When Will Thailand Have Legal Gay Marriage?

[Jingthing]

Not sure that marriage is a good idea for anyone, but many gay expats would like to have equal treatment with visa priveledges with their same sex partners. Not meant to be a pro or con discussion about gay marriage in Thailand. More like a: do you think it will ever happen here, and if so, how many years from now?

[Wrong Turn]

Not sure that marriage is a good idea for anyone, but many gay expats would like to have equal treatment with visa priveledges with their same sex partners. Not meant to be a pro or con discussion about gay marriage in Thailand. More like a: do you think it will ever happen here, and if so, how many years from now?

Who cares?

I think this is better suited for the Gay Section.

Gay or straight, getting married in LOS, still means you're a second class citizen.

[yorkman]

Swiftly bypassing the above, who surely saying "who cares" does not give a toss about their fellow human beings

Not sure that marriage is a good idea for anyone, but many gay expats would like to have equal treatment with visa priveledges with their same sex partners. Not meant to be a pro or con discussion about gay marriage in Thailand. More like a: do you think it will ever happen here, and if so, how many years from now?

Yay, even in western places that have gone down the "political correctness" route, with its ups and downs, they downgrade to a "civil partnership".

Well, it would need a political body that has a majority, has something to gain by promoting this, well what do you think?

A long time before it appears on the radar of the thai politicians as something to consider methinks.

As far as visa priveleges are concerned, well, heterosexual relationships often produce thai citizens, I have a couple. It does seem balanced that they give some slight priveleges to the hard working fathers of the same.

[Pepe']

Considering the level of homophobia and bias that exists here even in southern California, that is supposed to be "hip" I just don't see these kinds of relationships being accepted anytime soon.

I'm straight and quite frankly I don't understand what the problem is with gay marriage.

In the states or Thailand for that matter...

[crudy21]

Never!

[Jingthing]

Never!

That's a long time. Even now, the Thai gay activists were at least communicating with the people behind the new constitution. There is awareness of the issue in the Bangkok elite. I know from inside information that many Thai politicians have been gay over the years. Why wouldn't Thailand progress in this issue at its own slower pace the same way European countries have? Thailand is no gay paradise but it doesn't have the ingrained homophobia of Anglo-Saxon socieites, and even some of them have made lots of progress.

There is also the interesting issus of ladyboys who are so visible everywhere in Thailand. They are referred to as women of the second kind and I think that is true, and when a straight man loves a ladyboy, that is more of heterosexual thing than a gay thing, but how can they marry, the ladyboy must change his/her legal indentity. Can Thai ladyboys can change their legal identities to female and then legally marry a man in Thailand?

Edited December 26, 2007 by Jingthing

[skipvice]

Never!

That's a long time. Even now, the Thai gay activists were at least communicating with the people behind the new constitution. There is awareness of the issue in the Bangkok elite. I know from inside information that many Thai politicians have been gay over the years. Why wouldn't Thailand progress in this issue at its own slower pace the same way European countries have? Thailand is no gay paradise but it doesn't have the ingrained homophobia of Anglo-Saxon socieites, and even some of them have made lots of progress.

Let us hope

[DP25]

I don't think it will happen soon. Even many straight couples don't bother to officially register their marriage, I think it would be a difficult case to convince voters to support marriage for gays when so many don't even bother with it themselves. Thailand is much more tolerant of gays than nearly any other country, for which I greatly admire it, but I don't think marriage is on the horizon anytime soon. Hopefully in the future ladyboys will be able to legally change their sex however, I imagine that it is quite uncomfortable when they travel abroad and their passport says they are male. I'd be interested to hear opinions of gay members on this however, whether Thai or foreign.

Edited December 26, 2007 by DP25

[PaulUSA302]

I think more gay couples should simply get married even if it is not considered legal. There was a time when the government did not have a say on who was married or not, it was all related to the church (That is how it was in the USA).

I also think that if civil unions become the norm, one of 2 things will happen.. Straight couples will want civil unions also in place of marriage or corporations will erase the line between marriage and civil unions to the point that most if not all will view them the same.

But I think it is difficult to guess when Thailand will allow gay marriage... Who knows... Maybe they could be on their way and then something happens that sours the deal..... Or the opposite could happen where they were firmly opposed and then something happens and it gets signed into law....

[Jingthing]

I voted 30 years, a wild guess. Certainly it will happen in Thailand quicker than Iran, and maybe even America.

[PaulUSA302]

I am sure the divorce lawyers are drooling at the thought of gay marriage... All those assets and no kids!

[pointofview]

Gay people can and do get married in thailand - it is legal!

[Jingthing]

Gay people can and do get married in thailand - it is legal!

I mean recognized by law for things like visas, etc.

Edited December 26, 2007 by Jingthing

[pointofview]

Gay people can and do get married in thailand - it is legal!

I mean recognized by law for things like visas, etc.

It is! i know a gay guy who married in thailand - just didnt tell his wife!

[Jingthing]

Gay people can and do get married in thailand - it is legal!

I mean recognized by law for things like visas, etc.

It is! i know a gay guy who married in thailand - just didnt tell his wife!

No. You can't go into immigration with your Thai wife who is a man and go for a marriage to a Thai related visa.

