Thai Cabinet rejects gender recognition bill, citing crime concerns

The Thai Cabinet yesterday rejected the proposed Act on Gender Recognition, Title, and Protection of Gender Diversity, citing concerns about false identities if people are allowed to use preferred titles.

The titles of people in the LGBTQA+ community have been trending on Thai social media since a transgender model, Phacharanat “Mimi” Nobantao, questioned why Thai citizens were unable to choose their preferred titles according to their gender identities.

Move Forward Party (MFP) member of Parliament Tunyawaj Kamonwongwat addressed the matter during a parliamentary meeting yesterday, presenting the Act on Gender Recognition, Title, and Protection of Gender Diversity.

Tunyawaj argued that while the constitution protects human dignity, rights, freedom and equality, there is no existing law that recognises the identity of LGBTQA+ people, which is considered a violation of human dignity.

Tunyawaj went on to explain that Thailand also adheres to the gender binary system, which affects daily life and self-expression. Tunyawaj said that the main idea of this law was self-determination, which would encourage society to embrace diversity.

Despite Tunyawaj’s efforts, the majority of Cabinet members opposed the act, with 256 disapprovals, 152 approvals, one abstention, and one absence.

Deceptive identity concerns

Pheu Thai Party MP Teerachai Saenkaew expressed his opinion saying the extreme law could lead to problems such as deception or harassment. Some people might change their titles to deceive or harass others. However, he saw that LGBTQA+ people should have the right to include their titles in official documents.

Another MP from the Pheu Thai Party, Anusorn Iamsa-ard, stated that LQBTQA+ people had dignity and could be proud of themselves even without titles. Anusorn then sang a song, “Ladyboys protest (กระเทยประท้วง),” by Thai singer Poyfai Malaiporn, which can be translated…

“I am proud, proud to be a ladyboy, even if people make fun of me. I don’t care. It’s normal to be judged.”

Anusorn also added that the right to choose preferred titles violates other people’s rights by hiding the gender assigned to them at birth.

Disapproval of the bill sparked controversy on Thai social media yesterday, February 21. Many Thai netizens saw that the country does not open and embrace gender diversity even if several events and activities were held to promote it before, such as a huge pride parade and events last year.

Some pointed out the irony of promoting the Thai Boys Love series globally while denying citizens the right to express their gender identities.