Intercultural relationships in Thailand
We invite you to share some fun anecdotes and information regarding intercultural marriages and relationships in Thailand. This will provide some insight to current and future expats regarding relationship norms in mixed relationships and marriages in Thailand.
What are some of the best things about being in an intercultural relationship/marriage?
What are some challenges that you have faced or are currently facing? How do you address them?
Are intercultural relationships/marriages common and accepted in Thailand?
What are the benefits to being in an intercultural relationship/marriage?
Do you have any fun or interesting anecdotes to share regarding dating norms and rules for intercultural relationships/marriages?
Thank you for sharing your experience,
Priscilla
- Dating in Thailand - Guide
- Phuket Thailand - 1 Reply
- Thai- Farang relationship--- some advice please - 103 Replies
- Newbie to thailand - 4 Replies
- Maintaining a long distance relationship as an expat in Thailand - 4 Replies
- Retiring to Thailand - 8 Replies
- Retirement In Thailand - 6 Replies
Most guys will have their eyes glaze over and their mouths go dry at hearing or seeing the word relationship.聽 The best you are likely to get is, 鈥渨omen, can鈥檛 live with them, can鈥檛 live without them.鈥澛 They will pat themselves on the back and assure each other than no one could possibly understand women so why try.
Now if you ask a question about visas, jobs or cheap food, shelter, transportation or sex then you may get some answers.聽 Anything you can measure or quantify is good too.

Marriage is easy get married
Making it legal is a challenge trip to Bangkok then back to my wife鈥檚聽 local Amphur , All said and done 7-10 Days.Be prepared to pay some Mothers Milk $$$$ To the Parents or Family
Gotta be adaptive and flexible to a different culture and way , Compared to America , Europe, Australia or U.K.
I love it personally my wife and Family are great to me

I guessed if I stepped out onto the dance floor first, others might follow.

Nor did I pay Mothers Milk , But have Friends that did

What you take into the marriage is (by way of a prenuptial agreement) yours
What you acquire in the marriage is 50/50 even if wife puts nothing in except "in kind work"
A Will can sort out issues but bare in mind the above
I see 20 ish women with 65 + year old guys and so is this love?
This may sound cynical however in my line of work I see it all
MMA says protect yourself at all times and the same applies here
Don't leave your brain on the plane
Havent had much time to think about this subject really, but one thing I do know being British the sort of humour we are used to in the U.K. is vastly different to many other countries but particularly in Thailand.
Very easy to assume the sort of wacky, dry, sometimes almost sarcastic humour we are always using in my country is the norm. and if you are not careful can be misread in almost the opposite way in Thailand.聽 So my advice is to get to know people well before practising this somewhat unusual form of being funny until you have a firm relationship and others know you well. Can be misconstrued as to be even insulting by so many other nationalities rather than what was really intended.
Learnt the hard way!聽 Take note.
John
1. Best thing in intercultural relationship is that both partners remain curious to each other's culture,
聽 聽 norms. So things not get bored.
2. Among the challenges, one challenge is that sometimes we may not read the psychology of our
聽 聽 partners as these things vary due to culture, environment etc.
3. It is not common in rural area. But it is acceptable in urban areas.
4. There are lots of benifits. You can get to know new people, food, culture. And new things never gets
聽 聽 bored untill its get very old.
Klingon63 wrote:Well let me see
![]()
Marriage is easy get marriedMaking it legal is a challenge trip to Bangkok then back to my wife鈥檚聽 local Amphur , All said and done 7-10 Days.
Be prepared to pay some Mothers Milk $$$$ To the Parents or Family![]()
Gotta be adaptive and flexible to a different culture and way , Compared to America , Europe, Australia or U.K.
I love it personally my wife and Family are great to me
聽 聽And there is the sick buffalo scam.聽
I lived and worked there in the South for 8 years.聽 I had a love/hate relationship with the kingdom.聽 聽I liked the girls just fine.聽 Hated the boyz, in general.聽 It's a pretty landscape for sure.聽 Great food, hard to learn language.聽
Hotter than sh*t in the lowlands.聽 Never live in a country where they believe in reincarnation.聽 聽Unsafe drivers beyond belief.
I tend not to be judge mental of others feed back and opinions , So sorry you鈥檝e had such bad experiences and feelings in Thailand and seem to be a tad on the anti Religion thing.
That鈥檚 ok your choice and opinion , I tend to be friendly here take what applies to me and leave what does not.
I personally believe in reincarnation, I鈥檝e interestly been reading about Biocenterism聽 very interesting.
As for bad people there鈥檚 good and bad everywhere in the World , So you have to make your choices where you feel comfortable.
The same applies for weather , Personally I love the weather in Thailand !!!
As for drivers you are correct there crazy here , But if you keep your eyes and ears open you can mostly overcome that issue , My Wife is Thai she drives well and is very alert in avoiding those types of drivers and giving them wide brith in there crazy driving.
Buffalo and Thai women ,聽 Again there鈥檚 scammers everywhere in the world.
Just use coomon senses and you will largely avoid this.
Best to You
Cheers
Bob T. U.S. Citizen/ Retired Resident in Nakhon Ratchasima Thailand Proudly and Happily

