Marriage Equality Celebrated with Mass Same Sex Weddings in Thailand tomorrow

Thailand is the first country in Southeast Asia to recognise marriage equality and hundreds of same-sex couples are scheduled to get married there on Thursday. For the LGBTQ+ community which has battled for more than ten years for the same marriage rights as heterosexual couples, the historic bill represents a significant victory to them.

Other regions of the nation, ranging from the mountainous northern metropolis of Chiang Mai to the eastern beach city of Pattaya will celebrate on Thursday. According to Bangkok Pride, which co-organized the event with local officials, at least 200 couples have registered to get married in a mass wedding at a well-known retail mall in downtown Bangkok.

With a “pride carpet” to be rolled out during a party to greet the newlyweds and performances by drag queens and celebrities, rainbow flags are anticipated to spread over the centre of Bangkok.

Same-sex couples will be able to register their marriages with full legal, financial and medical rights as well as adoption and inheritance rights under the law that was approved by the king and ratified by Thailand’s parliament last year. When Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra invited hundreds of LGBTQ+ couples and activists to the government’s offices last week, she celebrated the nation’s accomplishments.