Thailand: The first same-sex marriages in Asia's LGBT haven

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On Thursday, Thailand's long-awaited same-sex marriage law came into effect, with more than a thousand couples thought to have officially tied the knot already. The legislation comes after years of campaigning, and at a moment when a public yearning for change is being increasingly felt on the political stage. Characterised by its conservative establishment and royalist military, Thailand has nonetheless developed a reputation as a haven for LGBTQ+ people in Asia, and has now become the largest country on the continent to legally enshrine equal marriage rights. On today's episode, Lucy Hockings is joined by Ruchaya 'Rayya' Nillakan, after she and her wife were officially married along with more than a hundred other couples at a mass celebration in a luxury Bangkok shopping mall. Also there was the BBC's South East Asia correspondent, Jonathan Head, who explains how this landmark moment came about, and considers why the majority of Thailand's Asian neighbours are yet to follow suit. The Global Story brings you trusted insights from BBC journalists worldwide. We want your ideas, stories and experiences to help us understand and tell #TheGlobalStory. Email us at [email protected] You can also message us or leave a voice note via WhatsApp on +44 330 123 9480. Producers: Laurie Kalus, Tom Kavanagh, and Mhairi MacKenzie Sound engineer: Dafydd Evans Assistant editor: Sergi Forcada Freixas Senior news editor: China Collins