(17 December) The famous Thai actress ?Aew? Ampha Phusit has announced that she will marry her girlfriend in an unidentified Western country.
The actress, whose latest work was the role as Tayai Lae in the hit TV soap drama ?Thong Nuea Kao?, has been dating Ms. ?Jane? Rangsiya Mueangkaew for two years.
Despite its sense of tolerance toward gays and lesbians, Thailand does not recognise same-sex marriage or civil partnership.
Ms. Ampha told reporters her same-sex relationship is not different to relationships of heterosexual couples. "Don?t see me as an idol in a negative manner," she said.
She also expressed her surprise that many of her fans appear to be shocked by news reports that she would marry her girlfriend. "Many other people also register [their marriages]," Ms. Ampha said, "Is it a surprise that I would register [my marriage], too? Is it so surprising that a person of my age would want to get married?"
Ms. Ampha added, "Don?t see me as tom and dee. Don?t see me as lesbians. We are just two people who understand each other. We belong to each other. That is all."
However, the actress said she had not yet scheduled the date for her marriage, explaining that she would probably marry Ms. Rangsiya next year in a European country.
Asked whether she would move to the West with her partner, Ms. Ampha said she had no plan for that yet.
"I?m busy now, and I?m quite frugal," Ms. Ampha told reporters.
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