Marriage has been seen as controversial for hundreds of years. In the 19th century, most Thai people expected to get married and raise children. Although most of people in this time got married once, men could find other wives and lived in the same houses as the first wife. More than half of families in Thailand, parents tried matchmaking, to find suitable husbands for their daughters. Woman in this time often married with far away cousins or someone who their parents knew. A big development in the past was in the 1930s; the powerful two young leaders both educated in Europe and influenced by Western ideas, came to dominate Thai politics in this time. They changed some Thai cultures to Western culture including the marriage culture. From this time, Thai people influenced by Western ideas and to be fond of one married, one wife and one husband. However, the majority of families in Thailand were extended rather than nuclear. Marriage in Thailand in the past was not all different to that in the UK.
In the 19th century, most Victorian people expected to get married and raise children. Almost all people at this time got one married, one wife and one husband, and stayed married until death. Some families tried matchmaking to find suitable husbands for their daughters. Young men and women often met by being introduced by family or friends as in Thailand. In the mid twentieth century, the majority of families in the UK were extended rather than nuclear. Consequently, extended families were decline because men and women in most families did not get on well with, they were quite different both work and social activities. So that, divorce rates were increase and 35 percent of children in this time came from broken home. The cultural and traditional both in Thailand and in the UK are quite different, so people’s opinions of marriage are different too.
Nowadays, more than half of women in Thailand study in a high level. They often want to graduate their degrees before they get married. So that average age of women in Thailand get married between 25 and 27, and average age of men get married between 26 and 28. They often have wedding ceremony because it means they have responsibilities and complete to be adult. For men, marriage is important because it means they have a new role as a head of family. There are lots of steps in original Thai wedding ceremony, for example, to find the suitable date for both of them, to negotiate woman’s family by a go-between and to pour water in their hands for good luck. These are the fine and suitable Thai culture, so men and women want to marry when they have suitable age. However, they always stay with their families until they get married same as in the past. A traditional of marriage in nowadays is get one married, one wife and one husband, and stays married until death. Although marriage rates are higher, divorce rates are higher because the relationship between them such as economics, his/her behavior, his/her emotional, health and sex’s problem. On the other hand, marriage rates in the UK are lower than in Thailand although the population is similar.
In the UK, greater parts of children stay with their families until they leave full time education. After that, they can decide their life by themselves. If they meet someone they feel affection for, they can decide to live with him/her by themselves. So, marriage rates in the UK are decreasing. In addition, more than half of them think it is not necessary to marry because they can stay together and get baby. From the BBC news, a survey suggests that less than half of all pregnant women and fathers think it important to be married before having a baby. On the other hand, there are more than half of women and men think it does not important to be married before having a baby. They think marriage is only a certificate but the best thing is their commitment to each other. This is the reason that why marriage in the UK is decreasing.
In conclusion, marriage in countries varies from culture to culture. The backgrounds of countries affect their behaviour. Although there are many different cultures and ways of life between in Thailand and in the UK, for instance, the majority of families in Thailand are extended families while nuclear families in the UK, Children in Thailand stay with their families until they get married while children in the UK can stay with their partners if they want. However, whether Thailand or the UK, the most important things for two people who want to stay together are try to adapt them for staying for a long time, and have responsibilities in their families.