Thailand Is About to Become the First Country in Southeast Asia With Marriage Equality

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Thailand’s Senate has voted to approve a marriage equality bill, which will make the country the first in Southeast Asia to legalize same-sex marriage.

Today, the bill passed its final reading, with 130 of the Thai Senate’s 152 members voting in favor, four voting against, and 18 abstaining. It must now be approved by King Maha Vajiralongkorn, a gesture considered a formality, per CNN. The bill will then go into effect within 120 days of its publication in Thailand’s government gazette. Back in April, the Thai House of Representatives overwhelmingly approved the legislation, with 400 of the 415 lawmakers who participated in the vote lending their support. This long-awaited change follows the arrival of a more liberal government in 2023 and decades of organizing by Thai LGBTQ+ activists.

“The bill represents a monumental step forward for LGBTQ+ rights in Thailand,” Panyaphon Phiphatkhunarnon, the founder of the LGBTQ+ equality NGO Love Foundation, told CNN. “[...] It would inspire the younger generations to come out and live their lives authentically, it would showcase Thailand as a progressive and inclusive country — attracting tourists and businesses … and will foster a culture change where LGBTQ+ individuals feel accepted and supported.

Thailand is set to become the third Asian country to legalize same-sex marriage, following Nepal in 2023 and Taiwan in 2019. NBC News reports that the country’s marriage equality legislation will update Thailand’s Civil and Commercial Code, replacing gendered terms like “men,” “women,” “husbands” and “wives” with gender-neutral alternatives like “person” and “spouse.” In addition to being able to legally marry, same-sex couples will also have equal access to healthcare consent, inheritance, and child adoption. Trans people will also receive these legal benefits, although, at this time, they will still be officially recognized based on their sex assigned at birth.

Over the years, Thailand has grown into a popular LGBTQ+ travel destination, with the International LGBTQ+ Travel Association citing it as “one of the most LGBTQ+-friendly countries on the [Asian] continent.” The legalization of same-sex marriage is set to improve the lives of LGBTQ+ Thai citizens in tangible ways.

Three couples speak to how marriage equality would transform their lives beyond marriage — and potentially shift Thai culture.

Speaking to Them in February, Shane Bhatla, the associate director of trans and intersectional justice issues at Equal Asia Foundation, said that marriage equality would put Thailand in a better position to win its bid to host World Pride in 2028 and potentially spark an economic boom thanks to more couples viewing Thailand as an LGBTQ+ friendly travel destination.

Meanwhile, 25-year-old Chayin Tengkanokkul told Them that he believes that marriage equality would help normalize the LGBTQ+ community both in Thailand and in neighboring countries such as Malaysia, where male homosexuality is illegal.

“Those countries have it way worse than us, so if we are able to set an example for them that this is normal, that can have a ripple effect,” Tengkanokkul said.

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Originally Appeared on them.