Law Prohibiting Marriage To Foreigners Over The Age Of 50 Proposed To Thai Cabinet

[londonthai]

should be said by now: "thailand, the hub of law"

[boggle]

Can they not think of any thing themselves for a change? They are lucky their great friend Cambodia is there to give them ideas.

Copy cats.

Big deal, as stated before at 50 you can get a retirement visa or just slip over a boarder and get married. Or will they not recognize marriages from a different country. Another all inspiring idea from the intellects that run this country.

[AartLiberty]

First I hope Thailand won't use April 1st to make a joke. But if not it is an excellent proposal. First of all it is not a good idea to marry a 22 years young girl when you are 60 or older. It also protects the male person not to be robbed by a young girl. Besides there are very strange rules applicable from countries paying your pension and reduce it for strange reasons, because they think you will profit from it if you marry a Thai woman.

[djinn]

I see a lot of positive consequences for expats:

Solly tilak,no sin sot,no house on your name.Cannot marry you

[Jezz]

So if you only have 400,000 in the bank, you are a burden on Thailand

Looks like i am a BIG burden.

Wonder how long it will be before they up the 400,000 minimum?

[rengaw98]

I knew that the Thai politicians are stupid but that they are so stupid I never imagined........

[MHM]

April Fool?

[khaowong1]

"In many cases they are old enough to be their father" ( or grandfather) but hey, I'm not casting stones.

"If these people don't have enough money to retire then they shouldn't be here and become a burden to Thailand," I'm not sure how farangs who don't have 800,000 baht in the bank can be a burden. It's not like in the U.S., where a quite a few Thai's draw welfare checks and food stamps, which they don't have in Thailand. I would need an explanation on that statement please.

How about they put that proposal on a nation wide ballot. Think it would fly?

[tonytidbury]

This is no big deal. There is no need to marry, and it will bring a sigh of relief from many who are being pressured by their GF and her family. What is not mentioned in the article that the proposal also includes a restriction on inheritance. Any clause in the Will of foreigner which favours a Thai national will be become null and void. And this IS retro-active. This will cause some consternation, and possibly protests which will overshadow anything the red shirts have managed.

[khaowong1]

It is the FIRST of APRIL today guys !!!

Actually, where I'm at it's tomorrow.

[jackr]

I am concerned that these people are attempting to circumvent the rules by marrying innocent Thai women.

Seems some people really do have their heads in the clouds.

Yes, innocent indeed... Thai can do no wrong. Why don't they go whole hog and forbid old boys fraternizing with younger girls.

/ On relflection, that 'innocent' should have given it away, though it wouldn't surprise me.

Edited April 1, 2011 by jackr

[boggle]

This going to have Sooooooooooooooooo many posts. Should be entertaining reading. Bring it on guys!!!!

[pogal]

I don't care about the law itself BUT I do care that it is completely RACIST against foreigners. If the law was applied to everyone (Thai's too) then its just a law which we must accept although may not agree with. A very controversial law, but not without some merit. I do beleive there is something uncomfortable with a 65 year old man marrying an 18 year old, but that is just personal opinion, everyone is different.

But the MAIN point here is this law should apply to ALL nationalities otherwise it is purely RACIST!

On another note, I know of a 40 year old Thai man who married a 14 year old girl in Rayong! She used to live next to my sisters house. One day I asked where she was and my sister said shyly she had been married off to a 40+ year old Thai man! Apparently this kind of thing is not uncommon. This, of course would never happen with a foreigner. Therefore, the proposed law can be deemed to be racist. The politicians proposing it should be severely reprimanded and labeled as RACISTS.

[shroomer]

In response to JohnHender.

sometimes i think Thai women just deseverse Thai guys"

What a stupid comment. Thai men are like any other, some good, some bad.

[KeyserSoze01]

The perfect excuse when your GF pressures you to get married. Gee teeruk, I really want to marry you, but cannot as it is against the law!!!!!!

They don't realize that enacting this law is not going to stop the May / December relationships and will only hurt those who genuinely want to get married and have a family.

