How Much Do I Pay My Thai Wife? & More Of Your Questions Answered About Thailand 🇹🇭 

PLEASE READ BEFORE COMMENTING All questions have come from subscribers more than once over the past 3 years 1. I use the word “expat” and not “immigrant” not for any racial reason as has been suggested by those not familiar with Thailand immigration, but because Thailand categorically stamp the words “non-immigrant” in my passport. I would love to be a permanent immigrant here and enjoy the legal privileges that affords. Expatriate to me Is simply someone that lives outside of their home country but is not an immigrant whom can usually work. I understand it's more modern contextual interpretations but do not concede the linguistic territory of its use in this benign manner. 2. As I explained in the vlog, my wife and I agreed to use the words “Thai Wife” as this channel is and has always been about smashing stereotypes and assumptions about Thailand and Thai women. This title will attract those that may benefit from such perspectives. We didn’t want to appeal to those who already understand this, and whom this title would likely piss off, only in the absence of this explanation we hope. 3. My wife and I pool our finances, we function as a family unit that considers what is best for us all, with equal access. My meaning of "giving money" is only for gifts on special days, birthdays etc. She usually gives this to her family, as is her prerogative. 4. I cover all the recurring monthly bills (electricity, internet etc) for all the children and people on the farm (13 people including us), though we live separately from my wifes family. I have done so for over 3 years. I consider all the children as my family. All patronage and membership goes to this. 👉 SUBSCRIBE: www.youtube.com/@thenakedguruthailand 👉 MAIN CHANNEL: www.youtube.com/@LifeInRuralThailand 👉 OUR FULL STORY IN UNDER 20 MINS: ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-6ctdGJqBaUg.html 👉 OUR COTTAGE BUILD: tinyurl.com/bdd8uh3a 👉 COSTS OF LIVING IN THAILAND 2024: ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-wWhns2J1Lxw.htmlsi=5MQb89Nykwfsjaml 👉 PATREON: www.patreon.com/lifeinbamboo

Having a Thai wife isn’t a negative term.. and your wife is exceptional and wonderful human being! She is a gem that not easy to find especially in the western world.

She's just about the most calm and composed nervous person I think I've ever seen 🤣

A lot of respect for Damon too, for participating in this video and sharing her story and views on things. But also accepting how Ryan shares quite personal topics on RU-vid for the world to see. Good on you both. You seem like good people and I wish you all the success with this channel.

Damo is 1 in a million, caring, family orientated, hard working and selfless. So hard to find a life partner like this. Both of you compliment each other. God bless

Ryan, you and Damo have forged a great partnership. It takes maturity and effort to create a lasting relationship. I enjoyed the interview. She is a very special person.

What a well educated, kind hearted soul, your wife is. Icing on the cake, she is beautiful too. Oozes class, well done to both of you. Living your dream, how many can say that

Thank you Damo for doing this interview and thank you Ryan for putting this interview together. A lot of questions I didn't know I had were answered here. My girlfriend is Thai and I'm from the US. We live in Samui where I met her last summer but she is originally from Surin. The cultural differences are very real. There are times where we are feeling the same about something but we don't know how to explain it properly to each other due to these cultural differences which cause frustration sometimes. You really need to pause and think how best to communicate what you're trying to say or how you feel.

I have been married to my Issan wife for 8 years!! ( we have one beautiful daughter together) Definitely found a lot of similarities with what Damo mentioned. I didn’t pay sin sod but my wife was a divorcee and had 2 children. I didn’t pay sin sod, nor was it asked for by the family!! Both me and my wife work and pool some of our wages together though when my wife wasn’t working I did give my wife a salary for her to buy personal items and so she had “ her own money. Wife use to also use some of her salary to send back to her mum in chumphae!! Cultural differences are real and it does take time to learn each others cultural expectations!! I love living with someone from a different culture then mine it makes for exciting times!! Finding my Thai wife has definitely been the best thing that’s ever happened to me !!

