Thailand has passed a bill to legalize same-sex marriage.
On Tuesday June 18, Thailand’s upper house of the senate overwhelmingly passed a bill with 130 votes in favor and 4 against.
The bill would change the definition of marriage to one between two individuals, instead of between a man and a woman.
It will also grant LGBTQ couples the same rights as heterosexual couples including being able to adopt children, inherit property and consent to medical treatment for their partner.
The bill will now go to the Thai king, who is widely expected to sign it into law as a formality.
Once legalized, Thailand would become the third country in Asia to allow same-sex marriage after Taiwan and Nepal.
Thailand has one of the most open and visible LGBTQ cultures and communities in Asia, but activists say LGBTQ people still face discrimination through outdated laws and institutions.