Thailand has become the first country in Southeast Asia and third place globally to recognize same-sex marriages, with its marriage equality bill coming into force on January 22. However, for couples like American businessman Jacob Holder and his Thai husband Surapong Koonpaew, this historic milestone still leaves them with significant challenges.
Holder and Surapong married in the United States two years ago and returned to Thailand, where they live and work. They have a son, Elijah Bprin, born through surrogacy in Colombia, but due to Thailand’s strict definition of a parent, Elijah has no legal relationship with Surapong in Thailand.
The new law allows same-sex couples to adopt children, but the current definition of a parent in Thai law could lead to discrimination against LGBTQ individuals. Efforts to redefine this term were unsuccessful, and it is unclear how long it will take for a draft bill on same-sex couple surrogacy to be implemented.
Despite these challenges, Jacob and Surapong hope that Thailand’s new law will create momentum for greater inclusion of the LGBTQ community. They plan to have another child soon and believe that Thailand can be a good place to raise a family. However, they emphasize the need for social acceptance beyond just changes to the law.
“The way forward is not just about changing the law, but also fighting for social acceptance,” said Surapong. “We want these people [lawmakers] to see that we can have a normal functioning family, just like everybody else.”
Source: https://www.reuters.com/world/asia-pacific/historic-thai-law-recognises-same-sex-marriages-not-all-families-are-equal-2025-01-20