Thailand is now the third place in Asia, after Taiwan and Nepal, to allow same-sex marriage.
Thailand has a reputation for acceptance and inclusivity but struggled for decades to pass a marriage equality law. Thai society largely holds conservative values, and members of the LGBTQ+ community say they face discrimination in everyday life.
The bill, which grants full legal, financial and medical rights for marriage partners of any gender, required approval from King Maha Vajiralongkorn.
The bill passed both the House of Representatives and the Senate in April and June respectively, and was officially written into law late Tuesday when it was published in the Royal Gazette.
"Congratulations on everyone's love," Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra said in a post on X that included the hashtag #LoveWins.
The law will take effect in a few months, allowing LGBTQ couples to register their marriages starting Jan. 22.
While the government and state agencies are historically conservative, it is interesting to note that there is a widespread culture in Thailand of ladyboys and go-go girls.
But it would be unfair to paint such a negative picture of Thailand.
The prevalence of sex culture and ladyboys goes back to at least the 14th century as a remnant of Thailand's Hindu past which believed in a third sex - a mixture of male and female.
Some speculate that foreign soldiers during WW2 and later during the Vietnam war generated demand. At the time, there were over 50,000 American soldiers stationed throughout Thailand at various military bases.
Some of the soldiers wanted "entertainment" and opportunistic gay men in Thailand realized they could service the soldiers' needs by dressing and acting like women.
Young Thai gay men from poor families often dress up as females and earn considerably more money by working in a bar or prostitution than they can by working a "normal" job.
Thai men are generally shorter and can appear a bit more feminine than westerners. The transition to being a ladyboy becomes easier.
Thailand's citizens want freedom of expression and the liberty to live life the way they want.
Until now, however, Thailand's LGBTQ community was forced to live without the same freedom and equality reserved for other citizens. Couples who wanted to get legally married knew they would not be officially recognized by the government.
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