A draft bill, aimed at protecting certain groups of people against discrimination and drafted by 10 people groups, which has been signed by 12,116 supporters, was submitted to Thailand’s House of Representatives today (Wednesday).
Somboon Uthaiwiankul, secretary to House Speaker Chuan Leekpai, received the draft bill and said that he will check the authenticity of the signatures and then submit it to officials for inclusion in the meeting agenda and may later invite representatives of advocacy groups to the House to join meetings during the consideration of the bill.
He suggested, however, that the bill would have a better chance of being considered and endorsed by parliament if it were to be proposed by a cabinet minister or a political party.
The drafting of the bill was initiated to provide protection against discrimination for several vulnerable groups, such as the elderly, the disabled, those infected with HIV, ethnic minorities, the LGBT community, people in the service sector and women.
The network of people’s groups wants Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha to accept their draft bill as a matter of principle and would like to see the Department of Rights and Liberties Protection, at the Ministry of Justice, to propose a parallel bill to parliament, so both will be deliberated simultaneously.
