The King of Thailand has signed a royal decree granting Thai citizens who are of the same-sex orientation the legal right to marry. According to the decree, which was widely published by Thai media on Tuesday, September 24, Thailand has become the first Southeast Asian country to allow same-sex marriages.
King Maha Vajiralongkorn signed the law on same-sex marriage on Tuesday. This decree follows the Thai Parliament’s approval of the law in May, with the Senate subsequently agreeing in June before presenting it to the King.
This law is also considered a legacy of former Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin, a politician supportive of the LGBTQ+ community. Towards the end of 2023, Srettha’s government drafted a bill to amend marriage law provisions, allowing all Thai citizens to marry without the restriction of being of opposite genders. In this amendment, the Thai legal framework removed the terms “man,” “woman,” “husband,” and “wife,” replacing them with “individual,” “marriage partner,” or “civil union partner.”
Apiwat Apiwatsayree, 49, a representative of the LGBTQ+ community in Thailand, told AFP in Bangkok that he has lived with his male partner, Sappanyoo Panatkool, for 17 years and has long been eagerly awaiting this law. He said that once the law becomes effective, he and his partner will immediately register their marriage legally.
It should be noted that after the Thai royal family issued the decree, this same-sex marriage law will come into effect in 120 days. As a result, from January 2025 onwards, Thai citizens will be able to legally marry and enjoy the full rights and privileges of a civil union, including inheritance and the right to adopt children, an issue that previously posed legal challenges.
Thailand’s LGBTQ+ community celebrated its first Pride festival in 1999 during Halloween, a traditional Western festival. Known as the “Bangkok Gay Festival,” it was organized by Pakorn Pimton. Now, 25 years later, their dream has become a reality.
Thailand is an open society where all levels of government recognize LGBTQ+ individuals. However, some Thai civil society organizations that support LGBTQ+ rights and health still observe ongoing issues such as discrimination and harassment, particularly verbal and written slurs.
Across Asia, Taiwan was the first to recognize same-sex marriage in 2019, followed by Nepal, which registered same-sex marriages in November 2023. Thailand has now become the first kingdom in Southeast Asia to recognize same-sex marriage. Globally, over 30 countries have legalized same-sex marriage, with the Netherlands being the first in 2001.
