Thailand’s king has officially signed a bill into law that legalizes same-sex marriage, making Thailand the first country in Southeast Asia to recognize same-sex unions.
The law will come into effect on January 22, 2024, allowing gay couples to register their unions and gain the same rights as heterosexual couples.
The bill passed the Thai Senate in June 2024 and was awaiting royal approval to become law. With the king’s signature, Thailand has now joined Taiwan and Nepal as the only places in Asia where same-sex marriages are legally recognized.
LGBTQ+ activists celebrated the landmark decision after years of campaigning for marriage equality. Ann Chumaporn, a long-time LGBTQ+ activist and co-founder of the Bangkok Pride movement, told the BBC, “Today we’re not only getting to write our names in marriage certificates, but we are also writing a page in history… that tells us that love never set a condition of who we were born to be.”
Chumaporn also announced plans to host a mass wedding for over 1,000 LGBTQ+ couples on January 22, the day the law goes into effect.
The new law uses gender-neutral language, replacing terms like “husbands,” “wives,” “men,” and “women.” It grants same-sex couples the right to adopt children and inherit property, marking a significant step forward for LGBTQ+ rights in Thailand.
“We are all delighted and excited. We’ve been fighting for our rights for over 10 years, and now it’s finally happening,” activist Siritata Ninlapruek told AFP.
Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra celebrated the moment by posting on social media platform X, formerly known as Twitter, saying, “Congratulations on everyone’s love. #LoveWins.”
Former Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin, who supported the bill, praised the new law as a “significant step” toward equality in Thailand, writing, “Gender diversity will eventually be fully accepted.”
This law marks a historic moment for Thailand, a country known for being relatively progressive when it comes to LGBTQ+ rights compared to its neighbors in Southeast Asia. With this development, Thailand has now solidified its position as a leader in LGBTQ+ rights in the region.
When the law comes into effect, Thailand will join Taiwan, which legalized same-sex marriage in 2019, and Nepal, which recognized its first same-sex union in 2023, as the only places in Asia where same-sex couples can marry.
