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.
LONG STRUGGLE
Thai activists have been pushing for same-sex marriage rights for more than a decade but, in a country where politics is regularly upended by coups and mass street protests, their advocacy did not get far.
LGBTQ activists staged a drag show in Bangkok on Friday to celebrate progress and show their enthusiasm for the law to come into effect.
Apiwat Apiwatsayree, a well-known figure in Thailand’s LGBTQ community, and his partner Sappanyoo Panatkool, who have been together for 17 years, are among those who have been waiting for the law to pass so they can finally marry.
“We’ve been waiting for a long time,” Apiwat, 49, told AFP on Friday.
“As soon as it becomes law, we will go register our marriage.”
The legislation was pushed through parliament by former prime minister Srettha Thavisin, who was vocal in his support for the LGBTQ community.
He made marriage equality a signature issue and told reporters last year that he believed the change would strengthen family structures.
Srettha was kicked out of office by a court order in an ethics case in August, to be replaced by Paetongtarn Shinawatra, the daughter of controversial ex-prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra.
