Poverty Forces Thai Women Into Foreign Marriages

[BrissyBoy]

Koh German in rice fields

Published on Apr 18, 2004

Over span of 15 years, village ladies trek to Germany and find love, husbands

Family parties are the norm all over Thailand during Songkran, but they usually do not include groups of Thais and Germans celebrating together in front of their homes, which sit amid emerald rice fields.

Led by a male chef, the women busily cook and serve their families, who drink and chat for days. All of the Thais are cousins and many of them are married to German men.

They live on Koh German (German Island) - 10 kilometres from Doembang Nangbuad district in Suphan Buri - where big homes cluster on the banks of an irrigation canal, giving the illusion of an island and, hence, the name.

Before the Germans arrived, the village was called Koh Nongpho.

About 100 Thai households in the area have some German connection.

The party is especially lively one Songkran night on Koh German. "Tonight, they hired likei [Thai folk performers] to perform for one of their cousins who recently was lucky enough to get a German husband in Berlin," a grocer near Koh German says.

"I heard that girl had asked a 'spirit' to help her find a husband during her three-month trip to Berlin. She promised to hire a likei for the spirit if she found success," another villager chimes in.

Jampoon (not her real name) travelled to Germany 15 years ago - one of the first in women in the village to do so.

Little did she know that she was starting a pilgrimage that would see many of her cousins and others follow.

When she first went to Germany, Jampoon says her family had fallen on hard times. Although she lived in a "rice bowl" province, she only earned a tiny amount of money - not nearly enough for a family to live on.

"So, we went for the future," she said, referring to her time in Germany. "All the money we sent back for our children's education helped them get good jobs," she said.

Jampoon, who is back in Thailand from Germany visiting her family, said she met a German man and settled down there. She had two children from a previous marriage to a Thai man, who died.

Her German husband died six months ago and left her millions of baht from his retirement savings.

Lek, 43, is another in the family who snared a German husband. She said she remarried 14 years after her Thai husband died. She has one son from that marriage.

"I found the one who loves me," she said. "He drives a truck in Europe. I brought him to Thailand this year," she says before turning to translate in German for her husband. The man gives her a loving smile and a kiss.

Other women followed, leaving the village for Germany and finding German husbands.

But many of their neighbours think there is more to the women's trips than they let on.

"They think we sell sex in Germany. It is not true. Many Thais in Germany might do it but not family's members," said Jampoon, 57.

"We work hard there. I had a cleaning job there for years, eight hours a day to earn ?7 an hour. It is not a good living in Europe but it is a lot of money in Thailand," she said.

Another villager, Sompong Darathong, was once interviewed by a local newspaper, which ran a story that made "readers think we sell sex and we can help send Thai girls to Germany," she says.

While there are many cases in the village of women starting families and long relationships with German men, there are also some cases of women from the village going to Germany to work in the sex trade.

"Nobody is going to tell you they go to sell sex. But nobody knows what they are doing there," one sceptical villager says.

"Some followed their relatives to Germany and met men. Some started working at bars in Phuket and met men they developed a relationship," said Saeng, a mother of five children, who once unsuccessfully tried to go to Germany.

"Others got involved in matchmaking, sending photos and then marrying," she added.

"Some clever girls would ask their husbands buy them farm land, houses and grocery shops in Thailand under their names," she says pointing to one neighbour's house.

Some women pay Germans to marry them to obtain visas and become sex workers in the country. Others get tourist visas, live in Berlin for three months selling sex and make as much money as possible during their brief stay.

"These groups are mostly young women who have a middleman find customers there. Some are charged as much as Bt200,000 for the trip. But it's worth it. They can earn much more than that. After coming back, they would go again after their pockets were empty," Saeng says.

"How can we blame them when the situation here is like this?" she added.

"Living here, you cannot become rich even though you own a 100-rai rice farm. Even if you can grow rice three times a year, all the income is consumed by fertiliser, machine and pesticide costs.

"And living poor is not different from a dog's life. Unless you have money, shit smells good if you say it does," Saeng said.

Saeng explains that many girls in the village dream of having German husbands. That includes widows and women who have "wrong" Thai husbands.

Jampoon says she will stay in Germany for at most two more years. She has lived there for 15 years, and plans to move back to Suphan Buri after she retires. Her cousin Lek has no plans to come back to Thailand.

