The Ministry of Justice has vowed to take action on enacting a stalled bill on gay rights after a petition of over 60,000 signatures was organised.

Pitikan Sithidej, director-general of the Rights and Liberties Protection Department at the Justice Ministry, said he received the petition to set the wheels in motion again on May 17 and will push for the bill to be approved, according to Bangkok Post.

The bill, which ensures same-sex marriage and equal rights for LGBTI people, was first introduced in late 2013 but stalled as activists believed it did not guarantee transgender rights and missed out elements such as parenting.

If the proposed bill is passed it will be the first legislation in favour of gay rights in the country and would also make the kingdom the first nation in Southeast Asia where gay couples are recognised in the eye of law.

The proposed law defines "civil partners" as "two persons of the same sex" who register their relationship under the civil partnership law.