BANGKOK (AP) — Thailand’s Senate voted overwhelmingly Tuesday to pass a marriage equality bill, clearing the last legislative hurdle for the country to become the first in Southeast Asia to enact such a law.
The project was approved in final reading with the approval of 130 of the 152 members of the Senate present, with 4 votes against and 18 abstentions.
The bill now needs pro forma endorsement from King Maha Vajiralongkorn, followed by its publication in the Government Gazette, which will set a date within 120 days for it to come into force.
Thailand will become the third place in Asia, after Taiwan and Nepal, to allow same-sex marriage. The marriage equality law, which grants full legal, financial and medical rights to spouses of either sex, sailed through the Chamber of Deputies shortly before the previous parliamentary session, which concluded in April.
Thailand has a reputation for acceptance and inclusion, but has struggled for decades to pass a marriage equality law. Thai society largely maintains conservative values and members of the LGBTQ+ community say they face discrimination in everyday life. The government and state agencies are also historically conservative, and gender equality advocates have had difficulty pressuring lawmakers and public officials to embrace change.
