Dowry / sinsod - how do I legally bring the money to Thailand?

[TheKnave]

This sinsod/no sinsod argument has been done to death on ThaiVisa, and elsewhere.

It really boils down to the importance of the family to all Thai girls, and that includes their status in the community.

You can either go along and make her happy, with attendant long-term results, or fight the process, with different results. All the guys I have ever known who insist that it's a scam, and refuse to pay are either miserable, or already divorced. Maybe they should have taken the time to know their gf better before getting married, I don't know.

Of three I know who went the Thai way (2 with relatively poor girls from the North, one with a very hi-so BKK girl), all are still married, with kids in college, and seemingly normal lives.

Go figure.

One thing for sure, the pecking order (at least in the beginning) will always be family first, a favorite pet, and then, maybe, you...but it gets better. Your mileage may vary.

[timendres]

"Suggestions?"

RUN!

Family rural farmers, newbie signed up today dropping 500k on woman, etc. I smell a troll.

However, at the slim chance you ain't and for the benefit of others... if you do go down that road, make sure you get most of it back, which IS the Thai way. Cashier's cheque wouldn't work as the whole point is to show off to everyone what their daughter is 'worth'. Also ask yourself, would a Thai man put up that kind of money for this lady.

Thanks for that. And I do worry. However, they did not ask for the money and neither my gf nor her family have ever asked for money. It came up at meeting with all of her village and they asked what I would pay. I made the offer, based on the fact I had paid $10k to my first wife's family 12 years ago. They built a new home and never asked for more. I think you are probably right about the check - although they could waive it around at everybody to see lol.

I keep reminding myself that $15k in the US will only get you a used pickup truck - maybe the same in Thailand. And she is worth so much more to me than a truck (well, depending on the model - just kidding,)

Anyway - my concern is about safety and not having trouble with the bank or immigration people.

HUH? A village said you must pay and future family doesnt decide? Only thing I can say is you deserve all the crazy things that will happen to you in this bought and paid for marriage.

But on a serious note, you can bring 19,999 US dollars into Thailand without declaring it.

I really hope this is a troll post.

I think you can only bring under $10,000, not 20.

Correct. $9999 - no declaration. $10,000 you must declare. But there is no real issue with declaring it. It is only paperwork.

[Daniel Ingalls]

End of discussion, either seek medical, sociological, or plain logical help. most of which has already been given to you.

Now use your logical sense and do the right thing. Put on your Michael Jordan shoes and run as fast as you can and never look back!

[gandalf12]

As the money will not be leaving the country you can bring it in any way that is most convenient.

[JackieMager]

Don't want to be nasty but either u are very naive or stupid. Why is the village making dowry decisions. How about giving nothing up front and see what happens. This is a very fishy story and many Ferangs have been through the same experience and come out used. Oh she is gorgeous, I love her and no her family would never do this that and the other. Mmmmmmmm I'd play safe and see if they love their don in law for who he is, not what he gave them..

[UDONJIM]

What are you talking about? If you are a Thai man with money and you marry a girl here, you pay sinsod! It can be any amount that the man can afford to pay. If they don't have money then they don't pay. Just like in any Country! If you have some money you pay for a lavish wedding and if you don't you have the wedding at the local Fire Department Hall. They serve chicken wings and salad in giant troughs.

I personally know of several Thai men who paid 400K sinsod and built a house for the women. It is a custom here and only if you don't have money is it not done. Farangs like to say it does not happen with Thai men but they are wrong!!

Most farang men have some money and can pay something. I gave 100K Thai Bt to the mom and dad and paid for the wedding which cost about 200K. So all in all less than 10,000 dollars. If I married her in the U.S. I would have paid about 20K for the wedding alone. The trolls who don't want to pay some respect to the family are doomed to be slugs in the marriage and most likely will end in divorce. Cheap ba$tards I call them.

Find a wife in your own country and tell me what it would cost you to get married. If you had some money and wanted to have the reception in a Fire Hall I doubt very much if the bride would be very happy. Come on think about and what this costs you...its peanuts unless you are destitute people and why are you getting married if you don't have anything?????

[Thomas Hannah]

Some people will never learn.Thai custom is out of date.A dowry means that you own her,that is the old rule.Thai still use it .But then the money is given back.You are a farang,In there eyes including your wife to be.You are nobody.And they see you now as stupid,and easy to get big money from .You will now be pested for money for all the time that you are with her.And because she is sad,and not the happy girl that you married,Then you will give her money etc.? ,,has she been married before,if so ,you dont pay a dowry.How do you know that she is not married now.How do you know if she has a thai boyfreind.The reason im saying this to you ,is because it seems that you are blind to thailand,To ask advice about having to ask about bring money to thailand.Up to you .Your money.But dont start crying later.You have been warned.If you want to give money.You do a bank to bank transfer.Very easy,from your bank.costs £25.send as much as you want.

