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Thailand’s long-awaited equal marriage law came into effect on Thursday 16th January after it passed both houses in June last year and gained royal endorsement in September. Whilst Thailand has long been seen as a tolerant and accepting place for queer people, the change has taken an 18-year sustained campaign by LGBTQ rights activists. Thailand is now one of only two Asian nations to recognise marriage equality, along with Nepal.
More than a thousand couples are set to marry as the law comes into effect. One of the most notable events is taking place in a luxury mall in central Bangkok, where over 100 couples are getting married. Thailand is generally considered to be accepting of homosexuality, as the dominant religion Buddhism does not forbid it in any sense. However, the first pride march in Thailand occurred only 25 years ago, and subsequent marches have been cancelled due to threats of violence. Openly gay couples in Thailand have faced social discrimination and difficulties within family life.
Progress in achieving marriage equality has also been hindered by turbulent domestic politics within Thailand, including a military coup in 2014. Many credit the recent wave of pro-democracy youth protests for the recent legislation, suggesting politicians are more likely to campaign for LGBTQ rights in an attempt to gain the youth vote. The law passed last year with a majority of 400 votes to just 10 against, receiving endorsement from even the more conservative Senate.
Thailand’s marriage law now uses gender-neutral terms in place of “husband” and “wife”. It also grants same-sex couples the same adoption and inheritance rights as heterosexual couples for the first time. They can also make medical decisions and extend personal financial benefits to their spouses. Previously, couples who wanted to jointly own a business did so through one partners’ parents adopting the other, in order to share family names.
Progress in Thailand is not yet complete, however. There is still no legal restriction on conversion therapies, and legal recognition of transgender people, including those who are non-binary, is not comprehensive. For the LGBTQ community in Thailand, however, this is a day for celebration.
Thailand’s Flag by Chris Robert, 2024 // Unsplash Content License
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