Why I love Massaman curry

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Why I Love Massaman Curry: Thailand’s Most Complex Dish

If you ask me to name my absolute favourite Thai dish, the answer is always the same: Massaman curry. Rich, warming, subtly sweet, and deeply aromatic, Massaman (แกงมัสมั่น) is unlike any other Thai curry. It tells the story of centuries of trade, migration, and culinary fusion — all in a single, incredible bowl.

Gai Massaman — Thai chicken Massaman curry served with jasmine rice, cucumber and tomato at Bee restaurant
Gai Massaman at Bee — chicken Massaman with jasmine rice, the version that converted me twenty years ago and is still my answer to the question.

The History of Massaman Curry

Massaman curry has a fascinating origin. Its name is believed to derive from “Mussulman” — an old term for Muslim — reflecting the dish’s Persian and Indian Muslim influences that arrived in Thailand centuries ago via Arab and Malay traders. Unlike the fiery, herb-forward curries of central Thailand, Massaman draws on dried spices more typical of South Asian and Middle Eastern cooking: cinnamon, cardamom, cloves, star anise, and cumin.

Historically, Massaman was a dish associated with the royal court and with Muslim communities in southern Thailand. Today it is beloved across the country and internationally — in 2011, CNN Travel ranked it the number one most delicious food in the world.

What Makes Massaman Unique?

Most Thai curries are built on a fresh chilli paste (kruang gaeng) of lemongrass, galangal, kaffir lime, shrimp paste, and fresh chillies. Massaman shares this foundation but adds a unique layer of warm, dried spices that give it an extraordinarily complex flavour profile:

  • Cinnamon and cardamom — sweet warmth without heat
  • Roasted cumin and coriander seeds — earthy depth
  • Star anise and cloves — aniseed and floral notes
  • Dried red chillies — mild heat (far less than green or red Thai curry)
  • Tamarind paste — gentle sourness that balances the coconut cream
  • Palm sugar — rounds out the flavours with subtle sweetness
  • Fish sauce — salt and umami depth

The result is a sauce that is simultaneously rich, complex, mildly spicy, slightly sweet, and faintly sour — and utterly addictive.

The Main Ingredients

Traditional Massaman curry is made with beef or lamb slow-cooked until tender, though chicken and potato versions are common. Key ingredients include:

  • Coconut cream (กะทิ) — full-fat for richness
  • Massaman curry paste (ready-made or homemade)
  • Potatoes — they absorb the sauce beautifully
  • Onions or shallots
  • Roasted peanuts — for texture and nuttiness
  • Bay leaves
  • Meat of choice (beef chuck is traditional and perfect for slow cooking)

Where to Find Great Massaman in Thailand

The best Massaman I have eaten in Thailand has always been at small, unpretentious restaurants far from tourist areas. In Korat (Nakhon Ratchasima), I have found excellent versions at local Muslim restaurants and market stalls in the city centre. Southern Thailand — particularly around Hat Yai and Nakhon Si Thammarat — remains the home of the most authentic and complex versions, where the dish is still prepared with careful attention to the spice blend.

When travelling in Thailand, look for Massaman at:

  • Muslim-owned restaurants (marked with a green crescent halal symbol)
  • Central Thai restaurant menus (แกง มัสมั่น)
  • Market stalls that specialise in curries (ร้านข้าวแกง)

Making Massaman Curry at Home

Massaman curry is one of the most rewarding Thai dishes to cook at home. The key is patience — the meat should simmer gently for at least 60–90 minutes to become tender and absorb the sauce. Use a quality store-bought Massaman paste (Maesri or Lobo brands are good) or make your own from scratch. Always finish with a balance of fish sauce, tamarind, and palm sugar — adjusting to your personal taste.

External resources: Tourism Authority of Thailand — Thai Cuisine | Massaman Curry — Wikipedia

About This Place

Indian Cuisine in Korat. While specifically named Indian restaurants may be limited in Korat, the city does have options for Indian and South Asian cuisine for expats and tourists. Popular spot for locals and expatriates in the region.

Have questions about living or working in Thailand? Contact Sebastien Brousseau – French-speaking lawyer based in Korat (Nakhon Ratchasima).

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Kampot, Cambodia — The Country’s Most Liveable Town

Kampot is the exception to my Cambodia ambivalence: a slow river town with French colonial architecture, world-class pepper farms, and an atmosphere that makes people stay longer than they planned.

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Kampot is a small town in southern Cambodia, on the Prek Kampong Bay River about thirty kilometres from the sea. It is known for pepper — Kampot pepper is one of the most respected in the world, suppressed during the Khmer Rouge years and slowly revived since the 1990s — and for being the kind of place that travellers discover and then do not want to leave.

Kampot riverfront at night with the neon-lit bridge reflecting in the Prek Kampong Bay River
The Prek Kampong Bay river at night — the bridge wears its neon lights like jewellery in the dark water.

I went to Cambodia feeling the ambivalence I usually feel about Cambodia. I am not a fan of the country in the way I am a fan of Vietnam or Thailand or Nepal. The tourism infrastructure around Angkor Wat is exhausting. Phnom Penh has a heavy atmosphere that I find difficult to separate from its history. But Kampot is different enough from both that it deserves its own assessment.

The Town

The old part of Kampot is a grid of French colonial buildings — wide balconied facades in faded yellow and ochre, ground floors turned into cafes and guesthouses and restaurants. The riverfront promenade has been developed for tourists without being completely ruined. There is still a working town behind the tourist strip — markets, motorcycle repair shops, Khmer families eating at plastic tables on the pavement.

French colonial building in Kampot Cambodia decorated with neon lights at night
A faded-ochre French colonial facade dressed up for the evening — the kind of street that holds the town’s rhythm.

The atmosphere is slower than most Cambodian towns. The heat encourages it. The river moves slowly. Cats sleep on window ledges above the street. By mid-afternoon almost everything has paused, and the town picks up again around five when the temperature drops slightly and the guesthouses fill with people who have been out on the river or up at Bokor Hill.

