Thailand | Good News For Humankind

Thailand bans corporal punishment of minors

By Peter Schulte / March 27, 2025 / Good news links

Thailand has become the world’s 68th country to ban corporal punishment of minors. With this step, the Southeast Asian country is aligning with the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child, in force since 1990. According to the latest survey by the National Statistical Office, published in 2022, 54% of Thais under the age of 14 have received some form of physical or psychological punishment at home, down from 75% in 2005. UNICEF is promoting the total ban of the practice worldwide.

Landfill. A lot of plastic garbage. Environmental problems.

Thailand bans imports of plastic waste to curb toxic pollution

By Peter Schulte / January 7, 2025 / Good news links

A law banning imports of plastic waste came into force in Thailand, after years of campaigning by activists. Thailand is one of several south-east Asian countries that has historically been paid to receive plastic waste from developed nations. Thai customs officials said more than 1.1 million tons of plastic scraps were imported between 2018 and 2021. Imports of plastic were often mismanaged, with many factories burning the waste rather than recycling it, leading to damage to human health and the environment.

Thailand moves to end statelessness for nearly 500,000 people in “historic development”

By Peter Schulte / November 1, 2024 / Good news links

Thailand’s cabinet has approved an accelerated pathway to permanent residency and nationality for nearly half a million stateless people, marking one of the region’s most significant citizenship initiatives. The decision will benefit 335,000 longtime residents and members of officially recognized minority ethnic groups, along with approximately 142,000 of their children born in Thailand. The country recently pledged at the Global Refugee Forum 2023 to resolve statelessness and was among the founding members of UNHCR’s Global Alliance to End Stateless, launched in October 2024.

‘Gamechanger’ HIV prevention drug to be made available cheaply in 120 countries

By Peter Schulte / October 7, 2024 / Good news links

Gilead Sciences says it has signed agreements with six manufacturers to make and sell generic lenacapavir in 120 “high-incidence, resource-limited” countries. Lenacapavir, given as a twice-yearly injection, has shown strong results for HIV prevention. It stopped infection in a trial involving girls and women in South Africa and Uganda, and offered almost complete protection in a second trial that mainly involved men across Argentina, Brazil, Mexico, Peru, South Africa, Thailand, and the U.S.

Thailand becomes first Southeast Asian country to legalize marriage equality

By Peter Schulte / September 25, 2024 / Good news links

The bill legalizing same-sex marriage was passed by Parliament earlier this year, and King Maha Vajiralongkorn has now made it law by providing Royal Assent. It will take effect in 120 days, with the first weddings being expected to take place in January. The move means that marriage laws will no longer use terms like “husband” and “wife” and such terms have been replaced with inclusive, gender-neutral language such as “partner.” Same-sex couples now have the same legal rights as their heterosexual counterparts, such as adoption and inheritance rights.

Thai tiger numbers swell as prey populations stabilize in western forests

By Peter Schulte / July 23, 2024 / Good news links

The tiger population density in a series of protected areas in western Thailand has more than doubled over the past two decades, according to new survey data. Thailand is the final stronghold of the Indochinese tiger, the subspecies having been extirpated from neighboring Cambodia, Laos, and Vietnam over the past decade due to poaching, habitat loss, and indiscriminate snaring.

Thailand’s Senate overwhelmingly approves bill legalizing marriage equality

By Peter Schulte / June 19, 2024 / Good news links

The bill will also allow LGBTQ+ couples to adopt children together. Though it still must be formally approved by King Maha Vajiralongkorn to become law, he is expected to support its passing. Once passed, it will make Thailand the third country in Asia and the first in Southeastern Asia to legalize same-sex marriage.

New York’s Metropolitan Museum of Art to return looted ancient art to Cambodia and Thailand

By Peter Schulte / December 15, 2023 / Good news links

Thirteen of the works are being returned to Cambodia in concert with an investigation from the U.S. Attorney’s Office of the Southern District of New York and Homeland Security. Among the works are a large head of Buddha made of stone in the seventh century, and a tenth century sandstone goddess statue from the Koh Ker archaeological site.

Thailand to legalize same-sex marriage

By Peter Schulte / December 13, 2023 / Good news links

The Southeast Asian country will become the third Asian nation, after Taiwan and Nepal, to legalize same-sex marriage. A new amendment to its Civil and Commercial Code will change the words “men and women” and “husband and wife” to “individuals” and “marriage partners.” The next step will be an amendment to the country’s pension fund law to recognize same-sex couples.

Thailand bolsters efforts to curtail environmentally damaging illegal coral trade

By Peter Schulte / February 2, 2023 / Good news links

For years, Thailand has focused on curtailing its illegal trade in terrestrial wildlife. Recently, the country has been doing the same for coral species, a critical element of its marine ecosystems.