LGBT+ couples have a lot to celebrate over the weekend with one of the biggest Pride parades in Thai history taking place in Bangkok, along with renewed promises for the Marriage Equality Bill.
Beauty pageant winners and celebrities attended the event to celebrate diversity with the crowd, but due to the election fever, the main highlight this year was the presence of politicians.
Among those in attendance at the parade were Bangkok Governor Chadchart Sittipunt, Move Forward Party (MFP) leader Pita Limjaroenrat, Pheu Thai Prime Minister Candidate Paetongtarn Shinawatra, and Thai Sang Thai Prime Minister Candidate Sita Divari.
Chadchart pledged to bring the international World Pride event to Bangkok by 2028.
Meanwhile, both Pita and Paetongtarn promised to revive the now-shelved Marriage Equality Bill.
The Bill passed its first reading on June 16, 2022, but was later shelved after failing to pass its second and third readings before the previous parliament was dissolved.
The Bill, sponsored by the opposition, competed against two government-sponsored Civil Partnership bills. As this was a contentious issue, the parliament was abruptly adjourned multiple times.
It will now be up to the MFP and Pheu Thai parties to revive the Bill after a new Cabinet is formed. Both parties have promised to “make marriage equality a reality” in Thailand.
Their chances of passing the Bill are now higher, as they would have the majority support in parliament with a combined vote of 292 MPs out of 500 MPs.
Additionally, the 8-party MFP-led coalition signed a memorandum of understanding to vote in favor of the Bill.
Parit Wacharasindhu, an MFP list-MP elect, stated that his party will strive to pass the Bill within 100 days of assuming power.
He noted that this is feasible since they don’t have to start from scratch, as the Bill had already passed its first reading.
“If successful, next year’s Bangkok Pride event will be held in a country where every couple can get married,” he added.
Photos by Kan Sangtong and additional report by Erich Parpart