Thailand To See Marriage Equality Bill

Thailand's federal government says it is ready to put forth a bill to legalize same-sex marriage. But not in name.

"We will put forward the same-sex civil-union bill in Parliament," Naras Savestanan, director general of the Rights and Liberties Protection Department, announced yesterday with the chair of the House committee on justice and human rights, Viroon Phuensaen, by his side. Naras said his department and the House committee had decided to put this bill before Parliament with the hope that same-sex partners would be able to enjoy the same rights as heterosexual couples. "The rights cover tax benefits, pension benefits and more," he said, adding that once this bill takes effect, the civil union of same-sex couples would legally equal the registered marriage of men and women.

Thailand would become the first Asian nation with equal marriage/civil unions, unless you count New Zealand, which some people would. No time frame for bill has been revealed.