"Living there is not as easy as many think and not everyone gets lucky. I am one of the few," Lek says.

Kamol Sukin

The Nation

SUPHAN BURI

Source Nation News Article Front Page

Edited May 5, 2005 by BrissyBoy

[BrissyBoy]

Personally I think it is a mixture of a few things.

Economics, fashiionability and being able to provide for your family.

No matter what race of country someone comes from matters what really matters is how the 2 of you get along and take care of one another. There are good and bad in all, farang and thai alike. But On the whole a farang would be better be able to take care financially than a thai husband so it is a choice that i can understand especially when kids and family still have to be taken care of.

Just a few thoughts.

[devildog683]

would chime in, but my reply already got deleted

[digibum]

I don't accept the term "poverty FORCES thai woman into foreign marriage" but it is a good alternative for them.

Men are not FORCED to work either, but there aren't too many alternatives to make a living, (apart living from parents or sisters!)

And as how to the village look at foreign husbands ? - that depends on who you are asking!

Some are jealous, some want to copy it, some despise it, some just accept it, some even like it  - as in everything : mixed reactions, in our village rather positif!

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Poverty Forces Digibum to get a job and not hang out drinking beers, ogling women, and watching the waves come in every day!

###### poverty!

[camerata]

It can't be just coincidence that most of the farang husbands in this village are Swiss. Isn't Switzerland the country that provides a passport and citizenship soon after a foreigner marries a Swiss national? Perhaps that's one reason the females go for Swiss guys. Otherwise there would have to be a marriage bureau or two involved.

[cdnvic]

It can't be just coincidence that most of the farang husbands in this village are Swiss. Isn't Switzerland the country that provides a passport and citizenship soon after a foreigner marries a Swiss national? Perhaps that's one reason the females go for Swiss guys. Otherwise there would have to be a marriage bureau or two involved.

I think you may be right on that. An introduction agency that targeted Swiss customers, and found most of it's listings in one area would account for that. Only a guess on my part though.

cv

[slim]

Lek is not alone in her choice of partner. Of the 540 households in Baan Jarn, at least 100 can boast a foreign son-in-law, almost invariably living in Switzerland

Although it is based on a study in a single north-eastern village, the report by Dr. Rattana Boonmathaya from Mahidol University has wider resonances in a society in which marriage to foreigners is a popular option.

The particular village chosen for the study is noticeable for the fact that nearly one in three of the 330 women aged 20-59 resident there has chosen to marry a foreigner, with 96 percent having married men from Switzerland.

540 housholds - how many women is that?

My wife is one of 4 girls - she has a daughter, and the other 3 sisters have 6 children between them - her best friend is one of 12 girls! (with 3 brothers as well!!!)

Where does the 100 out of 330 come from? Even if the average family size was 3 this would mean a minimum of 1,620 people in 540 households and the laws of averages would dictate that 50% or 810 would be women?

This woman's report is utter fantasy.

I wont be sending my daughter to Mahidol University if this is the academic standard of the lecturers.

[siamesekitty]

Although it is based on a study in a single north-eastern village, the report by Dr. Rattana Boonmathaya from Mahidol University has wider resonances in a society in which marriage to foreigners is a popular option.

The particular village chosen for the study is noticeable for the fact that nearly one in three of the 330 women aged 20-59 resident there has chosen to marry a foreigner, with 96 percent having married men from Switzerland.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Please note that they admitted it was a small sample, and a selective one at that. The prof. chose this village BECAUSE it had a high concentration of these relationships. Her aim was more about the reasons for them.

[BarryNZ]

And I thought she loved me....

This article pretty much hits the nail on the head.

In one case, a very attractive, intelligent but incredibly lazy girl (been at University for 6 years & no sign of any qualifications yet) is up for grabs.

Her parents are worried about this (probably the tuition fees) & want me to find her a husband - my reply - kick her out, stop giving her money & tell her to stand on her own 2 feet for a while. As yet - they haven't done it but are worried about her & don't know what to do. They were asking me to employ her - but bugger that - I'd need to put a TV & Bed in the office.

Now - these parents have reasonable jobs, looked after my wife when her parents died and seem fairly bright to me. My wife obviously looks up to them.

