Thailand’s king has signed into law a same-sex marriage law, the country’s official Royal Gazette announced on Tuesday, September 24. Thailand thus becomes the first country in Southeast Asia to recognize marriage equality.
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The king of Thailand Maha Vajiralongkorn gave royal assent to the new law, which was passed by parliament in June and will come into force in 120 days, meaning the first marriages are expected to take place in January. Thailand thus becomes the third country in Asia to legalize same-sex marriage, after Taiwan and the Nepal.
The text of the law modifies the references to “ men “, ” women “, ” husbands ” Or ” wives » to replace them with non-gendered terms, in this case « individuals ” And ” marriage partners “It also grants same-sex couples the same rights as heterosexual couples in matters of adoption and inheritance.
A big step forward
The promulgation of the law by the king, a formal act, marks the culmination of years of campaigning to have the same-sex marriageand attempts at legalization. The law is a monumental step towards equal rights in Thailand “We are not going to be able to do anything about it,” LGBTQ+ rights activist Waaddao Chumaporn told AFP. The activist plans to hold a mass wedding for more than a thousand LGBTQ+ couples in Bangkok on January 22, the day the law goes into effect.
” We are all delighted and excited. We have been fighting for our rights for over ten years, and now it has finally happened. “, Siritata Ninlapruek, an LGBTQ+ rights activist, told AFP, her voice trembling with emotion. Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra expressed her congratulations on the social network X. Thank you for the support from all sectors. It is a common fight for all ” she wrote with the hashtag “lovewins”.
Thailand has long enjoyed a reputation for tolerance toward LGBTQ+ people, and media opinion polls show overwhelming support for same-sex marriage. However, much of the Buddhist-majority kingdom’s society remains committed to conservative values, and LGBTQ+ people say they still face barriers and discrimination in their daily lives.
Political instability delayed the project
Activists have fought for more than a decade to have same-sex marriage recognized, but attempts to legalize it have so far failed due to Thailand’s chronic political instability, between coups and major popular protests.
The law was introduced in parliament by former Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin, a supporter of the LGBTQ+ community. He was ousted in August over a corruption case and replaced by Paetongtarn Shinawatra, the daughter of billionaire and controversial former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra. Another milestone for Thailand. Same-sex marriage law is passed. Equality is a concrete reality here in Thailand “, Srettha Thavisin said in a message on X.
More than 30 countries have legalized same-sex marriage. The Netherlands was the first country to celebrate same-sex unions in 2001.
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