Thailand Thread

[rsn 135]

Anyone have any experience with or knowledge of wedding receptions in Udon? I'm looking for cost estimates and recommendations. ~100 ppl.

Well it depend on the style of the wedding, We had a county style wedding at my wife mothers house, not a formal one. If you think catholic wedding are long, Mine was 4 hours long, with 5 different ceremonies. That is not counting the party. In the end I think it cost me 5k for everything. Rings, Dresses oh yes they wear 2 of them haha, flowers, food, drinks, D-jay, dancer, monks, food for monks, photos, invitations and the big factor in this is the dowry.

I know many people have different views on the dowry so this may start a nice heated thread.

5k USD or THB? I'm guessing you mean USD, but I want to make sure. We are looking at a formal one. Preliminary guesses are around 2k THB/table for the hall/food alone (not too bad I think). Looks like there are 2 or 3 hotels that are reccomended in Udon for this sort of thing too.

As far as the sin sod, I'm definitely not looking to start a debate on that one. Too many of those over on Thaivisa.com as it is.

Yeap 5K USD, does that cover the drinks or you have to supply that. It is funny how everything adds up. Have to do gifts, DJ, flowers, cake, hair and makeup, photos, rings. My wife do not go all out and was on the cheap side of buying thing, she ready work hard at keeping the cost down. But its adds up fast and hard to say no to some things. It was her first wedding and the first wedding of the family. I think the county style wedding has more cost to it, but I think more fun and more.

Well I been on Thaivisa.com and read some post there, There are a different crowd of people!!!

We will definitely be looking to keep costs down, even though it will be both the first for both of us as well. Well, sorta. We will have a reception in Chicago for my side, then another one in Udon for her family/friends. So 2 receptions will really add up.

Edited July 14, 2009 by rsn

[John & Nan 0]

Anyone have any experience with or knowledge of wedding receptions in Udon? I'm looking for cost estimates and recommendations. ~100 ppl.

Well it depend on the style of the wedding, We had a county style wedding at my wife mothers house, not a formal one. If you think catholic wedding are long, Mine was 4 hours long, with 5 different ceremonies. That is not counting the party. In the end I think it cost me 5k for everything. Rings, Dresses oh yes they wear 2 of them haha, flowers, food, drinks, D-jay, dancer, monks, food for monks, photos, invitations and the big factor in this is the dowry.

I know many people have different views on the dowry so this may start a nice heated thread.

5k USD or THB? I'm guessing you mean USD, but I want to make sure. We are looking at a formal one. Preliminary guesses are around 2k THB/table for the hall/food alone (not too bad I think). Looks like there are 2 or 3 hotels that are reccomended in Udon for this sort of thing too.

As far as the sin sod, I'm definitely not looking to start a debate on that one. Too many of those over on Thaivisa.com as it is.

Yeap 5K USD, does that cover the drinks or you have to supply that. It is funny how everything adds up. Have to do gifts, DJ, flowers, cake, hair and makeup, photos, rings. My wife do not go all out and was on the cheap side of buying thing, she ready work hard at keeping the cost down. But its adds up fast and hard to say no to some things. It was her first wedding and the first wedding of the family. I think the county style wedding has more cost to it, but I think more fun and more.

Well I been on Thaivisa.com and read some post there, There are a different crowd of people!!!

We will definitely be looking to keep costs down, even though it will be both the first for both of us as well. Well, sorta. We will have a reception in Chicago for my side, then another one in Udon for her family/friends. So 2 receptions will really add up.

Good luck on the wedding plans. Just relax and enjoy it.

[HYENA 4]

I paid 6k dowry, they gave half of it back and about $1500 went to the wedding, two dresses and party even marching band. It all depends on if the people coming to perform (family performed to a CD doing a traditional dance and local high school kids did the arbor and flowers)...the family was superb in cutting costs and getting bang for the buck. All the relatives did the cooking, we only paid about $30 in booze afterwards (dry wedding-Buddhist) and skipped the monks; a village elder did it. About $125 or so for a video "company" (guy with a camcorder who had no clue what he was doing).

