Thailand became the first Southeast Asian country to allow legal same-sex weddings on Thursday, with LGBT groups aiming to register over 1,000 marriages in a single day.
A new marriage equality law went into force on Thursday, making Thailand the third Asian country after Taiwan and Nepal to legalise same-sex marriages following decades of activist activism.
In celebration of the new law’s introduction, shopping centres organised large pride festivities and Thailand’s parliament flew rainbow flags on Thursday.
At a mass wedding at a luxury Bangkok retail mall, more than 200 couples lined up to make their vows, some in white dresses, others in traditional Thai outfits, western suits and ceremonial police uniforms.
LGBT groups hope to reach 1,448 wedding registrations on day one, a symbolic number that refers to the section of the Thai civil code where a key amendment changed the words husband and wife to “spouse”
The organisers, along with related agencies, plan to compile figures from ceremonies nationwide and submit a request to Guinness World Records to recognise Thailand as holder of the world’s largest number of same-sex marriage registrations in a single day.
“One-four-four-eight symbolises the fight for marriage rights for all genders. It represents the dream and hope of building an inclusive society that accepts and celebrates love in all its forms,” LGBT group Bangkok Pride said.
The government also announced that Thai embassies abroad and district offices across the country were open for marriage registration.
“Equal marriage has truly become possible with the power of all,” stated Srettha Thavisin, the former prime minister who served as premier the year before the historic law was passed.
The day, he noted, was “close to the hearts of many Thais.”
Legal scholars predict that Thailand, which has long been known for its carnival-style pride celebrations and acceptance of the LGBTQ population, would gain additional impetus for wider LGBTQ inclusion as a result of the new same-sex marriage law.
