When Thailand’s marriage equality law took effect this year on the 23rd January, TAT governor Thapanee Kiatphaibool remarked: “This demonstrates our commitment to diversity and inclusivity while further establishing Thailand as Asia’s premier LGBTQ+

destination. Showcasing Thailand’s readiness to welcome all travellers with warmth and equality.”

1,754 LGBTQ+ couples officially registered their marriages nationwide, heralding a “Grand Celebration of Law” and a heartfelt “Grand Moment of Love.” In Bangkok alone over 300 LGBTQ+ couples registered their marriages and there was a Marriage

Equality Day at Paragon Hall, Siam Paragon, featuring a grand wedding parade, exhibitions, discussions, a Pride Carpet, and live performances

All these figures whilst impressive don’t really bring home just how special an occasion this was. I think to really appreciate it you need to look at individual cases of people who have been waiting a long time to be allowed the freedom to marry. I am lucky enough to have a couple of very dear friends who really helped me appreciate what an important, lovely and truly romantic event this was for them. .

I met Mike many years ago when he had Rainbow Properties in the Jomtien Complex, Pattaya. A real estate agency with the

brilliant ethos of being gay friendly. It showcased the properties from landlords who were happy to have gay couples as tenants – back then this might sometimes have been a problem – amazing how far we have now all come. The agency gave advice about gay friendly resorts and hotels, as well as information about properties to buy and sell. It was just before British Mike from

Lincolnshire, UK met Carlos from Corrientes, Argentina. Oh the beauty of living in Pattaya!

That was 13 years ago and from the moment they met it was obvious to everyone how much this couple adored each other. They decided to get married 2 years ago – just waiting for the date when they could officially do so and this year their dreams came true when Thailand became the first South East Asian nation to allow marriage equality. Therefore although the couple were now living and working in Vietnam they returned to Bangkok to celebrate in a fantastic event with their very close friends.

The Washington Post ran a feature on this auspicious occasion and here is an excerpt from their interview with Carlos:

On the morning of January 23, 2025, Mike and I stood together at the registration desk on the fifth floor of Paragon Hall in Siam Paragon. The air was thick with excitement, with couples like us—many who had waited a lifetime for this moment—eagerly signing their names, legally binding their love. After 13 years together, we were finally recognized as husbands.

We got engaged in Hua Hin, at Shrubsole House, when I turned 40.(2022) The plan was always to marry when Mike turned 60 in 2024, but the legal barriers in Thailand kept pushing that dream further away. We explored every possibility, even considering returning to our home countries, but after 13 years away, that option felt both impractical and isolating—our chosen family was here. Then, in June 2024, the news broke: Thailand had passed the equal marriage law. We read the announcement with tears in our eyes. The country we had called home for so long was finally ready to fully embrace us.

With the support of Ms. Waaddao Chumaporn and the organizers of Bangkok Pride, on October 1, we were invited to be among the first couples to register our marriage. So, we showed up. We became part of history. The feeling was overwhelming—not because we needed this to validate our love, but because, for the first time, we could say it out loud and have it acknowledged. For years, we had to tick the box that said ‘single,’ even though we had built a life together. We celebrated with a wedding cruise along the Chao Phraya River—our way of marking the end of one cycle and the beginning of another. This is more than just our story. It’s a victory for everyone who has fought for this moment, and for those still waiting for theirs. If society sees us, it must now include us.”

Dear Mike and Carlos, we were honored and delighted to be amongst your Bangkok family of friends to celebrate with you. An often tear jerking and emotional day it was also just so much fun!