The Thai government announced a new law amending the civil and commercial code No. 24 to recognize marriage equality.

Key Points:

• Officially announced in the Royal Gazette on Sept. 24, the new law will come into effect on Jan. 22, 2025.
• Under the new law, marriage registration will now recognize marriage equality. The definition of marriage will be changed from “man and woman” to “persons,” and gender-specific terms such as “husband” and “wife” will be replaced with “spouse.”
• The relevant authorities are required to amend their regulations to align with the new law within 180 days. The proposed changes will then be submitted to the Thai cabinet for final approval.

Additional Information: King Maha Vajiralongkorn signed the marriage equality bill into law, making Thailand the first Southeast Asian country to legalize same-sex marriage. BAL will continue to monitor developments and will provide more information as it becomes available.