Thousands of LGBTQ+ people, their allies and political leaders marched through central Bangkok on Sunday to mark Pride month and promote gender equality in the second official Pride parade to be held in the country.
Bangkok Governor Chadchart Sittipunt said over 50,000 people joined this year’s Pride parade, more than double the attendance of last year’s event.
Political figures joining the parade included Pita Limjaroenrat, leader of the Move Forward Party (MFP), which is pushing to lead a coalition after winning the most seats in the May 14 general election.
Pita, who attended Sunday’s parade, told reporters that his party, once formed, “will support Marriage Equality (Act), Gender Identity (Act) and several others, including welfare.”
The coalition, which consisted of eight political parties, has made a joint pledge to pass laws, including the Marriage Equality Act, to ensure equal rights for all couples regardless of gender.
Thailand has one of Asia’s most open LGBTQ+ communities, but some political activists say laws and traditional institutions have yet to reflect changing social attitudes and still discriminate against LGBTQ+ people and same-sex couples. (NNT)
