Three Thousand Couples Marry On Valentine's Day

[george]

More than three thousand couples marry on Valentine's Day

BANGKOK: -- More than 3,000 couples were married in Bangkok on the Valentine’s Day.

The highest number of marriages, nearly nine hundred, was in Bang Rak district, which literally means the district of love, according to the Bangkok’s top municipal official, Khun Ying Nathanon Thavisin.

But Bang Rak’s district chief Worapot Inthulak said the number of marriages was far less than last year’s record of 1,200.

Last year the Valentine’s Day fell on a public holiday.

The district of Bang Sue, which means honesty, had the second highest number of marriages with around four hundred.

All but three couples chose to exchange their vows at the Bang Sue underground train station.

The oldest couple to get married at the underground station were 75, according to the Bang Sue district chief Chanchai Wamasiri.

Mr. Chanchai told TNA that the municipal authorities hoped to generate publicity by using the underground train station for couples to register their marriage, like other high-profile venues to conduct their nuptials -- in the sky, under the sea and clinging to cliffs.

“The underground train service is new to the capital and I hope to draw the attention of couples wishing to get married to the possibility of exchanging their vows under the ground,” he said.

This year’s “day of love”--14 February--also saw more than 50 couples register their divorce, according to Khun Ying Nathanon, the Permanent Secretary for the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA).

--TNA 2005-02-15

[george]

Couples tie the knot in Bangkok subway station

BANGKOK: -- It may not have been the most romantic place to get married, but the quirkiness of the venue attracted hundreds of couples to register their marriages at the Bang Sue underground railway station on the Valentine's Day--14 February.

Although the venue was being promoted under the slogan 'Ring the Marriage Bells - Valentine's 2005 with the Bangkok Subway', real bells were notably absent yesterday, as couples queued for the event organized by Bang Sue district in conjunction with the Bangkok Metro Co., Ltd. (BMCL), the operator of the Bangkok's subway system.

Although officials had originally envisaged starting the registration process at 08.00hrs, the venue proved so popular that couples were allowed to receive tickets for the queue an hour ahead of schedule.

Bang Sue district chief Chanchai Wamasiri spoke unashamedly yesterday of his desire to compete with such 'unusual' wedding locations as hot air balloons, cliff tops and the ocean.

But yesterday's ceremony also had its more serious intentions.

Bang Sue district is known to have a large number of couples who have had wedding ceremonies, but have never registered their marriages officially, leading to a range of legal and inheritance problems.

"I've been based in several districts, and I've seen lots of problems to do with house registration, the birth of children and relocation. These are all family problems. Or there can be disputes over inheritance, over who is the father, who are the children, and evidence must be found", the district chief said.

First in the queue yesterday were Mr. Narawut Karsasom, 29, and his bride-to-be Miss Woranut Sriboonmee, 33, who said that they had been queuing since 04.30hrs.

The couple, who had been married for two years but had not registered their marriage, explained their early start by saying that they had to go back to work in the afternoon.

With a baby now due in three months, they said they had decided to finally make their marriage official.

At the opposite end of the age scale was Mr. Prathum Chatsuwann, 72, marrying his 'wife' of 24 years, Miss Boonma Nilam, aged 50.

Admitting to feeling shy that he had never registered his marriage before, Mr. Prathum said that even though his children were now grown up, the legal status incurred by official marriage was important.

The first 100 couples out of a targeted 300 to register yesterday received free subway tickets worth Bt400, free life insurance and an official photograph of the occasion.

The first five couples also won a holiday package at a hotel in Thailand's southern resort province of Phuket.

--TNA 2005-02-15