Dowry

[Sonie]

As one of Thais I would say,

I know getting married is about two people who love each other. Our culture set the dowry norm to ensure that you as a guy will be able to taking care of her after taking her away from parents. Like you know some family give it back some family take some of it, it depends. Most of the time girl's parents give it back after ceremony.If you cant even do this what else you can do? If you want to married with Thai girl in Thailand you should respect and understand that its a culture thing. If you want to being cheap, then its fine no one will take away your money.

People getting married with different reasons. I am not going to talk about Thai guys because they all know about the tradition and they respect that.Usually before you married both parents meet together talk about how much dowry should be base on girl education, beauty, family status, etc. The guy's parents help to prepare dowry. I want to start with foreing guys. There are too many type of Thai girls that married foreing guys becaue of love and also there are many of them looking for foreign guys to married take them away from Thailand. In both case its different requirements. If you want to marry Thai girl in Thailand and have Thai wedding, you should know that dowry is one part of getting married. I saw some comments wrote about " i am not going to pay dowry" I feel that the guy who said that he read and know about thai wedding culture very well but he should not to understand and refuse to do so. I feel that person is so cheap to say that.

Life is all about investment. when you want something you have to invest on it.When you married in US, believed me there are many crazy expenses and unbelievable that you will have to pay for. Sometime even unneccesary cost whereas in Thailand, its a lot cheaper to have ceremony and in same time you can enjoy so many differents culture or places after married. If you think that dowry is unnecessary that mean you really dont respect your gf or fi culture. Most of Thai people care a lot about family value and culture. If the guy dont respect you, your family and your culture, this should be an answer about future married life. Dont take me wrong that I am not a person that want a guy to pay for me! I am as one of Thai traditional girl, I would love to have Thai wedding style and I want my family to see if this guy respect my culture and be able to take care of me for the rest of my life before I walk out from parents. The dowry will be return back to him or help a little to parents depend on situation. If it just me and him, if my parents dont alive or I have no relative , it will be different situation . I wouldnt care about dowry thing because I know myself that I am with the greatest man in this world.

But again when I get older I still want to keep family value pass though my kids to be open and respect in different cultures.

PS, I agree that love is not about money but please stop think when girls talk about dowry she want your money!its doesnt work that way.

[Sonie]

Sorry if my english is hard to understand.

[BlackArtemis]

Your English is fine. And I agree, the fees accrued in a western wedding in the west are far more than any reasonable dowry in Thailand.

But don't forget, not all Thai families ask for Dowry.