(123rf)

DPA -- Same-sex marriage will be legal in Thailand from January after Thai King Maha Vajiralongkorn signed the law on Tuesday, making the country the first in South-East Asia to legalize it.

The upper and lower houses of the Thai parliament had already passed the legislation months ago, both with large majorities. Now that the king has signed the law, it will enter into force in 120 days.

While Thailand is the first country in South-East Asia to allow for same-sex marriage, it is the third in all of Asia, after Taiwan and Nepal.

"Love wins," wrote Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra on X after the law was published in the Royal Gazette on Tuesday. She added that "this was a joint effort by everyone."

The new legislation provides for the words "men" and "women" and "husband" and "wife" to be replaced in the civil code by neutral words like "persons" and "spouse," ensuring that same-sex married couples will have the same legal, financial and medical rights as heterosexual married couples.

Thailand previously had a civil partnership law that did not include full legal married rights. The country has long been seen as liberal and open to homosexual and transgender people. It is also a popular holiday destination for tourists from the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender, and the wider queer community.