The Pepper

Kampot pepper is worth understanding if you care about food. The combination of the local soil, the tropical climate, and the traditional drying methods produces a pepper with a complexity — floral, mildly spicy, with a long finish — that industrial pepper from other regions does not replicate. During the Khmer Rouge period the plantations were largely destroyed. Farmers began replanting in the 1990s with help from European buyers who wanted to revive the product for high-end markets.

You can visit the farms — several have opened for tours. Buy directly from the source and you pay Cambodian prices for something that sells in European delicatessens for fifteen euros a small jar. Green pepper, red pepper, white pepper, black pepper, and the prized “la lot” pepper wrapped in wild pepper leaves. Worth buying in quantity if you are staying long enough to carry it.

Bokor Hill

Above Kampot, on a plateau at nine hundred metres, sits the Bokor Hill Station — a French colonial resort built in the 1920s and abandoned twice, first during the Khmer Rouge period and again during the civil war. The ruins of the old casino and hotel sit in the mist, frequently cloud-covered, genuinely atmospheric in the way that colonial ruins in Southeast Asia can be before they get fully restored and turned into a heritage attraction.

A large casino resort opened on the hill some years ago, which has changed the character of the plateau considerably. But the old ruins are still there, and on a misty morning the combination of crumbling concrete, tropical vegetation growing through everything, and the cloud cover at altitude produces an atmosphere that is unlike anywhere else in Cambodia.

Why Kampot Works When Cambodia Doesn’t

I think what separates Kampot from most of Cambodia for me is scale. The town is small enough that it does not overwhelm you with the accumulated weight of the country’s recent history in the way that Phnom Penh does, and it does not have the industrial tourism infrastructure of Siem Reap. It is a manageable Cambodia — a place where you can sit on a riverfront terrace, eat well, drink local palm wine if you find it, and exist in the country at a speed that allows it to be pleasant rather than grinding.

The expat community here is a mix of long-term Cambodia hands, people who intended to stay two weeks and stayed two years, and retirees who found that their pension goes further in Kampot than anywhere else they had considered. The restaurants they have opened are good — better than you would expect for the town’s size. The craft beer is decent. The coffee is excellent, grown in the region and roasted locally.

The Lost Kitchen Greek restaurant in Kampot Cambodia
Greek cuisine in southern Cambodia, owned by someone who came for two weeks and is still here. Kampot does this.

Practical Information

Getting there: From Phnom Penh, take a bus — several operators run the four-to-five-hour route for $7 to $12 USD. From Bangkok, you can take a bus that crosses the border at Hat Lek / Cham Yeam and continues to Kampot, roughly ten to twelve hours total. From Siem Reap, it is a long day’s travel — fly or go via Phnom Penh.

When to go: November to April is dry season and the most comfortable. May to October brings the monsoon — Kampot is green and atmospheric in the rain but some activities are limited and the river rises significantly.

How long to stay: Two to three days minimum to see the town, get up to Bokor, and visit a pepper farm. A week is easy if you like the pace. Many people stay longer than planned.

Budget: One of the cheaper destinations in Southeast Asia. Guesthouse rooms from $10 to $25 USD per night. A good restaurant meal with a drink for $6 to $10. The town rewards slow travel and a small budget.

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The Roi-Et tower

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The Roi-Et Tower: Isaan’s Most Surprising Landmark

Isaan is full of surprises for travelers willing to venture beyond the obvious routes. One of the region’s most visually striking yet least-known landmarks is the Phlan Watcharaphon Tower in Roi-Et — a soaring structure that dominates the city skyline and offers panoramic views across the flat Isaan plains.

Sebastien Brousseau at the top of the Roi-Et Tower overlooking Roi-Et city, Thailand
At the top of the Roi-Et Tower — the view across the city is extraordinary

What Is the Roi-Et Tower?

The Phlan Watcharaphon Tower — informally known as the Roi-Et Tower or the Dok Krachiao Tower — is a modern architectural landmark in the heart of Roi-Et city. At approximately 100 meters tall, it is one of the tallest structures in the region and visible from far outside the city.

The tower’s design draws on Thai architectural motifs, incorporating the lotus blossom (dok bua) form that recurs throughout Thai Buddhist art and architecture. It functions partly as a viewpoint tower, allowing visitors to ascend and look out over the surrounding countryside, the city, and on clear days, remarkably far across the Khorat Plateau.

Interior view from the top of the Phlan Watcharaphon Tower in Roi-Et, northeastern Thailand
Looking out from the observation level of the Phlan Watcharaphon Tower, Roi-Et

Roi-Et City: More Than Just a Tower

Roi-Et (literally “one hundred and one” — a reference to ancient gates) is a provincial capital in the heart of Isaan that most travelers pass through rather than stay in. That is their loss.

The city has a beautiful man-made lake at its center — Beung Phlan Chai — with well-maintained parks, a cycling path around its perimeter, and pleasant evening food stalls along the waterfront. It is a thoroughly livable Thai city that moves at a distinctly non-tourist pace.

Highlights in Roi-Et city beyond the tower:

  • Wat Buraphaphiram: Home to a massive standing Buddha image (Phra Phuttha Rattana Mongkhon Maha Muni), one of the tallest Buddha statues in Thailand at over 67 meters.
  • The night market: Excellent and extensive, with particularly good Isaan food.
  • Silk weaving: Roi-Et province is one of Thailand’s silk production centers. Visiting local weaving communities or the provincial silk market offers insight into this traditional craft.
  • Phuttha Uppakut Island: A small island in the middle of Beung Phlan Chai lake, accessible by bridge, with temples and gardens.
Panoramic view from the Roi-Et Tower showing the Isaan plains and Beung Phlan Chai lake
The Beung Phlan Chai lake and Roi-Et city spread out below the tower

Getting to Roi-Et

Roi-Et is straightforward to reach from the major Isaan hubs:

  • From Korat (Nakhon Ratchasima): About 3-4 hours by bus or car, heading northeast through Buriram and Surin.
  • From Khon Kaen: About 2 hours southeast by road.
  • From Bangkok: Approximately 6-7 hours by bus, or fly to Roi-Et airport (domestic flights from Bangkok).