That freed up a LOT of money I paid in gold. Gold is always better than dowry IMHO. So mom kept maybe 1500-2k to pay off fiancee's land and normal stuff they needed, fiancees got several ounces of gold, mom a 24k necklace (emergency for us she said) and we had the best time! I didn't really like having to dance on the long walk to her house but i was happy so dance I did! I thought I looked like a monkey, they said it was exceptional (how relatives can be polite)!

I am lucky to have the family I have. They don't have a nickel but they'd give you the world. Love em and I'm honored to be related now (soon legally related when we get here in the US and marry "on paper" since the Thai one was paperless).

I suppose it all depends on family status and expectations. My in laws were funny. They said "OK, have a big party, everyone eat, drink, kee and yao and nothing after" so that set the pace on their decisions for what was important for the ceremony and what was better to keep in the family for money-making potential later.

so...wedding 1500, dowry 1500 (what they didn't return), gold 13,000 USD. She's bringing most of the gold here minus the mom necklace and small bracelets for the girls. Oh...paid off estranged dad who dropped by for 10k baht

Edited July 14, 2009 by HYENA

[HYENA 4]

I went heavy on the gold and lighter on the cash (actually the "show" amount was OK from what I understand) since I had some gold anyway (I'm now a believer in gold). I may have left out the dress purchase and rentals (she'll wear one here) maybe 300 for both max and my suit purchase and nun-kaben purchase (the baggy MC hammer pants) which were about 130....suit rentals for the men and women..forgot...maybe another couple hundred so add a grand in I missed since I paid that out much earlier.

So....5 grand sounds about right for a formal thing depending on how formal if your family is careful. Mine were sensitive because anything spent on wedding (how they viewed it) came out of the dowry they'd keep and they are financially very unfortunate. I just can't decide who to pray to in order to lead me to the right path of prosperity since I've got BIG responsibilities now. Whoever will answer works for me (any suggestions)

Oh...gifts...2 dollar bills and fans and cash to who was important (little bit not too much). Local grade school teachers wrote on the fans our names and the date...it was cute! lucky 2 dollar bills were in gold saches tied on to the fans

Edited July 14, 2009 by HYENA

[John & Nan 0]

I went heavy on the gold and lighter on the cash (actually the "show" amount was OK from what I understand) since I had some gold anyway (I'm now a believer in gold). I may have left out the dress purchase and rentals (she'll wear one here) maybe 300 for both max and my suit purchase and nun-kaben purchase (the baggy MC hammer pants) which were about 130....suit rentals for the men and women..forgot...maybe another couple hundred so add a grand in I missed since I paid that out much earlier.

So....5 grand sounds about right for a formal thing depending on how formal if your family is careful. Mine were sensitive because anything spent on wedding (how they viewed it) came out of the dowry they'd keep and they are financially very unfortunate. I just can't decide who to pray to in order to lead me to the right path of prosperity since I've got BIG responsibilities now. Whoever will answer works for me (any suggestions)

Oh...gifts...2 dollar bills and fans and cash to who was important (little bit not too much). Local grade school teachers wrote on the fans our names and the date...it was cute! lucky 2 dollar bills were in gold saches tied on to the fans

I told my wife, she could have more dowry and gold or I could come to Thailand more and we can marry sooner. They picked we marry sooner and I come more. I think for the family it was more "show" money also.

[HYENA 4]

Despite all the horror stories, I think most families get it. Early on, my teerak said she thought farangs were made of money throwing houses up here and there. She now understands everyone in the world has to work for money but growing up that's not what she was taught and it seems some people take pleasure in rubbing it in.

