A network of gender equality activists has announced they will be submitting a bill to parliament proposing amendments to sections on marriage and family in the Civil and Commercial Code to allow couples to register their marriage regardless of gender.

As the new parliament opens its first session, human rights organization Fortify Rights call on the new cabinet to urgently reintroduce the marriage equality bill to protect LGBTQ rights, noting that marriage equality is among the 23 key issues mentioned in the Memorandum of Understanding signed by the 8 parties in the government coalition.

While women have long been considered “ornamental,” with the media and the public mainly focusing on their looks or how they dress and act, LGBTQ representation is nearly non-existent. They are subject to the same fate and even worse. A watershed moment for the community came in the last election when 3 self-identified LGBTQ people won MP seats.

The organizers of the Bangkok Pride have announced that they will be bidding to host World Pride in 2028 -- a move supported by both the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration and the Move Forward party, who won first place in the 2023 General election. For gender equality activist Chumaporn Taengkliang, founder of Naruemit Pride, the bid to host World Pride is the next step on the road to equality for the Thai LGBTQ community.

As the 2023 general election approaches, activists and members of civil society hope for policies that will ensure LGBTQ rights and gender equality for Thailand.