Roi-Et and the Silk Road of Isaan

Roi-Et is part of what some call the “Silk Road of Isaan” — a series of provinces (including Surin and Khon Kaen) where traditional silk weaving has been practiced for centuries. The distinctive mudmee tie-dyed silk of the region is considered among the finest in Thailand. If textiles interest you, Roi-Et is worth an extended visit.

For more on Isaan: Isaan: Northeast Thailand.

Conclusion

The Roi-Et tower is a striking introduction to a city and province that rewards the curious traveler. Roi-Et offers authentic Isaan life, excellent food, traditional crafts, and a beautiful city center — all without a tourist in sight. Add it to your Isaan itinerary.

About This Place

Wat Ban Rai – The Elephant Temple. One of Thailand most famous temples, located in Dan Khun Thot district of Nakhon Ratchasima province, approximately 60 kilometers from Korat city. Popular spot for locals and expatriates in the region.

Have questions about living or working in Thailand? Contact Sebastien Brousseau – French-speaking lawyer based in Korat (Nakhon Ratchasima).

Useful Legal Resources for Expats in Thailand

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My Bangkok Birthday: Chinatown, Jek Pui Curry, and a 700 Baht Cocktail

Five drinks, two meals, a hidden bar, Asia’s best female chef — total cost 2,064 THB ($61 USD). A birthday in Chinatown Bangkok.

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I ended up in Chinatown for my birthday. Not because I planned it. I rarely plan birthdays. I was in Bangkok, I had a free afternoon, and Chinatown happened.

What followed was one of those days that reminds you why Bangkok at street level is still one of the most interesting cities in Asia — if you know where to look and you are willing to wander.

Daytime street life on Yaowarat Road in Bangkok Chinatown
Yaowarat in daylight — gold shops, tuk-tuks, and the kind of street density that has not gone away.

The Budget

I kept track. I always keep track. Here is what a birthday in Chinatown Bangkok actually costs:

Lunch — Jek Pui curry, Yaowarat Road: 68 THB
This is the place from the Netflix show. The curry vendor who has been at the same spot for decades, serving rice with curry ladled from steel pots at about forty baht per scoop. I had two scoops and water. Sixty-eight baht. Less than two dollars. The curry was extraordinary — complex, deep, properly oily in the way that Bangkok street food should be and that most hotel restaurants are afraid to replicate.

Afternoon drinks — Bar Bukowski, Charoenkrung area: 300 THB
Hidden bar. No sign outside that I could find. The kind of place where you have to know it exists or know someone who knows. Named after Charles Bukowski, which tells you something about the clientele. Dark interior, strong cocktails, the bartender who nods when you order without explaining yourself. Three hundred baht for a drink in a place like this is honestly underpriced.

Discovery — Potong Restaurant and Bar: (ended up there by accident)
I walked past a building on a back soi and went in because I was curious. I did not know what it was. Google it now: Potong is run by Pam Soontornyanakij, who has been named best female chef in Asia. I had a cocktail. The space is a former Chinese medicine shop that has been converted into something extraordinary — the kind of place that Bangkok produces without announcing itself. Arrived by accident, left understanding it was not an accident at all.

Evening — Opium cocktail bar, Charoenkrung: 700 THB
The Opium cocktail. Yes, 700 baht for one cocktail. Yes, worth it. The bar is designed around the old opium trade history of Charoenkrung — the neighbourhood that was Bangkok’s original commercial district when the city was built for riverine trade. The cocktail came with theatre and explanation. It was the kind of drink you take a long time finishing because you are thinking about it.

A craft cocktail with mint and pomegranate seeds in a Bangkok bar
The kind of cocktail you take a long time finishing because you are thinking about it.

The Total

Five drinks. Two meals. Transport. The full day came to 2,064 THB, which is roughly 61 US dollars. Five drinks plus two meals plus getting around a major Asian city for sixty-one dollars. On a birthday.

I have had birthday dinners in cities where a single meal costs more than that. I have paid 200 euros for a birthday dinner in Europe that was technically impressive and completely forgettable. The Jek Pui curry at sixty-eight baht is not forgettable. The Potong cocktail in an old medicine shop is not forgettable. The sixty-one dollar Bangkok birthday is not forgettable.

Chinatown Bangkok — What It Actually Is

Yaowarat is Bangkok’s Chinatown — the district where Chinese merchants settled in the 18th century when King Rama I moved the capital to Bangkok and needed the existing Chinese trading community to relocate from the royal palace grounds. They moved to the stretch of riverfront that became Yaowarat, and the neighbourhood has kept its commercial intensity and its Chinese character ever since.

The main road — Yaowarat Road — is gold shops and neon signs and sidewalk food stalls from early evening until late night. Narrow sois lead off it into the older part of the neighbourhood where the real food is: the bird’s nest soup places, the shark fin restaurants that you can still find if you are looking, the dim sum places open from 5 AM. Charoenkrung Road, which runs parallel to the river, is where the regeneration has happened — the old shophouses converted to bars, galleries, and restaurants by people who understood what they had.

Neon-lit Yaowarat Road at night with a tuk-tuk in Bangkok Chinatown
Yaowarat after dark — neon Chinese signage, gold shops glowing, and a tuk-tuk that looks ready for a music video.

The Charoenkrung Shift

What has happened in the Charoenkrung area over the past decade is interesting. A strip of riverfront that was dusty and commercial — print shops, warehouses, old trading houses — has become Bangkok’s most genuinely creative neighbourhood. Not in the manufactured way of a real estate development project. In the way that happens when artists and bar owners and creative people find cheap rents in a neighbourhood with good bones and start working in it.

The BACC (Bangkok Art and Culture Centre) is a short walk away. The River City complex on the river has galleries. The street between them has a dozen places worth spending time in. It is the Bangkok that locals know and that tourists on the Khaosan Road circuit miss completely.

Very Good Life in Bangkok

I came back that evening having had a better birthday than I had planned for. This is what Bangkok does when you are not trying to make it perform. When you are willing to walk into a building because you are curious about what is inside. When you eat curry at a street stall for sixty-eight baht because it looked good, not because a guidebook told you to.

