On March 27, 2024, Thailand took a major step toward LGBT+ equality by overwhelmingly passing a same-sex marriage bill in the lower house of parliament. The 400-10 vote signals growing support for legally recognising same-sex relationships. However, the bill still requires approval from the Senate and King before it can become law.
While this vote represents encouraging progress, the journey is far from over. Full marriage rights have not yet been achieved and discrimination unfortunately persists against the LGBT+ community both in Thailand and across the region. Currently in Asia, only Nepal and Taiwan recognise same-sex marriage. We hope Thailand continues to make progress towards recognising basic human rights for all citizens, regardless of sexual orientation or gender identity and that other countries in the region will also follow suit.
At Community Business, we believe inclusive workplaces can positively influence broader society. Our LGBT+ Inclusion Index benchmarks organisations' progress and recommends improvements. Through our research, we aim to better understand the challenges faced by LGBT+ people in Asia and increase societal awareness across diverse regions and populations. For example, in 2023 we published three pieces exploring topics like transgender inclusion in India and supporting rainbow families.
As advocacy efforts continue in Thailand, we remain hopeful that with time, the country will embrace and celebrate the diversity of all its people.