TOP TALENT AND EQUAL TREATMENT
Taking the necessary steps to pass this new policy will boost Thailand’s reputation and provide worldwide businesses that need to prioritize diversity and inclusion the certainty and confidence to invest in Thailand, according to Mr. Sears.  ,
Making the law change today will start a network of new skill and economic chance, as well as making existing workplaces more successful, he added.
This is important as companies consider where they want to grow and where they can deliver best talent.
” Companies have focused on diversity inclusion for 25 years, not because of the moral case, but because they know that it’s delivered them innovation and talent, and that has n’t gone away, “he said.
The canaries in a coal mine for a wider culture or society is “LGBT people.” But what you do to treat an unknown, generally smaller minority that is persecuted worldwide, sends a message to how you treat all people.”
He cited reports from the US-based Williams Institute that showed a rise in a range of financial factors when same-sex marriage was legalized and workplaces healthier reflected the richness of society.
Every one economic indicator that you could think of was optimistic. All of those things will be correct for Thailand now that they’re doing this, especially from a skills interest perspective, from an technology perspective, “he said.
When the LGBTIQ members of a work are excluded from full cooperation, discriminated against or denied advertising opportunities, obviously the productivity of those companies was less than ideal, he explained.
Before this, the rules had not kept up with prevailing group views. According to a survey conducted in June by North Bangkok University, 82.5 % of respondents voted in favor of the government’s effort to implement marriage equality.
However, there are still deficiencies in defense for LGBTIQ staff in Thailand’s business environment.  ,
Despite the public’s desire for more equitable laws and regulations, the nation has previously encountered difficulties passing legal protections. A United Nations record in 2019 entitled” Tolerance but no Inclusion “documented the” frequent experience of stigma and discrimination, violence and isolation “faced by the society.
It found most LGBT respondents perceived stigma and reported experiencing at least one form of discrimination, which may limit employment opportunities. Less than half of respondents had heard of Thailand’s Gender Equality Act, which was passed in 2015 to protect individuals from gender- based discrimination.
According to the report, 32 % of transgender women and 10 % of LGBT people reported discrimination at their current or most recent jobs.
The marriage equality bill wo n’t address those issues, but it could help maintain momentum already in place in the corporate sector to promote diversity and fairness, according to Mr. Jhitsayarat Siripai, an assistant professor in gender and the media at Rajamangala University of Technology.
According to Mr. Jhitsayarat, the state has been slower in this area, and the private sector has already shown to be proactive in promoting products like same-sex couple health insurance.
We have seen a lot of the private sector in Thailand begin to support equality in the workplace and acknowledge and respect LGBT people, he said.
Following this, I want to see labor laws that recognize LGBT people in terms of their health and well-being because they still face racism, violence, discrimination, and a lack of opportunities to be promoted.
Both experts agreed that Thai businesses and governments must strike a balance between acting in favor of society’s interests and pragmatism in the face of potential business opportunities.
Numerous businesses were eager to align their brands with the cause of Bangkok Pride, a month-long celebration of LGBTIQ culture and community that is celebrated around the world in June. Japan Airlines, EVMe and Agoda were among the official sponsors of events.
They want to entice the younger generation who has the potential to bring in money for their business because of it. So that’s why it’s a win- win situation, society tick, and also the company tick,” Mr Jhitsayarat said.
Companies should legitimately “appreciate this victory” and take advantage of the advantages to their business while also reviewing their own policies.
However,” Rain washing,” displaying superficial support for the LGBTQ community without taking any actual, real-world action, is a real risk, and businesses should be scrutinized for what they do for their employees for the remaining 11 months of the year, according to Mr. Sears.
” How are they treating their LGBT employees? What are they doing to support the community? What are their policies internally? Do they have non- discrimination? Are they actively promoting LGBT civil rights? If that’s the case, then it’s not rainbow washing, “he said.
Mr. Sears noted that Gen Z, the demographic group born between the late 1990s and 2010, succeeding millennials, are generally showing they care about diversity, inclusion, equality, and the climate and are becoming more prominent as employees in companies.
Governments and businesses that comply with those demands will gain a lot, he said.
Nearly 30 % of Gen Z adults identify as LBTIQ , which is far higher than any other demographic, according to a US study conducted in 2024 by the Public Religion Research Institute. Millennials are the second highest percentage, with 16 %.
According to the National Statistics Office, Gen Z accounted for one-fifth of the population in Thailand in 2019.