Same-sex marriage law officially comes into effect in Thailand

Thailand becomes the third place in Asia to recognize same-sex marriage, after Nepal and Taiwan - Photo: BANGKOK POST

According to the Bangkok Post, the same-sex marriage bill was officially approved by the King of Thailand and published in the Royal Gazette on September 24.

The law will come into effect 120 days after it is published in the Royal Gazette, meaning same-sex couples can start legally registering their marriages from January 22, 2025.

The new law replaces traditional terms such as "male", "female", "wife" and "husband" with gender-neutral words, and grants adoption and inheritance rights to same-sex couples.

“This is a historic step towards equality in Thailand,” said Waaddao Anne Chumaporn, founder of Bangkok Pride, who also revealed plans to hold a mass wedding ceremony for more than 1,000 LGBTQ+ couples in Bangkok on January 22 next year.

Earlier, the Thai Senate passed a same-sex marriage bill on June 18, after more than two decades of struggle by LGBTQ+ rights activists. The bill received overwhelming support from lawmakers in the Senate.

The move paves the way for Thailand to become the third place in Asia to recognize same-sex marriage, after Nepal and Taiwan.

Also in June, thousands of festival-goers and LGBTQ+ activists held a parade through the streets of Bangkok, alongside former prime minister Srettha Thavisin, who wore a rainbow shirt to celebrate Pride Month.

LGBT+ or LGBTQ+ is an acronym for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer, or Questioning.

The plus sign represents the diverse existence of other groups in the community such as: N is Non-binary, I is Intersex, A is Asexual...

Source: https://tuoitre.vn/luat-hon-nhan-dong-gioi-chinh-thuc-co-hieu-luc-tai-thai-lan-20240925101505958.htm