Queerguru’s man-in-Thailand Glenn John is getting ready to celebrate Marriage Equality (and maybe witness a new Guinness World Record)

On January 22, Thailand Adopts “True” Marriage Equality

Historically, Thailand has always been incredibly more tolerant of LGBTQ persons. So much so, that it probably hampered any big rush legislatively or among the populace  to codify “gay” rights here such as same sex marriage. The tolerance and acceptance of gays is ingrained — especially if compared to any of its neighbors in Asia. Thailand is a well-known international gay destination, families throughout Thailand have a laissez faire attitude to the ubiquitous LGBT Qmembers of their immediate families, and same sex parenting abounds with nary a raised eyebrow by anyone.

Regardless, it is momentous that Thailand has now finally adopted marriage equality. On January 22, after the mandatory 100-days waiting period since the King signed the law into the Royal Register, marriage quality is the law of the land in Thailand.

And let’s not call it “same sex” marriage: it is actually the very definition of marriage equality. No special “other” laws were written to accommodate same sex marriage in the process of which various provisions afford to opposite sex couple could be left out, or subject to future negotiations, like it was done almost everywhere else in the world.  In Thailand, the legislature simply changed all pronouns to “neutral” sex, so now all rights (and limitations) that opposite sex couples have, now apply to same sex couples This includes property inheritance rights, adoption….etc. etc. 

Thailand waited longer that it should have for encoding “same sex” marriage; but on January 22, they went all the way opting for the most fair law possible: marriage equality.

On January 22, Thailand Adds Marriage Equality to its LBGTQ+ Attractiveness

Thailand is set to celebrate a historic milestone on January 22, 2025, as the Marriage Equality Act comes into effect, legalizing same-sex marriage nationwide. On that day, district offices across Thailand will begin registering same-sex marriages. Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA) expects hundreds of same-sex couples to officially get marriage in Bangkok alone on that day.

Bangkok Pride, in collaboration with BMA, is organizing a mass wedding ceremony on January 22 at the Paragon Hall in the Paragon shopping center. You can pre-register at www.bangkokpride.org/lovewins or you can register on site. The event aims to have 1,448 same-sex couples participate, symbolizing the number of sections in the amended Marriage Law. The event runs from 10am to 10pm. Organizers aim to set a Guinness World Record for the largest number of same-sex marriages registered on a single day. https://www.bangkokpride.org/en/events/marriage-equality.

There will be a similar but smaller scale event at the Jungleland shopping center in the tourist island of Phuket. Royal Garden Plaza in the tourist Mecca of Pattaya is set to celebrate Thailand’s historic Marriage Equality Law with a grand event and free wedding ceremonies for LGBTQ+ couples on Valentine’s Day this year.

The Interior Ministry held a launch event a few weeks ago for the Marriage Equality Act at the United Nations (UN) Convention Center in Bangkok attended by 400 participants, including officials, the UN and embassies, and the media. The ministry has revised regulations, updated its computer systems, and modified marriage registration forms to ensure same-sex marriage registrations can proceed smoothly once the bill becomes law.

Report by Queerguru’s  Glenn John  Once upon a loooong time ago, Glenn moved from NYC to Bangkok (pre-covid, the most visited city on Earth Forbes mag.et al)  and suddenly he wants to let everyone know a bit more about Thailand (per capita, the queerest country on Earth – his stats) and maybe some of the LGBTQI+ happenings in the neighboring countries also.

PS Glenn and his husband Ron will not get married in Thailand officially as their marriage in New York, and Ron’s adoption of their son Anthony will now be recognized here