Thailand has taken a historic step closer to marriage equality after the lower house passed a bill giving legal recognition to same-sex marriage, Ednews reports BBC.

It still needs approval from the Senate and royal endorsement to become law.

But it is widely expected to happen by the end of 2024, making Thailand the only South East Asian country to recognise same-sex unions.

It will cement Thailand's reputation as a relative haven for LGBTQ+ couples in a region where such attitudes are rare.

"This is the beginning of equality. It's not a universal cure to every problem but it's the first step towards equality," Danuphorn Punnakanta, an MP and chairman of the lower house's committee on marriage equality, told parliament while presenting a draft of the bill. "This law wants to return these rights to this group of people, not grant them the rights."

The new law, which was passed by 400 of 415 of lawmakers present, will describe marriage as a partnership between two individuals, instead of between a man and woman. And it will give LGBTQ+ couples equal rights to get marital tax savings, to inherit property, and to give medical treatment consent for partners who are incapacitated.

Under the law, married same-sex couples can also adopt children. However, the lower house did not adopt the committee's suggestion to use the term "parents" instead of "fathers and mothers".

Thailand already has laws that ban discrimination over gender identity and sexual orientation and is, therefore, seen as one of Asia's most LGBTQ+ friendly nations.

But it has taken many years of campaigning for same-sex couples to come this close to marriage equality.

Past attempts to legalise same-sex marriage failed despite broad public support. A government survey late last year showed that 96.6% of those polled were in favour of the bill.