Thailand’s Constitutional Court has changed the Civil Code will allow women to sue their husbands’ lovers, male or female. The Constitutional Court found on Tuesday that Section 1523 of the Civil Code breached Section 27 of the constitution, which safeguards Thais’ rights and liberties regardless of gender.

The court directed that the verdict be enforced within 360 days.

Section 1523 of the Civil Code states that husbands can sue their wives’ lovers, and wives can sue other women who publicly display an adulterous connection with their husband.

Keirov Kritteeranon, secretary-general of the Office of the Ombudsman, stated that the Ombudsman had previously urged the court to rule on the legality of Section 1523, which allowed wives to suit only female lovers.

Husbands can now sue their wives’ boyfriends regardless of gender, and there was no requirement for any public declaration of an adulterous connection, he claimed.

Once enforced, Tuesday’s Constitutional Court order, according to the Ombudsman, will correct this imbalance.

Thailand Amends Marriage Law

Meanwhile, Thailand is set to become the first Southeast Asian country to recognise same-sex marriage, after its marriage equality law was passed in the Upper House on Tuesday and is now on its approach to being promulgated before going into effect in the coming months.

LGBTQ+ advocates rejoiced as the Senate voted 130-4 to pass the bill on its final reading, with 18 abstentions. They hailed the development as a win in their long struggle for equal rights.

When the advocates who had gathered at parliament on Tuesday to witness the Senate’s final reading and vote on the measure heard the outcome, they burst out in cheers.

They next went to authorities House, where the authorities had planned a celebratory reception for them later in the day. They then went to the Bangkok Art and Culture Centre, where the party lasted until late at night.

Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin, who is on sick leave due to Covid-19, congratulated them via Zoom call from Government House.

The new law will allow any two people aged 18 or older to register their marriage and obtain the same advantages and rights as heterosexual couples. The bill refers to married couples as “two individuals” rather than “a man and a woman,” and changes their legal status from “husband and wife” to “spouses.”

LGBTQ+ people from any country can legally marry in Thailand. When the bill goes into force, foreign same-sex married partners will be eligible for a spousal visa.

The law will be sent to the government for approval before being presented to the monarch.

It will take effect within 120 days of its publication in the Royal Gazette, making Thailand the third Asian country to accept same-sex marriages after Nepal and Taiwan.

Senator Kamnoon Sidhisamarn, spokesman for the Senate’s special committee evaluating the proposed law, called it a victory for equal rights campaigners.

“There is no reason for the Upper House to disagree with the judgement made by the House of Representatives,” he told reporters. He was referring to the legislation’s passage in the Lower House prior to its submission to the Senate for approval.

The battle for same-sex marriage legislation began 23 years ago. Tunyawaj Kamolwongwat, a Move Forward Party list-MP, said that the law’s passage on Tuesday signified the beginning of a new chapter in Thai history.

Source: Bangkok Post

Court Upholds Israel’s Ban on News Agency Al Jazeera

Court Upholds Israel’s Ban on News Agency Al Jazeera

Thailand’s Senate has approved a long awaited marriage equality bill on Tuesday, making the country the third Asian country to accept same-sex couples. The Senate approved the law 130-4 with 18 abstentions.

The marriage equality bill will be sent the palace for royal clearance. The marriage equality law takes 120 days to take effect after Royal Gazette publication.

LGBTQ+ advocates welcomed the proposal a “monumental step forward” because Thailand would be the first Southeast Asian country to legalise marriage equality. Thailand is popular with travellers due to its LGBTQ+ culture and tolerance.

“This would underscore Thailand’s leadership in the region in promoting human rights and gender equality,” the Civil Society Commission of marriage equality, activists, and LGBTI+ couples said.

Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin, who wore a rainbow shirt to commemorate Pride Month, joined thousands of LGBTQ+ revellers and activists in a Bangkok parade at the start of June.

The prime minister will open Government House to commemorate the bill’s passage. Pride supporters will march from Parliament to the prime minister’s office. Mr. Srettha, who has Covid-19, will join them online after taking several days off.

Deputy Prime Minister and Commerce Minister Phumtham Wechayachai anticipates June’s Pride Month to create approximately 4.5 billion baht in economic cash flow.

Pride Month in Thailand

On Saturday, Mr. Phumtham said the government under Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin is encouraging sexual diversity and working with the commercial sector to plan more Pride Month festivities to attract LGBTQ+ tourists.

He claimed it will increase the country’s trade potential by giving SMEs business expansion chances and adding soft power value.

