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The popular tourist destination is the first country in Southeast Asia to recognize marriage equality.
The king of Thailand signed a new law recognizing marriage equality, the government announced in its official Royal Gazette on Tuesday, LeMonde with Agence France-Presse reported. With the royal ascent of King Maha Vajiralongkorn, Thailand became Southeast Asia’s first country and only the third country in Asia to recognize marriage equality. The new law will take effect on January 22, 2025.
“To all the love,” Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra posted to X Twitter. “Congratulations on everyone’s love.”
The new law amends the country’s civil code and ensures same-sex married couples receive full legal, medical, and financial rights, as well as full inheritance and adoption rights. The new law also amends the civil code to use gender-neutral rather than binary language.
The law was passed by the country’s senate on June 18 by a vote of 130 to 4 and was the signature legislation of former Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin, a vocal supporter of the LGBTQ+ community in Thailand.
“Another important step for Thai society, the marriage equality law has been passed,” Thavisin posted to X Twitter, adding “Gender diversity will finally be fully accepted.”
Thavisin was removed from office in August by the country’s Constitutional Court for appointing a cabinet minister who had been previously arrested for alleged bribery.
Despite its strongly conservative religious and cultural heritage, Thailand has been a welcoming tourist destination for the LGBTQ+ community.
Related: 60+ photos of pure queer joy from Bangkok, Thailand's Pride 2024
Local LGBTQ+ advocates hailed the new law legalizing marriage equality.
“The law is a monumental step towards equal rights in Thailand,” LGBTQ+ rights advocate Waaddao Chumaporn told AFP.
Chumaporn said she is organizing a mass wedding in the country’s capital Bangkok to celebrate the historic event. She said she hopes to attract over a thousand same-sex couples to tie the knot on January 22 of next year.
Thailand joins Nepal and Taiwan as the only countries in Asia recognizing marriage equality when the new law takes effect next year. Taiwan legalized marriage equality in 2019 and Nepal followed in 2023.