Congrats to Damo for a great interview! I’ve been around awhile and she is much more comfortable on camera in English and it’s great to see her wonderful personality coming out on screen. You are a lucky man! I’m an American married to a native Chinese, living in the US, and so many of the things you described in your relationship are the same in ours. My wife wasn’t looking for a foreigner or a green card, the same as I wasn’t looking for an Asian wife. We just worked together! The key in our relationship, as always, is open communication and an understanding that our backgrounds and cultures are different which frames the way we see everything. Sometimes what feel like a slight is just a cultural difference. It can be hard, but it makes life so interesting! Can’t wait to see the next interview.

What an amazing woman, mother and wife- you are a very lucky man Ryan, but you both have created a wonderful environment on the farm for your family. Cheers from Downunder.

My wife is from Thailand too. She had a very similar upbringing on the farm and hard work. Damo, Kob Khun Krap for participating in this interview! Wonderful job :) I am so lucky and glad I have found a life in Thailand with a wonderful Thai lady too!

I really enjoyed this in depth interview on cultural differences. Often understanding Thais in depth is made near impossible due to the communication avoidance and aforementioned issues. Lovely that you have both found that common ground to comfortably talk. And sharing it with us .

This lady is a diamond,as are her parents ❤️

Hi Ryan & Damo. Just a note on the sin sod (สินสอด). When I married my wife some 22 years ago in Thailand, I too paid the sin sod to the family, but they also gave it back to us. I think it is mainly to save face with the neighbours and maitain a cultural practice. I think the giving back of the sin sod is more common than people think. Thanks for you insights Brad

Very interesting video. In my Thai family I never heard about Sin Sod, but I heard it on RU-vid many times. I asked my wife to be about it, and she said it's not used in her family. She said that I have contributed a lot building up our property and house for many years so it's not a subject anyway.

Lovely Damo, genuinely sweet and honest. Lucky Ryan!

The part you two covered about the differences in communication culture is so key. It's a balance and you two seem to have found it. That's so great. In my experience, this is the number one hurdle for relationships here. So nice to hear you both talk about it.

Ohhhh gosh….this is an amazing video Ryan!!! Gotta love Damo❤ she’s so cool and love how she describes and/or explains what Sing Sod is all about! In the western world a woman gets an engagement ring and flaunts it to her family & friends. In Thailand it’s Sing Sod…..Your wife is awesome and love her genuine & honest comments! Love this kind of vlogs & thanks for sharing this video 😊

Very interesting interview! I am living in Norway with my Thai wife for 7 years, and I can recognize much of what your wife is talking about, they also seem to have had a similar childhood. We also had som difficulties in the start of our relationship, but now we are living our best lives together. 😊

Damo is not a Narcissist or a Jezebel….so blessed!

Thanks, Ryan. It’s helpful to get Damo’s perspective on the cultural differences. As someone who considers themselves open minded, I feel I probably underestimate the cultural differences. The thing that brought me to Life in Bamboo in the first place was your focus on life in the countryside, so any wisdom from another’s perspective would be of great value to me. I’d like to hear from others making a go of it in rural Thailand, both expats and their partners. I’m 30, debt free, have an online job, and am contemplating a change in lifestyle. Your thoughts on another video (escaping the Matrix) reflects many things I’ve believed for a long time.

Your wife is delightful. I hope you appreciate how lucky you are to have her.

Damo is a very special lady thanking her for doing the interview, also Ryan for doing the interview great job both of you

Brother she is one in a million.............Mo you are a true inspiration both as a woman, mother and wife. You show us all that "wealth" is not in a bank, it's in your family and upbringing. Life on a farm is hard work but like you, I think it's more rewarding than anything else on this planet. Respect !! ❤

She is a real person with real life experiences and genuine feelings. Down to earth person and very honest in her explanations and direct.

