Weddings took place across the country, including at a Bangkok mall, as same-sex marriage became legal. Thailand is one of the few places in Asia where it’s allowed.

Hundreds of same-sex couples tied the knot across Thailand on Thursday, as the country becomes the first in Southeast Asia to legally recognize equal marriage.

On Thursday, Joe and Mate will tie the knot in central Bangkok, joining roughly 200 couples in a joyful mass-wedding that marks a seismic shift in Thailand. After decades of campaigning and countless setbacks, the country is becoming the first in southeast Asia – and only the second in Asia after Taiwan – to introduce full marriage equality.