Marriage Registration Now Open to All Genders in Thailand
Legal for Couples Aged 18 and Over
In Thailand, same-sex couples aged 18 and over can legally become married. It is the first Southeast Asian country to do so and the third in Asia after Taiwan and Nepal.
According to local media Bangkok Post and international news agencies such as AP on the 22nd, the Thai government will start accepting marriage registrations for LGBTQ couples at nationwide administrative offices and Thai embassies and consulates abroad from the 23rd.
The government has organized the system and conducted training for public officials to accommodate marriage registrations for LGBTQ couples. Nationwide events are planned to commemorate the enactment of the law.
Prime Minister Phatthongtan Chinnawat said, "It feels like a dream but it is not. Congratulations to everyone," adding, "The world is watching us, and we should take pride."
Bangkok City and the LGBTQ organization 'Bangkok Pride' will hold a large-scale 'Marriage Equality Day' event on the 23rd at the Siam Paragon, a major shopping mall in downtown Bangkok. A large number of marriage registrations will take place to celebrate the first day of legalizing same-sex marriage. The organizers reported that over 300 couples have pre-registered to participate.
Ann Chumaphon, founder of Bangkok Pride, said the marriage equality law confirms that LGBTQ people have dignity as human beings and restores that dignity. She added, "It will be a meaningful day for all couples who have been on this journey together."
Thailand is the first country in Southeast Asia to legalize same-sex marriage. It is the third in Asia after Taiwan and Nepal. The Thai House of Representatives and Senate passed the marriage equality law with overwhelming support in March and June of last year, respectively. The King approved it in September of the same year. The new law replaces gender-specific terms such as 'man and woman' and 'husband and wife' with gender-neutral terms like 'two individuals' and 'spouses,' allowing anyone aged 18 and over to register their marriage regardless of gender. Other rights such as inheritance, tax deductions, and adoption are granted equally to same-sex couples as to opposite-sex couples.
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