Mere lip service

Re: “Calls mount to amend LGBT bill”, (Opinion, Nov 23).

As a conservative, openly gay Buddhist, nothing would please me more than to see Thailand adopt a civil union programme that would grant identical rights to those held by our heterosexual counterparts. However, the various iterations of this so-called “gay marriage” bill have been a slap in the face, not only to LGBT people who could benefit from equal marriage rights, but also to Thailand’s over-hyped global standing on LGBT issues.

As it stands, few people have any confidence that this bill will allow for the equal usage of surnames, modernised adoption rights, or for meaningfully progressive immigration rights common to many international marriages.

While there probably should be some checks and balances for people immigrating from regions wracked by terrorism or religious fanaticism, and while one could certainly compromise by calling for “civil unions” versus “marriages”, fair-minded compromises would ultimately have to result in equal rights after a reasonable probation period, once the immigrants have demonstrated their willingness to become contributing members to the “Land of Smiles”.

This asset-driven bill looks like a cynical attempt on behalf of very old, not very creative men to yet again keep those tourist dollars flowing, rather than by making prudent (and often painful) economic and educational reforms that are clearly very long overdue for our lacklustre economy and social development.

Finally, I cannot help but feel that Vitit Muntharbhorn may sully his reputation if the final proposal amounts to little more than a sellout of the very same progressive values.

JASON A JELLISON