Thailand's same-sex marriage legislation has officially become law, allowing couples to wed starting in January. The country is the first in Southeast Asia to recognize marriages of partners of the same sex.

The law was published in the Royal Gazette on Tuesday after King Maha Vajiralongkorn endorsed the marriage equality bill passed by the upper house in June. The law guarantees LGBTQ couples the same rights as those in marriages between men and women, including tax benefits, inheritance and adoption rights.

Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra hailed the historic milestone with a social media post saying "Congratulations to everyone's love'', adding #Love Wins.
A support group for sexual minorities is urging same-sex couples to register their marriages on the day the law comes into effect.

Thailand has a reputation for tolerance of sexual minorities, but its laws did not fully reflect that. The largest ruling party made legalization of same-sex marriage one of its most important priorities.