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A year ago today, Thailand made same-sex marriage legal. Today, January 23, the country is celebrating a milestone that shows just how much this law means to people. So how has the first year actually gone?
Before the law officially kicked in, Bangkok was already leading the way. The city opened up partnership registrations for LGBTQ+ couples even when it carried no legal weight. It was a brilliant move from the capital that said we see you, we acknowledge you and we respect your love. The law made Thailand the 37th country in the world to recognise marriage equality, the first in Southeast Asia and only the third in Asia.
Fast forward from those early days of symbolic registrations to now, when marriage equality is the real deal in Thailand. The past year has been absolutely incredible for Bangkok. Between January 23 and December 31, 2025, a whopping 6,537 couples have walked through the doors to register their marriages under the new equality law.
That's thousands of love stories now officially recognised, from intimate ceremonies to joyful celebrations. The city has been buzzing with this energy all year, and it shows just how ready people were for this moment.
What makes Bangkok's role in all this so brilliant is how the city stepped up even before the law existed. That early partnership registration programme laid the groundwork and showed that change was coming, whether the legislation had caught up or not.
Thailand is shaping up to be a place where all kinds of love gets a welcome, and where everyone can actually feel at home. The past year proves it's not just talk but something truly wonderful happening on the ground.