Five drinks plus two meals plus transport. Sixty-one dollars. A very good life in Bangkok.

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My Perfect Relationship Costs 100 Baht: The Bangkok Massage Chair

100 baht. 50 minutes. No arguments, no judgment, perfect pressure every time. My honest love letter to the Bangkok shopping mall massage chair.

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My Perfect Relationship Costs 100 Baht: The Bangkok Massage Chair

I should make a confession. I am in a relationship. It is going very well. She does not argue with me. She does not judge me. She knows exactly how to hit every sore spot with precisely calibrated pressure, and she does it without complaining, without needing to be thanked, and without asking anything in return except 100 baht for 50 minutes of her time.

She is a massage chair. Sleek. Leather-bound. Located in a shopping mall in Bangkok. And she is, by any reasonable metric, the most consistent relationship I have had in years.

A black leather automated massage chair in a Bangkok shopping mall — 100 baht for 50 minutes
She is a massage chair. Sleek. Leather-bound. Located in a shopping mall in Bangkok.

Why the Massage Chair Is Underrated

Bangkok has more massage options per square kilometre than any city on earth. Traditional Thai massage parlours with trained therapists. Foot massage shops where you watch a drama on the screen above while someone works through the meridian points of your sole. Oil massage, herbal compress, hot stone, aromatherapy. Rooftop spas. Hospital-adjacent wellness centres. And then, in every shopping mall, beside every pharmacy, at the entrance to every supermarket: the humble massage chair.

The massage chair is not fashionable. It is not instagrammable. Nobody writes “had a transcendent 50 minutes in the automatic massage chair at the fourth floor of the mall” in their Bangkok travel diary.

But they should. Here is what 100 baht buys:

A Cloud9 massage chair pricing sign in Thai and English: 20 Baht/10 Min, 50 Baht/25 Min, 100 Baht/50 Min
The prices are written on the side of the machine — 20 baht for 10 minutes, 50 for 25, 100 for 50. The article is not metaphor.

Fifty minutes of consistent, programmable, never-tired massage that covers the back, neck, shoulders, and legs. The programmes range from gentle rolling to aggressive kneading — you choose based on what your body needs that day. The chair does not phone it in after 30 minutes because it is tired. It does not use half the usual pressure because the customer before you was difficult. It applies exactly what it is set to apply, from minute one to minute fifty, without variation.

The Bangkok Massage Economy

Thailand has democratised massage in a way that no other country has managed. In most of the world, a massage is a luxury — $80, $120, $200 for an hour, available monthly if you budget carefully. In Thailand, massage is infrastructure. It exists at every price point, in every neighbourhood, at every hour of the day.

A row of massage chairs in a Bangkok shopping mall with people relaxing in them
Massage chairs in a row in front of a pharmacy — Bangkok at the middle-income level, where comfort is infrastructure rather than luxury.

The 100-baht massage chair is the bottom of this pyramid, and it is better than the top of most other countries’ pyramids.

I have a regular schedule. Most days, if I am working near the mall, I take 50 minutes in the chair in the afternoon — the time when focus drops and the back has had enough of sitting at a desk. The effect on productivity is measurable. I return to work with a reset body and a clearer head.

She doesn’t roll her eyes when I ask for a little extra pressure on the lumbar region. She doesn’t sigh when I arrive for the third time that week. She is, in short, exactly as advertised: reliable, skilled, and incapable of having a bad day.

The Real Lesson About Bangkok

The massage chair is a small thing. But it is a symptom of something larger that Bangkok does better than almost any city I have lived in or visited: it makes comfort accessible.

Bangkok at the middle-income level is one of the most liveable cities on earth. Excellent food at $2 a meal. Efficient transit. A massage available on every block. Street-level beauty in the temple architecture and the canal culture. A social scene that is genuinely inclusive and international. A climate that, for all its heat, rewards the simple pleasure of spending time outdoors in the evening.

I have lived here for over 20 years. The massage chair is part of why I stay. It is a small daily luxury that is not a luxury here — it is just Tuesday, 4 PM, before going back to work. That accessibility of comfort is, I think, the city’s great underrated quality.

100 baht. 50 minutes. No arguments. No judgment. Best relationship in Bangkok.

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Extension de visa pour mariage en Thaïlande

Le “visa de mariage” est un type de visa non-immigrant qui permet aux conjoints étrangers de citoyens thaïlandais de vivre et travailler en Thaïlande. Ce visa est valable un an et peut être renouvelé chaque année. On devrait parler d’extension de visa au lieu de visa marriage car il n’y a pas de visa de mariage. Il n’y a qu’on visa non-immigrant “O” et le “O” signifie “Others” ou “autres” en anglais.

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Extension de visa pour mariage en Thaïlande : guide complet

Si vous êtes marié(e) à un(e) ressortissant(e) thaïlandais(e), vous pouvez rester en Thaïlande légalement grâce à un visa de long séjour pour raison familiale — communément appelé visa de mariage ou extension pour mariage. Ce guide explique les conditions, les documents à fournir et le processus de renouvellement annuel.

Le visa de mariage en pratique : non-immigrant O

Il n’existe pas de visa spécifiquement appelé “visa de mariage” en droit thaïlandais. Ce que l’on appelle couramment ainsi est une extension de séjour de visa non-immigrant O (Other), accordée pour raison familiale — notamment mariage avec un ressortissant thaïlandais.

Cette extension permet de rester en Thaïlande pour une période d’un an, renouvelable chaque année à l’immigration.

Conditions pour obtenir l’extension

Pour bénéficier d’une extension de visa pour mariage, vous devez généralement remplir les conditions suivantes :

  • Être marié(e) à un(e) citoyen(ne) thaïlandais(e) (mariage enregistré à l’amphoe).
  • Disposer d’un passeport valide (avec au moins 12 mois de validité recommandés).
  • Avoir un visa non-immigrant O en cours de validité au moment de la demande (ou en faire la demande depuis l’ambassade thaïlandaise à l’étranger).
  • Justifier de ressources financières suffisantes : soit un dépôt de 400 000 THB sur un compte bancaire thaïlandais depuis au moins deux mois, soit des revenus mensuels d’au moins 40 000 THB, soit une combinaison des deux.

