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

[baboon]

I wonder how some Thais might feel about this law?

Most, if not all, of the ones I have asked about it, thinks it's a joke. Typical Govt. grandstanding. The Thai's I talk to say, doesn't the govt. understand, that's it's farangs over 50, who have the nice retirement income which supports the Thai wife and most of her family. Most, not all, farangs under 50 haven't retired yet and even if you are, most govt. pensions don't kick in until your over 60, most times, over 65.

its is a joke

it was always a joke

its an APRIL FOOL

you talked to Thais about it?

jeezzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz.........

I regret to inform you all that timekeeper is in hospital.He split his head open after repeatedly banging it against a brick wall.

[sirchai]

I live here, and am married to a woman close to my own age. Having said that, I know plenty of older guys married to women a lot younger than they and in some cases it seems to work ok,

While it may not a shining example of a meeting of minds or mutual attraction, it works in a mutually supportive kind of way.

What I don't understand is the older guy (60 plus in a lot of cases) having children. They make various arguments as to why it is not a bad thing, however, at the end of the day you are going to have a child

that is going to be left fatherless at a relatively young age, and that is not fair on the child.

I am married 67 and she 41. I have also taken over as father to her 3 children. We are all so happy, her Thai hubby just left her went with another lady ,so Gob Shit were is a Thai man better, you think it ok for them to leave their children fatherless.

A lot of old falangs give a life to their ladys abandoned children.

Okay, but can you provide satisfaction? :jap:

[tim armstrong]

I see a lot of positive consequences for expats:

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

Agree djinn, The original idea of trying to stop old foreign guys from 'buying' young girls for sex is obviously a good one. But maybe the government should be thinking about better education for women, employment, relief from poverty first, for its own population, rather than a simplistic attempt to stop prostitution in this way. It surely must remove a lot of pressure from some farlang. Maybe there will even be an increase in sex tourism now? I wonder what the younger women of Thailand think?

Where I live there are many country women young and not so, who have never been bar girls, but have been farm/factory workers instead, who see nothing wrong with marrying older farlang men if it gives them financial security. Ironically, some of them may now just give up looking and go to Pattaya or wherever.

I wonder when something will be done to stop Thai men having a 'mia noi' - after all polygamy is illegal in Thailand.

[StreetCowboy]

I reckon this thread will go on so long that it comes to the government's attention, they review the more recent postings, and decide "Yes, yes, let's do it...."

Stupidity may be its own reward, but never know where it will end up...

SC

[Semper]

I see a lot of positive consequences for expats:

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

Agree djinn, The original idea of trying to stop old foreign guys from 'buying' young girls for sex is obviously a good one. But maybe the government should be thinking about better education for women, employment, relief from poverty first, for its own population, rather than a simplistic attempt to stop prostitution in this way. It surely must remove a lot of pressure from some farlang. Maybe there will even be an increase in sex tourism now? I wonder what the younger women of Thailand think?

Where I live there are many country women young and not so, who have never been bar girls, but have been farm/factory workers instead, who see nothing wrong with marrying older farlang men if it gives them financial security. Ironically, some of them may now just give up looking and go to Pattaya or wherever.

I wonder when something will be done to stop Thai men having a 'mia noi' - after all polygamy is illegal in Thailand.

Not if you are muslim.

[AndyCanfield]

I was about 51 when I met a lady named "A" on Soi Cowboy. She was nineteen. I enticed her into coming to live with me. A few years later we were married. She became pregnant almost immediately and we had a son. A few years later we broke up and she want back to working in Bangkok. She asked for, and got, a divorce. But the son is a fine boy, still has my name, now nine years old and doing well. He still lives with his sister and grandma; I see him almost every month.

Our marriage had nothing to do with getting a visa. Indeed, when the immigration police revealed that I had to have an untouchable 300,000 baht in the bank I told them "I don't have it, and if I did I would give it to her and she would buy rice fields." You could argue that the reason I never saved 300,000 baht was because whatever came in went to her.

Our marriage did not last, but, proud of our son, I can not call it a "failure".

Later I had a son with another lady, named "C". She and I never married. I give whatever child support I can afford to both of them.

Which is better off; "A" the divorcee or "C" the never-married?

