed the Telegraph. “I think if we get married, we will have our families join and celebrate together like a small wedding.”

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