Thailand has made history by becoming the first country in Southeast Asia to approve same-sex marriage.
The landmark decision follows the Senate’s passage of a marriage equality bill on Tuesday.
According to Al Jazeera, the upper house of the Senate approved the bill with a decisive vote of 130 to four, with 18 abstentions.
The new legislation will now be sent to King Maha Vajiralongkorn for royal assent and is expected to come into force 120 days after its publication in the official Royal Gazette.
Once enacted, Thailand will join Taiwan and Nepal as the only places in Asia where same-sex marriage is legal.
Although India considered similar legislation in October, the Supreme Court referred the decision back to parliament.
The new law changes references to “men,” “women,” “husbands,” and “wives” in marriage laws to gender-neutral terms.
It also grants same-sex couples the same rights as heterosexual couples concerning adoption and inheritance.
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