Same-sex marriage to gain legal status in Thailand
Thailand’s Interior Ministry is set to enforce the Marriage Equality Bill, expected to become law later this month, according to a statement from ministry spokesperson Traisulee Taisaranakul.
The Department of Provincial Administration (DoPA) has aligned its regulations with the new law and established guidelines to streamline the registration process. The department has also upgraded its computer systems and marriage registration forms to enable the registration of same-sex marriages promptly once the bill becomes law.
“A trial run was carried out last month, and it’s all ready. When the marriage equality law takes effect on January 23, same-sex couples can register their marriages at any district office across the country.”
His Majesty King Maha Vajiralongkorn Phra Vajiraklaochaoyuhua endorsed the bill, which was published in the Royal Gazette in September last year, positioning Thailand as the third country or territory in Asia, following Taiwan and Nepal, to acknowledge same-sex marriage.
The law grants same-sex couples the same legal rights as heterosexual couples, including the ability to adopt children, manage and inherit their spouse’s assets, divorce rights, access to state welfare if their spouse is a civil servant, and tax deductions.
The Thai LGBTQ+ community regards this development as a significant victory, having campaigned for their rights for over two decades. The new law represents a monumental stride toward equal rights in Thailand.
The Justice Ministry is also reviewing additional bills to ensure that same-sex couples receive the same rights as heterosexual couples in family establishment, including the surrogacy bill, nationalities bill, and gender recognition bill.
Marriage registration is open to individuals 18 years and older, with those under 20 requiring parental consent. The law adopts gender-neutral terminology, referring to married couples as “two individuals” and replacing “husband and wife” with “spouses.”
Bangkok Pride, alongside the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA), plans to host a mass wedding event on the day the bill takes effect. The event will welcome same-sex couples residing in Thailand or abroad. Organisers anticipate 1,448 same-sex couples to join, symbolising the number of sections of the Marriage Law in the Civil and Commercial Codes amended to support same-sex marriage.
Dr Wantanee Wattana, permanent secretary of the BMA, confirmed that all 50 districts across the capital have collaborated with DoPA to prepare officials for the new law.
“Officials received training to help them properly understand the marriage registration system for same-sex couples and to be mindful of the sensitivity needed when addressing sexual diversity.”
Dr Wantanee further advised same-sex couples to pre-register with district offices for marriage registration to gather information about necessary documents.
The initiative to legalise same-sex marriage was initially proposed in 2001 by then-interior minister Purachai Piamsomboon but was rejected by former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra at the time. The concept resurfaced in 2019 under Prayut Chan-o-cha’s administration. Although legislation on marriage equality was initially approved, it was dropped when Parliament dissolved. The Lower House eventually passed the Marriage Equality Bill in March last year, and the Senate approved it 84 days later, reported Bangkok Post.
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