Same-sex couples will now be able to get legal recognition in Thailand for long-stay visas, under civil unions or marriage, for the purposes of long-stay or retirement visas.
This follows an amendment to the country’s civil union bill, according to Pattaya Mail, a local news source.
Parliament Spokesperson Thanikarn Pornongsarote says the Tourist Authority of Thailand has long promoted the country as gay-friendly but it was now time to update the country’s image.
Under the old iteration of the bill, one or both partners in the civil union had to be Thai nationals to qualify for registration. The new amendment will enable a foreign couple to qualify for a joint marriage visa or a retirement visa and extensions to these at Thai embassies.
Same-sex civil unions – but not marriage – already had the backing of the Thai Cabinet.
Taiwan is the only other country in Asia to have an equality act, but same-sex partners there cannot legally adopt children.
