Thailand’s king has signed a marriage equality bill into law, making it the first country in Southeast Asia to recognize same-sex unions. The legislation, published in the Royal Gazette on Tuesday, will take effect on January 22, 2025.
Activists hailed the decision as a historic milestone, marking the end of years of advocacy in a region where LGBTQ+ rights are often limited.
The law employs gender-neutral language and grants same-sex couples adoption and inheritance rights.
Ann Chumaporn, a LGBTQ+ activist, expressed excitement, stating, “We’re writing a page in history… love knows no conditions.” She plans to host a mass wedding for over 1,000 LGBTQ+ couples on the law’s effective date.
Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra celebrated the news on X (formerly Twitter), saying, “Congratulations on everyone’s love. #LoveWins.”
Former Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin called it a “significant step” for equality in Thai society.
With this law, Thailand joins Taiwan and Nepal as one of the few places in Asia where same-sex couples can marry. Taiwan legalized same-sex marriage in 2019, while Nepal registered its first same-sex union in November 2022.
This progress stands in contrast to India’s recent Supreme Court ruling against legalizing same-sex marriage and Singapore’s constitutional amendment defining marriage strictly as between a man and a woman.