You and Damo possess high values. The seven core values include honesty, boldness, freedom, trust, team spirit, modesty, and responsibility. These values are crucial for any interaction and creating a connection with the outside world. You can easily spot a high-value person by the quality of life, from their job position to their social circle to their partners to their material. A high-value person doesn't allow themselves to dump down to mediocrity or less. They always go after what they truly want.

Informative video Ryan. Good luck to you both

This is a great interview and one I wish more people could hear as it is spot on with me and my wife's experiences as well. Break the stereotypes!

Thank you Ryan for the inside of putting this interview together.

Very good channel. TRUTH always wins! this channel will do fine

This is very educational my friend. It really helps those men, that are looking for a good Thailand woman. So this is a good foundation to know.

I relate to so much of the material in your interview with Damo. Myself and Thalinee have been married and maintaining a long distance relationship since 2012. Shortly i will be in Thailand fulltime. For those considering the same path, I think the most crucial thing is to get into the right brain space, absorb the culture, learn "Mai bpen drai" and relax. Another crucial thing to understand is that Thais don't like using the word "no". Learn to frame questions in a way that does not require a negative answer, or you will struggle to get the information you are trying to elicit. Its a cultural thing. If you ask a question but get no reply, they are not ignoring you, its possibly they think you wont like the answer - so they say nothing.

Very good to listen to Damo talk candidly about her view on life from her perspective. A lot of what she said especially in regards to how the Thai people tend to just go quite when they have heard enough but us Farangs think the conversation isn't over is probably one of the most important lessons a Farang husband should learn As men we always want to fix the problem asap, but sometimes it's better to stop talking

Thank you Demo and Ryan you are both amazing and what wonderful parents you have giving your sister the money back great family values

🇹🇭 *WOW YOU BOTH ARE SO BLESSED!* 🇹🇭 ♥ AND WiTH THAT SAiD... *THE SEARCH BEGiNS!* ♥ SAWADDEE KRAB!

super cool open conversation - thanks for sharing

Lovely interview. You both did well finding eachother.

This a woman of intelligence, thinking person, & resourceful too.

My Dear Damo, you are a star. Thank you so much for agreeing to this interview and for being so honest. Everyone who views this and the other channel, love you as much as we love Ryan. Now we know why Ryan is the man he is today because the whole household is full of love and mutual respect which has been built up over the years. I too have been with my wife, Orapan, in Thailand for 10 years and she, like you, when she has had enough of a discussion/argument says "Don't talk anymore". Unlike Ryan, I give all my money to my wife, because I know that she is a better manager of money than I am. I never need anything much as I have all I need in life. She always uses our money wisely and there is always enough for big bills like my hospital bills when I need it. Yes, I agree that when a farang marries a thai lady, you marry into the family so be prepared to see your money spent on other members of the family when they are in need. God bless you and all the members of your family, you are an inspiration! 😀❤🙏

The part about foreigners putting everything out there on the table and expecting the same back is something I experienced. My partner would be pretty closed off until I ask directly about things. She's opened up a lot since then. But glad to know it's not a unique situation of mine.

Good interview, Ryan. I think I'll share this with my GF in Surin, as it's great that you include Thai subtitles and cover a fair bit of Western meeting Thai relationships 👍

so lucky to have a down-to-earth wife

Thank you for opening up.

Beautiful family. Thank you for inviting us into your lives.💖

Absolutely fascinating. I have always wanted to understand these aspects of Thai culture more. So thank you for putting this out there. Have huge respect for you both.

You are a very lucky man! You've found yourself a real gem. What a genuine, lovely lady she is. I hope I'm lucky enough to find a similar Thai woman

Lucky man. what a sweetheart damo is

Amazing insight to your journey together and as a new family. Thank you for sharing such intimate and personal achievements 👏❤️

What a fascinating interview. Thanks so much to you and especially to your wife for stepping out of her comfort zone to do this interview. So informative. Thank you both. 😀

You are wonderful people. I live in Mahasarakaham with my wife who is also Thai. We would love to visit you all some time.

