ภาษาไทยAt Bangkok Pride festival, politicians pledge support
Politicians pledged support for same-sex marriage and gender identity laws in front of tens of thousands of people at a parade and festival celebrating that start of Pride Month in Bangkok last week.
June is regarded as Pride Month across the world, celebrating the LGBTQIA+ communities and advocating for equal rights. Thailand has long had a reputation for openness and tolerance for its LGBTQIA+ people.
The legal issue of same-sex marriage has been discussed in the Kingdom for a number of years. At the Pride Festival in Bangkok last week, two politicians who were elected earlier during the general election, Pita Limjaroenrat of the Move Forward Party and Paetongtarn Shinawatra of the Pheu Thai Party expressed their support for a law to recognize same-sex marriage.
They were joined on stage by Bangkok Governor Chadchart Sittipunt, who chimed in with his backing for legal recognition of same-sex marriages. The governor said that over 50,000 people attended the Pride Festival on Silom Road in the capital’s central business district. This was just the second Pride Festival in Bangkok that was officially recognized by the government.
“Once the government is formed, we will support Marriage Equality (Act), Gender Identity (Act) and several others, including welfare,” Pita said. “These few things will make the celebration of diversity in Pride Month into pride always.”
Pita’s Move Forward Party won the most seats in parliament in the May 14 general election with Pheu Thai finishing a close second. As no one party won an outright majority of seats, whoever emerges as Thailand’s next prime minister will have to form a coalition among several parties.
Photo courtesy of https://thainews.prd.go.th/