Thread: Pro's and Con's of registering marriage

Couldn't find this particular question so I thought i'd throw it out there.

I want to know what are the legal pro's and con's of registering you marriage in Thailand.

3 years ago we had our buddhist marriage wedding blessing ceremony but we never actually got round to registering it. At the time I was worried about her loosing her rights to buy land but I've heard that thats changed now. So I was going to go to get the affermation of marriage certificate today from the embassy but my boss stopped me by saying that 6 years ago when he got married his lawyer strongly advised him against it. His lawyer is Thai and said that even he didn't register it because there is no benifit to the couple.

We want to buy a house in the future whether it be by cash or mortgage, in her name or a company name. And I have a full work permit so I don't need to do it for the visa.

I'm sure there must be more issues to this than just the land one knowing this country.

Can anyone confirm the situation with the land rights and if anyone knows any other backwards laws then chuck them in here.

Advise will be much appreciated.

tax benefits.

don't have the schedule at hand, but you pay less if you are married.

If you are officially married, the inheritance will go to the survivor, if not, to the next of kin. Of course one could make provisions through a will without getting married, I have.

Don't change her last name on her ID card or Passport to your surname and she will be able to own land still.

Or have a child

Originally Posted by Mr Pot

Don't change her last name on her ID card or Passport to your surname and she will be able to own land still.

not true, I'm quite certain that name change makes no difference whatsoever.

^ Fair enough but worth checking out, it was my wife who informed me with a few others agreeing; something along the lines that farang surnames cannot own land.

I did it (registered) just as a matter of course at the time. With the benefit of hindsight it has been useful; things like taxes (already mentioned) and admin stuff for cars/houses/kids.

Also once the kids were born it would've had to have been done anyway to apply for their NZ citizenship. Can't say I've suffered (or even heard of) a single draw-back/con as yet?

Originally Posted by ChiangMai noon

Originally Posted by Mr Pot

Don't change her last name on her ID card or Passport to your surname and she will be able to own land still.

not true, I'm quite certain that name change makes no difference whatsoever.

Yep I can confirm that - name change has no material affect...

...Well other than some silly tart in Dubai not wanting to let the wife on the plane because she couldn't work out the name-change in the wifes passport.

Originally Posted by ChiangMai noon

tax benefits.

don't have the schedule at hand, but you pay less if you are married.

::Personal Income Tax::

You're not legally married until you register the marriage.

You can have a different buddhist ceremony every week until the cows come home.

You still ain't married.

Aren't you liable for the other when married, for gambling debts for example?

Originally Posted by Texpat

You're not legally married until you register the marriage.

yes, but he's asking if there are any benefits to legalising.

Originally Posted by ChiangMai noon

tax benefits.

can be reasonably substantial if your company HR is on the ball, as counts towards mortgages etc.

Originally Posted by AntRobertson

Can't say I've suffered (or even heard of) a single draw-back/con as yet? __________________

ditto except queen betty is now aware of my nuptuials and that im off the market

Originally Posted by Mr Pot

Don't change her last name on her ID card or Passport to your surname and she will be able to own land still.

Thats bullshit, 7 years ago my wife changer her name when we were registering and had a new ID card made and it has changed nothing in her life or rights of birth in Thailand.
But like has been said, you have no legal marriage til it is registered.

Originally Posted by AntRobertson

I did it (registered) just as a matter of course at the time. With the benefit of hindsight it has been useful; things like taxes (already mentioned) and admin stuff for cars/houses/kids.

Also once the kids were born it would've had to have been done anyway to apply for their NZ citizenship. Can't say I've suffered (or even heard of) a single draw-back/con as yet?

I believe, not entirely sure of this though, that an unmarried father has no right of access to or custody of the children in the event of separation. If fact, I think I've read that an unmarried father has no legal rights over his children at all.

love the way Ant lists cars before kids.

Originally Posted by DrB0b

an unmarried father has no legal rights over his children at all.

What about mia noi's?

Originally Posted by DrB0b

Originally Posted by AntRobertson

I did it (registered) just as a matter of course at the time. With the benefit of hindsight it has been useful; things like taxes (already mentioned) and admin stuff for cars/houses/kids.

Also once the kids were born it would've had to have been done anyway to apply for their NZ citizenship. Can't say I've suffered (or even heard of) a single draw-back/con as yet?

I believe, not entirely sure of this though, that an unmarried father has no right of access to or custody of the children in the event of separation. If fact, I think I've read that an unmarried father has no legal rights over his children at all.

You mean ... that men here can ... legally -- just walk away without any responsibility or right of access or custody to his children if he fails to register his marriage?

No way!

Originally Posted by Texpat

You're not legally married until you register the marriage.

Yup, I understand this, which is why I want to know as much about the situation as possible before I do it.

I do still refer to her as my wife though because it would be a bit weird calling her my girlfriend after the ceromony and being together for 6 years.

I'm liking the sound of these tax benifits.

Originally Posted by Texpat

You mean ... that men here can ... legally -- just walk away without any responsibility or right of access or custody to his children if he fails to register his marriage?

If he did though he would loose the right to call himself a man!

One thing I remember my employer doing at my last job was splitting my wage between me and the wife 60/40 percent in order to save tax

^I do that now. Saves me about 8,000 a month off my tax bill.

Originally Posted by Texpat

You mean ... that men here can ... legally -- just walk away without any responsibility or right of access or custody to his children if he fails to register his marriage?

No way!

Indeed not.

They are liable for alimony, in theory. The provision is there.