Kim said he would nonetheless formally apply to get his marriage legally registered after the ceremony. Thailand, one of the most liberal countries in the region, does not recognize same-sex marriages, but a civil partnership law giving lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) couples the same rights as heterosexuals is being prepared. New Zealand last month became the first country in the Asia-Pacific region to legalize gay marriage, with many Australians now travelling there to tie the knot. Gays and lesbians have been subject to hate crimes, with one gay man sprayed with hydrochloric acid in 2008 by an acquaintance. Although homosexuality is not illegal, the pressure to marry someone of the opposite sex to continue the family blood line is strong and leads many to hide their sexual identity.