[akentryan]

I bought $15,000 cash from the USA last trip over. You have to declare it leaving the USA and are supposed to declare it coming into Thailand. When I arrived at Swampy from Haneda at about 5:00 am Thai Customs was closed so I just walked through Immigration and into the country. Another option might be TCs if you have a AAA membership and get them free. If you bring cash make sure you have the new $100 bills as the old ones are hard to exchange since the new ones came out.

[JackieMager]

I agree with Thomas Hannah. So so many men have been burnt at both ends. Yes there are a few happily married Ferangs / THAI marriages but we all know that many THAI woman see dollar signs when they meet a Ferangs man. Whether it is a custom or not, I would firstly get married and settle down before handing any money over to her and her family.

Money: u are with Wells Fargo. If u have an ATM card just take out a few hundred each day or the maximum u can take out each day . It's all very simple. But as I said, custom or no custom, money or no money... I would marry, settle down and wait awhile before handing money over to the parents, even the new wife. The amount of stories I've heard about how sweet and trustworthy the wife is... A year later they have a THAI boyfriend, divorce or separation and she runs off with the whole lot including bank account.

Edited February 19, 2015 by JackieMager

[UDONJIM]

So many holes in your post, I don't know where to start!

1. If you have some money, you pay for a lavish wedding - Oh really! Why does a wedding have to be lavish? Satisfy everyone else maybe? It certainly doesn't guarantee happiness. But you are a stupid idiot who would spend money on a big splash rather than putting it to better use , the more spent = happiness, 5555 It's a girly thing you fuuuwit!

2. 20k USD for a wedding in US of A, but that's a choice and bearing in mind Thailand is about (GDP figures) 80% cheaper than The US of A, your'e getting f----d by paying anything more than maybe 50k for a wedding. GET REAL.

I can't reply any more to your stupid, banal, naive post, so lastly.

Lastly, the best wedding I ever had was in the reception room of a hotel. I paid for meals, a few bottles of wine and the first two drinks. It was one of the best and enjoyable nights I, and all my guests have had. No-body was looking for 'freebies', just genuine happiness. Do you get it finally?

[jacky54]

I personally know of several Thai men who paid 400K sinsod and built a house for the women. It is a custom here and only if you don't have money is it not done. Farangs like to say it does not happen with Thai men but they are wrong!!

Npt seen anyone here saying thai men do not pay it yes they do, but not 400k for an Issan girl with no education+ kids. The OP does not say where she is but the word village indicates countryside and that is usually Issan when connected to falang marriages.

[Ming Mueng]

Never pay any sinsod, only if you get the money back from the parents, because this is the correct Thai tradition.

[Songhua]

Transfer it to your fiancée's Thai account and then withdraw it after you arrive.

Oh what a great idea. Here i thought it was just the op with blinkers on then this pealer comes along.

Whoosh!

[Bung]

I sometimes wonder what the village people must gossip about when a farang comes to live in the village. "How fortunate the family must be". "what did they do to get such good luck?" and send their own daughters away with a "dont come back without a farang" ringing in their ears.

[kennypowers]

Never pay sin sod before reading this: http://www.thethailandlife.com/sin-sod

Probably the most accurate explanation of sin sod and it's cultural implications ever written.

[jacky54]

Never pay any sinsod, only if you get the money back from the parents, because this is the correct Thai tradition.

No it's not but can be, there are many regional and family variations

[Gerard052]

Far too much- as usual.

1 Satang is too much in my opinion.

I totally agree with you.

[Jip99]

Hahaha. Buying a wife! Just give her a million and be done with it.

Step by step

[Thomas Hannah]

You guys are amazing. It is not your money so what he does with his is no concern of yours. He asked how to bring it in not for the slagging off of old bitter cheap charlie keyboard warriors. If he is happy to pay then up to him. Has he asked you all if he can borrow the money???? Then keep your slagging off to yourselves and get back to your bar stools.

It is are concern.We farangs try to warn other farangs about the scams and pitfalls ,ahead of them .Same as the hand of thailand.Were all thai,s scam together against farangs.

[Gerard052]

You can bring 10K as cash without any declaration to thai Customs.

S why dont you say transfer 7500 to ur GF's account or carry it on some debit card or other plastic form and carry the remaining 7.5K as cash with you. Just an advice thats all.

You can bring as much as you want if you declare it, but 10k is the maximum without a declaration.

[muffy]

^{They should pay you .}

[minikev]

Transfer it to your fiancée's Thai account and then withdraw it after you arrive.

Thanks, that's an excellent idea. I also have her mom's account number. The problem is that when I talked to my bank they told me that Siam Commercial Bank has 3 different SWIFT numbers and I have to know the right one. I can't seem to communicate that to my gf because of language differences. But I will work on that approach. I would also rather hand over the money at the wedding, not before for practical and symbolic reasons.

Google swift code siam commercial bank and the area you bank in and you will have the correct code.

You can send it to my bank and i'll take it to her mum if you like.

Why don't you just bring it in a carrier bag?

[wowfactor10]

This sinsod/no sinsod argument has been done to death on ThaiVisa, and elsewhere.

