After years of waiting due to societal and legal barriers, same-sex couples in Thailand celebrated their right to marry as a new law took effect. Rungtiwa Thangkanopast and Phanlavee Chongtangsattam, who had previously been rejected when attempting to marry, finally tied the knot in a mass wedding ceremony in Bangkok. Hosted by Naruemit Pride, the event marked a significant milestone in Thailand's LGBTQ+ rights history, symbolizing hope and pride for couples who longed for legal recognition of their love.
"I am delighted and excited because we have been waiting for this day for a very long time," Ms. Rungtiwa said. "For 20 years, we have loved each other and have had to hide from society's disapproval. But now we can stand proudly."
The mass wedding ceremony began in the morning at Paragon Hall, an event and convention center in one of Bangkok's biggest shopping malls, Siam Paragon. It was hosted by a rights group, Naruemit Pride, whose name roughly translates to creating pride.
On Thursday, the couple finally had the chance to wed under Thailand's new law allowing same-sex marriages. They joined hundreds of others for a mass wedding ceremony in Bangkok as the law took effect.
Dozens of officials and scores of journalists were on hand as the first weddings began in a large charcoal-gray hall, with flower-bedecked pink arches set up as backdrops for the newlyweds' photos.
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