Thailand to make history as first Southeast Asian country to legalise same-sex civil partnerships
Thailand is set to become the first Southeast Asian country to legalise same-sex civil partnerships. On 7 June, the country’s cabinet approved a new draft of the Civil Partnership Bill, allowing same-sex couples to legally register their partnership.
While the proposed legislation avoids the term “marriage”, LGBTQ+ couples aged 17 and older will be allowed to jointly own property, adopt children and pass on inheritances.
Those under the age of 17 will need to get permission from their parents or legal guardian. The landmark announcement comes a couple of years after the cabinet’s first approval of the bill in 2020.
However, the legislation was put on hold after officials requested the Justice Ministry to reassess the inclusive bill. According to Bloomberg, the department made an array of amendments after consulting LGBTQ+ and religious groups.