Nothing lasts forever.

[mark45y]

I reckon this thread will go on so long that it comes to the government's attention, they review the more recent postings, and decide "Yes, yes, let's do it...."

Stupidity may be its own reward, but never know where it will end up...

SC

I thought that was the idea.

[selftaopath]

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.

Agreed; this country habitually discriminates against foreigners. Come to think of it they also have very peculiar approaches to hiring also e.g. "must be pretty/petite and under 30.....

What a country. Sorry but it really seems Thai mentality as depicted by "know it all/rich/powerful" is utterly backward/and so so STUPID. Amusing Thailand for sure. Amazing?????? LOL I guess it's amazing that the masses have not figured it out yet. If

Thai politicians copy Cambodia maybe Thai poor will mimic Egypt.

[StreetCowboy]

I reckon this thread will go on so long that it comes to the government's attention, they review the more recent postings, and decide "Yes, yes, let's do it...."

Stupidity may be its own reward, but never know where it will end up...

SC

I thought that was the idea.

It'll probably take effect just as I turn 50, and then get incorporated in the UN Bill of Human Rights, along with discrimination against bigots and smokers....

wait a minute, those two are preetty much there already !

I'd better marry a teenager quickly!

SC

EDIT: Humour likely to be misunderstood by simple-minded bigots deleted, to avoid vile spleen

Edited April 2, 2011 by StreetCowboy

[Logician]

Regardless, I am not a visitor in Thailand. I pay my visa and work permit to the government for the privilege to live here. I don't owe you or any Thai anything. I am not a guest in this country as I pay tax, social security, etc.

I am a foreigner that pays more to the Thai government then most Thai people. So no, I am not a guest, I am a contributor of wealth to the government and expected to be treated the same as other contributors to the country.

One does not negate the other.

This is not your country of birth. You have no automatic rights to be here. You work here and pay tax here because you have been given permission to do so.

You can pay more tax than 100 Thai people if you want to, you are still a guest here.

Lots of people on TV seem to have a hard time accepting that status, constantly demanding more.

You pay tax here because you want to live here, and because you have been allowed to live here, ergo, you are a guest. Get used to it.

[arthsch]

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.

And whats about the widow pension? if the farang dies, his younger wife will probably survive him for 30 or more years.

Millions of Baht will come into the country from abroad. Usual the farang had built a house, bought some land for his wife and her and his children.

I'm afraid, if anybody writes such a nonsens, he will be a burden for Thailand.

[Logician]

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.

Agreed; this country habitually discriminates against foreigners. Come to think of it they also have very peculiar approaches to hiring also e.g. "must be pretty/petite and under 30.....

What a country. Sorry but it really seems Thai mentality as depicted by "know it all/rich/powerful" is utterly backward/and so so STUPID. Amusing Thailand for sure. Amazing?????? LOL I guess it's amazing that the masses have not figured it out yet. If

Thai politicians copy Cambodia maybe Thai poor will mimic Egypt.

Everything's relative. If you find Thailand that backward, you haven't traveled very far.

What countries like Thailand lack compared to developed western countries, they more than make up for in other ways.

[Atma]

It's good for a laugh =)

[selftaopath]

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.

Yes, and if you are Thai you can have children/ many wives and walk away from all of them leaving them penniless and destitute. Then you - Thai guy - can start all over again w/ younger wives etc. Let's be clear, this country is run by the rich for the rich. Everything focuses on that. The rich benefit from poor people by using the attractive girls/women for sex and the young men for cheap labor. Ain't that what Thailand is about???? Could be a Thai motto: keep em ignorant and poor so we can get richer and have more of everything.

?????? GEEZE I'll tell ya.

[jdinasia]

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.

Yes, and if you are Thai you can have children/ many wives and walk away from all of them leaving them penniless and destitute. Then you - Thai guy - can start all over again w/ younger wives etc. Let's be clear, this country is run by the rich for the rich. Everything focuses on that. The rich benefit from poor people by using the attractive girls/women for sex and the young men for cheap labor. Ain't that what Thailand is about???? Could be a Thai motto: keep em ignorant and poor so we can get richer and have more of everything.

?????? GEEZE I'll tell ya.

