Child Support

[keestha]

I dug down deeply to find threads about this, but couldn't find much. What would be an acceptable amount to pay as child support for a 6 years old child living in a rural area? Just support for the child, not for the mother. I know that Thai courts award 3000-6000 Baht a month plus a share in medical and education costs, but I prefer just to pay a certain fixed amount every month.

There must be people here who are divorced or separated and who pay child support, I am wondering how much you pay?

Thanks for your time.

Edited April 21, 2013 by keestha

[Mario2008]

I think that depends on what you can afford and how much the mother can afford to contribute, it after all for the wellbeing of the child.

Some people seek a fixed amount per month and pay for all educational cost for example. It is not always necessary to pay all money to the mother, some instead also pay to the school directly, buy clothes etc.

[saakura]

My thai colleague in office pays 25k per month for his 7yrs old daughter. He does it willingly for his child, they did not go to court for deciding the amount. Wife moved in with her parents and refused to take anything from him even though she was not working, as she hated him so much for having taken on a mia noy.

[Rogue33]

I got divorced and this is the mutual agreement we agreed regarding child support for my daughter

I'm giving 5 000 bahts by month until my daughter is 20 years old. Child support is payable until maturity in Thailand, so 20 years old.

This amount will be paid on a pro rata basis if my daughter is with me during the month. E.g. if I have my daughter for 2 weeks, I will only pay 2 500 baths to the mother. I will stop paying child support completely if my daughter moves with me.

I'm also giving 50 % of any medical or education expenses for my daughter. The mother needs to show me a copy of the bill via email and I show it to a Thai friend. If I think it's legitimate and reasonable, I give the money to the mother. I just want to make sure the money is spent on my daughter and know how she spend the money.

Beside that I buy clothes and toys for my daughter when I see her.

If I was you, I would avoid to give the extra money for education, medical and other expenses at the same time as the monthly child support amount just to make sure the money is really spent on your kid.

Usually the court will ask you to provide between 3 000 to 6 000 bahts of child support by month depending of your financial situation. IMO, 3 000 bahts is really low and I think 5 000-6 000 bahts plus 50 % of other expenses is more reasonnable.

[ScottishThai]

I'm in the same boat as yourself, but I've been to a lawyer cause it is getting messy. By thai law it states that around 10k baht per child in maintenance support as a minimum. There is actually plenty of resources on the internet that will inform you of this; as I did check after being told.

I offered the amount stated but it wasn't enough for her; also I don't get any access to the girls or any form of contact at all.

I hope this helps; it's not a pretty thing to go thru but if you need any more info just drop me a line here.

Hope it works out for you.

[Mario2008]

I'm in the same boat as yourself, but I've been to a lawyer cause it is getting messy. By thai law it states that around 10k baht per child in maintenance support as a minimum. There is actually plenty of resources on the internet that will inform you of this; as I did check after being told.

I offered the amount stated but it wasn't enough for her; also I don't get any access to the girls or any form of contact at all.

I hope this helps; it's not a pretty thing to go thru but if you need any more info just drop me a line here.

Hope it works out for you.

Can you provide a link to this information, especially regarding 10,000 baht being a minimum?

[soomak]

I'm in the same boat as yourself, but I've been to a lawyer cause it is getting messy. By thai law it states that around 10k baht per child in maintenance support as a minimum. There is actually plenty of resources on the internet that will inform you of this; as I did check after being told.

I offered the amount stated but it wasn't enough for her; also I don't get any access to the girls or any form of contact at all.

I hope this helps; it's not a pretty thing to go thru but if you need any more info just drop me a line here.

Hope it works out for you.

Can you provide a link to this information, especially regarding 10,000 baht being a minimum?

Am looking for information about this issue myself.

I asked ScottishThai the same question by a PM, but didn't get a reply so far.

[FiftyTwo]

Don't pay anything unless you want to. That's what all the Thai guys do.

It would cost the lady more in court and legal fees than she could ever recover from you.

[Mario2008]

I'm in the same boat as yourself, but I've been to a lawyer cause it is getting messy. By thai law it states that around 10k baht per child in maintenance support as a minimum. There is actually plenty of resources on the internet that will inform you of this; as I did check after being told.

I offered the amount stated but it wasn't enough for her; also I don't get any access to the girls or any form of contact at all.

I hope this helps; it's not a pretty thing to go thru but if you need any more info just drop me a line here.

Hope it works out for you.

Can you provide a link to this information, especially regarding 10,000 baht being a minimum?

Am looking for information about this issue myself.

I asked ScottishThai the same question by a PM, but didn't get a reply so far.

That is probably because he can't find a link.

In practice child support is normally between 3,000 and 6,000 baht, plus 50% of medical and educational cost.

[Mario2008]

Don't pay anything unless you want to. That's what all the Thai guys do.