Documents requis

La liste standard des documents à présenter au bureau de l’immigration comprend :

  • Formulaire de demande d’extension (TM.7) dûment rempli.
  • Passeport original + copies de toutes les pages pertinentes (photo, visa, cachets d’entrée).
  • Acte de mariage thaïlandais original + copie.
  • Copie de la carte d’identité thaïlandaise du conjoint.
  • Certificat de résidence ou contrat de bail / titre de propriété de votre domicile.
  • Photo récente d’identité (4×6 cm).
  • Preuve financière : relevé bancaire certifié par votre banque montrant le solde requis.
  • Lettre de confirmation financière de votre banque (Bank Letter).
  • Frais de dossier : 1 900 THB.

Certains bureaux d’immigration peuvent demander des documents supplémentaires. Il est recommandé de vérifier auprès du bureau compétent pour votre province.

Obligation de signalement d’adresse (TM.30 et TM.47)

Avec un visa de long séjour, vous avez deux obligations importantes :

  • TM.30 : Votre propriétaire (ou vous-même si vous êtes propriétaire) doit déclarer votre présence à l’immigration dans les 24 heures suivant votre arrivée ou retour en Thaïlande.
  • TM.47 (rapport de 90 jours) : Vous devez vous présenter à l’immigration ou déclarer votre adresse en ligne tous les 90 jours tant que vous restez en Thaïlande.

Le non-respect de ces obligations peut entraîner des amendes et des difficultés lors du renouvellement de votre extension.

Renouvellement annuel

L’extension de visa pour mariage doit être renouvelée chaque année avant son expiration. Le processus est similaire à la première demande. Il est recommandé de se présenter au bureau de l’immigration au moins 30 jours avant l’expiration.

Cas particuliers

  • Enfants : Si vous avez des enfants de nationalité thaïlandaise, vous pouvez également être éligible à une extension pour “raison familiale — enfant thaïlandais”.
  • Divorce en cours : Si vous divorcez de votre conjoint thaïlandais, votre droit à cette extension prend fin. Vous devrez trouver une autre base de séjour légal.
  • Retraités : Les retraités de 50 ans et plus ont accès à un visa de retraite (extension pour retraite) avec des conditions légèrement différentes.

Conclusion

L’extension de visa pour mariage en Thaïlande est une procédure claire mais qui exige une préparation minutieuse des documents et une attention rigoureuse aux délais. Les exigences financières (400 000 THB en banque) sont un point crucial à anticiper. Pour les situations complexes ou les dossiers refusés, l’accompagnement d’un avocat ou d’un conseiller en immigration est recommandé.

Besoin d’un conseil juridique en Thaïlande ?

Sebastien H. Brousseau est avocat francophone basé à Korat (Nakhon Ratchasima). Contactez-nous pour une consultation confidentielle.

Site web : sebastienbrousseau.com  |  ThaiLawOnline.com

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Divorce in Thailand: A Comprehensive Guide

This guide explores the essential aspects of divorce in Thailand.

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Divorce in Thailand: A Comprehensive Guide

Divorce in Thailand can be straightforward or complex depending on whether both parties agree. Thai family law is governed primarily by the Civil and Commercial Code (CCC), Book 5, which sets out the grounds for divorce, the process, and rules on property division and child custody. Whether you are a Thai national, a foreign national married in Thailand, or a foreigner married abroad with assets in Thailand, understanding the legal framework is essential.

Types of Divorce in Thailand

1. Administrative (Uncontested) Divorce

If both spouses agree to divorce and have no disputes about property or children, they can file for an administrative divorce at the district office (Amphur or Khet) where their marriage was registered. Both parties must be present, sign the divorce register, and present their marriage certificate and national ID (or passport for foreigners). The process is quick — often completed the same day — and costs only a nominal fee.

2. Judicial (Contested) Divorce

Where one party refuses to divorce, or where there are disputes over property, custody, or alimony, the petitioning spouse must file a divorce petition in the Thai Family Court. The court examines the grounds for divorce and makes binding orders on all contested matters. This process can take months to years depending on complexity.

Grounds for Divorce Under Thai Law

Section 1516 of the Thai Civil and Commercial Code sets out the following grounds on which a spouse may petition the court for divorce:

  1. Adultery — the other spouse has supported or honoured another person as their spouse
  2. Misconduct — whether criminal conviction or conduct that causes the petitioner serious shame, hatred, or injury
  3. Serious harm or injury — physical or mental harm, or insults to the petitioner or their ancestors
  4. Desertion — the other spouse has deserted the petitioner for more than one year
  5. Separation — the spouses have lived separately for at least three consecutive years with consent or court order
  6. Failure to provide maintenance or serious neglect
  7. Insanity — lasting for at least three years and incurable
  8. Breaking the bond of good behaviour (bon nom niyom)
  9. Incurable, contagious, and dangerous disease
  10. Physical inability to cohabit as husband and wife

Division of Marital Property (Sin Somros vs. Sin Suan Tua)

Thai law distinguishes between two categories of marital property:

  • Sin Suan Tua (personal property): Property owned before marriage, or received during marriage by inheritance or as a gift. This remains the personal property of the original owner and is not subject to division on divorce.
  • Sin Somros (marital property / community property): All property acquired by either spouse during the marriage through their joint efforts or income. On divorce, Sin Somros is divided equally (50/50) unless the court determines a different proportion is justified.

Property in Thailand held in a Thai spouse’s name is presumed to be Sin Somros unless clearly documented otherwise. Foreign nationals should be aware that land registered in a Thai spouse’s name may still be classified as marital property subject to equal division.

A prenuptial agreement can clearly define which assets are personal and which are marital, and is strongly recommended before marriage in Thailand.

Child Custody and Parental Rights

On administrative divorce, both parents may agree on custody arrangements and record them at the district office. If no agreement is reached, either parent can petition the Family Court.

