Approval of gay marriage comes into force this week in Thailand

Hundreds of same-sex couples are set to get married in Thailand next Thursday (23), when the country becomes the first in Southeast Asia to recognize marriage equality.

The historic bill marks an important victory for the LGBTQ+ community, which has been fighting for the same marriage rights as heterosexual couples for more than a decade.

“This can be a model for the world because now we have Thailand as an example. There is true marriage equality in Thailand,” said Kittinun Daramadhaj, a lawyer and president of the Rainbow Sky Association of Thailand, one of many that has campaigned for equality.

Under the legislation, passed by Thailand’s parliament and endorsed by the king last year, same-sex couples will be able to register their marriages with full legal, financial and medical rights, as well as adoption and inheritance rights.

Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra hailed the country’s success at an event last week when she invited dozens of LGBTQ+ couples and activists to government offices.

“This demonstrates that Thailand is ready to embrace diversity and accept love in all its forms. Today shows that our country is open and receptive”, she commented.

Celebrations will take place next Thursday (23) in other parts of the country, stretching from the eastern coastal city of Pattaya to the northern mountain city of Chiang Mai.

In central Bangkok, at least 200 couples signed up to get married in a mass wedding at a popular shopping mall, according to Bangkok Pride, which organized the event with local authorities.

Rainbow flags are expected to wave through the heart of Bangkok, with a “carpet of pride” to be rolled out in a celebration to welcome newlyweds, and performances by celebrities and drag queens.

A dream comes true

For some, like Nina Chetniphat Chuadkhunthod, who will attend the mass celebration at Siam Paragon mall, the day is much anticipated.

The transgender woman was unable to marry her 22-year-old boyfriend because she cannot legally change her gender identity. But with same-sex marriage now being recognized, they can get married.

“I feel like, wow, my dream is close to coming true,” the 42-year-old told CNN during a recent interview.

Nina and her fiancé held their wedding reception three weeks ago.

At a wedding hall on the outskirts of Bangkok, the couple walked down the aisle arm in arm as bridesmaids scattered rose petals across their path amid applause from friends and family.

They plan to register their marriage on Thursday (23).

“It felt like the proudest moment of my life to be able to do this and let people know, let the industry and friends around me know that I could do this,” she commented.

One factor that adds particular urgency for the couple is the 7-year-old girl they have raised as their daughter for three years.

The girl is the daughter of Nina’s uncle, who cannot take care of her.

They plan to adopt the girl and live a life as a family, but they cannot do so without a valid marriage.

“I had tears streaming from my eyes when we were thinking about our lives (without the same-sex marriage law). And if… I, or he, or even my daughter got sick, who would take care of us?”, she declared.

But now, she said, “I can safely say I can do this, build my own family.”

Filipina Ana Boncan met her Thai girlfriend Siri Wattanavikij through a dating app six years ago when she was working in Europe.

In 2020, Boncan moved to Bangkok to be with her.

“With this opportunity to get legally married here in Thailand, it gives us the opportunity to have a marriage visa,” Boncan commented.

One thing on the couple’s mind is the possibility of one of them becoming ill and the other being prevented from visiting or making life-and-death decisions due to the lack of a marriage license.

“When we go to the hospital, I can tell them this is my wife, this is my partner, she makes decisions for me, things like that. Unlike before, they would not accept this in the hospital”, said Ana.

The fight continues

But human rights experts have warned that Thailand may well be the last Asian jurisdiction to recognize same-sex marriage for some time, given incremental progress elsewhere in the region.

More than 30 jurisdictions around the world now recognize same-sex marriage, according to the Pew Research Center, but most advances have been made in Europe, America, regional Australia, New Zealand and a few places of New Guinea and neighboring islands.

Thailand is the third in Asia to recognize same-sex marriage, after Taiwan in 2019 and Nepal four years later.

Back in Thailand, the fight for equal rights continues for other sexual minorities, such as transgender people.

Rights advocate Hua Boonyapisomparn from local advocacy group Foundation of Transgender Alliance for Human Rights said the next milestone is for the Thai government to allow transgender people to change their gender identity.

The country is home to around 314,000 transgender people, according to the Asia Pacific Transgender Network.

There is a common conception that trans people are widely accepted in Thailand, in part due to the accessibility of gender-affirming surgery in the country and the prominence of trans artists.

But local transgender people, including Chuadkhunthod, would testify to the everyday discrimination they face.

“Even now, as a Thai, they still look down on us, they see us as a joke. They laugh and smile, nudging each other as they look at us,” she said.

Parliament rejected a gender recognition bill proposed last February under the previous military-backed government led by Prayut Chan-o-cha.

Activists are now trying to put it back on the political agenda.

“We must use marriage equality as an opportunity to open another door to gender recognition,” said Boonyapisomparn.

This content was originally published in Approval of gay marriage comes into force this week in Thailand on the CNN Brasil website.

Source: CNN Brasil