Thailand legalizes same-gender marriage, a first for SEA

THAILAND: Thailand’s landmark marriage equality bill has been given the green light by the King, making Thailand the first Southeast Asian country to recognize same-gender marriage.

The bill which was passed by King Maha Vajralongkorn was written into law on Sept 24 and published in the Royal Gazette. The bill comes into effect in 120 days from that day and will allow LGBTQ couples to register their marriage from January 22.

The law uses gender-neutral words such as “individual” rather than “men and women” which allows for same gender marriages. The bill grants couples of the same gender full rights including legal, financial and medical.

Congratulations Thailand! 🏳️‍🌈

Thai lawmakers pass “same-sex marriage” law, making Thailand the first Southeast Asian country to do so!pic.twitter.com/Dp1QqoH0ol

— BL Update (@BLUPDATE2022) June 18, 2024

Despite the fact that Thailand is generally tolerant when it comes to LGBTQ people, it still took time for activists to get the law passed.

Thai Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra posted on X, “Congratulations on everyone’s love.”

Law lecturer at Mae Fah Luang University in Chiang Rai and LGBTQ advocate Nada Chaiyajit said that it meant a lot for Thailand to achieve marriage equality.

In an interview with NBC News, Chaiyajit said, “We show that diversity means diversity, and the government hears the voice of the people that we are ready to build inclusive societies where everyone will be able to form families, regardless of their gender identity, sexual orientation, et cetera,”

Chaiyajit said that although the words for married couples have become gender-neutral, the words for parents have yet to be changed to gender-neutral terms, which they hope will happen in the next five years.

In another interview with BBC, LGBTQ activist and co-founder of the Bangkok Pride movement, Ann Chumaporn said, “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 were born to be. It’s a triumph of equality and human dignity.”

Taiwan was the first country in Asia to allow same-gender marriage, legalizing it in 2019. Last year Nepal did the same.