The Marriage Equality Act, which amends sections of the Civil and Commercial Code concerning marriage and family to allow marriage registration regardless of gender, has been signed into law.

Colloquially known as the Marriage Equality Act, the landmark legislation amends the Civil and Commercial Code, using “spouse” in place of “husband” and “wife” and “person” instead of “man” and “woman” to allow for gender-neutral marriage registrations. All existing legislation relating to “husbands” and “wives” will subsequently apply to legally-married spouses. The Act also raises the age at which a person can legally marry from 17 to 18, in line with international children’s rights principles. The amendments make Thailand the first Southeast Asian country to recognize marriage for all.

The Act was published in the Royal Gazette on 24 September after King Vajiralongkorn signed it into law. It comes with a 120-day moratorium to accommodate the changes, which means that LGBTQ couples will be able to register their marriage in January 2025.

The bill was approved by parliament on 27 March and passed its first Senate reading on 2 April. On 18 June, the Senate voted 130 to 4, with 18 abstentions, to approve the bill in its final reading.