The Marriage Culture In Thailand

Every country has its spin on the major, important events in life like birth, death, and marriage. For example, in the United States, it’s customary for funeral attendees to wear black, while white is the preferred color in many East Asian countries. The same variance in customs can be found with marriages and weddings too. If you’re planning on marrying someone from Thailand, or if you’re simply interested in the differences, learning about marriage culture in Thailand is intriguing and even necessary. While Thai individuals are encouraged to marry someone that he or she loves, there are some rather large differences as well.

The most noticeable difference with marriage culture in Thailand is the dowry system.  When a couple wishes to marry, the male must ask the father for his daughter’s hand in marriage. At that point, the dowry, or financial arrangement, is discussed.  The dowry is known in Thai as “sin sodt,” and it refers to a groom being expected to pay a sum of money to the brides family. Why is this done? To many independent women in the West, it can seem a little demeaning.  This is not the intention of the practice, however. It is primarily done as a way for the groom to prove that he is financially capable of providing a decent life for his bride, though it does serve to compensate the brides family for the wedding as well.

Wedding Dowry

Many times, the dowry is more symbolic in nature.  That could mean that the groom does present the family with a sum of money, which is then given back to the couple upon their marriage.  It is a formal way for the family to welcome their new in-law.  For remarriages, this tradition is generally not done. In Thai history, the dowry was also a means of reciprocation done ahead of time. This is because the groom would move in with his bride’s family and take care of his new in-laws. Upon their deaths, he stood to inherit the home and wealth they possessed since those are passed down through the female children.

Like many across the globe, most Thai couples opt for both a religious ceremony and a legal registration of their marriage. This is common in almost all countries.  While there are some similarities, marriage culture in Thailand can feel more traditional that that of Western countries. In either case, though, what’s important is that the marriage is highly valued.