Thai courts determine custody based on the best interests of the child, considering:

  • Each parent’s financial capacity and stability
  • The child’s existing relationship with each parent
  • The child’s expressed wishes (if old enough to form an opinion)
  • The ability to provide a stable, safe environment

Foreign parents should be aware that Thai courts can and do award custody to foreign nationals. However, if a non-custodial foreign parent takes the child abroad without permission, this may constitute international child abduction under the Hague Convention. See our detailed guide on child custody under Thai law.

Alimony and Financial Support

Thai law does not have a fixed formula for alimony (also called maintenance). The court considers the following factors:

  • The financial needs of the receiving spouse
  • The paying spouse’s income and assets
  • The standard of living during the marriage
  • The age and health of both parties
  • Whether the receiving spouse has custody of children

Alimony in Thailand is typically not permanent. It is often awarded for a transitional period to allow the receiving spouse to become financially independent.

Divorce for Foreigners Married in Thailand

Foreigners married in Thailand can divorce here using the same procedures as Thai nationals. You will need your original marriage certificate (and a translation if not in Thai), passport, and proof of Thai address. If your marriage was registered abroad, you may need to legalise the foreign marriage certificate before Thai courts will process your case.

It is advisable to consult a lawyer if any of the following apply:

  • You have significant property in Thailand
  • There are children involved
  • Your spouse is contesting the divorce
  • You are uncertain about which assets are marital property

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External resources: Thai Civil and Commercial Code (English) | ThaiLawOnline.com

Need Legal Advice in Thailand?

Sebastien H. Brousseau is a French-speaking lawyer based in Korat (Nakhon Ratchasima), Thailand, with extensive experience helping expatriates and foreign nationals navigate Thai law. Contact us for a confidential consultation.

Website: sebastienbrousseau.com  |  ThaiLawOnline.com

Frequently Asked Questions About Divorce in Thailand

How long does divorce take in Thailand?

An uncontested (administrative) divorce can be completed the same day at the district office. A contested divorce through the courts typically takes 13 years depending on complexity, backlog, and the issues disputed.

Do I need a Thai lawyer to get divorced in Thailand?

For an administrative divorce between two consenting parties, a lawyer is not strictly required. However, for contested divorces, foreign nationals, or cases involving assets, child custody, or alimony, having an experienced Thai lawyer is strongly recommended.

Can a foreigner divorce a Thai spouse in Thailand?

Yes. Foreign nationals can divorce a Thai spouse in Thailand using the administrative process if both consent, or through the Thai courts for contested cases. The foreign national may also need to register the divorce in their home country.

How is property divided in a Thai divorce?

Thailand uses a community property system. Assets acquired during the marriage (Sin Somros) are split equally unless a prenuptial agreement states otherwise. Assets owned before marriage (Sin Suan Tua) remain with the original owner.

What happens to children in a Thai divorce?

Thai courts prioritize the best interests of the child. Custody may be awarded jointly or to one parent, and the non-custodial parent typically receives visitation rights. Child support is determined based on each parent’s financial ability.

Is a Thai divorce recognized in my home country?

Generally yes, but you must register it. Most Western countries recognize foreign divorces once they are properly authenticated (apostilled) and registered with your home country’s civil registry or consulate.

Need Help With Your Thai Divorce?

Sebastien Brousseau is a licensed Thai lawyer with 30+ years of experience handling international divorces in Thailand. Whether you need an uncontested divorce processed quickly or representation in a contested case, we can guide you through every step.

Contact us for a free initial consultation: Get in touch today or call us directly to discuss your situation.

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Enlèvement d’enfant en Thaïlande : Guide pratique pour les parents

La Thaïlande, en tant que destination touristique et pays d’origine de nombreux travailleurs migrants, n’est pas à l’abri de ce phénomène. Ce guide vise à fournir aux parents victimes d’un enlèvement d’enfant en Thaïlande des informations pratiques et des ressources utiles pour agir rapidement et efficacement.

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Enlèvement parental d’enfant en Thaïlande : guide pratique pour les parents

L’enlèvement parental international est l’une des situations les plus déchirantes qu’un parent puisse vivre. Lorsqu’un enfant est emmené — ou retenu — en Thaïlande par l’autre parent sans votre consentement, il est essentiel d’agir rapidement et de comprendre vos options légales dans les deux pays.

La Thaïlande et la Convention de La Haye

La Convention de La Haye de 1980 sur les aspects civils de l’enlèvement international d’enfants est le principal instrument international pour le retour des enfants déplacés illicitement. Elle prévoit une procédure de retour rapide de l’enfant dans son pays de résidence habituelle.

La Thaïlande a ratifié la Convention de La Haye en 2002. Cependant, la mise en œuvre pratique est limitée. Les tribunaux thaïlandais ont une réputation d’interprétation restrictive de la Convention et de résistance aux demandes de retour lorsque l’enfant enlevé est en partie thaïlandais ou réside depuis un certain temps en Thaïlande.

Si votre pays est également signataire de la Convention, vous pouvez initier une demande de retour via l’Autorité centrale de votre pays. En France, cette autorité est le Bureau de l’entraide civile et commerciale internationale (BECCI) au Ministère de la Justice.

Démarches d’urgence immédiates

Si vous pensez que votre enfant a été ou va être emmené illicitement en Thaïlande :

  1. Signalez immédiatement la disparition à la police locale et à votre ambassade ou consulat en Thaïlande.
  2. Contactez votre avocat dans les deux pays concernés.
  3. Alerte à la frontière : En Thaïlande, il est possible de demander au tribunal de la famille une ordonnance interdisant la sortie du territoire pour l’enfant (port hold). Cette mesure doit être obtenue rapidement, avant tout départ.
  4. Rassemblez vos preuves : Décision de garde, certificat de naissance, passeport de l’enfant, communications avec l’autre parent.
  5. Prévenez l’école et les autres institutions pour qu’elles ne remettent pas l’enfant à l’autre parent.

La procédure judiciaire en Thaïlande

Pour récupérer la garde ou le retour d’un enfant en Thaïlande, vous devrez généralement saisir le tribunal de la famille thaïlandais (ศาลเยาวชนและครอบครัว) du ressort où l’enfant se trouve. Le tribunal examinera :

  • Les décisions de garde existantes (nationales et étrangères).
  • L’intérêt supérieur de l’enfant selon les critères thaïlandais.
  • Les circonstances du déplacement.
  • Les conditions d’accueil chez chaque parent.