Thank you for making me smile even a day after the joke was finished

[T_Dog]

What's the Energizer Bunny Rating of this thread?

[charmonman]

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.

Yes, and if you are Thai you can have children/ many wives and walk away from all of them leaving them penniless and destitute. Then you - Thai guy - can start all over again w/ younger wives etc. Let's be clear, this country is run by the rich for the rich. Everything focuses on that. The rich benefit from poor people by using the attractive girls/women for sex and the young men for cheap labor. Ain't that what Thailand is about???? Could be a Thai motto: keep em ignorant and poor so we can get richer and have more of everything.

?????? GEEZE I'll tell ya.

Thank you for making me smile even a day after the joke was finished

AFter

I, for one, am STILL not convinced this is an April Fool's joke. After all, Purachai the Puritan is back on the scene, any misguided law intended to protect Thai "purity" is completely plausible.

[baboon]

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.

Yes, and if you are Thai you can have children/ many wives and walk away from all of them leaving them penniless and destitute. Then you - Thai guy - can start all over again w/ younger wives etc. Let's be clear, this country is run by the rich for the rich. Everything focuses on that. The rich benefit from poor people by using the attractive girls/women for sex and the young men for cheap labor. Ain't that what Thailand is about???? Could be a Thai motto: keep em ignorant and poor so we can get richer and have more of everything.

?????? GEEZE I'll tell ya.

Thank you for making me smile even a day after the joke was finished

Or are they laughing at us laughing at them?I would almost prefer that....

[tartempion]

I was about 51 when I met a lady named "A" on Soi Cowboy. She was nineteen. I enticed her into coming to live with me. A few years later we were married. She became pregnant almost immediately and we had a son. A few years later we broke up and she want back to working in Bangkok. She asked for, and got, a divorce. But the son is a fine boy, still has my name, now nine years old and doing well. He still lives with his sister and grandma; I see him almost every month.

Our marriage had nothing to do with getting a visa. Indeed, when the immigration police revealed that I had to have an untouchable 300,000 baht in the bank I told them "I don't have it, and if I did I would give it to her and she would buy rice fields." You could argue that the reason I never saved 300,000 baht was because whatever came in went to her.

Our marriage did not last, but, proud of our son, I can not call it a "failure".

Later I had a son with another lady, named "C". She and I never married. I give whatever child support I can afford to both of them.

Which is better off; "A" the divorcee or "C" the never-married?

Nothing lasts forever.

I miss lady "B" in your story , What about her?

[Livinginexile]

Well I don't have the energy to laugh, because I actually lost a night's sleep. In Europe at the moment, I saw the message alert just before logging out of my email account for the night. Tired from a stressful day, it actually sickened me, and I am feeling the consequence of sleep deprevation.

So for me, two things have been lost:

1. an important night's sleep.

2. My trust in Thaivisa.com as a credible news source.

One would not have this happen on either CNN or the BBC. It should not happen here.

God I laughed when I read this!

This post is sooo funny for 3 reasons

1) He is 61 years old and about to marry a girl young enough to be his daughter

2) He lost an entire nights sleep worrying about not being able to marry his Teerak

3) He's just told the whole world what he's about to do!

Nice

(Technika...I'd delete my picture from your TV profile if I were you)

Edited April 2, 2011 by Livinginexile

[selftaopath]

Marriage is about 2 people.....

How can they? Nosy...!

Their thinking is indeed close to the Cambodian.

They will be regretted .... soon.....

Passing the law that the majority of its own country are not willin' to support...

Sure the number of Farangs will be drastically reduced.....

I can not agree with this sort of law....... takin' away freedom.... in many aspects

Yes indeed and Thais and Thailand are deluded enough to believe this ????? place is a democracy???? LOLOLOOL

Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh Amusing Thailand. LOL what a place. Somebody should write a book of have a weekly TV show in a Western country depicting all the absurdities in Land of Scams.

[MacWalen]

I just heard that they made a law like this in Cambodia, can anybody confirm that?

[Pops]

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

Looks like i am a BIG burden.

We have a similar system in Europe, in which Visas are related to income and the required visa income is related to the minimum income as set by the law of the country.

F.I. You need to make at least minimum income or minimum income + 10 % to obtain a long term visa.

