Thai couple finds hope in same-sex marriage bill
STORY: Beaut and An have been together for four years.
They share a home in Bangkok, and plan to grow old together.
And with Thailand set to become the first Southeast Asian country to legalize same-sex marriage this month, the couple will finally be able to build a more secure future.
Thailand's long been an LGBTQ+ haven.
The scene is vibrant and visible, and the country promotes itself to LGBTQ+ travellers.
Still, the marriage bill is a decade in the making– and for activist and university lecturer An, it's a hard-earned victory.
"Once the law comes into effect, we will sign our marriage license as we've been waiting for this for a long time and we think that it would be easier for us to sort our lives out properly. Once our way of life is approved or is officially recognized, we feel empowered. It gives us more confidence– even more than before as we can now see the paths that we can take."
The bill obtained an overwhelming vote of support in parliament earlier this year, with the backing of all of Thailand’s major parties.
It grants a same-sex couple full rights of a married couple under the country's civil and commercial code, including those concerning inheritance and adopting children.
For Beaut, the law means more than just being able to get married to her partner or plan financially– it legally allows An to make life or death decisions for her.
"Earlier, I was always so afraid of growing old. I didn't feel a sense of security because I didn't know how anyone could take care of me, whom I could depend on, what could be done? We've never been educated about these things before."
"And as I share my life with another woman, the ground I'm standing on becomes even less sturdy. Now that we're looking forward to having this same sex marriage law, I know whom I can rely on."
If the bill is approved in the Senate next week, the law could come into effect within months.
However, the fight does not end there.
While the bill tackles the marriage side of things, An says it does not change other provisions, such as Thailand's legal interpretation of “parents”, which describes a female as the mother and a male as the father.
This is likely to pose more issues in the future should the couple decide to adopt or have children of their own.
Still, it’s a significant first step– one An hopes will have a ripple effect across Southeast Asia.
"The passage of this law is a movement, pushing the boundaries by acknowledging our existence, that we are able to happily have this way of life, and we can feel proud of being ourselves. We're not just pushing the boundaries in Thailand but we're also sending out the same message to this region too.”