by Aekarach Sattaburuth
December 18, 2019
LGBT activists are broadening their push for an amendment to the Civil and Commercial Code in a bid to allow people to legally wed, regardless of gender.
LGBT coordinator Ekkawat Pimsawan on Wednesday submitted a proposal to amend the Code to Mukda Pongsombat, a Pheu Thai MP for Khon Kaen and chairwoman of the House committee on children, youths, women, the elderly, the disabled and ethnic groups.
Many transgender couples live together just like a marriage between a man and woman, the proposal says, but because there is no legal provision to recognise same-sex marriage, their rights are not protected. The group is calling for a legal amendment to the Code to solve the problem.
As the House committee was tasked with protecting people's rights and ensuring gender justice, the group asked the panel to set up a working group to study legal amendments on this issue.
Ms Mukda said the issue was new in Thai society. The House committee respected all groups of people, she said, and is ready to look into laws relating to all groups, particularly those affecting equal rights regardless of sexual preference.
After submitting the proposal, two men who represented the group hugged and kissed each other to symbolise their rights -- prompting criticism from some who questioned whether that was appropriate at the parliament, a hallowed institution.
On Nov 22, LGBT activists submitted a legal challenge to the Constitutional Court on the issue of same-sex marriage.
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