Minimum salary in Thailand is around 4,600 THB/Month so 55,200 THB/Year.

Amount of money in the bank required for marriage visa every year is: 7,25 times the yearly minimum income.

Other visas even 14,5 times the yearly minimum income.

Otherwise we're a burden.

No matter what they say, we are only welcome for the money we bring with us, let's not fool ourselves, and keep that in mind with everything we do here.

On the other hand, it still is a great place to spend your cash ! :jap:

[MacWalen]

seems to be true http://thefastertimes.com/cambodia/2011/03/31/does-new-marriage-law-protect-or-patronize-cambodias-women/

[Arkady]

I was about 51 when I met a lady named "A" on Soi Cowboy. She was nineteen. I enticed her into coming to live with me. A few years later we were married. She became pregnant almost immediately and we had a son. A few years later we broke up and she want back to working in Bangkok. She asked for, and got, a divorce. But the son is a fine boy, still has my name, now nine years old and doing well. He still lives with his sister and grandma; I see him almost every month.

Our marriage had nothing to do with getting a visa. Indeed, when the immigration police revealed that I had to have an untouchable 300,000 baht in the bank I told them "I don't have it, and if I did I would give it to her and she would buy rice fields." You could argue that the reason I never saved 300,000 baht was because whatever came in went to her.

Our marriage did not last, but, proud of our son, I can not call it a "failure".

Later I had a son with another lady, named "C". She and I never married. I give whatever child support I can afford to both of them.

Which is better off; "A" the divorcee or "C" the never-married?

Nothing lasts forever.

I assume and hope Andy Canfield's post was also an April Fool's joke. Soi Cowboy is an entertainment place you are supposed to go to to have fun. If you take it seriously and mate with prostitutes working there who are over 30 years younger than you and with whom you have absolutely nothing in common and probably communicate with in pijjin English, what kind of marriage or relationship can you honestly expect? If you don't have even 300,000 baht to rub together, impregnating hookers and spraying half Thai children around the place is highly irresponsible.

[Maseratimartin]

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.

Before using your mouth, you should first switch on your brain....sorry but I hat e such unqualified comments!

Myself(41) having a 13 year younger thai wife just would like to tell you that it is a normal thing in history that men were usually older...the man first need to work for a basic to support a family....and then finally it is the yound girl what need the old farang to support her and the complete pack (family)!

Some of them even look for as old as possible....the young guys want it too often....the old guy hopefully soon sees the grass from below....

And one thing is for sure....the first who cry for marriage are the young thai ladies....it is their insurance

Look how many young thai women are in Thailand already with kid....married early to a young typical thai lazy good for nothing (scallywag is I think also a word they use)....and then ending in the bars of the bigger cities!

This is the typical thai way!

The thai government must be happy for every farang coming to Thailand and rising the inteligence level!

[MacWalen]

here is another one!

http://www.lonelyplanet.com/thorntree/thread.jspa?threadID=2033473

So it seems Thailand would like to imitate Cambodia in this respect.

[Preman]

Well, - this is quite unbelievable ..... these people in Government are supposed to be educated.

It is pure jealousy. But .... it will certainly hurt the Thai economy. What is it all about?

What? The Government is spending money on trying to attract Farangs with $$$ on tourism then and the makes up all these restrictive rules that are totally insane?

Well, - here is the the simple thing...... it is usually the retirerees who have the $$$$. Not the punks who come here looking for sex.

I am over 50. Have a happy marriage and family with a Thai woman. If, the Thai Government passes this insane law, - it is going to be the last straw to break the camels back for me..... out of principle. If this is an indication ... of where they are heading...... time to go..... time to leave. Out of here.

Furthermore.... if the Thai Government wants to make things even harder than what they are already are doing to Foreigners... - they will most likely get the same response from other nations. The Embassies look and report. They are actually confining their own people from entering into the International community. But.... that is another subject.

Out of all the posts I read on this site. This one blows my mind the most .... and is an indication of the racism towards foreigners.

Yeah sure... there are bad people who do just marry to stay here. But.... why not just think how to discriminate and sort that out?

To make blankets laws like this ..... is infantile.

[Nawtier]

So when does the law become effective ??

[Tywais]

So when does the law become effective ??

Were you caught out?