Hundreds Of Same-Sex Couples Got Married In Thailand After Same-Sex Marriage Was Legalized

At least 200 couples registered their marriages at a daylong celebration in a central Bangkok shopping mall.

Hundreds Of Same-Sex Couples Got Married In Thailand After Same-Sex Marriage Was Legalized

In a landmark moment, hundreds of LGBTQ couples tied the knot in Thailand on Thursday, Jan. 23, as the the law allowing same-sex marriage finally came into effect.

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The Thai parliament overwhelmingly passed the Marriage Equality Bill in June 2024, and the country’s king approved it in September 2024.

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The new law changed the definition of marriage to one between two individuals, instead of between a man and a woman.

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It also grants LGBTQ couples the same rights as heterosexual couples including being able to adopt children, inherit property and consent to medical treatment for their partner.

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To celebrate the historic moment, Thailand’s parliament displayed rainbow flags and shopping malls organized Pride events.

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At least 200 couples registered their marriages at a daylong celebration in a central Bangkok shopping mall, according to Reuters.

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Some wearing white dresses, traditional Thai clothing, Western suits or ceremonial police uniforms.

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Marriage registration offices across the country and Thai embassies worldwide were also open for same-sex couples.

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"It has been 17 years, we met in school and encountered many things ... we hope to see more equality in the future," 33-year-old Ploynaplus Chirasukon told Reuters.

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LGBTQ groups said that they aim to achieve 1,448 marriage registrations on the first day, a number that is symbolic as it refers to Article 1448 of Thai law, which changed the words "husband and wife" to "marriage partners", according to AP.

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Thailand is now the first country in Southeast Asia and the third in Asia, after Taiwan and Nepal, to achieve marriage equality.

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While Thailand has one of the most open LGBTQ cultures and communities in Asia, activists say that outdated laws and institutions still lead to discrimination against LGBTQ people. 

More On LGBTQ Rights In Asia

Same-Sex Couples In Hong Kong Now Have The Same Housing And Inheritance Rights As Heterosexual Couples
The move comes after Nick Infinger, a man from Hong Kong who married his same-sex partner in Canada, sued the government in 2018.
This Same-Sex Couple Sued South Korea’s Health Insurance For Denying Them Partner Status And Won
The supreme court said that denying benefits to a couple just because they are of the same sex constitutes discrimination based on sexual orientation.