Asking me to find a farang for them to marry their daughter took me & the wife by complete suprise - I mean these people aren't dumb, yet their question is plainly ridiculous.

Find her a husband ? From the husband fairy ?

They want me to find a complete stranger (to them) to marry their daughter who is too &lt;deleted&gt; lazy to learn English. Now - how's that going to work ???

The fact that the girl in question is a carpet muncher doesn't help either.

It's not just poverty - in this case the silly girls just to lazy to work.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Good Luck!

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

[BarryNZ]

Pardon my ignorance but what is a "carpet muncher"

[udon]

A kiwi sheep you keep indoors, but you knew that , dinya?

[devildog683]

Pardon my ignorance but what is a "carpet muncher"

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

[slim]

The particular village chosen for the study is noticeable for the fact that nearly one in three of the 330 women aged 20-59 resident there has chosen to marry a foreigner, with 96 percent having married men from Switzerland.

I think she means notable.

Please note that they admitted it was a small sample, and a selective one at that. The prof. chose this village BECAUSE it had a high concentration of these relationships. Her aim was more about the reasons for them

That's as maybe but the article categorically states that this village has 330 women aged 20-59 living in it of whom nearly one in three are married to foreigners - that is a completly false assertion and immediately negates the validity of her report.

[stumonster]

Pardon my ignorance but what is a "carpet muncher"

carpet munching is alluding to trimming the shag pile on the map of tassie...if you get my drift.

from ewe to ewe , to quote the name of a kiwi pr0n vid.

[teelac888]

Switzerland now grants immediate Permanent Residency to foreign women who marry Swiss men. Up until about 20 years ago the foreign women got immediate Swiss nationality.

My guess is that a few got lucky with cool Swiss guys, the word spread, and every girl from the village that went to work in Pattaya or BKK nailed the first decent Swiss guy she met LOL.

It can't be just coincidence that most of the farang husbands in this village are Swiss. Isn't Switzerland the country that provides a passport and citizenship soon after a foreigner marries a Swiss national? Perhaps that's one reason the females go for Swiss guys. Otherwise there would have to be a marriage bureau or two involved.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

[mr.student]

Poverty forces Thai women into foreign marriages 

BANGKOK: --  Most Thai women from Thailand's north-eastern region who enter into marriages with foreign men do so to escape the vicious cycle of poverty, but are keen to distinguish themselves from hired brides or prostitutes, according to research published yesterday.

Although it is based on a study in a single north-eastern village, the report by Dr. Rattana Boonmathaya from Mahidol University has wider resonances in a society in which marriage to foreigners is a popular option.

The particular village chosen for the study is noticeable for the fact that nearly one in three of the 330 women aged 20-59 resident there has chosen to marry a foreigner, with 96 percent having married men from Switzerland.

Also notable is the fact that most of the foreign men are 10-18 years older than their Thai brides, and that the majority of both husbands and wives have already gone through previous marriages.

Although the research points to a number of reasons that the women choose to marry foreign men, the most common appears to be the desire to escape from the poverty trap and the feeling among the women that they need to provide money for their families.

But the women also stress that financial considerations are not the only ones at play, saying that foreign men are less likely than they Thai counterparts to be concerned about past relationships or virginity, and have a greater sense of responsibility.

But the women acknowledge that the society often views them in a negative light, as 'hired brides' or even prostitutes, a view shared even by the village's older residents.

"The villagers here aren't happy that people link marriage with foreigners with hired brides. Lots of people fear that the village's reputation has suffered. Older people are trying to fight back by saying that the village is a moral one", Dr. Rattana says.

The popularity for marrying foreign men appears to have become so strong among women in the village that Dr. Rattana fears that it has become a 'fashion', with the majority of girls of primary school age replying that they want to marry a foreigner when asked what they want to be when they grow up.

What is particularly interesting is that many parents in the village now favour daughters over sons, as girls as perceived as being better able to provide for their families. 

Indeed, some older people even say that they do not want sons at all, describing them as 'useless'.

For the women themselves, marriage to a foreigner provides mixed blessings. 

"The women who are wives of foreign men describe it as miraculous that there are still people who value their bodies, despite the fact that they have already been married and widowed. They feel that someone has given them power for a second time. But the men in the village are afraid that their status has dropped compared to women".

