‘Wife for hire’: Inside Thailand’s shocking rental marriage trend

[webfact]

Photo courtesy of Hidden Compass

 

by Puntid Tantivangphaisal

Thailand’s notorious “rental wife” trend is turning heads and sparking heated debates. Dubbed the “black pearl” phenomenon, this controversial practice is thriving in Pattaya’s red-light districts, offering foreign tourists a temporary taste of companionship for a fee.

 

The practice, often called “temporary marriage,” sees women from impoverished rural areas become companions to tourists, offering services ranging from casual companionship to acting as tour guides. Contracts last anywhere from a few days to several months, with fees varying based on the woman’s looks, age, and education—ranging from US$1,600 to an eye-watering US$116,000.

 

Lavert A. Emmanuel’s new book, Thai Taboo: The Rise of Wife Rental in Modern Society, dives into this shadowy world, describing how the practice, once hidden, has now become a significant income source for young people struggling to make ends meet.

 

“This isn’t just a transactional arrangement. Some women end up marrying their clients, while others maintain long-term paid relationships.”

Inspired by similar services in Japan and South Korea, Thailand’s rental wife trend caters to the loneliness that comes with urbanisation and demanding lifestyles. Tourists, drawn by Thailand’s reputation for hospitality, often initiate arrangements in bars, restaurants, or nightclubs, negotiating terms directly with the women.

 

Despite its prevalence, the practice operates in a legal grey area. While the Thai government acknowledges its existence, there are no laws regulating it. Critics argue that this lack of oversight leaves women vulnerable to exploitation.

 

Cultural factors also play a role. Thailand’s relatively liberal attitude towards relationships means these arrangements face less stigma than they might elsewhere. For some, the rental wife industry represents a way to bridge economic gaps, but for others, it’s a troubling reflection of societal inequality, reported News18.

 

Photo courtesy of Travel Mermaid

 

Source: The Thaiger 

-- 2024-11-30

 

 

[Ralf001]

Nowt wrong with a rental... if thats you thing.

[Farma]

Years ago I remember meeting a few american contractors in Saudi who had rental wives.

 

They had an official marriage to enable the wife to get a Saudi visa but a private agreement on how long this paid marriage would last.

[grain]

Nothing new here, been going on for decades, many guys come to Thailand for a holiday for a few weeks and rent a gal from a bar to stay with them for the duration and travel with them to other destinations around Thailand or even neighboring countries. They prefer to be with one gal for the entire time rather than chopping and changing. Also many such arrangements are now organized privately via Thai Friendly and similar apps.

[Callmeishmael]

One problem with these rental wives (or so I have heard 😜) is that they are often from the deepest, darkest, depths of Issan and don't know their way around Bangkok or other parts of Thailand that a tourist would want to visit!

[Patong2021]

The photo from Travel Mermaid looks to be circa 1975  😄

The wife rental option  has been around in Japan for ages. You can rent a father, a friend, an auntie, a grandparent. The Japanese version does not  involve sexual relations.

[ElwoodP]

Political post removed.

[BritManToo]

I'm not at all shocked.

What does shock me is all the billionaires marrying second hand wives.

Jeff Bezos with all his money finds himself a 50yo woman .......... why?

 

On the other hand,

Leonardo DiCaprio gets it right by trading in his used 25yos for new 18yos every few years. 

[Ralf001]

8 minutes ago, BritManToo said:

I'm not at all shocked.

What does shock me is all the billionaires marrying second hand wives.

Jeff Bezos with all his money finds himself a 50yo woman .......... why?

 

 

Yeah Jeff... WTF is that !

 

[proton]

Bad idea if they are anything like my wife it will be sex once a month, no cooking and getting up at mid day, then spending the rest of it on their phones. They should offer a free trial period to show whats on offer.

Edited 55 minutes ago by proton

[Hummin]

52 minutes ago, Callmeishmael said:

One problem with these rental wives (or so I have heard 😜) is that they are often from the deepest, darkest, depths of Issan and don't know their way around Bangkok or other parts of Thailand that a tourist would want to visit!

oh, my ,so much you know about Isaan women, 

[Hummin]

Just now, proton said:

Bad idea if they are anything like my wife it will be sex once a month, no cooking and getting up at mid day, then spending the rest of it on their phones. They should offer a free trial period to show whats on offer.

it was sex all day long, and I had to cut the contract short for a few of them, never ever try, they are sex maniacs

[KhunBENQ]

The wording and content of the article has comical quality.

So much drivel to describe different forms of prostitution.

 

Quote

from a few days to several months

 

Quote

ranging from US$1,600 to an eye-watering US$116,000

Start from 1600$ ???? >50000 Baht???

Up to about 4 million Baht???

 

Edited 32 minutes ago by KhunBENQ