Hurray for Thailand!
With Thailand’s King Maha Vajiralongkorn signing of the same-sex marriage into law, the country has become the first in Southeast Asia to recognize marriage equality. This will take effect after 120 days, meaning LGBTQIA people can start getting married by January 2025.
The law, which grants full legal, financial and medical rights for married partners of any gender, was initially passed by the Thai parliament in June. It amended the country’s Civil and Commercial Code by replacing gender-specific words such as “men and women” with gender-neutral words such as “individual.” Nonetheless, it needed the go-signal of King Maha Vajiralongkorn as formality.
Via Twitter/X, Thailand’s Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra noted that this was “for everyone’s love”. “Thank you for the support from all sectors. It is a joint fight for everyone,” she wrote with the #lovewins hashtag.
Thailand is now the third Asian country – after Taiwan and Nepal – to approve marriage equality.
In total, over 30 countries have now legalized marriage equality, starting when Netherlands became the first to celebrate same-sex unions in 2001.
