Global Courant
BANGKOK — The front-runner to become Thailand’s next prime minister took part in a Pride parade in Bangkok on Sunday and pledged to pass a law allowing same-sex marriage and gender identity rights if he becomes prime minister.
Thousands of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer (LGBTQ+) people, their allies and political leaders marched through downtown Bangkok to mark Pride Month and promote gender equality in the country’s second official Pride Parade. is being held.
The protesters waved rainbow flags, with one holding a placard reading “freedom to choose gender” and another reading “love is love” in rainbow colors.
Bangkok Governor Chadchart Sittipunt said more than 50,000 people took part in this year’s Pride parade, more than double last year’s attendance.
Political figures taking part in the parade included Mr Pita Limjaroenrat, leader of the progressive Move Forward party, who is pushing to lead a coalition after winning the most seats in the May 14 general election, when voters made it clear that they hoped to end nearly 10 years of rule by the military and military-backed governments.
“Once the government is formed, we will support marriage equality (law), gender identity (law) and several others including welfare,” Limjaroenrat told reporters at the parade.
“These few things will always make the celebration of diversity in Pride Month a pride,” he said.
The coalition, which consisted of eight political parties, has made a joint commitment to pass laws, including the Marriage Equality Act, to ensure equal rights for all couples regardless of gender, following the passage of the bill and related legislations in parliament had stalled under the previous government.
Thailand has one of Asia’s most open and visible lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender communities, but many political activists say Thailand’s laws and traditional institutions have yet to reflect changing social attitudes and continue to discriminate against LGBT people and same-sex couples. REUTERS
Thai PM leader Pita attends Pride parade, promising
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