Thailand's Lower House passes same-sex marriage bill

In the House of Commons, the bill passed with 399 votes, although it still must be passed by the Senate before being approved by the King and published in the Royal Gazette. After the above procedures are completed, the new law will take effect after 120 days.

At the National Assembly on March 27, before the bill was passed, Congressman Danuphorn Punnakanta, Chairman of the National Assembly Committee in charge of the Draft Law, affirmed that the bill would help reduce social disparities and bring equality for all Thai people.

In 2022, Thai lawmakers initially approved two bills allowing same-sex marriage and two others allowing civil partnerships for same-sex couples. However, this law was repealed when Parliament was dissolved to make way for a general election last year.

With this move, Thailand is close to becoming the third country or territory in Asia (after Taiwan and Nepal) to legalize same-sex marriage, which marks an essential step in efforts to strengthen Thailand's position as one of Asia's freest societies on LGBT+ issues. The bill has been cherished for over 10 years and is supported by all major parties in the House of Representatives.

Moreover, to highlight their stance of inclusivity and support for the LGBT+ community, the prime minister, Srettha Thavisin, has reportedly voiced support for Bangkok’s bid to host World Pride in 2028.

According to Reuters, legalizing same-sex marriage could positively impact tourism, contributing about 12% to Thailand's $500 billion economy.