Bangkok (NNT/VNA) - Thailand's House of Representatives has approved the amendment to the draft equal marriage law.

The bill is to restore rights and freedom for all individuals by revising legal definitions and provisions to encompass all genders.

This includes specifying the age at which individuals can engage in betrothal or marriage, the registration of divorce, and the right to claim compensation for breach of engagement. Moreover, it includes prohibitions against bigamy and marriage between closely related individuals by bloodline, aimed at promoting equality and protecting the rights to marry and to family equally.

This law aims to provide equal protection and rights to all marital pairs, whether they are male-female, male-male, or female-female couples, in all aspects, including the right to adopt children and to state benefits according to marital status.

This amendment positions Thailand as a progressive country in Asia and the first in ASEAN to support equal marriage rights, marking a significant step towards equality and the protection of everyone's rights in society.

The next step for the amendment is its consideration by the Senate, planned for April 1-2 or April 9, with the establishment of a commission to further deliberate and prepare for a timely vote before the transition to a new set of Senate members./.