Paetongtarn Shinawatra, leader of the ruling Pheu Thai Party and chairwoman of the National Committee on Soft Power Development, is backing efforts to push for a law on recognition of transgender people before 2030, when Thailand hopes to be granted the right to host World Pride.
Ms Paetongtarn was speaking at an event announcing this year's Pride Month festival starting on May 31 through June. The announcement was made at the Siam Discovery shopping centre on Tuesday.
She said the bill on gender recognition and the rights of transgender people, advocated by the main opposition Move Forward Party, was voted down on Feb 21. The bill was shot down by a vote of 256 to 152 with one abstention.
During the House debate, the bill was seen as "extreme" in its content by several MPs who were openly opposed to it.
Pheu Thai has long been committed to pushing for equality for all, she said.
The Thai Rak Thai Party, which was dissolved and reborn into the People Power Party, which was also disbanded and morphed into Pheu Thai, campaigned for better recognition of LGBTQ+ rights.
The Pheu Thai-led government on March 27 joined in a successful push to have the marriage equality law passed in the House of Representatives, she said. The law is expected to win final approval by the Senate and be enacted later this year, she added. The Thailand Convention and Exhibition Bureau said it plans to submit a bid for the right to host World Pride 2030.
Saruntorn Asaves of Siam Piwat Co, the operator of Siam Discovery, said a wide range of events are planned for next month.