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Thai Marriage Ceremony?


sidsanuk

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Maybe someone can throw some light on this for me.

I am seperated and living in Australia, my GF lives in Bangkok. I get there on a monthly basis.

We intend to get married and live in Australia eventually, but will have to wait until I am legally divorced in about 12 months time.

My GF comes from a very moral family (Muslim). No sex before marriage and all that good stuff. Although she herself is not a practicing Muslim. Her family I think are not 'devout' Muslims. I would put them down as a 'good' if rather poor family. They live in Bangkok. Meeting them next week on my next trip :-) They sound great people.

Anyway...my question. Before allowing their precious daughter (who is a bit over 30) to dissapear down under with her farang boyfriend, my GF has suggested that it would put their mind at ease, if we got married first. eg before we co-habitate.

She understands that we cannot legally get married until I am legally divorced, but has suggested we have a religious ceremony, rather than a legal one.

I guess my questions to those 'in the know' are:

1. Does this religious ceremony have any legal standing. I do not want to be commiting bigamy!

2. What does it entail?

3. Does it confer any rights on the bride like a legal marriage. Not that I mind. After all I do love the girl. But just want to know what is involved.

I am happy to go along with it, as long as I am not breaking any laws.

Thanks.

Sid

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Hi I don't know about Muslim services but the Buddhist ceremony is not a legal marriage. To be legal you have to register the marriage.

Sounds like the ceremony will keep the family happy and you can do a legal/civil registration when you get unhitched.

I'm doing the same next month but a Buddhist one. Good Luck.

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quote:

Originally posted by coquetislander:

Hi I don't know about Muslim services but the Buddhist ceremony is not a legal marriage. To be legal you have to register the marriage.

Sounds like the ceremony will keep the family happy and you can do a legal/civil registration when you get unhitched.

I'm doing the same next month but a Buddhist one. Good Luck.

Yes. It's basically to keep the family happy :-) Just want to make sure I am not signing myself up for something without knowing :-)

Thanks

Chok Dee

Sid

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Hi,

"1. Does this religious ceremony have any legal standing."

No.

"2. What does it entail?"

I don't know about a muslim wedding, but my Thai wedding entailed lots of chanting, some water splashing and lots of food and booze.

There is a nice article describing my wedding inside the memberarea of the main site.

"3. Does it confer any rights on the bride like a legal marriage."

Not as far as I know.

Sanuk!

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sidsanuk,

Attended the wedding ceremony of a Muslim Thai girl to a Chinese Thai guy. I don't know if it was typical but it was a rather low key event held in the bride's sister's house.

Believe the guy had to convert to Islam prior to the wedding ceremony. The ceremony involved the Muslim holy man reading from a holy book to the groom while they sat on the floor in the living room.

What was interesting was that the bride was not welcome to participate. She was shunted away into the kitchen on the occasions when she attempted to sit next to her groom.

Food followed the ceremony as at a Buddhist wedding.

Cheers,

SD

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quote:

Originally posted by Spinning Dwarf:

sidsanuk,

Attended the wedding ceremony of a Muslim Thai girl to a Chinese Thai guy. I don't know if it was typical but it was a rather low key event held in the bride's sister's house.

Believe the guy had to convert to Islam prior to the wedding ceremony. The ceremony involved the Muslim holy man reading from a holy book to the groom while they sat on the floor in the living room.

What was interesting was that the bride was not welcome to participate. She was shunted away into the kitchen on the occasions when she attempted to sit next to her groom.

Food followed the ceremony as at a Buddhist wedding.

Cheers,

SD

Yea...I got the impression it was a fairly low key affair. Thankfully there is no need to convert. Her parents' was a mixed marriage. Think it her her Mother that is Muslim. So I'm off the hook on taht one.

Thanks

Sid

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Let me preface this by stating that I am no expert on Thai laws, but I have been told by my wife that when a Thai woman marries a foreigner here, in Thailand, and then registers the marriage in her local government district office that she loses her right to own land in Thailand. However, if the marriage takes place outside of Thailand and is then registered in the local district office, having been first approved by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, then the wife (not sure if it would apply to a Thai husband)does retain her land holding rights.

I know, it sounds wacky to me, too. Has anyone else ever heard of this type of marriage forfeiture?

I was told about this during a discussion of the subject by my wife and, what I would consider to be, a group of well educated Thais. I might add that I wouldn't be surprised if I completely misunderstood what they were talking about. It wouldn't be the first time.

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quote:

Originally posted by sidsanuk:

My GF comes from a very moral family (Muslim). No sex before marriage and all that good stuff. Although she herself is not a practicing Muslim. Her family I think are not 'devout' Muslims. I would put them down as a 'good' if rather poor family. They live in Bangkok. Meeting them next week on my next trip :-) They sound great people.

 

Sid

HI sid

think you need to be a wee bit careful here, and find out a little bit more first. While a bhuddist ceremony may not be legally binding,a muslim one *may* be a bit more complicated. I am hedging a lot here as my knowledge of muslim weddings etc is more for sing/malaysia/indo, and I really lack specifics as to Thailand....

Be that as it may, I am some what surprised that she is suggesting a relig ceremony, as AFAICR, you have to be a muslim to get married to a muslim! This is a tenet of the religion, and can't see any iman passively agreeing to perform a wedding under these conditions...of course, it could be a"double header"..conversion +wedding!!

anyway, you prob need to get a few more specific first..

good luck

-j-

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A mate of mine married an Indonesian girl and I think he had to receive some instruction in Islam first.. whether that was conversion or not I don't know. Kept everyone sweet though.

Remember Muslims can have 4 wives... but then again, you've suffered enough already eh! Only joking.

Good luck, mate.

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quote:

Originally posted by josh_ingu:

HI sid

think you need to be a wee bit careful here, and find out a little bit more first. While a bhuddist ceremony may not be legally binding,a muslim one *may* be a bit more complicated. I am hedging a lot here as my knowledge of muslim weddings etc is more for sing/malaysia/indo, and I really lack specifics as to Thailand....

Be that as it may, I am some what surprised that she is suggesting a relig ceremony, as AFAICR, you have to be a muslim to get married to a muslim! This is a tenet of the religion, and can't see any iman passively agreeing to perform a wedding under these conditions...of course, it could be a"double header"..conversion +wedding!!

anyway, you prob need to get a few more specific first..

good luck

-j-

 

Thanks for the advice. I'll check it out a bit more first when i am there next week :-)

Sid

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