Amazing Thailand :jap:

[khaowong1]

Yes. Thailand should bring in this law to prohibit older Farangs and other foreigners from marrying very young women .

I have seen some farangs with young wives who could be their grand daughters!.

Laos and Cambodia have enacted these law: why not Thailand.

Whoa, did some old geezer steal your girlfriend or what?

[khaowong1]

I don't care about the law itself BUT I do care that it is completely RACIST against foreigners. If the law was applied to everyone (Thai's too) then its just a law which we must accept although may not agree with. A very controversial law, but not without some merit. I do beleive there is something uncomfortable with a 65 year old man marrying an 18 year old, but that is just personal opinion, everyone is different.

But the MAIN point here is this law should apply to ALL nationalities otherwise it is purely RACIST!

On another note, I know of a 40 year old Thai man who married a 14 year old girl in Rayong! She used to live next to my sisters house. One day I asked where she was and my sister said shyly she had been married off to a 40+ year old Thai man! Apparently this kind of thing is not uncommon. This, of course would never happen with a foreigner. Therefore, the proposed law can be deemed to be racist. The politicians proposing it should be severely reprimanded and labeled as RACISTS.

Right on bro, the best thought out statement yet.

[ledi]

Wow! They are really being very creative in the ministries! What about coming up with some "intelligent" solutions for a change? It would be refreshing!

[waza]

Hmmm, next they will make it retrospective.

[keymaker]

over 50 you can get a retirement visa, no need to marry

In this contest I do agree with the ban marriage proposal, retirement visa is the way to go but it seems that too farangs marry to only have to show 400,000 in the bank account.

[borisloosebrain]

:It is a good idea " Bulls#$% . It takes away the freedom of the individual to choose what they want to do - that is crap !

[lucjoker]

If they stay in thailand maried with a farang ,and they divorse :the lady can take only half of the cake,

not married they take the whole cake !

Or am i wrong ?

[rayongtoffee]

April foooooooool.If it,s not ,nah it,s got to be,surely the Thais wouldn,t copy the Cambodians on this one.

[keithcresswell]

Hang on! Isnt it April Fools day today!!!!

[keemapoot]

should be said by now: "thailand, the hub of law"

Yes, the "hub of law" and the butt of jokes. April fools indeed!

Edited April 1, 2011 by keemapoot

[southbot]

I am wondering what my situation would be IF such an absurd law was introduced.

I know there is discussion along these lines in Cambodia.

I have been living as husband and wife with my Thai woman for about 16 years now but we are not officially married.

We own land in her name of course. But I legally own the house and all the stuff in it. Fair split in my mind really. And legal too.

She is 47 and I am 53.

I guess this means we shall never be able to marry in Thailand then?

However we could always do a trip to Australia, my original home, and get married there.

I think that fact that we cannot get married may be as much as a blessing as a curse really come to think of it.

I think that if we wanted to get married I could always just have her declare herself to be a Katoey and apply for a legal change of sex then we could get married, couldn't we?

;-)

[prakhonchai nick]

Many of us "burdens" have pensions from our native country, which upon our demise transfer to our WIVES. If we cannot marry the lady of our choice because we are over 50, they will have no money to live on after we are gone.

Similarly, some countries (UK included) provide bereavement benefits to wives and children after we are gone.

Who will take care of the unmarried mothers and their luk krung children after we are gone?

[renaissanc]

I wouldn't worry about this. The government can't even get a quorum to pass the organic laws for the election.

I'm 54 and my wife is 46. It shouldn't apply to all ages.

[Jawnie]

So let me see if I understand this one: you can't marry a Thai woman and share a good life. But, you can go to downtown Bangkok and watch Thai women rub their crotches on a pole, on your leg, on everyone in the place, etc., then rent a Thai woman and use her sexually for an hour, a day, or a week? That's alright.

Okay, got it.

[whybother]

Yes. Thailand should bring in this law to prohibit older Farangs and other foreigners from marrying very young women .

I have seen some farangs with young wives who could be their grand daughters!.

Laos and Cambodia have enacted these law: why not Thailand.

I don't think Cambodia have enacted the law yet ... just talked about it.

It seems Laos has though.