Thailand: On Tuesday, Thailand’s lawmakers voted in favor of a marriage equality bill, positioning the country to potentially become the first in Southeast Asia to legalize same-sex marriage. The Senate passed the bill in the afternoon, following its earlier approval by the House of Representatives nearly three months prior. For the bill to become law, it must undergo a review by a Senate committee, receive approval from the Constitutional Court, and obtain royal assent from the king—a step that is widely anticipated.
This legislative advancement highlights Thailand’s reputation as a progressive refuge for gay couples in Asia. Currently, only Taiwan and Nepal have legalized same-sex marriage. India was on the verge of doing so last year, but the Supreme Court referred the decision to Parliament.
In contrast, many Asian countries still criminalize gay sex. For example, Indonesia, where same-sex marriage is banned, criminalized extramarital sex in 2022. In 2019, Brunei introduced the death penalty by stoning for gay sex, though it later announced it would not enforce these executions following international backlash.
Thailand’s bill defines marriage as a union between two individuals aged 18 or older, regardless of gender. It grants LGBTQ couples equal rights in areas such as child adoption, tax benefits, property inheritance, and medical consent. Despite Thailand’s reputation as an LGBTQ-friendly destination, the bill has faced opposition since its initial introduction over two decades ago, reflecting the country’s underlying social conservatism.