It would cost the lady more in court and legal fees than she could ever recover from you.

That shows a great sense of responsibility.

Child support is for the benefit of the child, which is the responsibility of both parents.

[amykat]

I'm curious why the amount for child support, doesn't seem to ever change? I've been here for about 9 years and have been hearing this same, 3-6K per month, the entire time.

We all know there is inflation here, quite a bit actually. I think I also used to hear that 100 baht a day could feed a person in Thailand. I don't think that is true these days, especially if they eat any fruit, vegs, or meat. Or dairy. And of course that was bottom level food to begin with.

My child's private school now charges 65-70 bath a day for their lunch, which is really shit as far as my opinion. It consists of a very small scoop of dry white rice, 3 pieces of meat, maybe ...some kind of fried chicken is what I have seen, mostly batter, and oil and some chicken inside, and EXACLTY THREE bites of fruit, and no more. They are allowed to ask for more, which is good, but I think since most parents send their kids with spending money, they end up buying 40-80 bath a day of total CRAP from the school store, or vendors outside, and IF the school food is mostly boring, the same, crap, why would a kid decide to eat seconds?

Anyway, based on that, could you feed your kid, breakfast, dinner, and snacks, on 30-35 baht a day? I think not! That is if you don't give your child money for buying food at school. And I don't because the choices are so poor, I send my child with snacks. But anyway, the snack and the lunch eats up more than 100 baht a day. So I guess, I would consider 100 baht a day, the absolute minimum for food, IF you only want to pay HALF the cost of food.

[FiftyTwo]

I'm curious why the amount for child support, doesn't seem to ever change? I've been here for about 9 years and have been hearing this same, 3-6K per month, the entire time.

We all know there is inflation here, quite a bit actually. I think I also used to hear that 100 baht a day could feed a person in Thailand. I don't think that is true these days, especially if they eat any fruit, vegs, or meat. Or dairy. And of course that was bottom level food to begin with.

My child's private school now charges 65-70 bath a day for their lunch, which is really shit as far as my opinion. It consists of a very small scoop of dry white rice, 3 pieces of meat, maybe ...some kind of fried chicken is what I have seen, mostly batter, and oil and some chicken inside, and EXACLTY THREE bites of fruit, and no more. They are allowed to ask for more, which is good, but I think since most parents send their kids with spending money, they end up buying 40-80 bath a day of total CRAP from the school store, or vendors outside, and IF the school food is mostly boring, the same, crap, why would a kid decide to eat seconds?

Anyway, based on that, could you feed your kid, breakfast, dinner, and snacks, on 30-35 baht a day? I think not! That is if you don't give your child money for buying food at school. And I don't because the choices are so poor, I send my child with snacks. But anyway, the snack and the lunch eats up more than 100 baht a day. So I guess, I would consider 100 baht a day, the absolute minimum for food, IF you only want to pay HALF the cost of food.

I like to eat in quite a stylish Thai coffee shop near MaeJo uni, Teriyaki chicken with rice and salad 39bht, Korean marinade pork with rice and salad 39bht. For a main meal it's not bad, but in rural places you can eat for a lot less. Not to mention in junior school lunch is free. Outside the school Moo ping at 5bht a stick, sticky rice 5bht. 100bht a day is entirely feasible for a child that is not fed foreigner food. As you mentioned not everyone can expect to attend private school. Also are you expecting the mother to contribute nothing? Father 100bht, Mother 100bht, seems 200bht a day should suffice for a child living in a rural area.

As for snacks .... not sure that is a valuable part of a child's diet. They might just be better off without them.

Edited September 30, 2013 by FiftyTwo

[battersea]

Scottish thai ...

I might be getting divorced soon . The missus said if we do get divorced she will want 50k baht per month which is half of my wages.She said if i do not give this then she will take the kid and i will never see him again ..how can anyone compromise with that ?

[FiftyTwo]

Scottish thai ...

I might be getting divorced soon . The missus said if we do get divorced she will want 50k baht per month which is half of my wages.She said if i do not give this then she will take the kid and i will never see him again ..how can anyone compromise with that ?

Don't give her a divorce, she then can't do anything with the kid, or have a life of her own.

Can't buy property, can't get him a passport, problems with schools, hospitals.

Can't remarry, can't create new children that aren't legally yours.

Can't leave the child anywhere (because you can take him back, when not with her).

And she probably doesn't even want the kid, just the money he can leverage from you.

Chances are, when she gets no money and sees no future hope of money, she will just give him back to you.

Really just call her bluff.

Edited October 22, 2013 by FiftyTwo

[Mario2008]

And she and you can make debts to which you are both be accountable for.

[FiftyTwo]

And she and you can make debts to which you are both be accountable for.

Just to point out she needs a credit history to get a debt ...... which it sounds like she doesn't have.