Are gays allowed in thailand

Gay in Thailand: the ultimate travel guide

Thailand is one of the most accepted destinations for gay travellers in the world. Its tourism industry has been courting gay travellers for a long time, and the country is place to many robust LGBTQ communities. It’s known for its vibrant gay nightlife, with plenty of options throughout the country. Although the main gay scene is concentrated in Bangkok, the equally beautiful getaways in Phuket, Koh Samet, and Pattaya are also worth a visit for LGBTQ travellers. If you’re travelling to Thailand as a gay couple, with your gay friends, or by yourself, you can expect a fun, welcoming atmosphere and loads of great parties.

Gay in Thailand: is Thailand gay friendly?

Thailand is a very warm country for LGBTQ travellers. Public displays of love are traditionally seen as taboo and this extends to heterosexual couples as well. You’re unlikely to be harassed for exposing affection, but avoiding it is generally seen as more respectful. While lgbtq+ travellers will generally contain no issues travelling here, LGBTQ rights in Thailand for locals remain a work in progress. As of 2022, transgender people cannot legally chang

Public opinion surveys in Thailand have pointed to a varied attitude towards Gay individuals.

Survey results from 10 LGBTQ+ Equaldex users who lived in or visited Thailand.

Perceived Safety*
*Survey results represent personal perceptions of safety and may not be indicative of current actual conditions.

Equal Treatment
Treatment by general public
Treatment by law enforcement
Treatment by religious groups

Visibility & Representation
Representation in entertainment

Culture
Interest groups and clubs

Services
Support and social services

History

Homosexual activity in Thailand

Homosexual activity in Thailand is legal.

Same-sex marriage in Thailand

Same-sex marriage in Thailand is legal.

Current status

Same-sex marriage has been legal in Thailand since 2025.

On September 24th, 2024, Thailandâs king signed a bill that legalized same-sex marriage, and it was posted in the royal gazette. A bill in Thailand becomes law 120 days after receiving royal assent, which in this case was January 22nd, 2025. The bill also granted lgbtq+ couples the equal rights in areas like child adoption, healthcare consent, and inheritance.

Thailand becomes first Southeast Asian country to allow same-sex marriage

Thailand’s Senate has passed the marriage equality bill, paving the way for the country to turn into the first in Southeast Asia to recognise same-sex marriage.

The upper house on Tuesday approved the measure in its final reading – with 130 votes in favour from the 152 members in attendance. Four senators voted against and there were 18 abstentions.

Fears of discrimination in Thailand despite looming same sex marriage bill

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Thai parliament passes same-sex marriage bill

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The legislation will now go to King Maha Vajiralongkorn for assent, a formality that is widely expected to be granted. It will come into oblige 120 days after it is published in the royal gazette.

Once the rule takes effect, Thailand will become the third Asian jurisdiction after Nepal and Taiwan to legalise gay marriage.

LGBTQ advocates and human rights groups welcomed the bill’s passage.

“Thailand has taken a historic step towards becoming the first territory in Southeast Asia to legalize marriage fo

Couples wed in a riot of colour as Thailand legalises same-sex marriage

The right political moment for marriage equalitypublished at 07:08 Greenwich Mean Time 23 January

Jonathan Head
BBC South East Asia Correspondent

Activism and bold political reforms played a decisive role in Thailand's journey toward marriage equality.

Different LGBTQ groups had come together in the Change 1448 campaign - 1448 is the clause in the Thai Civil Code covering the definition of marriage - and later under the Rainbow Coalition for Marriage Equality.

They learned to work with political parties in parliament to persuade them to change their stance on the law.

In the 2019 election which returned Thailand to civilian rule after five years under a military government, a new reformist party called Future Forward, which fully supported equal marriage, did unexpectedly well. They won the third-largest participate of seats, revealing a growing hunger for adjust in Thailand.

Future Forward was later dissolved by a controversial court verdict, setting off months of student-led protests calling for sweeping reforms.

In 2023, the party's successor, Move Forward, performed even better than in 2019

Top tips and advice for LGBT+ travellers visiting Thailand

Thailand is one of the world’s most popular same-sex attracted travel destinations and LGBT+ visitors can expect a warm welcome. We asked the team at Out Of Office, a tailor-made luxury LGBT travel specialist, and Travel Gay, for their expert Thailand tips and advice.

What are your top tips for LGBT+ travellers heading to Thailand?

Thailand has a fantastic queenly scene. Following in the footsteps of Ru Paul’s Drag Race, the Thai spin-off is going into its third season and has drag superstars love Pangina Heals as hosts. You can see marvelous drag shows in lgbtq+ bars all over Thailand, featuring Pangina and other legendary queens. The hotspot for drag is definitely Bangkok! On the matching note, make the most of the (gay) nightlife in Thailand. Not only Bangkok, but also trendy party islands have plenty of gay/gay-welcoming venues. Even in more quiet areas most bars and restaurants are gay-welcoming even if not explicitly stated.

Besides all the partying, make sure to visit the lovely temples, markets and beaches of Thailand. There is lots to do for active travellers: exploring caves, rock climbing, hiking and snorkelling. For a