LGBTQI+ people who use drugs in Thailand: Advocacy for improved health and human rights responses

Current policies and measures in Thailand are not addressing the needs and are further aggravating the risks and potential harms faced by the LGBTQI+ community, which results in negative experiences and grave health outcomes. There are some positive developments such as proposed anti-discrimination bills for legislative reforms that provide opportunities to support and protect, instead of punishing, members of the LGBTQI+ community. A landmark bill on legalising same-sex marriage passed the final reading in June 2024, making Thailand the first Southeast Asian country to do so. This is significant progress in uprooting systemic discrimination and paving the way for genuine acceptance of the rights of LGBTQI+ individuals. 

Since 2022, APCOM and IDPC have held consultations with civil society organisations working with communities of LGBTQI+ people and people who use drugs in Thailand to discuss their needs and the challenges they face in relation to drugs. The key findings and conclusions of these consultations are presented in this Advocacy Note, including a set of recommendations to four major stakeholder groups: government policymakers, law enforcement, health service providers, and communities of LGBTQI+ people who use drugs.