Current Thai Family Law Position

Thai family law is codified in Book V of the Civil and Commercial Code. A valid marriage requires registration at a district office; a religious or customary ceremony alone has no legal effect. Spouses hold community property (สินสมรส) jointly by default, with property acquired before marriage or by inheritance treated as personal property (สินส่วนตัว); a prenuptial agreement altering this must be registered at the time of marriage. Since the Marriage Equality Act B.E. 2567 (2024) took effect on 22 January 2025, marriage is available to couples regardless of gender, with equal rights to property, adoption, inheritance and medical decision-making. Divorce may be uncontested (registered by mutual consent) or granted by a court on grounds set out in CCC Section 1516; the court decides child custody and support with the child's welfare as the paramount consideration. A foreign spouse cannot own land in their own name, and land bought during a marriage to a Thai national is subject to declaration requirements confirming the funds were the Thai spouse's personal property.