On 5 – 7 August 2018, H.E. Mr. Vijavat Isarabhakdi, Advisor to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Kingdom of Thailand, attended the ‘Leaving No One Behind: The Equal Rights Coalition Global Conference on LGBTI Human Rights and Inclusive Development’ in Vancouver, Canada. The Conference was co-hosted by Canada and the Republic of Chile with the objectives to promote the rights of and addressing discrimination against LGBTI persons around the globe. Participants from over 80 countries, representing government agencies and civil society organisations, as well as international organisations, attended the Conference.

          On this occasion, the Advisor to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs delivered a statement to reaffirm the Royal Thai Government’s commitment to protect and promote human rights, including the rights of LGBTI persons. He highlighted several developments on LGBTI rights in Thailand including the Gender Equality Act of 2015, the National Human Rights Plans, under which LGBTI persons have been included as a target group, the draft Civil Partnership Act as well as the provision of separate facilities for LGBTI inmates in some major penitentiaries in the country.

          Moreover, the Advisor to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs had a bilateral meeting with Mr. Scott Busby, Deputy Assistant Secretary in the Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights and Labor of the U.S. Department of State, to exchange views and explore future cooperation on the promotion of the rights of LGBTI persons.

          Equal Rights Coalition (ERC) was established in 2016 mainly to protect and promote the rights of LGBTI with 40 member countries worldwide. Thailand has not yet been a member of ERC but was invited to the Conference as observer.