Making It Up As They Go Along

[saroq]

I'm not sure where you live but I assume you are aware that you can get divorced at any amphur.

I recently got divorced at the amphur in Banglamung (Pattaya) and all I needed was my passport, (no certified translations, or anything like that), a copy of my marriage certificate and my wife needed her ID card and her copy of the marriage certificate. We both had witnesses.

That is all.

The whole process took about 30 minutes.

I suggest you shop around a bit....

Well 2 years back some research by a Thai relative (research after the divorce - husband and wife both Thai) discovered what Mobi mentioned above.

But in this case (before the husband di some further checking) the lady officer at the Amphur office (in Bangkok) insisted that the husband had to give the wife a divorce settlement of at least 100,000Baht cash to be put on the officers desk at the Amphur office, and 5% of same would be taken as a govt., fee plus the published fee of 20Baht.

Husband (so I'm told) tried to discuss the matter / negotiate with the lady officer but was told in no uncertain terms that he should shut up and not challenge a govt., officer.

Unfortunately the husband went ahead and paid the 100,000Baht, but mostly because he was frightened of his wife's mother and her brothers.

The lady Amphur officer has since been dismissed from the civil service, for some other reasons.

But lets be honest folks, you could come across similar stuff in many places, including so called first world countries.

I don't know which 1st world country you are from but that definitely wouldn't happen in mine.

[bander]

My Thai wife was married here in Bangkok to a British man and moved to join him in the UK where she found out that he did not like to work, drawing the dole while doing odd jobs, drinking and doing drugs. She had to go out and make money to support her daughter and herself. She left him and came to Thailand with myself and although she could have claimed half his house and money left from his previous wife who had died, she asked for nothing from him. When it came to us having to get married here, she paid her husband all the expenses for getting the divorce at the Amphur in Prakanong. She still never asked for any money from him which is amazing, but this shows that there are plenty of Thai women who are not after your money.

You obviously only got one side of her story, sounds like her ex husband owned a house and had money from former wife so why didn't he want to share with thai wife and her daughter? Maybe too mutt sick buffalo in her village? Or was the husband broke and she first found out when she came to England?

[vijer]

While agree with the friendly advice gelgolo has provide to "ask the authority" first, I would point out that many people (Thai citizens included) have little experience dealing with the various Thai governmental offices. Having no knowledge of the process at hand, many people seek the nearest source of information and proceed based on that information. Nationality has little to do with lack of experience or knowledge in dealing with Thai government offices (glegolo excepted) and to suggest so is rather ignorant and very biased.

TV forum's purpose is to assist the unknowing in navigating the minefield of Thai government regulations and requirements, not to disparage those less knowledgable than the experienced experts.

In other words I was right...

Glegolo

A little right and a little wrong I would say. The wife and I have done research on the Thai government sites looking for information (which a reasonable person should expect to be sufficient) only to appear at the Ampur to be told we needed different/additional documents. We've also been given the run around in terms of which office we needed to appear at. Most of this is because the Thai officials don't really know or they add additional documents to cover their butt. Overall I haven't had much of an issue though.

[rotary]

Heck just move to the Philippines and forget the divorce

[johnlandy]

It's almost as if they hate us.

Nothing 'almost' about it. They hate us with a vengeance. It doesn't matter that we are supporting all their families, and half the village, it is all the same.

A good friend had the right view when he said "I didn't cause the problems this country has, and I, as sure as he!! am not responsible for fixing them"

[bangkokburning]

Hah hah hah you.might want to Google divorce in the Philippines.

Try Amphur in Ban Rak Bangkok