With a vote of 130 to 4 and 18 abstentions, Thailand’s senate formally passed the final reading of the marriage equality law today, making Thailand the third country in Asia to do so. 

 

The long-awaited legislation will become law 120 days after being published in the Royal Gazette. After more than a decade of legal and political battles, Thailand joins Nepal and Taiwan as the only countries in Asia to recognize marriage equality. 

 

By sundown, Government House was thronged with gleeful celebrants, cheering the new legislation. 

 

In March, the Marriage Equality Bill passed the Lower House with 400 voting for and only 10 against. 

 

This isn’t the end of the LGBTQ+ battles in Thailand, as other issues remain contentious. The current legislation, for example, will still recognize sex assigned at birth, according to campaigners. Earlier this February, the parliament rejected the Gender Recognition Act which would have allowed trans and non binary individuals to represent their preferred titles on legal documents.

 

Just two years ago, marriage equality seemed to be on a path toward relegation to the Civil Partnership Bill, at the time, causing #WeDoNotWantCivilPartnershipBill to trend on social media. 

Learn more about the long road to marriage equality with BK’s timeline that follows the issue back to 2012.