Bangkok Pride, organiser of the capital’s annual LGBTQ+ parade and festival platform, shared the update on its Facebook page on Friday (Jan 23), citing official figures on marriage registrations since the law took effect, reports the Bangkok Post.
The Marriage Equality Bill was enacted on Jan 23 last year, representing a historic breakthrough for LGBTQ+ rights in Thailand. The legislation allows same-sex couples to legally register their marriages and grants them the same legal rights, protections and benefits as opposite-sex couples.
Data from the Ministry of Interior show that between Jan 23, 2025, and Jan 12 this year, a total of 265,816 couples registered their marriages across the country. Of these, 20,083 were female–female couples, 6,204 were male–male couples, and 239,530 were opposite-sex couples.
While welcoming the progress, Bangkok Pride cautioned that the official figures may not fully capture the lived realities of LGBTQ+ communities. The current marriage registration system continues to classify couples based on sex assigned at birth rather than gender identity.
As a result, many LGBTQ+ individuals, particularly transgender people whose gender identity does not align with their sex assigned at birth, may not be accurately reflected in government data.
Bangkok Pride noted that this limitation could mean the diversity of married couples is underreported, and that the actual number of LGBTQ+ marriages may be higher than official statistics suggest.
The organisation also stressed that legal equality remains incomplete, noting that approximately 50 related laws still require amendment. Delays in revising these laws continue to create practical barriers for LGBTQ+ couples seeking full and equal access to their rights.
“The enactment of the Marriage Equality Bill is only the first step toward equality,” the post said. “Further legal reforms are needed.”