As same-sex marriage nears, Thailand’s businesses chase the ‘pink baht’
Al Jazeera
Wedding planners, hotels, malls and mortgage brokers are hoping to cash in on the legalisation of same-sex unions.
Bangkok, Thailand – For three decades, Dujruedee Thaithumnus has presided over symbolic weddings between same-sex couples on the white sand beaches of Thailand’s Samui island.
As Thailand prepares to legalise LGBTQ marriages, Dujruedee is looking forward to officiating legally recognised ceremonies for the first time – and cashing in on the “pink baht”.
“Samui has all the ecosystem required to organise weddings, the island is a one-stop shop. I have no doubt after the bill passes, we’re going to be on the world map as an LGBTQ wedding destination,” Dujruedee, who charges anywhere between $1,000 and $50,000 for her beach packages, told Al Jazeera.
“There are no words to describe how thrilled I am,” Dujruedee said.
After years of failed attempts, Thailand’s marriage equality bill last month cleared its final parliamentary hurdle.