La reconnaissance d’une décision de garde étrangère en Thaïlande est possible mais n’est pas automatique. Les tribunaux thaïlandais conservent un pouvoir d’appréciation important.

Le rôle de votre ambassade

L’ambassade ou le consulat de votre pays en Thaïlande peut :

  • Vous fournir une liste d’avocats locaux.
  • Faciliter les communications avec les autorités thaïlandaises.
  • Vous mettre en contact avec les ressources de votre pays pour l’entraide judiciaire internationale.

En revanche, aucune ambassade ne peut ordonner le retour d’un enfant — seuls les tribunaux ont ce pouvoir.

Prévention : mesures à prendre avant un voyage international

Si vous avez des inquiétudes concernant un voyage de votre enfant à l’étranger avec l’autre parent :

  • Incluez dans votre accord de garde des dispositions explicites sur les voyages internationaux et les notifications requises.
  • Exigez que l’enfant ne puisse voyager à l’étranger qu’avec le consentement des deux parents.
  • Conservez le passeport de l’enfant.
  • Faites inscrire une interdiction de sortie du territoire dans la décision de garde si vous êtes en procédure.

Ressources utiles

  • Bureau de l’entraide civile et commerciale internationale (France) : justice.gouv.fr
  • Autorité centrale suisse pour la Convention de La Haye : bj.admin.ch
  • Hcch.net (site officiel de la Conférence de La Haye) : informations par pays

Voir aussi : Garde des enfants en droit thaïlandais

Conclusion

L’enlèvement parental international est une course contre la montre. Plus vous agissez rapidement, meilleures sont vos chances d’obtenir un résultat favorable. La Thaïlande est un État partie à la Convention de La Haye, mais la pratique judiciaire est complexe et variable. Faites appel sans délai à un avocat spécialisé en droit international de la famille.

Besoin d’un conseil juridique en Thaïlande ?

Sebastien H. Brousseau est avocat francophone basé à Korat (Nakhon Ratchasima). Contactez-nous pour une consultation confidentielle.

Site web : sebastienbrousseau.com  |  ThaiLawOnline.com

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Bagan 2012 — Why Myanmar’s Ancient Temple Plain Still Haunts Me

A memory of Bagan in 2010 and 2012 — before ATMs, before mass tourism, before the coup. What the plain was like when you could be alone with two thousand temples.

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My iPhone surprised me. It created a slideshow from my 2012 Bagan photos — that automatic memory feature phones do now. I watched it on a Thursday afternoon and felt something I did not expect: a quiet sadness that the place I was watching no longer exists in quite the same way.

I went to Bagan for the first time in 2010, then again in 2012. Both times, Myanmar had no ATMs. You had to bring cash like a drug dealer. You planned your budget in Rangoon and hoped you had enough to last the trip. That was part of what made it feel like a different century.

What Bagan Was

Bagan is a plain in central Myanmar covered with more than two thousand Buddhist temples and pagodas, built between the 11th and 13th centuries during the First Burmese Empire. At its peak there were more than ten thousand religious structures here. What remains is still the most concentrated collection of Buddhist monuments in the world.

Bagan pagoda surrounded by palm trees on the central Myanmar plain
A Bagan pagoda surrounded by palm trees on the temple plain — central Myanmar, 2012.

When I arrived in 2010 — and again in 2012 — you could rent a bicycle and ride through the temples almost alone. Not just at 6 AM. All day. You could climb a temple, sit at the top watching the plains, and not see another tourist for an hour. You could enter buildings that were unlocked, that had no admission fee, that nobody was monitoring. The whole plain felt like it belonged to the crows and the old monks and the few travellers who had found their way there.

Brick pagoda beside a quiet road in Bagan, Myanmar
The kind of road you rented a bicycle for in 2012 — empty, dusty, lined with eight-hundred-year-old temples.

I explored Bagan for three days. By bicycle one day, by horse cart another, by hired car on the third. I had an old phone — I think it was a BlackBerry — and the photos I took were grainy and underexposed. They are on Flickr now, a record of a trip that feels two lifetimes ago.

Ancient unrestored brick stupa with carved spires in Bagan, Myanmar
One of the smaller unrestored stupas, the kind you could once climb without seeing another tourist for an hour.

The Balloons

In the mornings, hot air balloons went up from somewhere near the main temple cluster. You could watch them drift over the pagodas in the early light. I did not ride in one — at the time it felt like an unnecessary expense when the ground itself was so extraordinary. I wish now that I had taken a balloon flight. The view from the air must have been incomparable.

The balloon operators were some of the first tourism infrastructure to return when Myanmar reopened. Then the 2021 coup happened and tourism collapsed again. The balloons are up there still, somewhere in that complicated story.

What Changed

Between my 2010 and 2012 visits there were already more tourists. Between 2012 and 2019 — when international arrivals peaked before the pandemic — Bagan became genuinely crowded. A UNESCO World Heritage listing brought global attention and a new airport. Tour groups arrived from China. Hotels multiplied. The temples that had been open and unguarded acquired ticket booths and crowds at sunrise.

The Myanmar authorities also, controversially, restored several pagodas in ways that archaeologists criticised — resurfacing ancient brickwork with modern concrete, rebuilding spires to the wrong proportions. UNESCO threatened to withhold heritage status. The government partially listened.

Then 2021. The military coup. International sanctions. Tourism stopped almost completely. The plain went quiet again, but not in the way it was quiet when I was there. Quietly empty is different from quietly peaceful.

Why I Still Think About It

I have been to a lot of places. I have my ranking. Bagan is near the top. Not because of the quantity of temples — that can become numbing after a while, honestly, temple after temple after temple. But because of the quality of the atmosphere. The silence of the plain. The scale of what human devotion built here and then largely abandoned. You stand in the middle of it and understand something about how civilisations rise and how they end.

My iPhone slideshow lasted two minutes. Old photos of sunrise light on brick, bicycle shadows on dirt tracks, the silhouette of stupas against a pink sky. All of it from an old phone with a bad camera. All of it still somehow capturing something the place actually was.

