Singapore LGBTQ community hails Thailand’s same-sex marriage law, curbs inclusivity hopes

The news that Thailand is on the brink of legalising same-sex marriages has been met with joy by Singapore’s LGBTQ community, fuelling discussions about the city state’s civil union laws and speculation about whether couples among them would head to the kingdom to tie the knot.

One LGBTQ group spokesman in Singapore said couples from the community would not be rushing to Thailand to exchange rings.

Executive director of LGBTQ non-profit Oogachaga Leow Yangfa said: “Marriage for anyone is not an easy decision to make, and I don’t know if many people whether here in Singapore or elsewhere would make a major life decision so immediately based on a change in the law in another country.”

On Tuesday, a bill that recognises same-sex marriage in Thailand was passed, paving the way for the country to be the first in Southeast Asia to accord marriage equality.

The Senate voted by a majority in favour of the bill, which will now go for royal assent and other formalities that can take around four months before becoming law. Thailand will then become only the third Asian jurisdiction – after Nepal and Taiwan – to allow same-sex marriages.