Thailand became the first country in southeast Asia to allow same-sex marriage on Thursday. Couples celebrated with a mass wedding in Bangkok where around 180 couples tied the knot.
Shinawatra then mentioned a “powerful country’s” new leader recently declared that there are only two genders and that although Thailand may be smaller, “I believe our heart is bigger.”
The Prime Minister hosted same-sex couples in wedding attire at the Government House in Bangkok January 15 to celebrate “Marriage Equality Day.” The Thai government has held workshops for government officials to get up to speed on the new law.
Over 1,800 marriages were recorded nationwide on the first day possible. 38 countries now recognize same-sex marriage and Thailand is the third in Asia to do so, following Taiwan in 2019 and Nepal last year. Approximately one in five people in the world now live in a country with legal same-sex marriage.
Thai rights group Naruemit Pride organized the mass wedding event at the Paragon shopping mall with rainbows and “love wins” signs.
“I feel more secure in our life because we can be a family and be recognized as a couple in society,” Anticha Sangchai told NPR at the event. Sangchai and her wife Vorawan Ramwan held a wedding ceremony two years ago and were able to legally register it for the first time Thursday. “This is special for us because this is a day of history in Thailand,” Sangcha said.