The 'miracle' of marriage, however, is tempered with warnings. 

One woman married to a German man and now resident in Switzerland says: "I am lucky to have found a new husband, but I would caution other Thai women who think that marrying a foreigner will give them nothing but a good life".

The woman interviewed says that some Thai women are disappointed with their foreign marriages, to the extent that they sometimes suffer mental health problems. 

She also warns that living abroad requires massive adjustments, and that the first phase of life abroad can be a lonely one.

She also says that most Thai women meet their foreign husbands in their own workplaces, with 54 percent meeting in entertainment venues where the women are employed. 

A further 20 percent meet through networks of relatives, while 20 percent meet by coincidence or from tourism.

--TNA 2005-05-04

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

HI GEORGE ! mr. student here . . . 1st time trying to post a reply . could u respond to this attempt ? - then i will know that it worked this time .

[Pie Boy]

I bet these swiss chaps have their own forum, I read this story on the BBC website months ago so it must be true, honest.

[freedom-belg]

hi,

i am a thai man living in belgium,second generation.

I have studdied here in belgium and become a diploma in industrial matters.

My mom teach me the thai way and my father teach me the farrang way,so i can understand them both's.

There are here a lot of thai people living here an i can tell you that the thai men with good characters are as equil as the farrangs,but many thai men are unemployed,bad educadid or even with social problems.

Most off them hang's under in the social ladder.

On the other hand a lot off the farrang's who married a thai girl are big shots in thailand and are poor here in europe,they lik to show off there money and give the thai laddies a wrong impression.

They often cheats and have ass well social problems.

The good one's are not to been fond in thailand and surly not in the sexindustie.

So,my conclusion "you have to follow you harts and not the cashflow".

You have to look at them and rellies that maybe he is not what you're seeing.

thanks for reading my messages

[BarryNZ]

Sorry no sheep in my house and Tassie is a great place, Heard on the news when I was there that Aus had over 100 million sheep and thats 40 mil more than us. Whats the secret formula? maybe a sheep in each room.

A kiwi sheep you keep indoors, but you knew that , dinya?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

[bangkokian]

Thanks for sharing. I certainly agree with your point about false impressions that I think is brought about by lots of exoticization. I don't think formal education help to dismantle exoticization as much as life experience. I have encountered a Thai man who is not very educated formally, but his adventurous spirit has taken him to all kinds of places, including the Israeli-Palestinian borders, working in the farms around that area.

hi,

  i am a thai man living in belgium,second generation.

I have studdied here in belgium and become a diploma in industrial matters.

My mom teach me the thai way and my father teach me the farrang way,so i can understand them both's.

There are here a lot of thai people living here an i can tell you that the thai men with good characters are as equil as the farrangs,but many thai  men are unemployed,bad educadid or even with social problems.

Most off them hang's under in the social ladder.

On the other hand a lot off the farrang's who married a thai girl are big shots in thailand and are poor here in europe,they lik to show off there money and give the thai laddies a wrong impression.

They often cheats and have ass well social problems.

The good one's are not to been fond in thailand and surly not in the sexindustie.

So,my conclusion "you have to follow you harts and not the cashflow".

You have to look at them and rellies that maybe he is not what you're seeing.

thanks for reading my messages

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

[kat]

It seems that Dr. Rattana Boonmathaya has just done a study on something that has been known to the general populace for years.Well done!

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Actually, a lot of research is undertaken to simply substantiate casual observation or common knowledge.

Although it is based on a study in a single north-eastern village, the report by Dr. Rattana Boonmathaya from Mahidol University has wider resonances in a society in which marriage to foreigners is a popular option.

The particular village chosen for the study is noticeable for the fact that nearly one in three of the 330 women aged 20-59 resident there has chosen to marry a foreigner, with 96 percent having married men from Switzerland.

One in three of 330 women ??????

96% having married men from Switzerland???

Pardon?

I married a Thai girl from a N.E. Thai village called Lak Chat near Nam Pong which is about 50 miles from Khon Kaen.

There's only 1 other falang in her village of some 200+ women.

In the entire area of Nam Pong (pop. 25000+ ) I doubt if there's 10 falangs.

