The cabinet has approved the Civil Partnership Bill, which allows same-sex couples to register their partnership.

The Council of State had already vetted the bill and the legal amendments, which were forwarded to the cabinet on Tuesday. Following the cabinet approval, they will be put to a vote in the House of Representatives.

Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha said on Tuesday that the Civil Partnership Bill was a new law in response to global changes, particularly gender equality and sexual diversity.

Same-sex engagement and marriages affected some existing laws that must be amended.

The bill defines civil partners as couples born with the same gender. Civil unions will be available to same-sex couples who are at least 17 years old as long as at least one is a Thai national.

Civil partners will have the same legal rights as married people regarding personal and jointly held property, as well as the right to adopt children.

When one partner dies, the other will have the same inheritance rights as conventional married couples.

A man or a woman can face a divorce lawsuit if he or she treats someone else as a civil partner.