The Bangkok Metropolitan Government said it has organized workshops and lectures for all officials responsible for processing marriage registrations to raise awareness and provide guidance on proper communication.

Robert Conner, a Thai-American public relations director in Washington, said he hoped the law would raise awareness among neighboring countries and even inspire them to follow Thailand's example.

"Even if other countries don't follow Thailand's example of marriage equality, they can at least consider decriminalizing same-sex sex," said 27-year-old Khanna, who was born and raised in Phuket.

It is also hoped it will benefit Thailand's tourism-reliant economy, encouraging LGBT travelers from the United States and elsewhere to consider Thailand a tourist attraction or even a wedding destination.

But Connor said there was still room for improvement, noting that changes in legal language about marriage did not extend to family law.

"This means that, for some same-sex couples, there may be situations where one parent has no legal protection or legal contact with his or her children," he said.

It's still a huge leap for the couple who have been waiting for this moment for years.

"I've been counting down the days since the law was passed today," said police officer Pisit Sirihirunchai, who is married to his partner, Chanatip Sirihirunchai.

Thanomkhet, who is transgender, said he knew he wanted to be a man from the age of 9. He said his father dissuaded him and disapproved of Klinthaworn, a single mother of an 18-year-old son.

Tanongkai said years of campaigning in Thailand helped change his father's mind.

"He didn't say he was happy, but we can see from his actions that he is open to us now," he said.

Although the lesbian couple Anticha Sangchai and Vorawan Ramwan officially married on Thursday, they have considered themselves married for nearly three years, ever since they attended the 2022 Bangkok Pride Parade together in wedding dresses.

"We celebrated our couple, our marriage to the community. It was very exciting. But it was not legal," Sangchai said.

"Today is very different," she said, adding that she was "shocked" that the day had finally arrived.

It's not just Bangkok where couples are scrambling to have their marriages legally recognized.