The Thai king has signed same-sex marriage into law, making Thailand the first country in Southeast Asia and the biggest place in Asia to recognise marriage equality. The official Royal Gazette announced on September 24, 2024.
- King Maha Vajiralongkorn gave royal assent to the new law, passed by parliament in June 2024. The law will take effect in 120 days — meaning the first weddings are expected to take place in January 2025.
- The law on marriage now uses gender-neutral terms in place of “men”, “women”, “husbands” and “wives”, and also grants adoption and inheritance rights to same-sex couples.
- Thailand has long had an international reputation for tolerance of the LGBTQ community.
- Thailand becomes only the third place in Asia where same-sex couples can tie the knot, after Taiwan and Nepal.
- More than 30 countries around the world have legalised marriage for all since the Netherlands became the first to celebrate same-sex unions in 2001.
- India’s highest court deferred a decision on the matter to parliament last year and Hong Kong’s top court stopped just short of granting full marriage rights.
