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.

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 Thailand will soon be due for another general election, members of the civil society are now concerned that policies advocating for the welfare of women, children, and LGBTQ+ people and for gender equality would be used as a campaigning tool, as many political parties have yet to implement policies proposed during the 2019 election.

LGBTQ rights activists and the team behind Naruemit Pride announced yesterday (15 September) that they will be organizing a major Pride festival on Valentine’s Day in 2023, calling for marriage equality and right to found a family.