Hmong told to comply with Thai family laws

CHIANG MAI: -- Officials in the northern province of Chiang Mai have been engaged in intense negotiations with the Hmong minority group after it emerged that girls as young as 13 years old were being married off in traditional wedding ceremonies.

The tradition came to light recently when a teenage Hmong girl submitted a complaint to the local Women’s Protection Centre, saying that she had been married off against her will.

Today Mr. Kwanchai Wongnitikorn, deputy provincial governor, admitted that the issue was a delicate one, as the Hmong community did not perceive anything wrong with the tradition.

In order to solve the problem, the provincial authority has now signed agreements with Hmong leaders in three districts to ensure that the traditional weddings do not involve girls under the age of 18. The agreements also note that it would be better for teenage girls to receive education than to marry them off.

Mr. Kwanchai expressed confidence that the Hmong community would comply with the agreements, saying: “They’ve been doing this for generations, but when told that they were Thai now and had to comply with Thai law, they understood”.

--TNA 2005-02-20

and I thought Thai Family Law meant daughters were SOLD OFF by their families when they were 13! The Hmong have been missing out on hard cash then?

Hmong told to comply with Thai family laws

CHIANG MAI: --  Officials in the northern province of Chiang Mai have been engaged in intense negotiations with the Hmong minority group after it emerged that girls as young as 13 years old were being married off in traditional wedding ceremonies.

The tradition came to light recently when a teenage Hmong girl submitted a complaint to the local Women’s Protection Centre, saying that she had been married off against her will.

Today Mr. Kwanchai Wongnitikorn, deputy provincial governor, admitted that the issue was a delicate one, as the Hmong community did not perceive anything wrong with the tradition.

In order to solve the problem, the provincial authority has now signed agreements with Hmong leaders in three districts to ensure that the traditional weddings do not involve girls under the age of 18. The agreements also note that it would be better for teenage girls to receive education than to marry them off.

Mr. Kwanchai expressed confidence that the Hmong community would comply with the agreements, saying: “They’ve been doing this for generations, but when told that they were Thai now and had to comply with Thai law, they understood”.

--TNA 2005-02-20

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I wonder if the agreements will only be binding within the provincial authority district. The Hmong are strict animists and will only normaly make important decisions like this when their Shamans have been directed to do so by the Spirits.

Simply, they'll try to be more dicreet now...