Thailand Starts Recognizing Same-Sex Marriage

Twelve years ago, the Thai couple headed to the marriage registrar’s office to take part in a mass wedding ceremony on Valentine’s Day in Bangkok.Rungtiwa Thangkanopast wore a long white dress, and her partner, Phanlavee Chongtangsattam, a black tuxedo.Officials welcomed them.

But when they reached the registrar’s desk and presented their identity cards, which show each to be female, they were turned away.Marriage between two women, they were told, was not permitted.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.“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.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.The couples were wed one at a time by officials who examined their documents and formally registered them as legally married.We are having trouble retrieving the article content.Please enable JavaScript in your browser settings.Thank you for your patience while we verify access.

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