The government's version of the Anti-Discrimination Bill is expected to reach the cabinet for approval by April, said the Department of Rights and Liberties Protection.
According to the department's legal division chief, Somdech Poonnampao, the bill drafting was suggested in 2019 by civil society organisations, which had urged the Ministry of Justice to draft it and conduct public hearings from all sectors.
The move aimed to protect people from all forms of identity-based social discrimination, whether it be ethnicity or race, HIV status, gender and sexuality, disabilities, employment, legal and socioeconomic status, political affiliation, religion, educational background, or any political belief under the Thai constitution.
The law is expected to help eradicate discrimination by state officials while assisting and providing remedial support for survivors of discrimination.
So far, five versions of this law have been drafted by different organisations. They are the government's version under the Justice Ministry's Rights and Liberties Protection Department, the Pen Tham Party's version; the Prachachart Party's proposal; the Pheu Thai Party's offering; and the People's Movement to Eliminate Discrimination's (MovED) version.
Mr Somdech said the ministry will submit its version for cabinet approval in March or April.
Suntorn Sukcha, from MovEd, said the other four versions of the bill are waiting for the prime minister's signature so they can be submitted to the cabinet as they involve the state budget.
Mr Suntorn called for the premier to allow the other versions to undergo a first reading along with the government bill.
