As Thailand clears historic legislation, here are countries that allow same-sex marriages

Thailand has created history by becoming the first country in Southeast Asia to pass a bill to legalise same-sex marriage in the country.

The marriage equality bill, which was opposed by only 4 members, will become law once the King signs off on it.

After the royal endorsement, Thailand will become the third country in Asia to give marriage rights to same sex couples.

Here's a list of 36 countries that already boast of marriage equality.

The Netherlands became the first country in the world in 2001 to recognise same-sex marriage, setting the tone for future laws across the world.

Belgium followed suit, becoming the second country to legalise same-sex marriage.

Since then more than a dozen European countries, including Germany, Britain, and Greece, have granted marriage rights to same sex couples.

However, there are some European countries who have authrotised same-sex civil unions but not legalised gay marriage. Italy, Hungary, and Croatia, are some of them.

Across the Atlantic, Canada became the first American country to legalise same-sex marriage in 2005.

10 years later, the US Supreme Court legalised gay marriage nationwide, even though the first legal gay marriage happened in 1971 in Minnesota due to a legal loophole

In Latin America, nine countries, including Argentina, Brazil, and Chile allow same-sex marriages.

The Asian countries, however, have been slow to accepting same sex marriages. In 2019, Taiwan became the first Asian country to legalise gay marriages

While Nepal's Supreme Court passed an interim order in 2022, allowing same-sex and trans couples to register their marriages.

India, however, has not been receptive to the idea of granting marriage rights to gay couples. Even though the Supreme Court in 2018 struck down Article 377, which had criminalised homosexual activities, it has not yet legalised same-sex unions.

Also watch: Thailand step closer to LGBTQIA+ equality, passes same-sex marriage bill