Thai men are mostly lazy and if they can get the wife or girlfriend to get easy money then they will pressure them. Thai men have whats called "sweet mouth" and this is sometimes like lying to the women to get what they want (usually money) then they go off and spend it on whiskey and other women.
This is not stereo typing as it is very common. Learnt from fathers actions over the years.
If you can find a women then most guys have them on salary. Sadly this is never enough.
If you want to protect you and your assets then do so with proper agreements in place that are signed and witnessed.
But above all - enjoy yourself and the country.
I have found that I am more tolerant these days than when I was with previous partners, but find the relationship smoother, she ticks all the boxes, makes no bones about wanting the money and to be looked after. But it鈥檚 the language difference, women in the West want exactly the same, she works hard in the relationship as well. We pay towards the upkeep of her dad, mum passed away a few years ago, we take the nieces on holiday with us, the older brother and wife sometimes tag along. The other brother got a great job always pays their way, even let me borrow his car for a week, didn鈥檛 want payment but I insisted he took what it would have cost to rent, he reluctantly took it in the end.
So overall I would say, it is win win.
Great read !!!
I鈥檝e live in Nakhon Ratchasima Thailand聽 with my Thai Wife for one year now but I traveled back and fourth from the U.S. to Thailand over 3 + years before coming to retire here , We live in a condo but in 9 Days we are moving to our newly constructed home.
As the same there is an age difference between me and my wife , She鈥欌檚 29 And I鈥檓 54 But it works well she gives 100% + in the relationship and her Family is great
Wish You , Wife and Family the Best
Best Regards
Bob T. American Citizen Retired Resident in
Nakhon Ratchasima Thailand

In the past I鈥檝e used Siam Legal Office in Bangkok , They have a website and can assist you from anywhere in the World.
Safe and dependable and I found whenever you get into a rut there great , Of course there鈥檚 a legal fee but best money I鈥檝e ever spent !!!
Best To You Good Luck !!
Klingon63 wrote:Hello,
Great read !!!
I鈥檝e live in Nakhon Ratchasima Thailand聽 with my Thai Wife for one year now but I traveled back and fourth from the U.S. to Thailand over 3 + years before coming to retire here , We live in a condo but in 9 Days we are moving to our newly constructed home.
As the same there is an age difference between me and my wife , She鈥欌檚 29 And I鈥檓 54 But it works well she gives 100% + in the relationship and her Family is great![]()
Wish You , Wife and Family the Best
Best Regards
Bob T. American Citizen Retired Resident in
Nakhon Ratchasima Thailand
Just wondering how can foreigner buy house in Thailand. I thought a foreigner could not own house & land. I am just wondering how can I buy a house & land but also protect myself and not lose my investment. My wife wants me to buy a house & land but I want to buy a condo so I can put in both our names. Someone just in last few days posted story of being kicked out of the home he and his temple married Thai wife built on land that he paid for.
I know in the US, if I bought house with my own separate money the house would be only in my name and my new wife would not have any legal rights to it. I could then WILL it to her or to my children if I wanted it to go to them.
So, if I buy a house in Thailand and have to put in wife's name then it is legally hers and i have no legal rights to it, is that correct?
I am not a fan of the company ploy as a way of getting around the law which forbids the ownership of land by foreigners.聽 It is not difficult to spot an inactive shell company set up to facilitate the purchase of land.聽 Speculators may be able to turnover properties and make enough profit to justify the risk of a government crackdown but there is a risk.
When we finally built this house we had been together for ten years and were in a very stable relationship.聽 I had no qualms about putting everything in her name at that point.聽 I am more concerned with providing for her future when I am gone than I am about protecting myself from her.聽 If that were an issue for me I never would have built this house.
Thanks for the info... Kindly
Even though we swapped the condo for a house with near eight times the floor space, the truth is we could never recover anywhere near the cost of this house and land.聽 I consider were I live an extravagance and not an investment, unlike the condo.聽 If you go for a condo, I would go for a starter unit in a better building with a better location as apposed to trying to minimize cost and maximize space.
You can also create a small or large聽 buisness and take 41% ownership and when she passes away it鈥檚 your property and home and vise versa for your wife.
I have a contact person that can provide info and full details聽 if your interested ?
You can however buy and own a condo or apartment if you choose so and out right have full ownership, Of course I would generate a will as a Protection factor.
Best of Luck
Regards
Bob Tyrrell
I have been doing much research on the pitfalls of intercultural relationships with Thai women. I believe I have found a good one. She has never asked me for a thing. Even when I offer she will not accept. I have known some American men who have been married to a Thai woman and their marriages all failed for similar reason.
Here is what I have learned:
1. Learn as much as possible about Thai culture as you possibly can. Accept the knowledge gained without having to understand the "why". I wasn't raised in their culture so it may not make any sense at all. Just accept the way it is but educate yourself so you can be prepared as well protected. Knowledge is power.
2. I decided to learn to speak, read and write Thai before I get to the country. Since it irritates the hell out of me to "press 1 for english" here in America I thought it best to not be a hypocrite. I found an excellent on line program with one on one classes via skype. It seems to be very important to my future Thai family that I be able to communicate with them.
3. Be open to religious freedom. I have started learning about buddhism so I can better understand my prospective Thai family.
4. Respect all people at all times. The display of respect is about the one bestowing the respect not the one who is receiving it. Represent yourself in the way you want to be seen
5. Realize that you are now a foreignor in a foreign land. It is good to be proud of where you came from but the assimlation process is up to you to adapt. It is not the Thai peoples responsibility to adapt to you.
6. I have decided that I would become a part of my new Thai family. Be a brother to your wifes siblings and a son to her parents, which means much more than it does in your homeland. Much more will be asked of you. Again, learn Thai customs and traditions.
7. I have no issues with providing financial assistance to her family. She owns the village market and she runs the family farm. I plan to help her build those up so she can produce more cash so less comes out of our personal accounts.
8. Communication!!! We discuss everything before hand. Her family seems to be quite surprised and happy that I think the way I do.
It is all up to you.聽 Good luck
Bob

