[5] Religious tolerance helps. Buddhism, dominant in Thailand, does not prohibit same-sex relationships. In Indonesia, however, conservative Muslim groups are powerful and oppose marriage equality. In South Korea and Singapore, social conservatism is reinforced by influential evangelical Christian lobbies.

[6] Political will was crucial. Previous Thai governments considered legalising civil partnerships rather than same-sex marriage. But the new bill, an amalgam of proposals including one each from the ruling Pheu Thai party and the liberal Move Forward Party (MFP), had strong bipartisan support. Both parties campaigned for marriage equality during last year's election. Srettha Thavisin, who took office in September, recently became the first Thai prime minister to march at Bangkok Pride. Most Thai MPs and army-appointed senators backed the bill.

[7] On the same day as the celebration, however, Thailand's Constitutional Court said it would consider a case to disband the MFP over its campaign to reform the country's lèse-majesté laws, which forbid criticism of the powerful royals. The party won last year's election, but conservatives helped block it from taking power. Move Forward MPs have been sentenced to lengthy jail terms. The army-backed establishment appears intent on shutting down democratic representation, even as Thailand's social liberals celebrate a big win. Tunyawat Kamolwongwat, a gay Move Forward MP, first proposed a same-sex marriage bill to Thailand's parliament in June 2020. Four years later, his party faces dissolution. ■