Mr. Phumtham claimed Poonpong Naiyanapakorn, director-general of the Trade Policy and Strategy Office, told him Pride Month celebrations will make Thailand a “pride-friendly destination” for LGBTQ+ Thai and global consumers.

This would help the country become a regional tourism hub under the government’s “Ignite Tourism Thailand” initiative to enhance tourism in 55 “worth visiting” provinces.

He added that such festivals will support downstream industries like event planners, food and beverage companies, hotels, and transport services and disperse cash to local areas. Mr. Phumtham stated Thailand’s Pride Month began in 1999. Bangkok, Chiang Mai, Phuket, and Chon Buri host parades, festivities, and campaigns.

The Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) expects approximately 860,000 people to attend this year’s festival and contribute at least 4.5 billion baht for the economy. LGBT Capital estimates that the world’s LGBTQ+ population has US$4.7 trillion in purchasing power and Thailand’s sexually varied population has US$26 billion.

LGBTQ+ rights in Thailand are improving, but there’s still much to do. The LGBTQ+ community in Thailand is notably strong in Bangkok and Pattaya.

Strong legal recognition allows transgender people to change their names and titles. Many LGBTQ+ couples lack legal rights since same-sex marriage is banned.

LGBTQ+ rights in Thailand

Thailand is becoming more accepting despite these difficulties. LGBTQ+ rights are gaining favour. Activists want legal changes to guarantee equality.

Pride parades are becoming increasingly visible, demonstrating diverse acceptance. While challenges remain, LGBTQ+ rights in Thailand are improving as awareness and acceptance expand.

A Tesla shareholder filed a complaint in Delaware Chancery Court on Thursday accusing Tesla CEO Elon Musk of insider trading.

According to shareholder Michael Perry’s petition, Musk sold over $7.5 billion in shares of his electric car company in late 2022, before possibly poor production and delivery figures were released.

Perry stated Tesla’s shares plummeted after the company’s fourth-quarter results were released on Jan. 2, 2023, and that Musk “improperly benefited” from approximately $3 billion in insider profits.

“Musk exploited his position at Tesla, and he breached his fiduciary duties to Tesla,” according to the lawsuit. Perry seeks the court to order Musk to repay the gains from the deals.

According to the lawsuit, Musk sold the shares on several dates between November and December 2022. Perry also accused Tesla’s board of violating their fiduciary duties by enabling Musk to sell the stock.

The lawsuit claims that Elon Musk, who stated in 2022 that demand for Tesla vehicles was “excellent,” learned of the low production and delivery numbers in mid-November through his access to real-time data and sold his shares before the information became public.

Tesla compensation plan

When Tesla stated it would cut vehicle costs and revealed the data in January, analysts expressed concern that the company’s cars were not in high demand, and Tesla’s stock price fell.

“Had (Musk) waited to make these sales until after the release of material adverse news … his sales would have netted him less than 55% of the amounts realized from his November and December 2022 sales,” the complaint stated.

The action comes as Musk urges Tesla shareholders to vote to reinstate his $56 billion pay plan, which was thrown down by a Delaware judge in January.

The judge determined that Tesla’s board of directors failed to sufficiently disclose their personal relationships to Musk, and that the business was on track to meet the majority of the plan’s criteria.

Because of the absence of disclosures to shareholders, the judge ruled that the compensation plan was too large.

Musk replied to the verdict by urging Tesla to change its place of incorporation from Delaware to Texas, which is another item on the agenda for shareholders to vote on during the annual meeting.

Musk also faces an SEC investigation regarding his 2022 acquisition of Twitter, which he rebranded as X. Musk has claimed that the SEC is attempting to “harass” him with unfair probes.

Elon Musk attacks

A separate shareholder action accuses Musk of deceiving X investors by delaying disclosure of his ownership in the social media business in order to buy more shares at a reduced price.

Since Musk announced his ambition to buy Twitter, he has received a bombardment of significant criticism.

It’s safe to argue that up to his purchase of Twitter, he could do “no wrong” in the eyes of the left, except for the fact that all of his business ideas were long-term lucrative.

This meant that his goal was always to be successful, which some progressives saw as a disadvantage but were willing to overlook because Musk’s firms, in their opinion, did good for humanity generally.

What altered everything was Musk’s acquisition of Twitter, when he quickly began to transform the company into a successful one by cutting off the majority of its non-productive personnel.

He then expanded Twitter “X” to be a market place for all views rather than just those that liberals agreed with, with more conservative ideas silenced.

Musk went beyond the accepted boundaries that the left has set for us all. He interacts with people across the political spectrum, which is undesirable to the progressive movement.

Source: Reuters, Fox