Buying Wedding Rings

[richard_smith237]

10 years I was teaching doctors who worked at Pattaya Memorial hospital. They were married and not peasants and didn't wear wedding rings as most people in Thailand don't wear wedding rings. It is not a Thai custom to wear wedding bands.

Thats like saying its not Thai custom to eat at McDonalds... Yet we see many Thai's there... Customs, Traditions and Culture are not fixed, rather they evolve and are in a constant state of development. It might be accurate to suggest that 100 years ago Thai's didn't wear wedding rings, but today that generalisation is simply to broad...

The fact of the matter is, many do, many don't and each situation is individual...

1. I have never heard a Thai say it's not a Thai custom to eat at McDonalds. 2. There are many Thai style dishes at McDonalds because it is a McDonalds tradition to make money. 3. 90% of Thais don't wear wedding rings can also be worded, Thais don't wear wedding rings. The fact of the matter is not many Thais wear wedding rings which is odd seeing how much Thai women like gold.

That depends on your experience, mine is different and most of the Thai's females I know do wear Wedding rings (the men tend not to).

I suspect this is both Socio-economcally and geographically related...

As such making a generalisation that Thai's do or don't wear Wedding Rings would be incorrect. Also, making the Generalisation that its not Thai Tradition or Culture to wear a Wedding Rings is also incorrect. As we see, Thailand is developing...

A more accurate comment might be "The wearing of Wedding Rings is historically not a Thai Tradition"....

It appears that in some areas this is changing as the Cultural complexities of Thai Tradition modernise and expand beyond the reasonable scope of generalisation.

[chiangmaikelly]

I have an experiment to offer. Go into any gold store in Thailand and ask to see the Thai gold wedding rings. Then for all of us posters divide the number of those by the total rings and post the percent.

[2unique]

I have an experiment to offer. Go into any gold store in Thailand and ask to see the Thai gold wedding rings. Then for all of us posters divide the number of those by the total rings and post the percent.

and post the results against what as a barometer? How many wedding rings in a typical Western gold shop?

[chiangmaikelly]

I have an experiment to offer. Go into any gold store in Thailand and ask to see the Thai gold wedding rings. Then for all of us posters divide the number of those by the total rings and post the percent.

and post the results against what as a barometer? How many wedding rings in a typical Western gold shop?

Yes, that would be good. I was thinking of a percent. In Thai gold shops it is 0%. What percent in the West?

[sbk]

Suspect Richard is right as someone forgot to give all my elderly relatives the memo that Thai women don't wear wedding rings. MIL does, as do all her sisters and her sisters in law, as does my my sister in law and the women cousins and cousins wives. But heck I dont pretend to think that these women are indicative of an entire nation, just my own experience.

As for a gold band for a man, well DH prefers Thai gold as its soft enough that if it gets caught the ring might go before his finger does.

[rgs2001uk]

I have an experiment to offer. Go into any gold store in Thailand and ask to see the Thai gold wedding rings. Then for all of us posters divide the number of those by the total rings and post the percent.

and post the results against what as a barometer? How many wedding rings in a typical Western gold shop?

Yes, that would be good. I was thinking of a percent. In Thai gold shops it is 0%. What percent in the West?

In Thai gold shops it is 0%

Ok Kerry, Marky or whatever other nom de plume you choose to use these days, next time you come to Thailand go into a gold shop and ask to see, waen song saleung, those are what most Thais use as wedding rings.

[thehelmsman]

Don't see what the big deal about buying a 1 Baht ring for the man & a 1/2 Baht ring for your lady is all about. Wear them, don't wear them - up to you guys.
Gold is always a good investment. If they get beat up, trade them in for new ones for a small fee.

[LawrenceChee]

Asians place a high value to gold. The symbolic gesture is in the giving of gold, it's a promise you will take care of her. The value of the gold is as much as the girl truly loves you and whether she wears it is not that important.

When I get married...it's gold I will buy. Would love for her to wear it but if she does not and keep it in a safe place..it's good enough for me

In Thailand...buying Thai gold makes more sense as it is easy for them to trade up for a bigger piece.