Once we were engaged for a few months, a neighbor came to my in laws house (shack, really) and was mocking them saying "what's the matter, your daughter has a farang so where's the house? Where's the gold? You're still poor and have nothing; look at you, still dirt poor so he's a loser, too....."

This was shocking but I later learned this is how my fiancee grew up. It is a terribly cruel culture and being an unliked northerner makes it twice as hard. Kids would tease her saying "your father left, your father left...because your family is no good...now you have no father and you're poor hahahaha". She actually pushed a girl out a window (tried to kill her) for doing that once in school. it's so sad; only because of money she had to stop school in 5th grade to work the farm since dad left them then a sweat shop in BKK and she put her way through beauty school which was when i met her. These are good, smart people who just need a chance. I'm praying for some source of income to figure out a sustainable business plan to keep them fed and get them better living conditions. All kids are back to school since right now it's not that expensive and if they don't have school, they're doomed. I won't budge on that regardless of how much money I have, school for whoever can is a must.

I'm honored to have the family I now have. I only wish I could help them more...funny thing is they wish they could help me more, too (since I lost my income source day after I got my plane ticket). Yeah, I thought more gold was a better idea so she's bringing that here in case we have harder times ahead so it's really just an investment for us not really a dowry...all just show and giving them some money didn't bother me a bit.

What does bother me is the paranoia and stories (try thaivisa) they go on and on about scammers, etc. but no one likely remembers the stories that worked out really well.

Only the horror stories will take the time to tell all about it while the successes are quietly happy.

Edited July 15, 2009 by HYENA

[John & Nan 0]

I feel I lucked out with nan. I would say they are middle income family, all the kids had to go to the university per grandfather and have a good job. Nan and her family have never ask for money, I am the one always ask Nan if she need money. I wanted Nan home and taking care of Chase our son not working. The one thing Nan and me decided on was to help support and pay for the schooling of one of her cousins. He is 3 years old boy that was abandoned by his parents. At first we where talk about adopting him, but her aunt also want too. so we decided just to help.

I do believe the horror stories, I went thought then with my first Asian girl friend.I can say that was all about money money money for her.

I feel I lucked out with nan. I would say they are middle income family, all the kids had to go to the university per grandfather and have a good job. Nan and her family have never ask for money, I am the one always ask Nan if she need money. I wanted Nan home and taking care of Chase our son not working. The one thing Nan and me decided on was to help support and pay for the schooling of one of her cousins. He is 3 years old boy that was abandoned by his parents. At first we where talk about adopting him, but her aunt also want too. so we decided just to help.

I do believe the horror stories, I went thought then with my first Asian girl friend.I can say that was all about money money money for her.

[thaigecko 0]

Hey all, quick question to change topics quick. My wife has her interview in bkk for a CR-1 in the end of August, and I'm probly thinking about it more than I should, but with all the bad stories coming out of this embassy, want to make sure we're ready. Only thing that concerns me is having to show proof of relationship. From what I've read many people have had issues with this, but not sure if it's as hard for a CR-1. I've been "living" here in Thailand with her for a year and a half(one of those guys doing visa runs every 90 days) and just working unofficially teaching english before and then helping my wife with her business, but we don't have a single thing really in both our names besides the marriage certificate. The only thing we'll have is tons of pictures from the past year and half. Will this be enough you think? I'll be 'around' the embassy during the interview, but from what I hear they don't even want the husband there during the interview. Anyway, thanks for the thoughts and input on experiences, just want to have all my ducks in a row.

[Thai family 0]

Hey all, quick question to change topics quick. My wife has her interview in bkk for a CR-1 in the end of August, and I'm probly thinking about it more than I should, but with all the bad stories coming out of this embassy, want to make sure we're ready. Only thing that concerns me is having to show proof of relationship. From what I've read many people have had issues with this, but not sure if it's as hard for a CR-1. I've been "living" here in Thailand with her for a year and a half(one of those guys doing visa runs every 90 days) and just working unofficially teaching english before and then helping my wife with her business, but we don't have a single thing really in both our names besides the marriage certificate. The only thing we'll have is tons of pictures from the past year and half. Will this be enough you think? I'll be 'around' the embassy during the interview, but from what I hear they don't even want the husband there during the interview. Anyway, thanks for the thoughts and input on experiences, just want to have all my ducks in a row.

