Already approved by deputies in March and by senators three months later, the same-sex marriage legalization law was promulgated at the end of September 2024 by King Maha Vajiralongkorn. The first same-sex marriages took place on Thursday, January 23, 2025, making Thailand the first Southeast Asian country to legalize marriage for all.

Thailand legalizes same-sex marriage

The legalization of same-sex marriage in Thailand unfolded in several stages:

In March 2024, deputies were the first to give their green light by an overwhelming majority. They were followed by senators who approved the bill on June 18, 2024 with 130 votes out of 152. Only 4 senators voted against and 18 chose to abstain. This crushing majority already marked a rare concession in a country divided between two political blocs: the conservative faction and the progressive opposition.

Only one final step was needed for the law to officially enter into force: royal assent from King Maha Vajiralongkorn. This was confirmed when the Royal Gazette (the country's official journal) announced it on September 24, as is customary.

The first same-sex marriages took place on January 23, 2025

On Thursday, January 23, 2025, Thailand's law authorizing marriage between people of the same sex officially came into force. The new law no longer contains gender-specific references and grants same-sex couples the same rights as heterosexual couples in matters of inheritance, property, and adoption.

For the occasion, the Thai Parliament displayed rainbow flags. In total, nearly 2,000 LGBT+ couples exchanged vows across the country. In Bangkok, a mass wedding was organized by the Bangkok Pride campaign group with city authorities at Siam Paragon, one of the largest shopping centers in the Thai capital. Other couples visited the district offices of Bang Rak, a symbolic location as explained by The Guardian, since it is a "popular place for marriages because its name means 'district of love'".

Thai Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra declared on social media: "Today, the rainbow flag flies proudly over Thailand". As for her predecessor, Srettha Thavisin, who attended the mass wedding in Bangkok, stated: "Recently, the leader of a country (referring to Donald Trump) said there are only two sexes, but I think we are more open-minded than that".

The historic events of Thursday, January 23 thus mark the culmination of many years of campaigning by Thailand's LGBT+ community, while homosexuality remains illegal in many Asian countries, such as Myanmar and Malaysia, where it can still result in prison sentences.

The first Southeast Asian country to legalize marriage for all

Thailand thus becomes the first Southeast Asian country to legalize same-sex marriage and the third country on the Asian continent to legalize marriage for all after Taiwan (which authorized it in 2019) and Nepal (which legalized it in 2023). The Kingdom of Siam now ranks among the 35 UN member states (out of 193) that recognize same-sex marriage.

Legislation aimed at replacing gendered terms

Beyond marriage, the legislation also aims to modify references to "women" and "men" and "husbands and wives" with gender-neutral terms such as "individuals" or "marriage partners". Additionally, the law must also grant same-sex couples the same rights regarding adoption and inheritance as heterosexual couples.

The only caveat according to activists: the lack of recognition for transgender or non-binary individuals who will still not be able to change their gender on their identity documents. In the meantime, Thailand remains an example of tolerance that attracts a large number of LGBTQ+ community travelers.

To learn more, discover the best and worst LGBTQ+ destinations.