Thailand approves same-sex marriage

Thailand has approved same-sex marriage, becoming the first country in the Southeast Asian region to do so.

The development followed the nation’s Senate passing a marriage equality bill on Tuesday, June 18.

Al Jazeera reports that the upper house gave a final approval — by 130 votes to four, with 18 abstentions — allowing same-sex couples to get married.

The new legislation is expected to go to King Maha Vajiralongkorn for royal assent and come into force 120 days after publication in the official Royal Gazette.

Thailand will become the third place in Asia where same-sex couples have been legalised after Taiwan and Nepal although India came close in October but the Supreme Court referred the decision back to parliament.

Aljazeera also reports that the new legislation changes references to “men”, “women”, “husbands” and “wives” in marriage laws to gender-neutral terms.

It also gives same-sex couples the same rights as heterosexual ones when it comes to adoption and inheritance.

Thailand approves same-sex marriage