We shop in Khon Kaen's (Thailand's 3rd largest city by population 1.7m) biggest supermarket Big C twice a week.

I've never seen more than 3 falangs in the place.

..................and yet this report claims over 100 women from a small village are all married to Swiss citizens?

Mahidol University?

Kindergarden would be more appropriate.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Lek is not alone in her choice of partner. Of the 540 households in Baan Jarn, at least 100 can boast a foreign son-in-law, almost invariably living in Switzerland

Although it is based on a study in a single north-eastern village, the report by Dr. Rattana Boonmathaya from Mahidol University has wider resonances in a society in which marriage to foreigners is a popular option.

The particular village chosen for the study is noticeable for the fact that nearly one in three of the 330 women aged 20-59 resident there has chosen to marry a foreigner, with 96 percent having married men from Switzerland.

540 housholds - how many women is that?

My wife is one of 4 girls - she has a daughter, and the other 3 sisters have 6 children between them - her best friend is one of 12 girls! (with 3 brothers as well!!!)

Where does the 100 out of 330 come from? Even if the average family size was 3 this would mean a minimum of 1,620 people in 540 households and the laws of averages would dictate that 50% or 810 would be women?

This woman's report is utter fantasy.

I wont be sending my daughter to Mahidol University if this is the academic standard of the lecturers.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

The particular village chosen for the study is noticeable for the fact that nearly one in three of the 330 women aged 20-59 resident there has chosen to marry a foreigner, with 96 percent having married men from Switzerland.

I think she means notable.

Please note that they admitted it was a small sample, and a selective one at that. The prof. chose this village BECAUSE it had a high concentration of these relationships. Her aim was more about the reasons for them

That's as maybe but the article categorically states that this village has 330 women aged 20-59 living in it of whom nearly one in three are married to foreigners - that is a completly false assertion and immediately negates the validity of her report.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I don't know about the actual professor, but overall Mahidol University has a good reputation as far as Thai Universities go.

The report findings show nearly 1 in 3 of 330 women aged 20-59, WHO RESIDE IN THE VILLAGE, are married to foreigners, of which 96% are Swiss men.

That is definitely NOT a statistical impossibility, because many young women of childbearing or childrearing age leave the village to either find employment, a husband, or for other countries with their foreign husbands. This study obviously conducted a survey within the stated parameters of women still living IN the village. And there are respectable statistical methods that can be used on smaller sample sizes. The important thing is that she reported her sample size and the parameters of her study. It would be interesting to see her research questions and statistical methods. And possibly, one good follow-up would be to research how many women from this village of similar age actually live outside of the country with foreign husband.

But to dismiss this study out-of-hand as a "statistical impossiblity" is reactionary nonsense. Further proof that simple proficiency in mathematics does not necessarily make you a lord of logic.

[slim]

The report findings show nearly 1 in 3 of 330 women aged 20-59, WHO RESIDE IN THE VILLAGE, are married to foreigners, of which 96% are Swiss men.

Lek is not alone in her choice of partner. Of the 540 households in Baan Jarn, at least 100 can boast a foreign son-in-law, almost invariably living in Switzerland.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/3907581.stm

According to the original BBC article these people reside in Switzerland. not in the village.

You're as confused as the "professor", Kat, if you think that if you go to Baan Jarn you're going to meet 100 Swiss men.

Edited May 7, 2005 by slim

[kat]

ok, but I was quoting the article posted above. And the BBC article uses the adverb "invariably", as in probably many, but not necessarily all.

Anyway, this is all semantic. Your statement about it being a statistical improbability *(excuse me - impossibility - )* is not correct. And anyone who is half-awake in Thailand knows that her findings are relevant. About the only thing that is not logical is the typical and predictable farang male denial, and the Thai Government's probable response to the findings.

*edit

Edited May 7, 2005 by kat

[kat]

You're as confused as the "professor", Kat,  if you think that if you go to Baan Jarn you're going to meet 100 Swiss men.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

And excuse me, but it would be best for all concerned if you saved your condescension for someone who doesn't know any better. Your so-called argument is based on how many other foreigners you see on an outing to Big C on any given time of the week.

