I had some farang friends in and around C.Rai a few years ago, but most have pulled up tent pegs and moved elsewhere, mostly for visa reasons, but also to get jobs in the bigger cities.

I've never been married in Thailand, but thought to get it done with a gal I've been dating on and off for five years. She's Lisu (speaks Akha) and has a 5 yr old boy. I've heard reams about the pitfalls of getting married here, but decided to take the plunge - hopefully for the right reasons.

The big day is July 25, and the initial gathering is at my house in Hoy Plakang

That evening, we plan to go with whatever stragglers to Sam's Cat Bar - reckon about 8 or 9 pm.

Anyone wanting to meet us there, is welcome to join in the fun. May be a music jam, as I've been been semi-professional R&B musician since Michael Jackson was moonwalking in his crib wearing plastic pants.

(come to think of it, he was still wearing plastic pants at 50 years old, plus he got to wearing a yellow jock strap outside his pants. ....and we thought Janet Jackson had a 'wardrobe malfunction.'

Oh well, free beer to whomever Thaivisaite who shows up and greets me at Sam's on Saturday evening, the 25th. I'm the skinny tall guy with remnants of blond hair, fast turning to mousy gray.

Congrats brahm, and best of luck to you both. It takes some work, communication, lots of dedication and compromise on both your parts but it can and does work.

Best wishes to you both

Congrats Brahm

Good luck Brammy!

Will try to be there.

Limbo

Congratulation to both of you.

Congratulation Brahms,happy life to you and your wife

Congratulations. Hope the two of you will be happy.

I am in Phuket and can't make it to the party.

Best wishes for a long life.

Don Battles

Congrats Ken, met you on a couple of visits to Chiang Rai looking at property.

Would love to be at the Cat Bar but now living in Patong....so have a great time and a great married life. Phil

Wishing you both good luck for the future.

Great news, and my best wishes to you and your lady!

Despite all the naysayers...there still is a glimmer of joy and happiness and love in this world.

Congrates Brahms & your lady.

Wish your marriage fills with love and happiness for many many more years.

Congrats ....... and don't forget to place some pics in here afterwards .....!!

Good on ya, mate (and I'm not Australian!).

Can't make Chiangrai but all the best mate.

I've always found your posts honest, informative and well thought out.

Have a good day

mucho appreciarlo for all the upbeat responses!

Can't make Chiangrai but all the best mate.

I've always found your posts honest, informative and well thought out.

Have a good day

The above pretty much covers what I wanted to say. Congratulations on this your wedding day. But being still saturday here in Canada means the celebrations have come and gone over in Thailand. So I wish you a very mild hangover. Look forward to meeting you all the best Randell

Congrats too.

We done survived the big day. photos

I hope to meet at least some of you pseudonymed folks along the way,

regards.

Congrats BB, nice lady.

It's been interesting, the contrasting reactions from my male and my female friends.

The females usually say things like, "I'm so happy for you. You must be happy now."

They word happy runs in every sentence, as though getting married is a ticket to wall to wall happiness. I tell 'em, this past week (since the ceremony) has been a mixed bag: some happy moments, some ok - but no big transformation (ok, I can't use words like 'transformation' or 'catharsis' when speaking with my lovely Thai lady friends) ...but you get the picture.

In contrast, my men friends express the following sorts of things:

"What, you're leaving your dog breath ways? I don't believe it."

"Unless there's a business reason for marrying, why do it?"

"If you take out life insurance, don't tell her about it."

"You're playing to your 'lack' and 'needing to be liked' syndrome" (from my 24/7 philosophical friend)

"make sure you keep the carving knives locked away in a safe place."

"Does she have any randy younger sisters?"

And the best response was from my Thai biz partner who, after asking how much for the sin sod (dowry) quickly calculated how many boom booms I'd get if the lady and I stayed together for awhile. "I think you're getting your boom booms for under 700 baht each, if you stay together one year." I jest not, that was his main reaction to the news of me getting married.

..........so it goes. Check with me in six months, and I may be a grave man. ('grave' in the sense of dead in the grave, get it) .....or I may be at the gravy factory, whichever is more expedient

...a sloppy reference to Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet

Just checked. No use of the word "happy" in my post. Whew!

Nice pics brahm. Looks like you had a fun day

Did anyone actually conjugate? Congrats by the way

It's been interesting, the contrasting reactions from my male and my female friends.

The females usually say things like, "I'm so happy for you. You must be happy now."

They word happy runs in every sentence, as though getting married is a ticket to wall to wall happiness. I tell 'em, this past week (since the ceremony) has been a mixed bag: some happy moments, some ok - but no big transformation (ok, I can't use words like 'transformation' or 'catharsis' when speaking with my lovely Thai lady friends) ...but you get the picture.

In contrast, my men friends express the following sorts of things:

"What, you're leaving your dog breath ways? I don't believe it."

"Unless there's a business reason for marrying, why do it?"

"If you take out life insurance, don't tell her about it."

"You're playing to your 'lack' and 'needing to be liked' syndrome" (from my 24/7 philosophical friend)

"make sure you keep the carving knives locked away in a safe place."

"Does she have any randy younger sisters?"

And the best response was from my Thai biz partner who, after asking how much for the sin sod (dowry) quickly calculated how many boom booms I'd get if the lady and I stayed together for awhile. "I think you're getting your boom booms for under 700 baht each, if you stay together one year." I jest not, that was his main reaction to the news of me getting married.

..........so it goes. Check with me in six months, and I may be a grave man. ('grave' in the sense of dead in the grave, get it) .....or I may be at the gravy factory, whichever is more expedient

...a sloppy reference to Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet

Time for a new biz partner, boom booms 500 or under after a midnight these days may take you 14 mths to break even, congrats nice to see positive posts for a change