Cambodia allows same sex marriage

[isanbirder]

http://www.khmertimeskh.com/news/16143/cambodia-welcomes-same-sex-marriage--gov---t-spokesman-says/

This all sounds very welcoming, but also a bit vague. Any thoughts?

(probably already in the Cambodia section of the forum, but I thought it needed to be posted here too)

[Scott]

Wow. Very interesting. I wonder how long it will take Thailand to follow suit?

[onthemoon]

I am not sure the original article says that same-sex people can legally marry. Does it? I'd like to know what Cambodian couple who would like to marry have to say about it.

[isanbirder]

I am not sure the original article says that same-sex people can legally marry. Does it? I'd like to know what Cambodian couple who would like to marry have to say about it.

The English version says something vague like "we welcome.... same-sex marriage". What does that really mean? That a couple from Thailand can pop over to O'Smach and get done?

If this means what it appears to mean, Cambodia is the first country in SE Asia to legalise same sex marriage. This would be a big deal indeed, but judging from the interest shown in this thread, nobody cares much. How different from a year or so ago, when the American states were legalising it one by one!

[onthemoon]

I am not sure the original article says that same-sex people can legally marry. Does it? I'd like to know what Cambodian couple who would like to marry have to say about it.

The English version says something vague like "we welcome.... same-sex marriage". What does that really mean? That a couple from Thailand can pop over to O'Smach and get done?

If this means what it appears to mean, Cambodia is the first country in SE Asia to legalise same sex marriage. This would be a big deal indeed, but judging from the interest shown in this thread, nobody cares much. How different from a year or so ago, when the American states were legalising it one by one!

How right you are about the interest! The reason may be that there are more Americans than Cambodians on this list though.

I don't think "we welcome" means that there is actually marriage equality in Cambodia though.

[Lenscraft]

Here is an article from the Gay Star News saying that a lesbian couple was allowed to marry without a change in Cambodian law back in 2013. And another lesbian couple were legally wed back in 1995, but sadly one of the two women was killed by thieves in 1993. This Wikipedia article claims that the King of Cambodia supports same-sex marriage after witnessing them in San Francisco in 2004.

I've always heard that Vietnam would be the first Southeast Asian country to allow same-sex marriage, but perhaps Cambodia will beat them to it? Economically, it makes a lot of sense. Imagine the marriage tourism!

[onthemoon]

Marriage tourism? I don't understand. We got married in Germany but it is still not recognised in Thailand, so why should we go to Cambodia to marry?

[AyG]

Despite the apparent acceptance, gay British people can't get civil partnershiped (sp.?) or married at the embassy there because of Khmer government objections. Same as Thailand. We have to go to the Communist paradise of Vietnam for that.

[Lenscraft]

Marriage tourism? I don't understand. We got married in Germany but it is still not recognised in Thailand, so why should we go to Cambodia to marry?

Marriage tourism refers to the couple (and possibly their entire wedding party) traveling to a far-away destination to get married. Some popular marriage tourism spots are the Hawaiian islands, Fiji, Polynesia, and France. Basically, anyplace that seems exotic and romantic, adding an extra something to the ceremony. These weddings are sometimes called destination weddings.

Marriage tourism brings in lots of money. Destination weddings are expensive... there is the lodging, the catering, photographer(s), group excursions, etc. And gay people (especially men) tend to like to travel and also tend to have more disposable income. I'm sure that people in the wedding business in Southeast Asian countries are watching the same-sex marriage movement very carefully.

Also, whether your marriage is recognized in Thailand is orthogonal to why most people get married. A couple gets married to profess their love and loyalty to one another, preferably in front of the witnesses of their friends and family. That recognition, in my humble opinion, is much more important than any governmental recognition. (But, having said that, I think that governmental recognition is very important as well.)

[Lenscraft]

Despite the apparent acceptance, gay British people can't get civil partnershiped (sp.?) or married at the embassy there because of Khmer government objections. Same as Thailand. We have to go to the Communist paradise of Vietnam for that.

I didn't actually realize that same-sex marriage was legal in Vietnam. Back in the States, I had always heard that Vietnam was probably going to be the first southeast asian country to allow marriage, but I didn't realize that it had happened until I looked it up on Wikipedia. Thanks for the good news!

While same-sex marriages can now take place, the government does not recognize them or provide legal protections in cases of disputes. But it's an important step forward!

Edited December 27, 2015 by Lenscraft

[AyG]

gay people (especially men) tend to like to travel and also tend to have more disposable income.

That's because lesbians have to stay home to look after their cats. Or is that just being stereotypical?

[Lenscraft]

gay people (especially men) tend to like to travel and also tend to have more disposable income.

That's because lesbians have to stay home to look after their cats. Or is that just being stereotypical?

It's because women tend to make less than men.¹ So two women make a lot less than two men.²

¹ Women in the USA make about 82% of what men make according to a 2013 survey.

² I'm generalizing, of course.

[onthemoon]

Marriage tourism? I don't understand. We got married in Germany but it is still not recognised in Thailand, so why should we go to Cambodia to marry?

Marriage tourism refers to the couple (and possibly their entire wedding party) traveling to a far-away destination to get married. Some popular marriage tourism spots are the Hawaiian islands, Fiji, Polynesia, and France. Basically, anyplace that seems exotic and romantic, adding an extra something to the ceremony. These weddings are sometimes called destination weddings.

Marriage tourism brings in lots of money. Destination weddings are expensive... there is the lodging, the catering, photographer(s), group excursions, etc. And gay people (especially men) tend to like to travel and also tend to have more disposable income. I'm sure that people in the wedding business in Southeast Asian countries are watching the same-sex marriage movement very carefully.

Also, whether your marriage is recognized in Thailand is orthogonal to why most people get married. A couple gets married to profess their love and loyalty to one another, preferably in front of the witnesses of their friends and family. That recognition, in my humble opinion, is much more important than any governmental recognition. (But, having said that, I think that governmental recognition is very important as well.)

I've never heard of this kind tourism... destination weddings, I see. Thanks for the info.

[SchadeBoy]

This is good, I have Cambodian partner at the moment so this indeed is interesting news.

Edited December 31, 2015 by SchadeBoy