After its shameful silence on LGBTI human rights, it's time for Thailand to speak up at the UN

Afew years ago, our country had a chance to support LGBT voices at the United Nations, as a member of the UN Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC). The issue was whether LGBT non-governmental organisations should be given the same recognition at the UN as other NGOs. But Thailand didn't support accreditation. Later ECOSOC began accrediting LGBT groups anyway, without any help from Thailand.

Our UN representatives then had another chance to support LGBT equality rights by backing general statements in the UN Human Rights Commission (now the Human Rights Council). Fifty-four countries, including South Korea, supported the statement in 2006. Thailand did not.

Another chance

Another opportunity will present itself in a couple of weeks when France will ask the UN General Assembly to recognise that "human rights apply equally to every human being regardless of sexual orientation or gender identity". Japan will support the initiative and so will Nepal.

Will our country again ignore the opportunity to speak for equality and non-discrimination on behalf of its LGBT citizens? The letter of intent for Article 30 of our consti-

tution states that discrimination on the grounds of sexual orientation or gender identity is a form of sexual discrimination, and as such, prohibited by Article 30. Is there any decent reason for Thailand not to support the French initiative - contrary to our constitution and international treaties that we have ratified?

Sign up for justice

If you would like to ask our UN representation to support the French statement, you can sign a petition during our National Human Rights for Sexual Diversity event tomorrow.

Alternatively you can send an e-mail to the honourable Sompong Amornwiwat, Foreign Minister, at minister@mfa.go.th to ask that Thailand not miss this new opportunity to speak out for equality and human rights. Please also send copies to the Department of International Organisations at interorg01 @mfa.go.th and interorg02@ mfa.go.th.

Because we want to be proud of our country…

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