Joy as Thailand’s marriage equality law goes into effect | LGBTQ News

Thailand became the first country in Southeast Asia and the third country in Asia to legalize same-sex marriage.

Hundreds of couples are tying the knot in Thailand as the kingdom becomes the first Southeast Asian country to legalize same-sex marriage.

The Marriage Equality Act, passed overwhelmingly in a historic parliamentary vote last June, was approved by King Maha Vajiralongkorn in October and comes into force on Thursday.

Thailand’s marriage law now uses gender-neutral terms instead of “men”, “women”, “husbands” and “wives”. It also gives same-sex couples the same adoption and inheritance rights as heterosexual couples for the first time.

Same-sex couples can make medical decisions for partners who are already ill or incapacitated, as well as transfer personal financial benefits, including state pensions, to their spouses.

Campaign group Bangkok Pride and Bangkok city officials organized a mass LGBTQ wedding in the Thai capital, with around 180 couples gathering at Siam Paragon shopping center from 8am to register their unions.

“Today is important not only for us, but also for our children. Our family will finally be united,” transgender woman Ariya “Jin” Militanapa told AFP news agency.

Ranking high on LGBTQ legal and living conditions indices, Thailand now becomes the third country in Asia to legalize same-sex marriage, after Taiwan and Nepal.

The passage of the law is the culmination of a nearly decade-long campaign by LGBTQ groups to pass equal marriage laws in Thailand. The Netherlands became the first country to allow same-sex unions in 2001, and in the years since, more than 30 countries around the world have followed suit.

In a celebratory photo shoot last week ahead of the law’s enactment, Thai Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra emphasized the importance of recognizing gender identity beyond biological sex.

“Whether it’s male, female or non-binary, people should have the right to identify as they choose,” she said.

“Regardless of your gender or who you love, love knows no limits or expectations. Everyone will be protected by the same laws.”

Despite opinion polls suggesting overwhelming public support for the move, large parts of Buddhist-majority Thailand remain traditional and conservative.