The government should ensure same-sex couples receive equal access to welfare benefits, as some state enterprise employees remain unable to claim spousal healthcare rights despite the enactment of the marriage equality law, says the Democratic Party.
Speaking during a House session on Wednesday, Rudklao Intawong Suwankiri, a party-list MP from the Democrat Party, raised concerns over the landmark legislation and apparent delays or oversights in its implementation.
Thailand became the first country in Southeast Asia to legalise same-sex marriage when the law took effect on Jan 23, 2025.
However, Ms Rudklao said she had received complaints from more than 50 employees of the Provincial Electricity Authority who had registered their marriages but were still unable to access basic welfare benefits for their spouses, particularly healthcare coverage.
As a former member of the parliamentary committee that scrutinised the legislation, she said it was disappointing that problems persisted more than a year after the law came into force. She urged action to correct them.
"The rights of citizens should never be delayed by bureaucratic procedures or outdated internal regulations," Ms Rudklao told the chamber.
She questioned why welfare regulations overseen by the Finance Ministry and Labour Ministry had not yet been revised to align with the law.
She called on both ministries to provide explanations detailing the causes of the delay, when corrective measures would be completed and whether retroactive compensation would be offered to those who had been denied benefits.
Ms Rudklao also urged the government to inspect all state agencies and state enterprises to ensure compliance with the marriage equality law.
