The news report that Taiwan was the first country in Asia to pass a new law that also allows marriage between partners of the same sex got me thinking. It would be nice if Thailand did the same. But I would also like Thailand to take it a step further by giving polygamy a legal basis.
Polygamy. Having multiple partners is a beautiful old tradition in Siam/Thailand, of course mostly polygyny, polygamy, one man with several wives. But elsewhere in Asia there used to be a lot of polyandry, too, in China, Nepal, India and Sri Lanka, and now a little bit in China.
In Thailand polygyny was mainly among the royal and noble class, later, from the beginning of the 20e century, also among the richer bourgeoisie and that good example was followed by the common people who previously preferred monogamy. Of course, that noble elite did not do so out of sexual lust, but only to enter into an alliance with other princes and nobles through daughters.
In those 20e century, a vigorous debate arose as to whether the Western example of legal monogamy should be followed because it was civilized. King Vajirawuth (Rama VI) thought that polygamy should remain a Thai tradition, although he added that there were many abuses in polygamy: concubines were easily dumped, child and all, to take a new wife. Women cost money, don't they?
www.thailandblog.nl/historie/veelwijverij-was-thailand-gewoon-hof-en-bourgeoisie/
Somewhere just before the Second World War, partly under the influence of Western legal scholars, the decision was made: only monogamy was legally permitted. I really don't know to what extent Thai men and women adhered to this. Do dear readers know more about that?
I think that old tradition of polygamy should come back. Beautiful old Thai traditions have been lost too much anyway. The mia nois then have a legal basis and are no longer abused.
This would also be beneficial for other countries in Asia. In China, where there is a surplus of 30 million men, there are also calls for the restoration of polyandry. India has the same problem. About China: www.trouw.nl/
Reply to the statement: 'Polygamy must also be given a legal basis!'. Respond not only in your own interest, but above all in the interest of the country!
About this blogger
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Born in 1944 in Delfzijl as the son of a simple shopkeeper. Studied in Groningen and Curacao. Worked as a doctor in Tanzania for three years, then as a general practitioner in Vlaardingen. A few years before my retirement I married a Thai lady, we had a son who speaks three languages well.
Lived in Thailand for almost 20 years, first in Chiang Kham (Phayao province) then in Chiang Mai where I liked to bother all kinds of Thai with all kinds of questions. Followed Thai extracurricular education after which a diploma of primary school and three years of secondary school. Did a lot of volunteer work. Interested in the Thai language, history and culture. Have been living in the Netherlands for 5 years now together with my son and often with his Thai girlfriend.
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That sounds good, but it only works if the male to female ratio is adjusted.
10 women to 1 man.
When the women have taken over the power because of their large numbers, they can get rid of those troublesome men as soon as they can fertilize themselves with sperm from a breeding tank.
Yes, but that is compensated by a woman with several men.
10 men for 1 woman will soon turn into murder and manslaughter.
In this way too, after a while the men are the hare.
Not if the man abandons his cocky behavior, the man will first have to master this lesson.
Because if the man wishes for several wives, the woman can appropriate the same wish.
I share my wife with another man, a Thai, we have the same characters, both love to care deeply.
Dear Tino, I see polygamy more as a fun hobby. An expensive hobby. But I am for legalization. Then I also propose to create a women's allowance, as a counterpart to child allowance. Then a harem can also be reached if you don't have petrodollars at your disposal. We should of course also think of Jan Modaal.
Not expensive at all. Just cheaper. You have a joint household. Of course, all those extra men and women just have to work. Then you have 3 or more incomes per household!
Except for the state pensioners in Thailand, who are cut by 300 euros per woman.
In Thailand they usually talk about income per person. But when it comes to debt, it is always about the debt per household. Catches up with me.
Do you care
1 legalizing polygamy,
2 preventing extramarital relations or
3 banning it under the new law?
I am concerned with 1. A legal basis for polygamy so that those other partners with their children also have the same rights (and obligations) as that one husband / wife. 2 could well be a (good? neutral?) result. 3 no, I don't want to forbid anything.
Then I choose Thailand for polyandry; the chance is then greater that the children will not have to grow up in deep poverty if - with monogamy - the master of the house takes the slack and leaves his wife with children behind in poverty. It has another advantage: if the woman leaves the men with the children, they will have 2 or more fathers with the same incomes to grow up in a good life.
But I fear that this will never be legislated in Thailand. Why would you do that in a country where the mia's noi are for the taking and … but because of a mandatory article of law let me not name names … certain top lords have tens of wives and tens of children…….. The Thai really has no law necessary; one pees next to the potty if one feels like it…. And not only the Thai…….!
Let's run the trial first as a test under the farang.
If successful, it may be possible to transfer to the entire population.
Isn't that already happening? If I can believe the pub stories, many Thai women have several boyfriends / sponsors. Just legalize that, see if the woman is better off in terms of money (financial security). If successful, implement nationwide. 🙂
i am serial monogamous
so several relationships, but not at the same time.
don't have the financial resources to support multiple women anyway 😀
You are doing that wrong. You have to let the women pay YOU.
When I look around me I see:
– a minority that has only 1 permanent partner (when Thai, almost never officially married so not legally protected)
– a majority (older and younger) who do it with Jan and Alleman, for very different reasons (cannot find a permanent partner, do not want a permanent partner, money and / or luxury life, drunkenness, just for fun, easy to arrange sex dates through all kinds of apps)
– another minority that no longer does it at all.
