Accordingly, the Marriage Equality Bill in Thailand has officially become law, opening the door for same-sex couples to legally marry. After being approved by King Maha Vajiralongkorn, the law was published in the Royal Gazette and will take effect after 120 days.
This means that from January 2025, LGBTQ+ couples can officially register their marriage, making Thailand the third country/territory in Asia, after Taiwan (China) and Nepal, to legalize same-sex marriage. The bill provides full legal, financial and medical benefits to couples, regardless of gender. The bill was passed by both the Thai House of Representatives and Senate in sessions in April and June this year.
Thailand's marriage equality bill has officially become law, opening the door for same-sex couples to legally marry.
On social media X, Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra posted: "Happy love to everyone", with the hashtag #LoveWins. The passage of the marriage equality law is the result of decades of struggle, the LGBTQ+ community said they still face discrimination in their daily lives.
This move is expected to open up many opportunities to attract more tourists from the global LGBTQIA+ community, bringing in a value of more than 200 billion USD per year from the time the law is officially issued on January 22, 2025, according to Travel HUB.
The number of international tourists to the country is expected to increase by 4 million people per year within the next two years, according to the study "The Economic Impact of Marriage Equality on Thailand's Tourism Industry" conducted by digital travel platform Agoda in collaboration with Access Partnership.
Thailand expects to increase tourism revenue by about $2 billion per year, of which about $700 million will come from accommodation services, $400 million from food and beverage services, $400 million from retail spending, $200 million from domestic transportation, and $200 million from other sectors including entertainment and medical services. This will create 152,000 additional full-time jobs, with 76,000 directly in the tourism industry and another 76,000 in the Thai economy, and increase the country's Gross Domestic Product (GDP) by 0.3%.
This bill has had a positive impact on Thailand's GDP.
Despite being only the third market in Asia to legalize same-sex marriage, Thailand is becoming a regional hub for LGBTQIA+ couples from neighboring countries looking to hold their weddings in a country that recognizes same-sex marriage. The passage of a same-sex marriage law will provide a major boost to the Thai wedding industry. Related sectors such as hotels, catering and entertainment will also benefit significantly from this trend.
“The enactment of the Marriage Equality Act marks a huge step forward for Thailand, not only in advancing equal rights for the LGBTQIA+ community, but also in strengthening the country’s reputation as a safe and inclusive destination,” said Waaddao Chumaporn, President and Founder of Naruemit Pride and organizer of Bangkok Pride 2024. “We believe this bold step will build greater trust, attract more visitors, and encourage meaningful participation in our vibrant culture.”
The Pheu Thai government has pledged to make marriage equality a top priority, and the party has shown strong support for the LGBTQ+ community, notably at this year's Bangkok Pride parade in June, which attracted thousands of people in the city center.
Since the Netherlands became the first country to allow same-sex marriage in 2001, more than 30 countries around the world have legalized marriage for everyone, regardless of gender.
