Marriage types and experiences, if only done in Thailand?

[mooping20Baht]

Hello,  all the URLs I clicked on in the Pinned Topic are "404"  Thai Family Law

 

I am curious to hear the pros and cons  of 

Buddhist only or Buddhist/Official Thailand Only   marriage

 

Perhaps with a prenuptial, drawn up and made legal in Thailand only

 

If one never marries in their own country  (mine is the US),  is there no jurisdiction in one's own country in case of divorce , etc ?

 

 

Is it common to do just a Buddhist Wedding, and hence have no need for a prenuptial agreement  , etc    TIA

[ubonjoe]

I updated the first link on the pinned topic that will lead you to more info.  http://thailawonline.com/en/family/marriage-in-thailand/41-family-law.html

If you do not register your marriage at an Amphoe it not a legal marriage. No laws would apply in that case.

[Pib]

4 hours ago, ubonjoe said:

If you do not register your marriage at an Amphoe it not a legal marriage. No laws would apply in that case.

Which means the day or two of marriage ceremonies, pictures, food, drink, paying sin sod (dowry), and many  other expenses was basically a party with no legal commitments.   A great way to avoid follow-on divorce issues and expenses. 

[geoffbezoz]

 A Buddhist wedding ceromany without legalizing the marriage at the Amphur is nothing more than a scam. Don't worry though some Thai women make no differentiation between scamming foreigners or Thais. However a pre-nup will not hold water if it conflicts with Thai law which takes precedence.

 

So, go to the Amphur and get legally married first. Then if that is ok, your new wife is genuine, and there are many, have the Buddhist charade 6 months afterwards

[khunPer]

9 hours ago, mooping20Baht said:

Is it common to do just a Buddhist Wedding, and hence have no need for a prenuptial agreement  , etc    TIA

Yes – "do just a Buddhist Wedding" – among village people, often you'll see it referred to as "village marriage".

If the marriage is not registered at a district office, "amphor", it has no legal value.

 

Thai's often insist on the village marriage traditional ceremony and included party – even when having a registered marriage in Thailand or abroad, including reception or party – which is both a custom, and make face for the family, or families if both are Thai. The village marriage include paying "sin sot" – kind of dowry given by the groom to the bride's family – where the money is both shown and counted in public during the marriage ceremony.

 

 

I've been to numerous Thai marriage events, but I've never seen Buddhist monks, its a ceremony often lead by an experienced ceremony master, and by all mean to make it public – to the village and local community – that this couple is now a married couple, and accepted by the families.

 

The saying is that if you "sleep together" you are considered as a married couple, and the village marriage ceremony will follow, also for families not to loose face. Many (very) young people are village married, and numerous marriages fail – don't think there are any statistics, as its unregistered, but probably at least as high as for registered Thai marriages, i.e. 39% (in my European home country its 46.5%) – however easy to split apart from unregistered marriage, its just walking away.

 

A prenup has legally no meaning, as there was no "real" marriage, its just like when boyfriend-girlfriend split, and don't expect to get any share of an already settled sin sot back.

????

[rickudon]

As said, only Amphoe marriage is legal, but nearly all Thais want the religious ceremony - that is what counts to them. The Amphoe marriage is not a ceremony, you just sign a document. If the girl has not previously been married or had children, sinsot is expected at the village ceremony. Theoretically she should be a virgin .....

 

At my marriage we had monks, a master of ceremonies, a procession and many village people and relatives. Later came the food served to tables under canopies, Morlam, and drinking ....

 

If you want to get a marriage visa/extension in Thailand maybe a bit simpler with a Thai marriage certificate as no need for translation .... BUT you have the 'permission to marry' hassle. Have heard of some people having foreign marriage certificates having some difficulties proving they were genuine in Thailand. The wife will also want to dress up for the wedding and probably dress you up too, Loads of wedding shops.

 

If you are younger, maybe some point in marrying in home country, but if retiring and staying in Thailand, pointless.

[mooping20Baht]

I guess what I was trying to ask is if one married only in Thailand,  let's say at the Amphoe would that  have any status  for someone who is a US Citizen,   e.g.  when I do my taxes in the US am I still single?  

Would the wife have any claim to assets in the US, with or without  the "prenup" , assuming the "prenup" is done well in Thailand?

 

re: "village wedding",  so there is no such thing as "common law", where in the US if one lives together for 5 years,  the wife has a claim to one's assets, whether or not they are legally married?

 

PS: I wasn't aware sinsot  was still  so common ( excluding, say, Isarn)