Five years after abortion was legalised in Thailand, abortion access remains limited. As an answer to these constraints, the abortion rights group Tamtang Foundation has opened Tarntawan Clinic, aiming to find a friendlier way of providing abortion care and to widen access to abortion in Thailand.

Despite decades of progress, inequalities continue to compromise global water security, disproportionally impacting women and girls, who despite of being the main collectors of water, continue to be excluded from water management and leadership roles, says the United Nations World Water Development Report, published by UNESCO on behalf of UN-Water.

A network of civil society organisations has filed a petition with the Social Security Office (SSO) demanding that it ensure access to abortion for individuals insured under the Social Security Scheme.

A network of civil society organizations has called on political parties to push for a gender recognition law, as not allowing trans people to change their gender markers and limiting legal markers to a binary male or female have led to discrimination against trans, non-binary, and intersex people.

A group of women human rights defenders have called for parental leave in Thailand to be made more inclusive by extending it to unmarried partners and family members.

On Saturday (8 March), activists in Chiang Mai staged an International Women’s Day march from Tha Pae gates to the Three Kings Monument carrying signs calling attention to gender equality issues, from abortion rights and the legalization of sex work to calling for support for women facing violence in Myanmar.

Northern Thai women have long been portrayed as subservient, delicate, beautiful - an ideal housewife in a patriarchal society. But they are no less active in politics and society than men. The region has a history of women being at the forefront of the struggle for human rights, and following the 2023 general election, five of Chiang Mai's 10 MPs are women. However, some obstacles still remain.

The Thai parliament yesterday (27 March) voted 399 to 10 to approve the Marriage Equality bill at the final reading, paving the way for Thailand to become the first country in Southeast Asia to recognize marriage for all. At the same time, the use of gendered language in the bill leads to the concern that some rights will remain limited for LGBTQ people.

Yesterday (21 December), the Thai parliament passed the first reading of four bills proposing amendments to the marriage law to allow registration of marriage regardless of gender. If adopted, the amendments would make Thailand the first country in Southeast Asia to recognize marriage for all.

After the cabinet's approval of a marriage equality bill and decision to introduce it to parliament next month, the human rights organization Fortify Rights call on parliament to urgently pass it into law and ensure the right to marriage equality for couples of all genders in Thailand.

The cabinet is planning to propose to parliament amendments to the Civil and Commercial Code to allow for the registration of marriage regardless of gender.

Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin has pledged to support the Marriage Equality Bill, which will be sent to the Cabinet next week, and Thailand’s bid to host World Pride 2028.