If I (an American male) marry a Thai in a traditional Thai wedding ceremony and later there should be a divorce; what legal rights (if any) would the woman have to my cash and property in the US? I do of course plan to consult a Thai attorney but I figured this topic had been addressed before or someone has already been through this scenario.

If I (an American male) marry a Thai in a traditional Thai wedding ceremony and later there should be a divorce; what legal rights (if any) would the woman have to my cash and property in the US?

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If it's just the traditional ceremony and no registration, she'd have no rights to your chattels etc. in Thailand. It's the registration that makes it legal, and there's no ceremony about the registration. What's US law got to do with the rights she'd acquire? Surely that's a matter of state law?

Previous poster is correct, the traditional ceremony has no legal standing in Thailand and therefore none in the US. If you do register the marriage in Thailand, the marriage is recognized in the US as binding and you would be subject to the property rights as granted by your state law. If there was a divorce and she were to engage a lawyer in the state where your assets are located or you reside, she could claim whatever that state's law allowed.

TH

Previous poster is correct, the traditional ceremony has no legal standing in Thailand and therefore none in the US. If you do register the marriage in Thailand, the marriage is recognized in the US as binding and you would be subject to the property rights as granted by your state law.  If there was a divorce and she were to engage a lawyer in the state where your assets are located or you reside, she could claim whatever that state's law allowed.

TH

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Some US States could recognize her as a de facto. Make enquiries of a US attorney in the home State.

Thanks for the info and quick replies. Great forum.