[bina]

bangkokian  Posted Yesterday, 2005-05-06 15:07:56

  Thanks for sharing. I certainly agree with your point about false impressions that I think is brought about by lots of exoticization. I don't think formal education help to dismantle exoticization as much as life experience. Thai man who is not very educated formally, but his adventurous spirit has taken him to all kinds of places, including the Israeli-Palestinian borders, working in the farms around that area.

bangkokian, u are very very very confused:

the poor shmo got sent to work there by a manpower company; the thai living over the green line to work on the 'farms' hate it since it is more dangerous then 'inside' israel and there is a thread we discuss this point and others somewhere else in the news forum...

not very educated formally i.e. issan, 6 th grade education at most

adventurous spirit: i.e. wants money for wife and kids to build decent house and send to school

farms: i.e. kibbutzim , moshavim in fields, green houses and orchards

israeli palestinaian borders :i.e. over the green line in 'settler's ' outposts that are going to be dismantled in july/august

bina (on kibbutz in israel works with thai workers)

Edited May 7, 2005 by bina

[sabaijai]

What makes you think this study is biased? Without knowing the methodology, there's no way to judge. One assumes a Mahidol professor would know who to design and carry out an empirical study.

Tiny test group, a single village. I presume mostly inhabited by men that through jelousy blame the farang for 'taking their women', women who were overlooked and the majority of the rest couldn't care less either way. Most of the girls actaly married to farang would be away with their farang husbands I would guess - after all a very small percentage actually settle in the village. Most go home or to the big smokes.

So, ask a biased, small audience, and be surprised by the answer - yeah, real empirical.

Most of my farang freinds are married to Thais. About 75% are of similar ages (give or take 5 years) - certainly no difference from western couples. Some do have a large age gap, but I see just as many (or few perhaps) marital problems in both groups! My test group is small too - does it carry the same weight?

My Mrs didn't come from a farming community, she came from a millitary family. She was a school teacher when we met and earned OK. She says she did not want to marry a Thai man - she had her dad turn away a few 'suitors', both Thai and Thai/Chinese. Why? She says Thai men are lazy and untrust worthy and do not care for their wives. I am sure this is not universally true, but it is the thought that is in many Thai girls' heads. Of course, this would not stroke the egos of male Thai news editors and politicians, much easier to blame it on economics.

Poppycock.

Size of the sample is irrelevant in a longitudinal study (case study), as opposed to a cross-sectional approach. For a comparison of these two approaches - both of which can be empirical - see this brief explanation of the higher predictability of long. vis cross. studies vis a visa immigration is New Zealand:

longitudinal vs cross-sectional

[pautai]

its very hard for a issan girl to go abroad to work but its relatively easy to latch on to some sucker to get her out of the country.

when i go to issan these days i am always being asked by females ,single ,divorced and seperated how they can join a dating agency .

Most of them dont know how to join one ,but if they did there would be few females left in the villages ! Such is the desperation to get on the farang gravy train .

3 girls have ditched their thai hubbies and gone off with farang blokes .

[roiet]

The report findings show nearly 1 in 3 of 330 women aged 20-59, WHO RESIDE IN THE VILLAGE, are married to foreigners, of which 96% are Swiss men.

Lek is not alone in her choice of partner. Of the 540 households in Baan Jarn, at least 100 can boast a foreign son-in-law, almost invariably living in Switzerland.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/3907581.stm

According to the original BBC article these people reside in Switzerland. not in the village.

You're as confused as the "professor", Kat, if you think that if you go to Baan Jarn you're going to meet 100 Swiss men.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I heard that 50 years ago the first Thai teacher married a Swiss man. Later she introduced her sister to other Swiss men and in 50 years 100 foreigners married Thai ladies from this place. All introduced by family and relatives and friends over a period of 50 years. I believe the statistics are bit out of proportion, this story is already very very old and written over and over and 96 instead of 66 swiss man are the professors result etc Aged 20 - 59 is another bracketing error. Some of these Thai ladies went to Switzerland 50 years ago. Statistically seen the wealth in Baan Jarn is accumulated over 50 years. Again BBC and the professor made a big story. It seems that the income of the grandchildren staying in Switzerland now beeing 20 -30 of age is added to the money flow. I heard that only 2 Swiss live in Baan Jarn, all the others live happily with their Thai wifes and Swiss born children in Switzerland.

