On Thursday, a high-profile gay couple in Thailand celebrated their marriage as the nation’s same-sex marriage law took effect.
Thai actors Apiwat “Porsch” Apiwatsayree, 49, and Sappanyoo “Arm” Panatkool, 38, dressed in matching beige suits, were among the first to receive their pink-bordered marriage certificates in Bangkok. “We fought for it for decades and today is a remarkable day that love is love,” Arm expressed during the ceremony.
This significant event marks Thailand as the largest country in Asia to recognize equal marriage, following Taiwan and Nepal. The new law adopts gender-neutral terms, replacing “men,” “women,” “husbands,” and “wives,” which also facilitates marriage for transgender individuals and grants all married couples adoption and inheritance rights.
Among the first to marry under the new law were Sumalee Sudsaynet, 64, and Thanaphon Chokhongsung, 59, who exchanged vows at Bangrak District. “We are so happy. We’ve been waiting for this day for 10 years,” Thanaphon, donned in a white bridal gown, told the media. The couple, who met through a mutual friend a decade ago, share a passion for Buddhism and merit-making.
“The legalization 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 overwhelming; I can hardly express them.”
The celebration extended to a shopping centre where dozens of couples participated in a mass LGBTQ wedding organized by Bangkok Pride and city authorities. Couples dressed in traditional and contemporary wedding attire filled out marriage forms in a large hall, taking a crucial step towards obtaining their marriage certificates.
Thailand, known for its tolerance towards the LGBTQ community, ranks highly on indexes of LGBTQ legal and living conditions. The same-sex marriage law, ratified by King Maha Vajiralongkorn and effective after 120 days, was passed last June, making Thailand the first Southeast Asian country to allow equal marriage.
Despite overwhelming public support reported in local media, traditional and conservative values persist in the Buddhist-majority nation, and LGBTQ individuals often face barriers and discrimination.
Former Thai Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin, who was in office when the law was passed, expressed his support online. “Equal marriage has truly become possible with the power of all,” he tweeted. “From now on, there will be no ‘man’ and ‘woman’, only ‘individual’ and ‘individual’ who are equal ‘spouses’. I congratulate you wholeheartedly on your love.”
Read: Thailand Legalizes Same-Sex Marriage, First in Southeast Asia
More than 30 countries have legalized marriage since the Netherlands first allowed same-sex unions in 2001. In Thailand, activists have advocated for these rights for over a decade, navigating through political instability often marked by coups and protests.
