What is a Thai village wedding ceremony?

December 15, 2023 - Reading time: 8 minutes
Updated June 6, 2024

'Thai village weddings', are wedding ceremonies which often take place within the villages and towns of Thailand. The wedding ceremonies are usually attended by family, friends, monks, and people from the local community. The ceremonies are typically celebrated with a large feast for all attendees, music, and the consumption of alcohol. 

One notable difference between a Thai wedding ceremony and a wedding ceremony in many other countries, is that many Thai people choose not to legally register their marriage after holding a wedding ceremony. The aspect of becoming 'legally married' by registering the marriage is often seen as an unnecessary afterthought, which many people choose not to pursue. Instead, the act of holding a big ceremony itself is seen as bonifying the couple's relationship, without them becoming legally married.

Wedding ceremonies are important within Thai culture. They allow the bride and groom to demonstrate their love for each other, and to officially announce their relationship within their communities.

It is also thought by some that the act of holding a wedding ceremony will help to introduce their partner to the spirits and ghosts of their dead ancestors in the village.

Did you know? Thai law actually protects the sanctity of wedding vows, and so if you are in a relationship with a Thai lady that is currently married, then you could be sued by her husband. For this reason we recommend performing a background check on Thai girlfriends (or boyfriends), in order to verify their marital status and relationship history.

Can a village wedding help during the visa process?

If your Thai partner intends to apply for an overseas visa in future, or if you intend to live in Thailand long term in the future, then a village wedding is not likely to suffice for these purposes. You will need to register the marriage after your wedding ceremony in order to document your relationship for official purposes such as future visas.

What do I need to marry my Thai girlfriend in Thailand?

When getting married in Thailand, foreigners will need an 'affirmation of freedom to marry' document from their embassy, which states that they are currently unmarried in their home country. You will also need your passport, and certified translations of both. Your Thai partner will need to present their Thai ID card and Tabien Baan (house book).  

Read our guide 'How to get married in Thailand as a foreigner' for a detailed answer to this question.

Premarital background checks in Thailand

If you are considering marriage, then we can help to perform a premarital background check. Background checks can help to check and verify details relating to your partner's history before you take the step of committing to them and getting married.

Premarital checks can help you to learn about your partner's life before you commit to them, and to avoid any unwanted surprises in the future. Our background check service is 100% private and confidential. 

What is a sin sod or dowry?

During traditional Thai wedding ceremonies, a 'sin sod' or 'dowry' will often be on display for the guests to view. This is a payment which is made by the groom to the bride's family, as compensation for taking their daughter out of the family home.

In traditional Thai culture, daughters are usually responsible for helping to support their parents financially in their old age. In turn, grandparents will often help to raise their grandchildren while the parents work and send money back to them. The sin sod payment can represent a financial safety net for the bride's parents.

How much are dowries? Well, the sin sod/dowry payment can range anywhere from 100,000 THB up to 1,000,000 THB, or even several millions of baht in cases where wealthy people get married. The payment itself usually consists of cash and gold jewellery, but can also include vehicles or property/land deeds in some cases.

If the parents of your Thai bride are well off, or not in need of money, or not comfortable asking, then they might not request any money or assets from their daughter's groom. And in some cases, they might be OK with the groom displaying a pile of money and gold, but then keeping it after the ceremony and not giving it to them. Displaying money and gold allows the family to 'keep face' which is another important concept in Thai culture.

Are Thai weddings expensive?

Village wedding ceremonies are not usually expensive... Costs can include renting a venue, a sound system or live music, food/drinks, clothing/jewelry, and of course the dowry payment, if one is being paid.

However, this is not to say that all Thai people will favour a cheap ceremony. Many Thais like to splash out on their wedding day and can spend anywhere from 200,000 THB up to 1,000,000 THB, or even much more in some cases. 

Do I need to pay my Thai bride's parents when getting married?

There is often chatter online where foreigners boast about 'not paying a sin sod or dowry' or 'displaying a plate of money/gold then not giving it to her parents and taking it all back'. If you are considering marrying your Thai girlfriend, then it may be the case that your future in-laws do not ask for any payment from you on your wedding day. However, this will largely depend on their circumstances and beliefs.

Visit the home of your Thai girlfriend's parents and take a look around - are they living mortgage-free in a plush muban in an affluent part of town? Or are they living in a rickety old shack with a tin roof that leaks when it rains? How do they support themselves? What is their income? Do they rely on your girlfriend for financial support?

These are questions that you should ask yourself in determining whether or not your partner's parents are likely to need or request financial help in the form of a dowry or sin sod payment on your wedding day, and whether they are likely to need help in the future. Of course, for a true answer to this question, you will need to ask them directly.

Do I need a wedding ceremony when marrying my Thai partner?

This is a question that should be asked between your Thai fiancé, his or her family, along with yourself and your family. If you are content with just registering your marriage at a district office, then you do not need to hold any form of wedding ceremony at all, if you don't want to.

Of course, most people do opt to celebrate their marriage by holding some form of wedding ceremony, whether or not this is followed through by actually registering the marriage.

Related articles

• What You Need to Know Before Marrying a Thai Lady 
• Is adultery acceptable in Thailand? 
• Why you should run a background check on a Thai girlfriend