I think you are correct in your assumptions about the UK, I am late sixties and I find it distasteful the crap that often come out of their mouths. I think a lot of it is to do with the way they are brought up these days, not knowing when to draw the line. I think years ago when I was a youngster there was more respect towards all races, but sadly not today, I also think your country was responsible for this to a certain degree, what happened your side of the pond surfaces on ours in a short time. I have lived and worked over there, and like our problem, you also suffer with it. I was talking to an English guy on a USA airforce base in the UK, we had just delivered some off road machines, he told me they had to keep them occupied as near 100% of their leisure time or they would kickoff, both on the base or down town, booze fuelled, no different than our lot.
I am lucky in the fact I was reared in a house where we were taught to respect other people and their property, RESPECT is what is lacking increasingly throughout the western world.
Great to read your reply鈥檚, just about to take a shower lol.
I totally agree with you, but in the defence of the younger generation, they don鈥檛 have the same values we hold, they haven鈥檛 had to fight as our fathers did. I have been lucky in my life that my father taught me to respect people until they showed me disrespect, but even then to walk away from them, rather that show aggression.
I think I can equate with you twist on it, my girl doesn鈥檛 seem to have a bad bone in her, so to speak. Her family are both generous and friendly towards me, if they ask for financial help they repay when they say they will. The help is a reciprocal situation, usually when the exchange is bad or saves me getting the bank rate instead of the normal remittance company I use. I give them all a laugh as you say not meaning to.
Make your relocation easier with the Thailand expat guide

Working in Chiang Mai
Chiang Mai's ethnic diversity, breathtaking scenery, and the聽multitude of festivals and attractions ...

Relocating to Thailand
If you are planning to relocate to Thailand, you may wish to ship your belongings and furniture, especially if the ...

Accommodation in Phuket
Phuket is a popular destination for expatriates working or retiring on the island. Its expat community is also ...

Working in Pattaya
Pattaya may not be as idyllic as some of Thailand's other beach destinations. However, it is still one of the ...

Getting a landline or mobile phone in Thailand
Once you touch down in Thailand, you will probably want to get a mobile phone with a local Thai SIM so that you ...

Connecting to the Internet in Thailand
Having reliable internet is a priority for many foreigners living in Thailand 鈥 not just for work reasons if ...

Becoming a monk in Thailand

Finding Maternity Wear in Bangkok
I am not actually pregnant but my best friend here in Bangkok is and she was recently complaining (yet again!) ...
Forum topics on living in Thailand
大咖福利影院 for your expat journey



