Justice: 'Wide support' for same-sex marriage bill

Justice: 'Wide support' for same-sex marriage bill

Completely blind Nawin Pratumsoot, right, and groom Notapit Tanatsirichote at their wedding in Phitsanulok province in April last year. They are among the people who will benefit from the same-sex partnership bill expected to be passed next month. (File photo)
Completely blind Nawin Pratumsoot, right, and groom Notapit Tanatsirichote at their wedding in Phitsanulok province in April last year. They are among the people who will benefit from the same-sex partnership bill expected to be passed next month. (File photo)

Most submissions at public hearings were supportive of the same-sex marriage bill, with southern Muslims objecting to registration of the partnerships on religious grounds, according to the Justice Ministry.

Public hearings had been completed in all regions and an online survey on the department's website had also closed, Nareelak Paechaiyapum, human rights director at the Rights and Liberties Protection Department, said on Thursday.

Most respondents supported the bill, but there were calls for adjustments in three areas, she said.

They proposed the Civil Code be amended to comply with the bill, same-sex couples have the right to adoption, and provision for a registered marriage be terminated if the partners were unable to have sex or were infected with a severe communicable disease.

Ms Nareelak said there were no problems raised during the public hearings except in the South, where Muslims objected to registration of same-sex marriage because it was contrary to the tenets of Islam.

She said that 3,055 people responded to the online survey and 98% of them supported the bill.

Her working group would report the results of the survey and public hearings to the justice minister by the end of this month, she said. It was hoped the National Legislative Assembly would pass the bill next month.

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