Thai women call for equal role in politics

BANGKOK, March 8 (TNA) - More than 1,000 women from several public and private-run women organisations on Sunday marched on a street in Bangkok to demand for gender equality, particularly in politics, to mark the International Women’s Day. The group first gathered on Ratchadamnoen Avenue and then marched to an auditorium of Thammasat University where they read a statement, calling for a new constitution to ensure equal proportion of women holding political positions in national and provincial levels to men. “The number of men and women representing political positions at the national and provincial levels should be equal and this must be written in the constitution” said the statement. Supensri Phuengkhoksung, a coordinator of the We Move to Reform group whose members participated in the march, said the gathering is meant to raise awareness that women are still vital mechanism in advancing Thailand and reforms in politics and other fields. Women should be represented equally with men at both national and provincial political positions, she said. The National Council for Peace and Order, the National Reform Council and the Constitution Drafting Committee should “not overlook the significance of women” and they should also know that the number of women in Thailand is almost two million more than men, she said. Women should have equal role to men in decision making at national and provincial levels, she said. The proportion of women sitting in the parliament in Thailand is low, standing at 8 percent, compared to other ASEAN countries such Laos and Cambodia at 10 percent, Supensri said. (TNA)