BANGKOK (TIP): Thailand’s parliament passed a same-sex marriage bill March 28, paving the way for the kingdom to become the first Southeast Asian nation to recognise LGBTQ marriage equality.
The bill sailed through on 399 to 10 votes in the lower house, although it must still be approved by the Senate before it is endorsed by the king, and then published in the Royal Gazette.
After the result, one representative brought a rainbow flag into the chamber.
“Today society has proved to us that they care about LGBT rights,” Tunyawaj Kamolwongwat, an MP with the progressive Move Forward Party which has pushed for LGBTQ+ rights, told AFP.
“Now we finally we will have the same rights as others.”
Across Asia only Taiwan and Nepal recognise same-sex marriage, with India’s highest court deferring the decision to parliament in October.
And while the kingdom enjoys a welcoming reputation for the international LGBTQ+ community, Thai activists have struggled for decades against conservative attitudes and values.
The proposal will change references to “men”, “women”, “husbands” and “wives” in the marriage law to gender-neutral terms.
It also means LGBTQ+ couples will be able to enjoy inheritance and adoption rights in the kingdom for the first time.
Mookdapa expressed hope that the later stages of the bill would progress smoothly, so that her country “will be on par with the international level in terms of LGBT rights”.
The vote follows a decision by Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin’s cabinet last year that gave the go-ahead for the parliament debate.
The prime minister has been vocal in his support for the LGBTQ+ community, making the policy a signature issue and telling reporters last year that the change would strengthen family structures.
While Thailand has a reputation for tolerance, much of the Buddhist-majority country remains conservative and the LGBTQ community, while highly visible, still faces barriers and discrimination.
Activists have been pushing for same-sex marriage rights for more than a decade, but in a kingdom where politics is regularly upended by coups and mass street protests, the advocacy did not get far.
In 2022 Thai lawmakers gave initial approval to two bills that would allow same-sex marriages and two others that would permit civil partnerships.
But the legislation was dropped when parliament was dissolved to pave the way for a general election held last year. (AFP)
Tag: South Asia
-
Thai parliament passes same-sex marriage bill
-
TN cop held in Bangladesh for illegal entry
CHENNAI (TIP) : A special sub-inspector (SSI) attached to the Selaiyur police station in Chennai has been detained by the Bangladesh army on the charge of trying to enter the country by illegally crossing the border. According to police sources, the SSI has been identified as 47-year-old John Selvaraj who was on medical leave at the time of his detention. Police sources said they were probing Selvaraj’s possible links to cross-country gold and drug smugglers that may have led to the alleged misadventure. Police also said the SSI has been regularly taking leaves and had been suspended in the past for unauthorised absence.
A native of Tiruchy, Selvaraj had worked as a driver with the Tiruchy police and then with the Chennai city police before he was transferred to Selaiyur. “He was frequently absent. Other than that there wasn’t anything particularly out of place about him,” a police officer said. Cop had taken break from 2006-09. “He was suspended once for taking multiple leaves without prior intimation but the suspension was revoked after a formal apology,” a police official said. (NIE) -
Three killed in suicide attack in Afghanistan
KANDAHAR (TIP): A suicide bombing killed three people and wounded 12 others outside a bank in the southern Afghan city of Kandahar on March 28, a provincial official said. “A suicide attack occurred in which three compatriots were killed and 12 others were wounded, according to preliminary information,” Inamullah Samangani, Director of Information and Culture of Kandahar province, told AFP.
The explosion targeted a group of people waiting outside the New Kabul Bank branch in Kandahar at around 8:00 am (0330 GMT).
“Commonly our compatriots gather there to collect their salaries,” said Samangani, adding that the “victims were civilians”.
The number of bomb blasts and suicide attacks in Afghanistan has markedly declined since the Taliban ended their insurgency after seizing power in August 2021, ousting the US-backed government.
A number of armed groups — including the regional chapter of the Islamic State group — remain a threat, however. (AFP) -
Nritya Ranjani showcases the rich cultural heritage of India
LONG ISLAND, NY(TIP): The Nartan Rang Dance Academy of Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan held its annual production, Nritya Ranjani,at the Adelphi University Performing Arts Center on Long Island on Sunday, June 24th, 2018. Nritya Ranjani 2018: Nritya Yatra, A Cultural Journey, told the story of a mother-daughter duo traveling through the Indian subcontinent in search of knowledge & experience through the rich culture & heritage of India’s numerous festivals. Together, the pair navigated the ups and downs of culture shock and generation gaps, much as they happen with the millennial generation of today.