[skipvice]

Gay people can and do get married in thailand - it is legal!

That may be true, but to make it legal the have to regisiter it at the local Ampur. I don't think they can do that yet.

[Jingthing]

I am not talking about show marriages, big marriage parties with Monks presiding, or anything like that. I am talking about the LEGAL, civil rights part of it, and this does not exist in any way whatsoever in Thailand.

[pointofview]

Gay people can and do get married in thailand - it is legal!

I mean recognized by law for things like visas, etc.

It is! i know a gay guy who married in thailand - just didnt tell his wife!

No. You can't go into immigration with your Thai wife who is a man and go for a marriage to a Thai related visa.

No - his wife is a woman, but he is a man - well he was a man before the operation - lot of paperwork!!

[Jingthing]

No - his wife is a woman, but he is a man - well he was a man before the operation - lot of paperwork!!

Oh, I see. That is interesting. If the sex changer changed his/her identity card, can they get the full legal real deal here?

[pointofview]

No - his wife is a woman, but he is a man - well he was a man before the operation - lot of paperwork!!

Oh, I see. That is interesting. If the sex changer changed his/her identity card, can they get the full legal real deal here?

Im not sure as it is a bit complicated: turns out that she was actually a lesbian (tom) and didnt know he was a gay man - post gender change operation - so she is a woman and he is a woman, well really a man!

However she now wants a divorce cos she knows he isnt really a woman!

[PaulUSA302]

Maybe it will become legal when they stop calling guys who had a sex change "Ladyboys"

Anyone can be born a woman... that is easy... But for a guy to have the slice, the injections and all that stuff they go through, they should not be called "Ladyboys" It should be a name that says she bit, clawed, fought, kicked and ripped her way out of a mans body to become.... "Wonder Woman!"

But if they still have the "wizz-bang," than it should be ok to call them a ladyboy....

[pointofview]

I think ladyboy is quite nice a term - but ladyman or old lady man sounds a little scary

Seen a documentary a while back about women who were getting ops to become men - even getting the ol block and tackle!

Now what would we name this kind of cross gender if it becomes popular??????????

Edited December 26, 2007 by pointofview

[PaulUSA302]

I think ladyboy is quite nice a term - but ladyman or old lady man sounds a little scary

it is not equal... when it is all said and done, they are women. Why seperate them and add boy, man, mister or he.

I am sure that once Thailand gets past this issue, there will be gay mairrage for sure!

But I have a question... If a man falls in love with another man who became a woman all the way... could you consider either of them gay? The woman has her man and the man has his woman.... They are just two crazy kids in love... Right???

[pointofview]

I think ladyboy is quite nice a term - but ladyman or old lady man sounds a little scary

it is not equal... when it is all said and done, they are women. Why seperate them and add boy, man, mister or he.

I am sure that once Thailand gets past this issue, there will be gay mairrage for sure!

But I have a question... If a man falls in love with another man who became a woman all the way... could you consider either of them gay? The woman has her man and the man has his woman.... They are just two crazy kids in love... Right???

Personally i think it is a matter of opinion and no big deal either way. So even, if technically it made the guy a little gay well there are worse things happen in china!

[wamberal]

Homosexuality is anathema to the Chinese - although I have a close Chinese friend who is gay.

So I cannot see same-sex unions being accepted in Thailand, ever.

[Jingthing]

Homosexuality is anathema to the Chinese - although I have a close Chinese friend who is gay.

So I cannot see same-sex unions being accepted in Thailand, ever.

Interesting point. However San Franciso is over half Chinese and had no problem voting in the gay marriage rights pioneer mayor Gavin Newsom.

[pointofview]

I think ladyboy is quite nice a term - but ladyman or old lady man sounds a little scary

Seen a documentary a while back about women who were getting ops to become men - even getting the ol block and tackle!

Now what would we name this kind of cross gender if it becomes popular??????????

Got it (to answer my own question) - a gentleman-girl!

[jetjock]

Interesting point. However San Franciso is over half Chinese and had no problem voting in the gay marriage rights pioneer mayor Gavin Newsom.

Not exactly correct. By latest stats available in 2005, the city of San Francisco population is about 25% Chinese. More important to how the voting goes in SF is that its population is estimated to be 15% gay with 1 out of 5 guys being gay and the gays seem to stay fairly united on gay voting issues.

I do not care one way or another about gay marriage but personally do not see the big advantage of the legal document of marriage unless children are involved since ancient societies invented marriage mainly as a system of rules to create a secure environment for the granting of property rights and the protection of bloodlines.

As a matter of equal opportunity, perhaps gays should be allowed to marry just so they can experience and suffer through some of the same punishment and financial divorce catastrophies that us hetero's have had to endure !

[Jingthing]

Jet, this is not supposed to be a debate about gay marriage, pro or con, which you obviously are sorely in need of education about the pro side, but I suggest you go somewhere else for that.

It is about when (or if) Thailand will get it.

do not see the big advantage of the legal document of marriage

ABSURD! Edited December 26, 2007 by Jingthing

[jumnien]

Most Thais are quite happy with unrecognized heterosexual unions, many men have several. I think the unrecognized unions amongst the gay population will prevail and suffice for some time to come. Division of assets during divorce is an issue to be dealt with.