Married in UK, are we Legally Married In Thailand?

[Big Boy]

Yes, on my first annual extension, but I guess hhfarang and many others have done that also.

[Dannie Boy]

Yes, on my first annual extension, but I guess hhfarang and many others have done that also.

Doesn't that suggest then, that the marriage certificate is recognised?

[Big Boy]

As I said in my original response..... As far as I was aware..... A marriage that takes place in the UK is recognised world-wide......

Yes you did, and thank you very much.

The bit I'm struggling to get to grips with though is that hhfarang does not believe a USA marriage is similarly recognised.

However, TIT, and I was equally bemused a couple of weeks ago when I learnt a Euro Driving Licence would only be accepted without further evidence by the licencing authority if was issued in the UK.

I like your Amphur suggestion - we've got to go up there in a couple of weeks time, I'll get Mrs BB to check it out, and will report back what they say. This must affect quite a few people out here.

[Big Boy]

Yes, on my first annual extension, but I guess hhfarang and many others have done that also.

Doesn't that suggest then, that the marriage certificate is recognised?

hhfarang, you've almost certainly had to do this as well. What are your views on this please?

[Dannie Boy]

As I said in my original response..... As far as I was aware..... A marriage that takes place in the UK is recognised world-wide......

Yes you did, and thank you very much.

The bit I'm struggling to get to grips with though is that hhfarang does not believe a USA marriage is similarly recognised.

However, TIT, and I was equally bemused a couple of weeks ago when I learnt a Euro Driving Licence would only be accepted without further evidence by the licencing authority if was issued in the UK.

I like your Amphur suggestion - we've got to go up there in a couple of weeks time, I'll get Mrs BB to check it out, and will report back what they say. This must affect quite a few people out here.

I have just reread HHF's comment and I think he is referring to a marriage here in Thailand not being recognised unless it's been registered at the Amphur office?

[jimk]

If you register your marriage anywhere in the world you are automatically married everywhere. If you don't register it, you're not married (in the eyes of the law). It would appear that hhfarang, who says he has never registered his marriage, is not legally married.

[Big Boy]

But hhfarang did say, "We got legally married in the U.S."

[HHTel]

I was married in Thailand to my Thai wife and it is recognised in the UK (although you need an English translation). My friend married his Thai wife in the UK and it is recognised in Thailand. There is no need to register in the other country as the marriage certificates issued are legal documents and are valid in both countries.

Just as an aside, BB, that paper you signed in the land office has no legal status. That means that if you were ever to divorce (god forbid), you will be entitled to 50% of the property.

[Dannie Boy]

But hhfarang did say, "We got legally married in the U.S."

But he also said,
"If you only have the Buddhist ceremony (as a lot of people do in the villages) and do not register it with the proper paperwork with the government, you are not married under Thai law. We did not register ours because of some archaic laws that were in place back then that if a Thai woman married a foreigner, she lost the rights to legally own land and vote here. I think those laws are no longer in effect but I'm not certain of that".
Hopefully HHF will clarify his intentions?

[Big Boy]

I took it to mean he was the same as me. Proper wedding in my home country, and a Buddhist ceromony in Thailand - both.

[Ratsima]

A marriage which is legally recognized in the jurisdiction in which it takes place is generally recognized worldwide. There are exceptions. For example, a country in which same sex marriage is not recognized probably would not recognize any same-sex marriage. There have been periods during which the Phillipines would not recognize subsequent marriages of Filippinos who obtained divorces abroad. Countries which do not permit polygamous marriage may not recognize any but the first marriage in a polygamous relationship.

[sargeant]

Dannie boy

We did not register ours because of some archaic laws that were in place back then that if a Thai woman married a foreigner, she lost the rights to legally own land and vote here. I think those laws are no longer in effect but I'm not certain of that".

that is correct they were revoked in 1997/8 as part of the IMF loan

[Huahinian]

We were married in the UK and did not register the marriage in Thailand because of the now revoked land ownership laws. We were told by the British Embassy that any marriage to a Thai national is only recognised if a Thai marriage certificate is held. We had to get a notarised and translated copy of our UK marriage certificate and ask, read beg, the tessabahn for a Thai certificate.

[jimk]

Oops, sorry. Didn't realise hhfarang had said he was married in the US. So he's in the same position as my wife and I. We were married in Hong Kong and never registered here because of the misogynistic laws of the time, and her ID card and Thai passport are still in her maiden name. I suppose this could be a problem for me regarding property we've bought should she predecease me.

[Ratsima]

We were married in the UK and did not register the marriage in Thailand because of the now revoked land ownership laws. We were told by the British Embassy that any marriage to a Thai national is only recognised if a Thai marriage certificate is held. We had to get a notarised and translated copy of our UK marriage certificate and ask, read beg, the tessabahn for a Thai certificate.

Hey that's great. So, you can get married to a Thai in the UK and then when you move to Thailand and fail to register the marriage it's OK to get married to someone else since Thailand doesn't recognize the UK marriage. Good deal.

I bet the family court would have a good time with that one.