Summary: This research and the BBC report is a copy of a very old story and really to much asumptions and extrapolation applied. Some general remarks about Thai ladies marry foreigners added to make the story a bit spicy.

[slim]

Your so-called argument is based on how many other foreigners you see on an outing to Big C on any given time of the week.

"So-called argument?"

No, my "so-called argument" is against the use of wildly inaccurate figures to substantiate a University thesis.

If, and I say if, because I haven't read Dr. Boonmathaya's actual report, but if the following statement has been reported accurately:

The particular village chosen for the study is noticeable for the fact that nearly one in three of the 330 women aged 20-59 resident there has chosen to marry a foreigner, with 96 percent having married men from Switzerland

it is unequivocally incorrect and a massive distortion of the actual situation (particularly as the original report from the BBC that Dr. Boonmathaya seems to have based her thesis on doesn't say this anyway).

In my experience of living in Khon Kaen for 18 months with a wife who is from a NE Thai village and having travelled extensively around NE Thailand, I would estimate that less than 1% of any village in NE Thailand have women resident in that village with non-Thai husbands.

In Bann Jarn (which is a Baan Muang District of Sakon Nakhon - remarkably similar to every other N.E. Thai province I've ever been to) , Dr. Boonmathaya claims this percentage is over 33% !!!! and they are 96% Swiss !!

I wonder what all these Swiss men do all day ?

I haven't seen any cuckoo clocks in the shops.

This is a statistical impossibility! and MUST be wrong.

Anyway, this is all semantic

2 entries found for semantic.

se·man·tic ( P ) Pronunciation Key (s-mntk) also se·man·ti·cal (-t-kl)

adj.

Of or relating to meaning, especially meaning in language.

Of, relating to, or according to the science of semantics.

Yes Kat - your absolutely right - my argument is semantic - because if someone's going to publish a serious report or thesis about why women from poor areas of Thailand seek partners from Europe (something I am actively involved in through my Thai family and probably know more about than you and Dr. Boonmathaya ) I like to read facts about the subject not fiction.

* read Roiet's post Kat and tell me Dr. Boonmathaya's thesis is relevant

Edited May 8, 2005 by slim

[kat]

Since living in Thailand (about 18 months) I have yet to meet one single Thai girl/woman who wants to marry a Thai man.

My wife and I personally know of at least 2 dozen girls/women who want European husbands.

The reason's for this are all too obvious if you know anything of Thailand and Thai men who are generally piss poor fathers, piss heads, gamblers, womanisers, wife beaters, chauvinists, unreliable, untrustworthy.............shall I go on.

This, by the way, is not my opinion its the opinion of my Thai wife (although knowing her father I agree with it 100%).

My wife badgers me constantly to find a husband for 4 members of her own family - her sister, and 3 of her nieces - 2 of whom are "pure" as my wife puts it and are available for marriage if you have the necessary 500,000 baht.

(absolute discretion assured)

I wish I could find ANYONE I know who is in a position to take any of these women as a wife but I cant.

For this survey to claim 110 women out of a population of 330 are married to or have non-Thai  partners either living in Thailand or out of Thailand is a statistical IMPOSSIBLITY as anyone with the capacity of logical thought would realize.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

As I stated earlier, it is much better to question the professor's study based on more knowledge of her methodology and actual research questions. Your claim that her numbers are statistically impossible is not correct, based on the reasons I stated in post #81.

Both you and Roiet dismiss this study based on your own vague references and assumptions (not to mention your own biases). I am not arguing that her research or numbers are perfect - I cannot be that certain. But her hypothesis sounds probable, and on the basis of this argument, is not a statistical impossibility.

Slim, all of your arguments seem to hinge on what you see or do personally. Just because you don't see many foreign men in the villages or when you shop, does not mean that there are no foreign marriages present. This is a huge assumption which leave gaping flaws in your own assessment. There are plenty of foreign men who do not shop, do not live in the village, or do not live with their wives most of the time.

C'mon, this is a no-brainer, right? You are completely subjective in your own reasoning as to why this report should be dismissed. But hey, I'm glad your own marriage and work with your Thai family has made you a leading expert on the issue of poverty, culture, and gender dynamics in Thailand. I'm sure you have thought much more about it than me, and the hundreds of researchers who have studied it from both the domestic and transnational perspective,