Ready to Thai the knot

This issue delves into Thailand's potentially historic move towards marriage equality, a first in Southeast Asia; brings you the latest on the enduring Essequibo dispute between Venezuela and Guyana, which has spanned over 200 years; and covers Panama's closure of a huge copper mine -- a financial headache for the country but a win for environmentalists. And there's more: I'll share my latest podcast finds, an opinion piece by Liberia's ex-president about Sudanese women, a mini-doc on Asia's live stream shopping craze, the buzz around a TikTok Reggaeton sensation, and so much more.

Thailand might legalize same-sex marriage as the first country in Southeast Asia

What happened:
On November 21, the government gave a big thumbs-up to a bill that could make same-sex marriage legal. The Parliament's set to vote on it next week, on December 12.

Why this matters:
If Parliament says "yes" and King Maha Vajiralongkorn signs off, Thailand's going to make a splash as the first nation in Southeast Asia to say "I do" to marriage equality.

Tell me more:
Under the amendment to marriage law, "men and women" and "husband and wife" would be replaced by "individuals" and "marriage partners" and same-sex partners would have the same rights as heterosexual couples, AP reported deputy government spokesman Karom Polpornklang as saying.

What's the status quo now?
As of today, the country has legalized same-sex unions. The proposed amendment marks a "significant shift from the existing Life Partnership Act, which only acknowledges the right of same-sex couples to live together but does not extend full marital rights to them," writes Thailand Business News. Moreover, the Cabinet has instructed the Council of State to review other laws to ensure equitable treatment of same-sex couples, particularly with regard to inheritance rights.

Is Thailand pro-LGBTQ?
Yes. Thailand's already got a rep for being LGBTQ+-friendly. Since he entered office this August, Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin has been pushing for Thailand to take things a step further and introduce marriage equality once and for all. Last month, the political leader said in a post to X (aka Twitter): "I believe that everyone should be entitled to equal rights, regardless of their gender." The stars are looking good this time around. There may be a bit of pushback from some religious groups, especially down south, but most people don't think it'll be enough to stop the bill in its tracks.

Zoom out:
The Asia Pacific region has witnessed significant progress in LGBTQ+ rights, especially in recent years, writes International IDEA's Democracy Tracker.

• Nepal: In June 2023, Nepal became the first South Asian country to order legal registration of same-sex marriages.
• Taiwan: Taiwan has been moving towards full marriage equality. In January 2023, it lifted restrictions on registering same-sex marriages between Taiwanese and foreign nationals. Additionally, Taiwan granted full adoption rights to same-sex couples in May​​.
• Vietnam: Vietnam's Health Ministry declared in August 2022 that homosexuality is "not an illness," instructing medical practitioners to stop treating it as such.
• Singapore: Singapore repealed a colonial-era law banning gay sex in November 2022. However, the government also introduced constitutional amendments to limit marriage to heterosexual couples, signaling mixed progress​​.
• Japan: Japan has experienced growing pressure to legalize same-sex marriage following court rulings declaring same-sex marriage bans unconstitutional.
• South Korea: A court recognized the rights of same-sex couples to receive health insurance for the first time​​.

Guyana and Venezuela are still fighting over the Essequibo region -- there's a lot at stake

Refresher:
Guyana and Venezuela have been fighting over the Essequibo region (here's a better, closer map) for a long time. This dispute started in 1811. When Venezuela became independent of Spain (in 1811), it claimed this area. However, in 1899, an international decision gave the region to Guyana, which was then a British colony. Venezuela has never been happy with this decision. In 2018, Guyana asked a big international court, the International Court of Justice (ICJ), to settle this dispute once and for all. But Venezuela doesn't fully accept this court's authority, and the decision is still pending.

What happened:
It looks like there's been some movement around the dispute.

Why this matters:
It's not just any piece of land. Some 250,000 people live here. The Essequibo region is larger than Greece, and it's filled with valuable resources like gold, and copper. Plus, it gives access to the Atlantic Ocean where significant oil discoveries were made in 2015, and Venezuela, facing economic challenges, is very interested in these resources.

Tell me more:
Venezuela's current president, Nicolas Maduro, has been very vocal about it. He accuses Guyana and its allies, like the United States, of trying to steal Venezuelan land. He's also using this issue to stir up national pride, especially with a big election coming up. Plus, he might be looking at the huge oil reserves in the region as a bonus. In the meantime, Guyana points to the old 1899 ruling and wants any arguments settled peacefully in court. The ICJ recently told Venezuela to not do anything that would change the current situation in the Essequibo. Meanwhile, a lot of people in Venezuela voted in a controversial referendum, showing support for claiming the region, which adds more tension.

What referendum?
Recently, Venezuela held a referendum (a public vote) where people were asked if they wanted to claim the Essequibo region. Although not many people were seen voting, Venezuela's electoral authority reported a high turnout, with over 10.5 million votes cast. The voters were asked if they agree to establish a new state in Essequibo, give citizenship to people living there, and ignore the ICJ's decision on the matter. Guyana sees this referendum as a step toward Venezuela trying to take over the region. Maduro, of course, celebrated the vote as a success.

Fun fact: Maduro...