Thailand's Marriage Equality: One Year On (2026)

On 23 January 2025, Thailand became the first country in Southeast Asia to recognise marriage equality, granting same-sex couples the same legal marriage as everyone else. A year on, the law has reshaped family life for tens of thousands of couples. This explainer answers how marriage equality actually works in Thailand — what it grants, the numbers behind it, and what it still leaves out.

What is Thailand's Marriage Equality Act?

Thailand's Marriage Equality Act amended the Civil and Commercial Code to provide full, equal marriage for couples regardless of gender. Rather than creating a separate civil-union system, it opened existing marriage law to same-sex couples and replaced gendered terms such as "husband" and "wife" with neutral terms like "spouse" and "person."

Because the change was written into the Civil and Commercial Code itself, same-sex marriages carry the same legal standing as opposite-sex marriages. The Act also raised the minimum marriage age to 18.

When did marriage equality take effect in Thailand?

Marriage equality took effect in Thailand on 23 January 2025. With that date, Thailand became the first country in Southeast Asia, the third in Asia (after Taiwan and Nepal), and the 37th worldwide to recognise marriage equality.

What rights does marriage equality give same-sex couples?

Marriage equality gives same-sex couples the same rights as opposite-sex couples. These include legal marriage, joint adoption of children, inheritance and co-ownership of property, spousal benefits such as health insurance and pensions, and equal treatment in medical decisions, taxation, and divorce.

Can same-sex couples adopt children in Thailand?

Yes. Under marriage equality, married same-sex couples in Thailand have the right to jointly adopt children, on equal terms with opposite-sex couples. Joint adoption is one of the family rights the Act extended by amending the Civil and Commercial Code.

How many same-sex couples have married?

In the first year — from 23 January 2025 to 12 January 2026 — more than 26,000 same-sex couples married in Thailand. Official figures recorded 26,287 same-sex registrations, made up of 20,083 female-female and 6,204 male-male couples.

On the first day alone, 1,832 same-sex couples registered nationwide — 616 male-male and 1,216 female-female. Bangkok recorded 654 first-day registrations, including 185 couples at a Marriage Equality Day celebration at Siam Paragon.

What is the economic impact of marriage equality in Thailand?

Marriage equality is projected to boost Thailand's tourism economy, though these are projections rather than confirmed results. The UN/UNDP projected the change could attract up to 4 million additional international visitors each year and generate roughly US$2 billion — about 62 billion baht — in annual tourism revenue.

• Up to 4 million additional international visitors projected annually (UNDP).
• Roughly US$2 billion (about 62 billion baht) in projected annual tourism revenue.
• Thailand has an estimated 1.6 million LGBTI people.

What does marriage equality NOT cover yet?

Marriage equality does not provide legal gender recognition. Transgender, non-binary, and intersex people in Thailand still cannot change the legal gender marker or title on their official documents, so a marriage may list gender titles that do not match a spouse's gender identity.

A separate Gender Recognition Bill is still pending, meaning legal gender recognition remains an open issue distinct from the marriage equality framework.