In view of the above, I am in favor of regulating absolutely nothing in the law with regard to relationships, not even marriage. Everyone should do what he/she likes. The government should no longer interfere. If one still wants to protect oneself, a standard contract (to be provided by the government?) will suffice, in which the person who caused children or illnesses commits himself to medical tests and – in case of proven guilt – to compensation to the other sex partner. Of course to sign before the fun takes place or during foreplay.
Chris, it's not about the MUST. Let everyone have their way. The law obliges you to nothing. We agree.
It's about creating the opportunity for those who want it. There are quite a few people who think less about sex and more about a fruitful partnership. I do see benefits, no?
I don't see those benefits. Monogamy and polygamy is pre-eminently a matter for individuals, not for the government. Does not need to be propagated, protected, opposed or discriminated against.
I am strongly in favor of scrapping as many laws as possible. Many laws are made to protect ignorant citizens from anything and everything. But the citizen is not so ignorant anymore, or does not have to be with the internet.
If the government were to make a quality mark for true and false information, citizens would be very well able to make their own choices. The patronizing and making big money out of it must be over.
Now I understand the return of the sexual plague: syphilis
I don't really see what the national interest is, it is rather family interest.
Polygamy has the sole purpose of stroking the ego and at the same time keeping up appearances for the environment.
Women can also have a habit of doing much manliness. That usually has a financial background and I wonder why it should be sealed with rights and obligations.
There may be cases where the situation is different, but then in a decent democracy this could be discussed.
I propose to start the discussion in NL first because they are people with an open mind, they say.
Except for the state pensioners in Thailand, who are cut by 300 euros per woman.
An Arab friend once told me why he is ideal for 4 wives.
He said:
1 woman tries to play the boss and that usually succeeds.
2 women fight each other out of the tent because of jealousy. Then I'll be the boss of two bickering bitches.
3 women form varying majorities. Then I'm not the boss anymore.
4 women get along nicely and accept that I'm the boss.
I can't afford more women.
So simple, Tino
Well just give me six, I'll keep the Sunday free for myself....... what will it cost?
Incidentally, we have no idea what we have to do with what people do in Thailand, but about that another time………..
In Thailand, everyone with a little money has different mia noi's. That's much better...
Then you can see them when it suits you. No quarreling in the house.
With a mia nói, phõewa nói, kík (เมียน้อย, ผัวน้อย, กิ๊ก) there is a risk that you will dump her or him after the expiration date without that person being able to fend for themselves. That is why Rama VI also criticized it.
That's the whole point, everyone has the opportunity (except for the disabled) to roll up their sleeves. Why should someone else pay for her or why should it be regulated by law that one works and the other holds out the hand of the worker. Apart is apart and everyone has a new life.
In Africa it was customary for the first woman to look for another young woman.
Then she no longer had to fetch the water.
Was she also better cared for in old age & illness.
She could easily go away for a week.
Etc… etc.. list of benefits is very long..
It had many advantages for her.
In Russia, after the Second World War, they considered making polygamy a law, because there were many women who remained alone and it was better if there were two ladies per household.
Indeed, Peter. I worked in Tanzania in the late 50's and I knew a man who had 30 cows, 4 goats and 15 wives. His own words. The youngest was XNUMX (of the women) and I had to do a C-section on her.
Also the three extra wives that Islam permits were allowed by Mohamed and the Koran only if you did it out of charity, widows (many due to the constant battle between tribes) and poor women, and not out of lust….but in practice…
Moderator: Please stick to Thailand.
Well, what do we think of this…
Now sometimes young girls are robbed in northern Vietnam and there is no way back after that!
What are all those single men in China doing? Right, share a wife together. One wife, multiple husbands. According to Chinese economics professor Xie Zuoshi, affiliated with Zhejing University, this is the solution for the surplus of Chinese men. But not everyone agrees with him.
According to the professor and blogger, China is expected to have thirty to forty million single men by 2020. China's birth policy, which since 1979 has stipulated that most families should have only one child, the Chinese culture's predilection for boys and illegal selective abortions have resulted in China having one of the most unequal gender ratios in the world (117 boys per year). 100 girls).
Xie looks at the love market with the look of an economist. There is a shortage of one good (women) and a surplus of the other (men). A shortage drives up the price, so that rich men can afford the good and the poorer man cannot. Let two men share a woman and the problem will solve itself, Xie believes. “In remote and poor areas, two brothers marry one woman together. And they live happily and in harmony,” Xie wrote on his blog, which has been taken off-line after all the criticism.
After his blog was picked up by local media, there was a storm of negative reactions on social media. For example, Jing Xiong, project manager at the Beijing-based women's rights organization "Media Monitor for Women Network," called Xie's solution "extremely ridiculous." “His suggestion portrays women as a means of satisfying the male need for sex, marriage, and procreation. This is sexual discrimination," she told the BBC.
Xie mainly sees the economic benefits of polyandry and believes that he is respecting women's rights by proposing this solution. “I never said that women should be forced. But poor women who are willing to take a second husband so that they can live together and face life's difficulties together, we should not take away that right," he wrote in an email to The New York Times. “That means respecting the rights of both men and women.”
Please don't say!! I have my hands full with 1 Thai woman, let alone 4. Ufff.