That trip stays one of the most unexpected and beautiful moments in my life. Not because I planned it carefully. Because I showed up with cash in my pocket and three days and no expectations, and the place did the rest.

Should You Go Now?

This is a complicated question given Myanmar’s current political situation. The military government that took power in the February 2021 coup has been condemned internationally. Tourism revenue, even indirectly, supports the regime. Many travellers are choosing to avoid Myanmar entirely until the political situation changes. That is a legitimate position.

Others argue that local people — the bicycle rental shop owners, the hotel staff, the horse cart drivers — need income and that a blanket boycott harms ordinary people more than the generals. That is also a legitimate position.

I am not going to tell you which position to take. What I will tell you is that Bagan the place — the plain, the temples, the light at dawn — is as real and extraordinary as anything I have written here. Whenever it becomes possible to visit Myanmar again in a way that feels right to you, Bagan is worth going to.

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Social Security in Thailand

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Social Security in Thailand: What Expats Need to Know

Thailand’s social security system provides a range of benefits to employees in the formal sector. For expatriates working legally in Thailand, participation in the Social Security Fund (SSF) is mandatory — and understanding your rights and obligations is important both for compliance and for making the most of available benefits.

The Legal Framework

Thailand’s social security system is governed by the Social Security Act B.E. 2533 (1990), administered by the Social Security Office (SSO) under the Ministry of Labour. The system has been amended multiple times to expand coverage and adjust contribution rates.

Who Must Contribute?

Mandatory participation applies to:

  • Employees aged 15 to 60 working for employers with at least one employee, under Section 33 of the Act.
  • This includes foreign employees holding valid work permits.

Employers must register their employees within 30 days of hiring and deduct social security contributions from wages.

Contribution rate: Both employer and employee contribute 5% of the employee’s monthly wage, capped at a maximum monthly wage of 15,000 THB. So the maximum contribution per party is 750 THB/month.

Benefits Provided

Contributors to the SSF are entitled to the following benefits:

  • Sickness benefit: Covers medical expenses at participating hospitals, plus cash compensation if unable to work.
  • Maternity benefit: A flat-rate benefit for up to two births, plus maternity leave coverage.
  • Disability benefit: Monthly payments for total or partial disability resulting from non-work injury or illness.
  • Death benefit: Funeral expenses and a cash benefit for surviving dependents.
  • Old-age pension or lump sum: If you contribute for 15+ years, you receive a monthly pension from age 55. Fewer than 15 years’ contributions yields a lump-sum payment.
  • Child allowance: A monthly allowance per dependent child under 6 years old (limited to 3 children).
  • Unemployment benefit: If you are laid off (not resigned), you receive a percentage of your salary for up to 180 days per year.

Using Social Security Healthcare

When you register for social security, you choose a hospital from the SSO’s network. For non-emergency treatment, you must use your designated hospital to receive coverage. Emergency treatment is covered at any hospital, but you may need to transfer to your designated hospital.

For expats, the practical reality is that private hospitals often provide better care and communication in English. Many expats maintain private health insurance in addition to social security coverage.

Voluntary Contributions: Section 39 and Section 40

If you leave formal employment (but have previously contributed under Section 33), you can continue contributions as a Section 39 contributor, maintaining access to most benefits at a fixed flat rate.

Section 40 is for self-employed individuals and freelancers — including some expats running their own businesses. Contributions are lower and benefits are more limited.

What Happens to Your Contributions When You Leave Thailand?

This is a common question for expats. If you leave Thailand permanently:

  • If you have fewer than 15 years of contributions, you receive a lump-sum payment of all your accumulated contributions (plus a portion of employer contributions in some cases).
  • You must apply to the SSO to claim this refund. There is no automatic payment.
  • Your home country may or may not have a social security totalization agreement with Thailand. Thailand has signed agreements with several countries. Check whether your country is included.

Conclusion

Thailand’s social security system is a meaningful safety net for formal-sector workers, including expatriates. Understanding your contributions and entitlements — especially healthcare and the lump-sum retirement payment — helps you plan your time in Thailand effectively. For employment-related legal questions, including work permits and labour law, consult a qualified Thai lawyer.

Need Legal Advice in Thailand?

Sebastien H. Brousseau is a French-speaking lawyer based in Korat (Nakhon Ratchasima), Thailand, with extensive experience helping expatriates and foreign nationals navigate Thai law. Contact us for a confidential consultation.

Website: sebastienbrousseau.com  |  ThaiLawOnline.com

Frequently Asked Questions: Social Security in Thailand for Foreigners

Do foreigners working in Thailand have to pay social security?

Yes. Foreign employees working legally in Thailand under a work permit are required to contribute to the Social Security Fund (SSF) under Section 33, just like Thai employees. Both the employee and employer contribute 5% of the salary (capped at 750 THB/month each).

What benefits does Thai social security provide to foreigners?

Insured foreigners are entitled to the same seven benefits as Thai nationals: healthcare (at registered hospitals), sickness pay, maternity leave pay, invalidity, death benefit, child allowance, and old-age pension.

Can I claim my Thai social security contributions when I leave Thailand?

Yes, under Section 38. When your employment ends, you can claim a lump-sum withdrawal if you have contributed for less than 180 months (15 years). If you contributed for 180+ months, you are entitled to a monthly pension.

Does Thailand have social security agreements with other countries?

Thailand has signed bilateral Social Security Agreements (SSAs) with several countries including Japan, South Korea, Finland, Germany, France, and others. These treaties prevent double contributions and can allow pension portability.

What happens to my social security if my employer doesn’t enroll me?

It is your employer’s legal obligation to register and contribute to social security on your behalf within 30 days of employment. If they fail to do so, they face penalties. You can file a complaint with the Social Security Office (SSO).

Questions About Your Work Rights in Thailand?

Whether you’re disputing unpaid social security contributions, navigating a work permit issue, or need advice on employment law in Thailand, Sebastien Brousseau provides expert legal counsel to foreign workers and employers across Thailand.

Schedule a consultation: Contact us today we advise in English and French.

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