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Thai wives will get right to maiden name
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Snea Thinsan
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Jun 03, 2003 20:05 PDT
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Why is it important for a woman to the right to keep her maiden name
after her marriage? This question was not seriously asked in Thailand
for almost half a decade since the Names Act was issued. See the short
news below.
What's the situation like in your countries, friends?
Best regards,
Snea
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Thai wives will get right to maiden name
Available at:
http://www.thaivisa.com/index.php?514&backPID=10&tt_news=363
Axe poised to fall on husband's surname
BANGKOK: The forty-one-year-old Names Act requiring married women to use
the husband's family name is likely to be declared unlawful by the
Constitution Court in a ruling expected tomorrow.
Court secretary-general Noppadol Hengcharoen said tomorrow's ruling
followed the Ombudsman's request to review article 12 of the 1962 Names
Act which requires married women to use the husband's surname. The
article is expected to be found in violation of article 30 of the
charter which promotes equality between men and women.
A group of female politicians led by Thai Rak Thai MP for Chiang Mai
Paninthara Pakkasem approached the Office of the Ombudsman, which
forwarded the review request to the Constitution Court for a ruling.
A court source said a majority of the court judges were likely to rule
the Names Act unconstitutional. Many judges reportedly believed the law,
issued during the tenure of Field Marshal Sarit Thanarat, was outdated
as it ignored the equality between men and women.
Some judges said married women should be allowed to use their own family
names in accordance with the new charter which recognises the equality
of people of all backgrounds.
The court was considering the wording in the Names Act which says
``married women to use the husband's surname'' and would rule whether
the term ``to use'' requires married women to adopt the husband's family
name or allows a choice. The Interior Ministry, which is responsible for
the registration of names and surnames, said district officials
automatically change a married woman's maiden name to her husband's
surname without giving Thai women an opportunity to choose.
The ministry had previously said if the surnames of married women
remained unchanged, there would be legal complications and problems
concerning common-law wives or children.
The only female judge, Saowanee Assawaroj, said married women must be
given the opportunity to choose whether they wanted to use their maiden
names or the husband's surname.
Source: Bangkok Post
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