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Marriage in Thailand
Traditional Wedding Ceremonies
Thai Customs and RitualsIs it legal? What is dowry? How come?Speaking of marriage, there are two separate matrimonies taken place in Thailand. One is reckoned as a Buddhist religious ceremony of traditional Thai wedding with several unique rituals observed step-by-step. The other is a legal process of marriage registration. The official proceedings of the legal marriage registration quite often are preceded, followed, or gradually coincided with the wedding ceremony, if any.
To comply with Buddhist religious beliefs, most Thai girls (and especially the parents) would be very happy to have a marriage ceremony of traditional Thai wedding, albeit the fact that it is not legally recognised as a marriage. The legal marriage in Thailand is effected in person at the local Thai 'Amphur' (Civil Registry Office), a government office that handles all registration matters regardless, be it a foreigner marrying Thai, a Thai or foreign couple. A marriage certificate issued in Thailand is recognized as such by the authorities of Britain, France, Germany, Australia, the USA and likely many other countries. In fact, we know of none it will not be legal. Wedding PlanningThe process of marriage registration isn't too complicated. Produce all required documents, present them to the officer at Amphur... and shortly after, you'll have your marriage certificates. Although, one shouldn't enter into that bureaucratic procedure lightly. For the sake of tranquility, you will be better off contacting the experts at , who specialize in the preparations of all relevant provisions, including translation and certification of all required documents. Take the hassle out of registering your marriage in Thailand, a complete service of marriage registration for the mixed Thai and foreign couple is only THB 15,000 (~US$ 480.00). A prenuptial (premarital) agreement binding under the Thai law* could be arranged upon request.
* - Since the counties with an Anglo-American based legal system viewed marriage as a matter of contract between two consenting adults, the terms of "marriage contract" are dictated by the laws of the country (state) where the married couple live, unless they have a prenuptial (premarital) agreement containing different terms. A prenuptial agreement based on the Thai law not only shall preclude unwise or undesirable consequences, but also may entail rather noticeable privileges. Wedding Ceremony
Ritual of bonding the bride and groom by sacred strings -- a focal point
of traditional wedding ceremony performed in the Northeast of Thailand
According to Thai customs, a couple traditionally become engaged during a ceremony known as 'Thong Mun'. This is literally the giving of gold by the prospective groom to his fiancee. Parents, friends and relatives will attend this ceremony. In place of a diamond ring as common in the West, Thais opt for the gold, normally in the form of jewellery. Actually, it is almost 96% pure gold made in Thailand. When traded locally, its weight is measured in 'Baht'. One Baht of gold is equals to 1/2 a troy ounce or 15.2 grams. In practice, an odd number is never given (as it were for a couple), so the minimum should be two Baht of gold.
Whether it's traditional or official, the Thai marriage involves an ancient tradition called 'Sinsod'. A custom of paying a dowry (or dowery) to compensate a family of bride "for the mother's milk". There is no set amount, the sum is typically determined on the one hand by the suitor's wealth (and Thais by and large reckon all 'Farang' - a Thai name for caucasians, as rich and wealthy), and on the other hand by the "value" of the future wife. Her beauty, personality, background, education and other qualifications, if she is a virgin, or has got a child and so forth. As an aside yet practical for some fellas comment, and without any attempt to overlook the value of Thai brides, a dowry is normally waived in case of re-marriages.
Nowadays, many families hand the dowry back to the couple as a wedding gift, some families do not require a dowry, and some need to keep the money. Dowries range from THB 50,000 up to 250,000, although this last figure is rarely asked for, except the marriages amongst celebrities being motivated by extraordinary figures to create sensation.
Thai Wedding
Bonding ceremony of marries during Thai traditional wedding in central Thailand
Thai bride and 'farang' groom are greeted by guests with best wishes on their marriageIn the past and until today Thai women often forgo the official marriage registration for a variety of reasons, in particular because they loose many legal civil rights. Instead, they prefer to perform a ceremony of traditional Thai wedding. This marriage is taken quite seriously by all concerned, and regarded as a lifelong commitment made by the couple. In the eyes of the Buddhist religion, the marriage is recognized and sacred, albeit the fact that in contrast to other religions, a religiously sanctioned marriage is void in Buddhism. Thai Traditional wedding ceremonies and rituals need not be conducted in the presence of monk and are usually performed at someone’s home. Simply put, there is no such thing as "Buddhist Wedding Ceremony", and if monks are present at the wedding, they are not directly involved. If monks are invited, which is happened quite often, there always should be an odd number: 3, 5, 7 and the maximum could be 9 monks.
According to the Buddhist faith, to assure a lifetime of love marriage or what is called "a marriage made in heaven", there is an old Thai ritual of 'Merit Gift' -- a donation to the local Wat (Buddhist temple) to perform a wedding blessing ceremony. Even it is not directly related to marriage, a merit-making ceremony would mean alot to the bride-to-be and in turn to her family, to have a gift made in their name by you. It shows that you care about her religious beliefs, value the Thai ways and respect Thai culture. 
Thai Traditional Wedding Ceremony
Wedding of Foreign Couples in ThailandThailand has recently became quite a popular destination for fellow travelers to register their marriages. Very few formalities are required for non-Thai couples to get married. It is fast, easy to arrange and inexpensive. The complete service is roughly US$ 880.00. Contact for assistance.To marry in Thailand, in addition to passports a couple must provide a proof that they are both single and free to marry - an affidavit or statutory statement of non-attachment notarised by your respective Embassy in Bangkok. Some embassies may require a proof of your marital status from your home country, some other, like the UK and US Embassies, will provide an Affidavit or Statutory form, and after completion will notarize it for you. If you have previously been married, which ended by divorce or death, you will need the original certificates. All documents should be translated to Thai and attested by the Thailand Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Note: A traditional Thai style wedding with blessing ceremony in Buddhist temple could also be arranged upon request. |
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