The People's Party joined Chiang Mai Pride Month, announcing the next steps through three key agendas: amending laws to align with marriage equality, promoting legislation to eliminate discrimination, and ending sexual violence.
On 24 May 2026, the People's Party, represented by Patrapong Leelaphat, MP for Chiang Mai District 8, along with Petchrat Maichomphu, MP for Chiang Mai District 1; Phutita Chayanan, MP for Chiang Mai District 4; Somchit Kanthaya, MP for Chiang Mai District 5; Ekkarat Udomamnuay, MP for Bangkok; and the party team, joined the Chiang Mai Pride Festival 2026. The event started from the Chiang Mai Buddhist Sanctuary to the Night Bazaar and ended at Tha Phae Gate. This year included signing an MOU for “Inclusive City” to promote Chiang Mai as a city of equality.
Chiang Mai is among the first provinces in Thailand to celebrate Pride Month, a significant global event occurring in June. The city has a historic connection to the “Saturday Sao Ed” incident nearly 20 years ago, which became a turning point leading to calls for ending violence against sexual minorities in Thai society thereafter.
Although Thailand enacted marriage equality legislation on 23 January 2025, marking a major advance in gender equality that affirmed "marriage rights" as a fundamental right for all humans—not a privilege demanded only by sexual minorities.
In reality, issues of gender inequality and discrimination against the LGBTQ+ community persist, confirming that legal reforms alone are insufficient. Ongoing efforts to change societal attitudes are necessary to gain broad support for gender equality in all dimensions.
The People's Party is committed to advancing work both inside and outside the parliament to support gender equality and embrace sexual diversity in Thai society, focusing on three main agendas.
1. Monitoring and revising laws to align with marriage equality, since some current laws still restrict the rights of sexual minorities and create inequalities between women and men. Relevant agencies and the cabinet must expedite these corrections.
2. Promoting legislation to eliminate discrimination, ensuring no one in Thai society faces unfair treatment, such as loss of employment opportunities, restricted access to public services, or denial of fundamental rights due to sexual identity or any difference.
3. Advocating for legal reforms related to ending sexual violence and domestic violence.
