Thailand has made history by becoming the first country in Southeast Asia to legalize same-sex marriage, following the royal endorsement of the Marriage Equality Bill. The landmark legislation, published in the Royal Gazette on Tuesday (September 24) evening, grants same-sex couples the same legal rights and protections as heterosexual couples.
King Maha Vajiralongkorn approved the new law, which was passed by parliament in June. It will come into effect in 120 days, paving the way for the first same-gender weddings in January 2025. The 120-day moratorium has been implemented to allow time for necessary legal adjustments, with the law officially set to be enacted on January 22, 2025.
Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra and former Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin both took to social media to celebrate the milestone, says the Nation. Paetongtarn, in her post on the X platform, wrote, “For every love… Congratulations to everyone’s love. #LoveWins,” expressing gratitude to all parties involved in pushing for the bill. She emphasized that the legislation represents a collective victory for everyone advocating for equal rights.
Former PM played crucial role
Srettha, who played a crucial role in advancing the bill during his tenure, also shared his thoughts: “Another important step for Thai society: The Equal Marriage Bill has passed! Equality and fairness are now tangible in Thailand, and gender diversity will finally be fully accepted. Congratulations!”
Thailand is the third country in Asia to recognize same-gender marriages, following Taiwan and Nepal. Taiwan was the first in the region to legalize such marriages in 2019, and the first such wedding was registered in Nepal last year.
LGBTQ advocates have hailed the legislation as a monumental step forward for equal rights in the country. Waaddao Anne Chumaporn, founder of Bangkok Pride, announced plans for a mass wedding event in Bangkok on January 22, 2025, the first day the law takes effect, for over a thousand LGBTQ couples, says the Bangkok Post.
Official explanation for the new law
An official explanation of the law, published in the Royal Gazette, stated: “The establishment of a family under the Civil and Commercial Code is limited to relationships between a man and a woman, which does not align with the current society where individuals of diverse genders can coexist as families. It is suitable to amend certain provisions to allow individuals of diverse genders to engage in engagement and marriage, granting them equal rights, duties, and family status.”
The new legislation modifies the Civil and Commercial Code to use gender-neutral terms like “individual” instead of “men and women,” and extends full legal, financial, and medical rights to married couples regardless of gender. It also grants adoption and inheritance rights to same-gender couples.
Thailand has long been known for its relative tolerance toward the LGBTQ community, and local opinion polls have shown broad public support for marriage equality, says AFP. However, many in the predominantly Buddhist nation still hold traditional and conservative views, and LGBTQ individuals continue to face societal challenges.
“It means a lot for Thailand to be the first country in Southeast Asia to achieve marriage equality,” said Nada Chaiyajit, an LGBTQ advocate and law lecturer at Mae Fah Luang University in Chiang Rai. She highlighted that while the law is a significant step forward, there are still areas for improvement, such as amending terms like “father” and “mother” to the gender-neutral “parent” in future updates.
Countries where same-sex marriages are legal
Globally, more than 30 countries have legalized same-gender marriages since the Netherlands became the first to do so in 2001.
According to Wikipedia, same-gender marriages are allowed in Andorra, Argentina, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Brazil, Canada, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Cuba, Denmark, Ecuador, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Iceland, Ireland, Luxembourg, Malta, Mexico, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Portugal, Slovenia, South Africa, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Taiwan, the United Kingdom, the United States, and Uruguay.