Thailand Celebrates 26,000 Same-Sex Marriages in One Year

One year after Thailand opened marriage to all couples, love is winning in unprecedented numbers.

Since January 23, 2025, when the Marriage Equality Act took effect, 26,287 same-sex couples have legally registered their marriages across Thailand. The landmark legislation made Thailand a pioneer in Asia, granting same-sex couples the same legal rights, protections, and benefits as opposite-sex couples.

The numbers tell a powerful story of acceptance. Of the nearly 266,000 marriages registered between January 2025 and January 2026, about 10% were same-sex unions. Female couples led the way with 20,083 marriages, while male couples registered 6,204 unions.

Bangkok Pride, the organization behind the capital's annual LGBTQ+ parade, shared the milestone on social media using official Ministry of Interior figures. The data represents thousands of couples who can now make medical decisions for partners, share property rights, and access benefits that were previously denied.

The Ripple Effect

This legal victory is creating waves far beyond wedding ceremonies. Couples who lived together for years without recognition now have legal protection for their families. Hospital visitation rights, inheritance laws, and tax benefits that once excluded same-sex partners are now accessible to tens of thousands of people.

The impact reaches into workplaces, schools, and communities across Thailand. Every registered marriage represents a family that can now navigate daily life with the same legal certainty as their neighbors.

However, advocates note the journey toward full equality continues. Bangkok Pride points out that about 50 related laws still need amendments to remove lingering barriers. The current registration system also classifies couples by sex assigned at birth rather than gender identity, meaning transgender individuals may not be fully reflected in official statistics.

These limitations suggest the actual number of LGBTQ+ marriages could be higher than reported. The diversity of married couples remains underreported in government data, highlighting the need for continued legal reforms.

"The enactment of the Marriage Equality Bill is only the first step toward equality," Bangkok Pride emphasized in their announcement. Legal experts agree that dozens of laws across healthcare, adoption, and family rights still require updates to ensure complete equality.

Despite the work ahead, the numbers represent genuine progress that seemed impossible just years ago. Each marriage registration is both a personal celebration and a quiet revolution in one of Asia's most progressive nations.

Twenty-six thousand couples can now say "legally married" where they once could only say "partners," and that transformation is reshaping Thailand one family at a time.