Junior Students performing on a Bollywood song 
Fusion dance by Siddhi Vaishnav and Ciera Paily Taking the journey from September to August, the production encompassed the holidays of Ganeshotsav, Navratri, Durga Puja, Diwali, Christmas, Uttarayan, Republic Day, Mahashivaratri, Holi, Baisakhi, Ramadan, the monsoon season, and Janmashtami. Choreographed by Nartan Rang creative director Swati Vaishnav & her daughter Siddhi, Nritya Yatraseamlessly wove together the threads of the immigrant and “ABCD” experiences via kathak, bharatnatyam, folk, Bollywood, and fusion dance, forging a bond with the audience through art and storytelling that all could relate to.
4-6 years old kids performing Happy Diwali Over the past three decades, the Nartan Rang Dance Academy’s vision has always been to endeavor to promote Indian dance forms to the younger generations and to encourage and inspire both adults and children of all ages and backgrounds to learn and appreciate the divine art and heritage of South Asia. The Academy will proudly continue to strive in the preservation, expansion, and growth of the South Asian diaspora for years to come. Registration for the 2018-19 year begins in mid-August. Please call (516) 395-1209 or E-Mail nartanrangdance@gmail.com
-
Indian in Pakistan jail has to wait till January 31 to know his fate
PESHAWAR (TIP): Indian national Hamid Nehal Ansari, languishing in a Pakistani jail, even after serving a 3-year prison term, has failed to secure his release as authorities did not submit the record of his conviction by a military court and his jail warrant to a top court here.
Ansari, a Mumbai resident, was arrested in 2012 for illegally entering Pakistan from Afghanistan reportedly to meet a girl he had befriended online. He was tried in a military court and was given three years’ rigorous imprisonment.
In November last year, he had filed a petition in the Peshawar High Court, pleading that he should not be treated as a “spy” as he was not involved in “anti-state activities”. Though India has sought consular access to Ansari, Pakistan has not yet provided it, the Ministry of External Affairs had said in New Delhi earlier this month.
Resuming the hearing in the case, the two judge Peshawar High Court (PHC) bench, comprising Chief justice Yahya Afridi and Justice Mohammad Ghazanfar, asked the respondents about production of Ansari’s conviction order by the military court as well as details of his jail warrant.
However, the respondents did not submit the record of his conviction and his jail warrant that the court had earlier directed to produce today, the Express Tribune reported.
Later, the court strongly directed the authorities to produce the records by January 31 and adjourned the case.
Ansari’s legal woes comes at a time when India has legally challenged at the International Court of Justice the death sentence given by a Pakistani military court to Indian national Kulbhushan Jadhav, for alleged spying.
During the hearing of Ansari’s case, the court was told that the security agencies had recovered some photographs of Pakistan’s sensitive locations from his possession, especially of the military related areas, the Express Tribune said.
However, the authorities did not provide any details to support their claim, the report said.
Lawyer for Ansari, Qazi Muhammad Anwar, argued in the court that the Indian national was investigated by the security forces and tried by the military court.
He was sentenced to three-year imprisonment only for his illegal entry into Pakistan as nothing else was found against him to prove him a spy.
“Under the law, he has already completed the three-year jail term as he is behind bars in Pakistan since 2012 and should be released now,” he said.
The counsel told the court that in Mardan prison Ansari is being treated like a spy as his jail warrant is also stamped with phrase ‘anti-state activities’ despite the fact he was not found to be involved in any such activities.
“Nehal Ansari is not a spy. He was tried by the military court and was awarded three year imprisonment, which he has already completed,” Anwar told the court.
Ansari was arrested by security agencies in 2012 from a hotel in Kohat, allegedly with a fake ID. According to his petition, he had come to Pakistan to meet a girl he had befriended on social media.
Ansari was tried in a military court and was given a three-year rigorous imprisonment that started from December 15, 2015. (PTI)