It really boils down to the importance of the family to all Thai girls, and that includes their status in the community.

You can either go along and make her happy, with attendant long-term results, or fight the process, with different results. All the guys I have ever known who insist that it's a scam, and refuse to pay are either miserable, or already divorced. Maybe they should have taken the time to know their gf better before getting married, I don't know.

Of three I know who went the Thai way (2 with relatively poor girls from the North, one with a very hi-so BKK girl), all are still married, with kids in college, and seemingly normal lives.

Go figure.

One thing for sure, the pecking order (at least in the beginning) will always be family first, a favorite pet, and then, maybe, you...but it gets better. Your mileage m

So how much did they you got in for then

And are you still married happily

[Jip99]

2,000 views already.

Interest in sin sot threads never seems to wane.

[Thomas Hannah]

What are you talking about? If you are a Thai man with money and you marry a girl here, you pay sinsod! It can be any amount that the man can afford to pay. If they don't have money then they don't pay. Just like in any Country! If you have some money you pay for a lavish wedding and if you don't you have the wedding at the local Fire Department Hall. They serve chicken wings and salad in giant troughs.

I personally know of several Thai men who paid 400K sinsod and built a house for the women. It is a custom here and only if you don't have money is it not done. Farangs like to say it does not happen with Thai men but they are wrong!!

Most farang men have some money and can pay something. I gave 100K Thai Bt to the mom and dad and paid for the wedding which cost about 200K. So all in all less than 10,000 dollars. If I married her in the U.S. I would have paid about 20K for the wedding alone. The trolls who don't want to pay some respect to the family are doomed to be slugs in the marriage and most likely will end in divorce. Cheap ba$tards I call them.

Find a wife in your own country and tell me what it would cost you to get married. If you had some money and wanted to have the reception in a Fire Hall I doubt very much if the bride would be very happy. Come on think about and what this costs you...its peanuts unless you are destitute people and why are you getting married if you don't have anything?????

Yes.I agree with you.But its a different thing.when it comes to farangs.Its an old custom,were the woman becomes your property.Overall it is used to keep face in the village.So the money is generaly given back.There are many times ,It is the way you say.But the wife,Is not pested for money from her family again.Farangs are only looked at ,for making money.My freind married .she had 3 children,and divorced.They still expected a dowry.He of course told them to F O.

[lensta]

Why can't you take it out of your account from a Thai bank?

Get a MasterCard or visa debit card first before you leave home, and any Thai bank will help you.

These days travel agents have the cards.

Thanks I do that for travel expenses. However I think the limit is about US $500 per day. And we are talking $15,000 so I am not sure if that will work. But I will definitely talk to my bank (Wells Fargo) to see what they can do.

No limit. I took out 1,750,000 THB over the counter with my Lloyds visa card.

[expatoz]

how did you find a virgin and a girl with no kids hehehe thats what the sinsod is for

[minikev]

You guys are amazing. It is not your money so what he does with his is no concern of yours. He asked how to bring it in not for the slagging off of old bitter cheap charlie keyboard warriors. If he is happy to pay then up to him. Has he asked you all if he can borrow the money???? Then keep your slagging off to yourselves and get back to your bar stools.

I completely agree. I just went to the wedding of a Thai man that works for me, he earns 500 baht per day. He paid a sinsod of 100,00 baht and 2 baht of gold. These are not old outdated traditions they are very much a part of the culture. It is also a way of proving that the prospective husband is able to take care of the prospective wife. It makes a lot of sense. The amount will be shouted over the village tanoy and the mother in law will have pride if the amount is high. Most of the Thai visa crowd are against it because they gave their's to someone that spent the lot on their other bloke. Perhaps if they had spent a little more time looking, or just used a bit of common instead of a bit of come on they might feel differently. I was lucky I had paid a deposit for a rice harvester 100k 1 year previous to our marriage the family decided that was more than enough and didn't want anything else.

If this man is having a big wedding a large lump of that will be used on the day.

[Acharn]

Transfer it to your fiancée's Thai account and then withdraw it after you arrive.

Thanks, that's an excellent idea. I also have her mom's account number. The problem is that when I talked to my bank they told me that Siam Commercial Bank has 3 different SWIFT numbers and I have to know the right one. I can't seem to communicate that to my gf because of language differences. But I will work on that approach. I would also rather hand over the money at the wedding, not before for practical and symbolic reasons.

Can you have your girl friend take you to the branch her mother banks at? There would probably be at least one teller or loan officer there who speaks English well enough to give you the information you need. Maybe not; a friend tried to transfer money to CitiBank in Texas and it took him four months because not one employee at the branch here (including the highest ranking managers he could get to) knew the proper codes or how to contact anybody at the head office for instructions. Cashiers checks are not very helpful because most banks will treat them the same as personal checks -- after all, how do they know it's not a forgery or even if the bank exists?

[expatoz]

here's the deal Isaan keep the sinsod and real thai's (non Isaan )return it