On Thursday, spokespersons from various groups submitted three draft bills to Parliament on behalf of the public, aspiring that legislators would enact laws to legalize same-sex marriage, encourage acceptance of all genders, and redefine the understanding of prostitution.
First deputy House Speaker, Padipat Suntiphada, received the drafts. The proposed Marriage Equality Bill suggests a modification to Section 1448 of the Civil and Commercial Code, currently defining marriage as a union between a man and a woman, to make the law inclusive for couples of any gender.
The proposed bill on “gender identity, gender expression, and sexuality” recommends that official documents recognize the gender that an individual identifies with.
The third proposal is an amendment to the 1996 Prevention and Suppression of Prostitution Act, aimed specifically at recognizing sex workers as legal professionals, granting them equal rights and the freedom to work.
All three bills aim to assure sexual equality and foster acceptance and equal treatment for everyone, regardless of gender, sexual identity, or profession, a representative stated.
They emphasized, “We urge Parliament to seriously consider these drafts, as the previous Parliament failed to pass the laws that would help offer equality and justice to all members of society.”
Padipat assured the representatives that Parliament would review the drafts and arrange a public hearing session at the earliest opportunity.
Only the marriage equality bill advanced past the first reading in Parliament in June of the previous year, but it failed to progress through the second reading due to various issues, including delays for the consideration of other bills and a lack of quorum.
