Annual Pride celebrations returned to Bangkok with a parade in the Siam Square shopping district, joined by thousands of Thais and foreigners, while leaders of the new government coalition promised to pass a Marriage Equality bill as soon as parliament opens.

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.

<p>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.</p>

<p>The human right organization Fortify Rights issued a statement today (1 November) calling&nbsp;on the Thai parliament to approve the Marriage Equality bill, which is expected to re-enter parliament during the current legislative session.</p>

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

<p>LGBTQ rights activists went to parliament yesterday (8 September) to file an <a href="https://www.facebook.com/femliberateth/photos/a.100889168409175/610728587425228/">open letter</a> calling for parliament to pass the Marriage Equality bill in its second and third readings.</p>

<p>The Drafting Committee for the Civil Partnership bill and the Marriage Equality bill has said that it will push for both bills to go before parliament before the end of the current session, while concerns have been raised about homophobia among committee members.</p>

<p>In January 2020, the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) launched the&nbsp;LGBTQ+ travel marketing outrach campaign #GoThaiBeFree, presenting Thailand as a heaven for LGBTQ+ tourists. Verita Sriratana discusses how this image has been challenged as Thailand&#39;s LGBTQ+ community continue to struggle with discrimination and lack of legal rights.</p>

<p>The Thai Parliament on Wednesday (15 June) voted to pass the Marriage Equality bill and the Civil Partnership bill in their first reading.</p>

<p>The first reading of the Marriage Equality bill has once again been delayed, while the Cabinet has endorsed the Civil Partnership bill, previously criticised for not granting the same rights and dignity to LGBTQ couples as heterosexual couples.</p>