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Civil Wedding Ceremony

Legal Marriage Ceremony on Koh Samui

All ceremonies in Thailand, whether religious or otherwise, are entirely symbolic and not legally recognised. A marriage in Thailand is only made legal if you go to the local city hall (Amphur) and register your marriage.

As required by the Thai Foreign Ministry, all foreigners wishing to marry in Thailand must first visit their embassy in Bangkok to obtain a Statutory Declaration. These documents have to then be translated and deposited at the Foreign Ministry.

If you plan to get married in Koh Samui, these documents then have to be sent down to the local city hall here in Koh Samui for the registrar to witness your signatures and declare you legally married. Only then will the marriage be legally recognized.

A civil ceremony in Thailand is not actually a ceremony as it is in other countries. The Thai registrar (Balat) does not perform any ritual whatsoever during a civil ceremony. His role is purely as a government official to witness and verify that you've signed your documents.

The civil ceremony that will legalize your marriage under Thai law, lasts approximately 10 minutes. A registrar from the Koh Samui District Office will be on hand for this purpose, as will a representative from Faraway, who will translate for you what is said by the official.

The registrar identifies himself to you and explains that he has come to legalize your marriage. He will then ask you several questions which by Thai law you are required to answer in order that he may confirm your marital status, and the fact that your marital agreement is in accordance with Thai law. These are simple and logical questions such as "Do you wish to marry?" "Are you single and free to marry?" and "Do you intend to share your assets?"

The registrar will then ask you to sign your names, and he will present you with your signed marriage certificates. You are then legally married under Thai law.

To make your chosen wedding ceremony legal, click here to contact for details of our legalisation service.