Thailand will legalise same-sex marriage after its Parliament voted in favour of marriage equality.
It’s the first time a South East Asian country has passed marriage equality laws.
The reforms will also give same-sex couples equal rights to adopt or have children through IVF.
The King of Thailand must approve the bill for it to become lawn and will come into effect four months later.
LGBT history
Thailand is considered relatively progressive when it comes to LGBTQ+ rights. It has outlawed discrimination and censorship based on sexuality.
Since coming to office last year, Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin has supported legalising same-sex marriage.
Thavisin’s Pheu Thai Party introduced marriage equality laws to parliament in December.
What’s changing?
Thailand’s legal definition of marriage will be updated to recognise partnerships between two people, rather than a man and a woman.
LGBTQ+ couples in Thailand cannot currently adopt a child together. This ban will be lifted under the reforms.
The laws also grant the partner of a seriously ill person rights to make decisions about medical treatments on their behalf.
Support
In March, Thailand’s lower house voted overwhelmingly in favour of marriage equality laws, 400 votes to ten. Five MPs abstained (didn’t vote).
The bill moved to the Senate, where it was approved on Tuesday, 130 votes to four. 18 senators abstained.
Taiwan and Nepal are the only jurisdictions in Asia to legalise same-sex marriage.
Response
In a post to X, PM Thavisin called the move a “significant milestone” in the country’s history.
The Thai leader said he was “proud of the collective effort” of those involved in passing the legislation.
“We will continue our fight for social rights for all people regardless of their status.”
Advocacy groups
LGBTQ+ advocates flooded streets around Thailand to celebrate the announcement.
Plaifah Kyoka Shodladd, a member of a parliamentary committee on same-sex marriage, told Reuters: “Today, love triumphed prejudice… After fighting for more than 20 years, today we can say that this country has marriage equality.”
