In a historic parliamentary vote on Tuesday, Thailand became the first country in Southeast Asia to legalize same-sex marriage, marking a significant victory for LGBTQ campaigners.
The senate’s upper house approved changes to the marriage law by 130 votes to four, with 18 abstentions, allowing same-sex couples to marry.
The legislation now awaits royal assent from King Maha Vajiralongkorn and will take effect 120 days after being published in the Royal Gazette.
This move makes Thailand the third place in Asia, after Taiwan and Nepal, to permit same-sex marriages. Activists hope the first weddings will occur as early as October.
Plaifah Kyoka Shodladd, an LGBTQ activist, celebrated the vote as a momentous change, while MP Tunyawaj Kamolwongwat of the Move Forward Party called it “a victory for the people.”
The new law replaces gender-specific terms in marriage laws with gender-neutral language and grants same-sex couples the same rights as heterosexual couples regarding adoption and inheritance.
Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin, a vocal supporter of the LGBTQ community, plans to host celebrations at his official residence. Additionally, activists will hold an evening rally featuring a drag show in Bangkok, where Pride Month celebrations have been ongoing.
Thailand has a reputation for LGBTQ tolerance, with opinion polls showing strong public support for equal marriage.
Despite this progress, activists note that LGBTQ individuals still face discrimination and that the new laws do not address the rights of transgender and non-binary people to change their gender on official documents.
