Hundreds of same-sex couples have been tying the knot in Thailand today as it becomes by far the largest nation in Asia to allow equal marriage and the first in South East Asia.
A mass LGBTQ wedding at a shopping mall in Bangkok saw hundreds of marriage registrations as the law came into effect. It marked the culmination of years of campaigning and thwarted attempts to pass equal marriage laws.
Porsch Apiwatsayree and Arm Panatkool have been together for 17 years, but first got engaged 11 years ago.
“Personally, I think it marks the beginning of equality in Thailand and it also, in a way, inspired people to see that love is normal,”Porsch said, holding his hand on his heart. “Every love is the same, every love is the same inside.”
Thailand’s same-sex marriage bill was passed in an historic parliamentary vote last June, making Thailand the third country in Asia to do so after Taiwan and Nepal.
Thailand ranks highly on global assessments of LGBTQ legal conditions and public attitudes. It’s very different from many of its neighbours where most nations oppose gay rights. Opinion polls have also shown overwhelming public support for equal marriage.
But the kingdom remains a conservative Buddhist society with a largely patriarchal family structure.
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‘Love is just love’
Porsch and Arm still believe it has some way to go to ensure tolerance translates to full acceptance.
“We have to wait and see because even the law has approved that love is the same. We need more and more acceptance,” Porsch said.
His own wedding to Arm was celebrated in the grounds of a luxurious new shopping centre. The families of both grooms played a huge part in the ceremony, lining up to face each other in a humorous and moving Thai custom of call and response between each party.
“What I feel now is the closeness between people and families,” said Porsch.
“Love is just love,” Arm added, with a beaming smile.