Let her take your passport to the interview if you aren't allowed in. It proves your strong interest in the case. Others will have other ideas. I don't think proof of relationship is as critical for CR-1 visas, because she already has an approved I-130, where some proving was required.

Thai Mom

Thai Mom

[sunnysayan 0]

Dear Thai Experts,

Quick change of topic....

Just found this forum, and it’s been very helpful! I posted something like this in the DCF section; hope its ok I post here too.

We are in the beginning of filling our I-130/IRC-1. and we want to include our assets in Thailand/SEA. My husband owns land and we have a rental property. We also have rental property in Indonesia in my name. The rental income will continue. So my question is:

Where do we find an approved USCIS licensed appraiser to do a valuation? Or do we just translate our deeds / bills of sale / long-term lease? A simple translation won’t show the current value.

Are we required to add this info on our US income taxes? Currently Uncle Sam does not know of our overseas property holdings and if we don’t- will we be flagged?

Thanks all! S&S

[daboyz 36]

http://www.bangkokpost.com/breakingnews/14...-birthday-party

Good to know that if I steal billions of Baht, I can go hang out in Dubai and they'll throw me a party.

[John & Nan 0]

http://www.bangkokpost.com/breakingnews/14...-birthday-party

Good to know that if I steal billions of Baht, I can go hang out in Dubai and they'll throw me a party.

Oh will you invite me to your party ???

Edited July 21, 2009 by John & Nan

[HYENA 4]

Dear Thai Experts,

Quick change of topic....

Just found this forum, and it’s been very helpful! I posted something like this in the DCF section; hope its ok I post here too.

We are in the beginning of filling our I-130/IRC-1. and we want to include our assets in Thailand/SEA. My husband owns land and we have a rental property. We also have rental property in Indonesia in my name. The rental income will continue. So my question is:

Where do we find an approved USCIS licensed appraiser to do a valuation? Or do we just translate our deeds / bills of sale / long-term lease? A simple translation won’t show the current value.

Are we required to add this info on our US income taxes? Currently Uncle Sam does not know of our overseas property holdings and if we don’t- will we be flagged?

Thanks all! S&S

I would talk to a lawyer if u have the funds unless your straight income alone meets the posted requirements for 2009. Siam legal has a division pretty good with land and all this sort of thing. Don't worry about the assistants if you get hung up on; it's the lawyers you need (don't let it distract you-my fiancee met two other women who had "issues" with this one or possibly two assistants there but all agreed the firm is solid).

My fiancee and I had excellent advice the whole way I was self employed so I made sure to report enough which I would have reported that amount anyway.

For my property I just wrote down the value and the mortgage; didn't have anything official. They never asked.

The interview was rapid; 10 minutes. Check the straight income charts to see, then apply only what you need to meet the guidelines.

Just like the interview; answer only what's asked. My fiancee elaborated on one answer and almost got in hot water for it but the interviewer was nice and corrected her and they moved to the second and last question before saying OK.

If you don't NEED the income for the property, jsut write it down but don't worry about proof. Make sure you have enough provable income; I doubt they look at the rest unless you're below 125% poverty guidelines. That's what I'd do, anyway--keep it simple and quick.

Edited July 24, 2009 by HYENA

[daboyz 36]

The other foot drops. Only a matter of time.

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/Thailand-eli...rs-t283511.html

They dont want us there.

[daboyz 36]

http://www.nationmultimedia.com/2009/07/29...al_30108573.php

Gotta love it! They don't mention anything about Cowboy, Nana, or Patpong. I guess the Karaoke people don't send enough cash to the cops.