Bangkok, Thailand:
Almost 2,000 same-sex and transgender couples married in Thailand on Thursday as the kingdom’s equal marriage law went into effect in a first for Southeast Asia.
Thailand is by far the biggest nation in Asia to recognise equal marriage. More than 30 countries have legalised marriage for all since the Netherlands became the first to allow same-sex unions in 2001.
There were hugs and tears of joy at more than 800 district offices across the country where 1,754 same-sex couples had tied the knot by 4:30 pm (0930 GMT), according to the Ministry of the Interior.
Lesbian couple Sumalee Sudsaynet, 64, and Thanaphon Chokhongsung, 59, were the first to wed at Bangkok’s Bangrak district office, and the couple showed the media their engagement rings.
“We are so happy. We’ve been waiting for this day for 10 years,” said Thanaphon, wearing a white gown.
The couple met a decade ago through a mutual friend and bonded over their passion for Buddhism and religious merit-making.
“The legalisation of same-sex marriage uplifts our dignity,” Sumalee told AFP.
“It allows us to enjoy the same rights as heterosexual couples. My emotions today are so overwhelming, I can’t even put them into words.”
Thailand has long had an international reputation for tolerance of the LGBTQ community, and opinion polls reported in local media have shown overwhelming public support for equal marriage.
At Siam Paragon mall in downtown Bangkok, dozens of couples dressed in traditional and contemporary wedding outfits trickled into a large hall for a mass wedding organised by campaign group Bangkok Pride with city authorities.
Officials helped the couples fill out marriage forms at rows of tables, an administrative step before they could collect their certificates.
Kevin Pehthai Thanomkhet, a 31-year-old trans man, married his wife, Maple Nathnicha Klintgaworn, 39.
“So happy, like, oh my god… my heart is beating,” said Kevin.
His 65-year-old father Phornchai added: “I have always accepted (him). Whatsoever, it is OK with me.”
The new marriage law uses gender-neutral terms in place of “men”, “women”, “husbands” and “wives”, also clearing the way for transgender people to wed, and grants adoption and inheritance rights to all married couples.
“Today, the rainbow flag is proudly flying over Thailand,” Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra posted on X.
Reputation for tolerance
Thailand ranks highly on recent indexes measuring public attitudes towards LGBTQ people, but matching legal structures were absent before the kingdom passed the same-sex marriage bill in a historic parliamentary vote last June.
The law came into effect 120 days after it was ratified by King Maha Vajiralongkorn.
Thai activists have been pushing for same-sex marriage rights for more than a decade, with their advocacy stalled by political turbulence in a country regularly upended by coups and mass street protests.
Former Thai prime minister Srettha Thavisin, who attended Thursday’s mass wedding event, took an apparent swipe at newly inaugurated US President Donald Trump, who on Monday decreed there were only two genders.
“Recently a country’s leader said that there were only two genders, but I think we are more open-minded than that,” Srettha said.
Despite its reputation for tolerance, much of the Buddhist-majority kingdom retains traditional and conservative values and LGBTQ people say they still face barriers and discrimination in everyday life.
“In the past, LGBTQ people were seen as monstrosities,” said Ploynaplus Chirasukon, who married her lesbian partner of 17 years, Kwanporn Kongpetch.
She supports the push for gender identity recognition, including the right to change forms of address.
“People who don’t identify with their biological sex are like homeless people,” she said.
“The ability to be able to change our titles would allow for true equality.”
In matching beige suits, Apiwat “Porsch” Apiwatsayree, 49 — who was in tears — and Sappanyoo “Arm” Panatkool, 38, were handed their pink-bordered marriage certificates at a registry office in Bangkok.
“We fought for it for decades,” said Arm.
“Today is a remarkable day (celebrating) that love is love.”
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)