KoratFart.com - Nakhon Ratchasima and Isaan Forum for Art, News & Culture

He doesn't look too healthy, then again living with the memory of stabbing your own mother to death must take a toll.

If that's him he has aged in the last few months.

The process is easier than he says . See an agent in BKK who will get the affirmation for you, translate it and, the next day, take you to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs where the translation will be verified and the marriage done all at the same time. If you do this alone you will wait three days for the translation - a bigger hotel bill or travel to and fro'. The cost of going solo is about the same as paying an agent and more stressful. Believe me, I've done it and know what I'm talking about.

A curse on amateurs who give poppycock advice. They lead people up the garden path.

At the time I married (1990) I went to my embassy and made a prepared sworn statement (notarized), written down in Thai and German, that I didn't know of any legal obstacles that could keep me from getting married to my wife-to be. Next day we were married at the Amphur Muang in Korat. By then it was as easy as that. But they changed the law a couple of times since then. That's why it's important to ask at the Amphur, what documents are needed now. By now it's really complicated and expensive getting the "Ehefähigkeitszeugnis" (like marriage license) from the German Embassy, and it takes at least two months, since it has to be checked and approved by the city of your last residence.. The plain document like residence registration from the hometown that shows your marital status, translated, translation certified and then legalized by the MFA has proven to be the cheaper and faster way to follow the Thai law. I do know quite a few who did this recently and had no problems.

Saf,

Make no doubts, that's him. 

His opening statement, "There are two types of marriages in Thailand." Then he refers to a Buddhist ceremony. The "ceremony" as he puts it, has NOTHING to do with getting legally married in Thailand other than to show face and go through the motions .  How many different religions are there?....and types of ceremonies?  He states there are only two in Thailand.  He is confusing ceremonies with REGISTRATION of a marriage which DOES NOT require any ceremony whatsoever except the proper documents.

It's about going down to the Amphur and REGISTERING your marriage.  In fact, if you have the proper documents, you can skip the ceremony and just head to the Amphur to register your marriage.  A ceremony doesn't mean sh.t to them.

There's another part he left out of his speech and that is your visa status...Not to mention that your newly wed bride must also have HER documents when she goes to the Amphur to get a marriage certificate. Then there's the trip to immigration to change your visa status to a Non-O if you wish to do so.

He's left out a lot of important info in his video. It took me two...TWO days to get my documentation.  First was the trip to Bangkok to get the letter from the embassy, then get it translated, and sent to the Ministry of foreign affairs, obtain the document from them (one with the green seal on it).  The US embassy will give you a certified list of Thai translation services who will not only translate for you, but take it over to the Ministry of foreign affairs.  I arrived at BBK at 9am and was on my way back to Korat at 4pm.  The next day, the wife and I went to the Amphur and received our marriage certificate....then headed out to immigration to have my visa changed to a Non-O. Never once, was the "ceremony" an issue.

When my wife and I married in Korat the official at the Amphur Muang asked us whether we wanted to have an agreement about keeping our fortunes separate, a prenuptial, registered as well. We both declined, and the 21 years since then have proven that decision right. But that is where lawyers do cash in, not telling people they can do that at the amphur without paying a lawyer. So, if you plan to make a prenuptial agreement with your wife-to-be, also do ask at the Amphur whether they can provide you with that service before stumbling into a greedy lawyer's high-cost trap.