But in the 2019 election which returned Thailand to civilian rule, a new, youthful reformist party called Future Forward, which fully supported equal marriage, did unexpectedly well. They won the third-largest share of seats, revealing a growing hunger for change in Thailand.

Thailand on Thursday became the first country in Southeast Asia to hold legal same-sex weddings, with 2SLGBTQ+ groups aiming to mark the occasion with more than 1,000 marriage registrations in a single day.