Couples say ‘I do’ as Thailand legalises same-sex marriage

The BBC spoke to LGBTQ couples in Thailand who got married in a grand ceremony on the day the country legalized same-sex marriage.

More than 100 couples got married at Siam Paragon, a luxury shopping mall in central Bangkok on Thursday when the law came into force.

LGBTQ couples now have the same rights as other couples to manage property, inherit, adopt and make decisions about their loved one’s health care.

Governments in Thailand are trying to win with parties and gifts such as cakes, bags and free plane tickets to celebrate the legal milestone.

Thailand has long been seen as a haven for LGBTQ people – still a rarity in Asia – but activists say they are fighting further change as many laws are not gender-neutral.

Video by Panisa Aemocha, Napasin Samkaewcham, Thanyarat Doksone and Benjamin Begley