Thailand’s same-sex marriage bill on Tuesday sailed through its final political hurdle after the Senate voted overwhelmingly in favour of a law that will make the kingdom the first Southeast Asian nation to recognise marriage equality.
The Senate voted by majority in favour of the bill which will now go for royal assent and other formalities, which can take around four months before becoming law. Thailand will then become only the third Asian jurisdiction – after Nepal and Taiwan – to allow gay marriages.
The passing of the marriage equality bill through both parliamentary chambers marks a major victory for LGBTQ activists after campaigning over many years to push for parity in a country whose liberal social attitudes have not until now been matched by its civil union law.
The new law defines marriage in gender-neutral terms instead of referring only to “men” and “women” and accords same-sex couples rights over inheritance, hospital consent, property management and adoption previously denied to them.
“Thailand’s new marriage equality law is a triumph for justice and human rights,” said Mookdapa Yangyuenpradorn, Human Rights Associate at Fortify Rights.
“The journey to this point has been long and fraught with challenges, but today’s vote to ensure marriage equality marks a historic moment that deserves celebration.”
A general view of Thailand’s Senate during the passing of the marriage equality bill in its second and third readings. Photo: Reuters
Some activists say the law has not gone far enough and fails to recognise the legal status of transgender and non-binary people who remain unable to change their names on identity documents.
Thailand is expected to experience a tourist and economic boom from its embrace of same-sex unions and hosting of events during the June’s Pride month as it cements its reputation as one of Asia’s most gay-friendly destinations, in a region where LGBTQ rights range between limited and non-existent.
There is also a domestic political dividend over the law’s passage for the Pheu Thai party-dominated administration of Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin, which has stated its support for same-sex marriages.
The government came to power in a coalition with conservative hardliners after the election-winning Move Forward Party was blocked from office. The youth-oriented MFP has championed liberal causes ranging from same-sex marriages to the redistribution of political power.
MFP leader Pita Limjareonrat was the quickest to applaud the law’s passage in a post on X, saying it is the “first step towards gender equality in Thai society”.
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