Gay and Lesbians Voted IN to the New Constitution

There is surprise today, all of a sudden, that a clause is approved defining gays, lesbians and transgendered persons as protected by the new constitution. Praise is due Natee Theerarojnapong who led the effort. I'm thinking Natee hopes to run for office someday and I wish him luck in that endeavor.

I feel slightly awkward as the clause comes approved (and reported here) the same day that a clause defining Buddhism as the State religion is again rejected. I certainly do not rejoice, and I hope something gets worked out for them by August.

http://www.nationmultimedia.com/2007/06 ... 038184.php (http://www.nationmultimedia.com/2007/06/30/headlines/headlines_30038184.php) (full article)


State religion rejected

CDA votes 66-9 against special status for Buddhism; approves recognition of rights of gays and transsexuals .

<snip>

The CDA yesterday also voted to include a clause to recognise homosexuals and transsexual individuals and assure they would "enjoy equal rights".

The assembly noted however that such recognition would not lead to sanctioning "homosexual consummation".

<snip>

Meanwhile, Natee Theerarojnapong, president of the Gay Political Group of Thailand, burst into tears on being told that the CDA had agreed to recognise the rights of gays and lesbians by stating in Article 30 of the charter that differences in "sexual identity" could not be grounds for discrimination.

"This is what we have fought for for decades," he said.

Natee said he believed that Sutthirat Simsiriwong's case had prompted the assembly to recognise gay rights [page 2].

"His case was concrete evidence that discrimination against gays does exist in this country," he said.

The CDA will continue deliberations on the draft constitution today and tomorrow.

Pravit Rojanaphruk

The Nation

Gays to get equal status under new Thai charter
Fri Jun 29, 2007 4:05 PM IST
The good news is spreading around the world. When all this goes through I think Thai gays will have better recourse to protections than most of us westerners.

http://in.today.reuters.com/news/newsAr ... ived=False (http://in.today.reuters.com/news/newsArticle.aspx?type=worldNews&storyID=2007-06-29T160337Z_01_NOOTR_RTRMDNC_0_India-282416-1.xml&archived=False)


BANGKOK (Reuters) - Writers of Thailand's post-coup constitution agreed on Friday to give gay, lesbian, transgender and transvestite groups official status in the new charter to try to end discrimination.

Along with a guarantee of equal rights for men and women, the 100-member drafting council voted unanimously to include a reference to "those of other sexual identities" in the new charter, due to be put to Thailand's first referendum in August.

"This council has already guaranteed equal rights for the disabled, so why can't we give the same treatment to those who have sexual preferences," said charter write Chirmsak Pinthong, who sponsored the idea.

Earlier this month, the council rejected a proposal to guarantee the rights of those with various sexual orientations, saying it would create a legal status of a "third sex".

Gay rights groups welcomed the inclusion, saying it would pave the way for fairer treatment.

"The clause will guarantee our basic rights that have been ignored for such a long time," Natee Teerarojjanapongs of the Thai Political Gay Group told Reuters in tears.

"We hope it will help end all sorts of discrimination against us," said Natee, who said he and his male partner were refused life insurance by a number of companies who viewed homosexuals as carrying a far higher risk than heterosexuals.

On the surface, Thailand appears very tolerant of homosexuality, with many openly gay celebrities.

Transvestites, or "katoeys" as they are called in Thai, are commonplace in offices, schools and on television, and Bangkok is a world centre of sex-change surgery.

However, the predominantly Buddhist country remains deeply conservative at heart and still had many rules and regulations discriminating against non-heterosexuals, gays activists say.

Transvestites are barred from compulsory military service, but army chiefs made a small concession two years ago, branding them "physically unfit" rather than "permanently insane".

However, many cross-dressers turned away before 2005 still carry the "permanently insane" stamp on their military draft cards -- documents needed for job applications.

The inclusion of the gay rights in the draft constitution came a day after a Thai gay rights group launched a boycott of a Bangkok night club run by European hotel chain after bouncers refused entry to a male transvestite.

The club denied any discrimination.