To have and to hold: polygamy in the Kingdom

[geovalin]

Phak Seangly and Erin Handley

 

Despite being illegal, the practice of taking multiple wives is common but seldom discussed. While often powerless themselves to get out of relationships, women sometimes must share their husbands – a situation fraught with social stigma. Post Weekend explores what motivates men to marry twice and how women cope with the shared arrangement.

 

Amid the flurry of colour in village wedding ceremonies, May Ty and Tieng Chhuon always make a point of sitting together and sharing a meal.

 

Ty, at 65, wears her hair shorn close to her head and a small smile plays on her lips; she is partly paralysed on her right side. Chhuon, a little older at 69, is wiry with grey-streaked hair framing her face. Apart from this little wedding ritual, they don’t have much else in common – except for one major thing: their husband.

 

read more http://www.phnompenhpost.com/post-weekend/have-and-hold-polygamy-kingdom

 

 

-- © Copyright Phenom Pen Post 11/02

[smotherb]

I see no problem, if they all can coexist in harmony.  If the first wife can accept them, it may be preferable for the later women to being a mia noi or a gik.

[saakura]

It is my feeling that sooner or later, most of such polygamous marriages or relationships will end break up due to jealousy and envy, with a lot of emotional damage to all partners, because it is a basic human trait to be loyal to one person (at a time) with whom you procreate. 

[bangon04]

Marriage as developed by human society over history is usually about security, not procreation. Men can procreate quite efficiently without marriage, as Thailand is a good example.

Polygamy is a form of security where a partner has a social position (wealth) which allows him (usually) to afford to keep more than one spouse. 

In a situation where one spouse feels unappreciated, then there is less incentive to maintain the relationship. As long as the security is available, teh relationship can be maintained.

Let us not dress it up in modern ideals of love and morality, please...

[soalbundy]

Jesus !! as if one isn't enough trouble, now the guys get nagged by two or three wives instead of just one.

[smotherb]

3 hours ago, soalbundy said:

Jesus !! as if one isn't enough trouble, now the guys get nagged by two or three wives instead of just one.

Sounds like you need a better selection criteria for women. Make a list of what you dislike in women;  and stick to it. Naggers, players, gamblers, smokers, make-up wearers, ambition-less, uneducated, unintelligent and any other negative attributes you don't like; simply don't bother with them.  You wouldn't buy a house or car or even a suit without knowing its good and bad points would you? 

[soalbundy]

3 hours ago, smotherb said:

Sounds like you need a better selection criteria for women. Make a list of what you dislike in women;  and stick to it. Naggers, players, gamblers, smokers, make-up wearers, ambition-less, uneducated, unintelligent and any other negative attributes you don't like; simply don't bother with them.  You wouldn't buy a house or car or even a suit without knowing its good and bad points would you? 

I'm quite satisfied with the missus that i have, i have lived with quite a few in my time, in England, Germany and Thailand, it all depends on the length of time you live with them, after 5 years or so you take each other for granted and that's when the nagging starts, not continuously of course but its there, some when they have their period, some when they are stressed, some when money is short and some when you are having a good time in the beer garden, women have a greater propensity for bad moods than men in my experience, having three at the same time would be something like hell i could imagine. 

[Janner1]

I know many muslims but I do not know of any who get nagged or anything else by their FOUR wives, because of the passage in the Koran which says they can be freely beaten.and the Sharia law edict which gives the husband the ability to divorce the woman simply by marching her / them to the local immam and saying three times I divorce you, she / they then find where the front door is and no ALIMONY.

 

i know it has got little to do with Thai marriages 

 

BUT

 

There is a BIG LESSON HERE FELLAS