Thank you for sharing this content and allowing us to learn about your relationship and your wife's culture. Your lady is a true gem, and you can tell she comes from a great family. All of you should be very proud of what you have overcome and built. I, too, have a wonderful wife. We need to keep our ladies happy as they truly deserve it. Thanks again!

Very informative for an Aussie guy with a Thai girlfriend. I think Thai women are somewhat stereotyped by the bar girls you see all over u tube. Traditional Thai women are very different and your beautiful bride Dami is a wonderful example of this

You guys seem to have a great loving caring life. It looks from the outside as a challenging venture to achieve what you have with the language and culture barrier at first. I think alot of the expectation is that a thai girl just wants a more secure and comfortable life no matter if it lacks love. Developing the true love and caring for eachother I see as the difficult part of a foreign relationship. Happy for both of you that you were able to develop a rewarding meaninful life together. Its what alot of us farang wish to have in life. Cheers.

Great interview ✌️

Great Interview...kudos to both of you!! I am married to a Sundanese lady from West Java, Indonesia...as such can relate to most all of the issues/topics U2 discussed. Thanks for opening up a window for us to see the challenges and joys you both enjoy...thanks again!

You are just sooooooo LUCKY to have found such a woman. She is like my Thai friends in Udorn back in 1969/1970. I miss North East Thailand enough to be planning on moving there in the next 3 years. Your comments on Thai ladies is spot on.

Stereotyping and prejudices are in every race/color/creed/gender/religion/etc… Develop empathy for others. Try to walk in their shoes. Educate yourself about different cultures and groups. It is important to educate ourselves and continue to do self-assessments about our stereotypes/prejudices and how they are potentially interfering with our interactions. Life is what you make of it.

Love this interview with you, Damo! You are beautiful both inside and out! Hugs!

Lovely interview! Thank you Damo for sharing. Love your values. Thank you Ryan for a great interview 🙏🏼🦋🌸

Cute interview ❤

Very insightful interview. Very insightful lady.

she has very good values brother. thanks for the post.

Thank you for this personal insight into your relationship & lives. I found it fascinating.

Well done Damo! Some very interesting questions and answers. Great insights.

What a lovely couple you make. Your shared values are so precious.

What a great couple, great video and really good questions . So honest and sincere.

lovely interview.❤

Wow, brother. You struck gold with Damo. Love following your family’s journey. This was super informative. Thankyou Damo

Thank you for sharing the video. Please thank your wife for sharing. 🙏🏼. You don’t need me to say but Your wife comes across as a beautifully genuine good person…which I think is the greatest compliment you can give to another human being 😊. I hope I’m as lucky as you to meet someone like her in the future 😀. All the best Dave 👍🏼💪🏼🤗

Very interesting and educational vlog! Thank you to both of you for sharing your personal experience and how the Thai people view these important cultural issues.

Excellent interview and insight.

Wow shy Damo is definitely coming out of her shell. Getting more and more confident on camera. Damo also has made some very enjoyable videos on her own. Otis will be next, I'd love to see that say life in Thailand as a ten year old. Would be interesting.

Ur wife is a pretty,warm hearted lady, y r a lucky guy to have her.

Same my wife’s parent’s gave sinsod back to us. It was just for show with the locals.

Congratulations keep living your best life!

She is a real sweetheart your a lucky guy.

Excellent video, really enjoyed that, you’re a very lucky man, she’s an amazing woman.

Great to learn more, a beautiful person your wife is and family generally. thanks for sharing. Well done Damo

Ryan and Damo I loved it very well done with so much love between you both ❤ bless your family, stay well mate

Absolutely great interview and insight into your private lives , I can relate to all discussed as my wife and I have been together for 10yrs also married for 4. Frustrations do usually come from cultural differences and misunderstandings but we have learned to communicate better now, and probably I required more patience which is difficult for some westerners as we are so accustomed to a fast pace working environment/timeframes etc. We also started quite rocky in our relationship but have improved over the years and our now planning on moving back to live together in Thailand soon Nakhon Sawan my wife is a school teacher. Good luck to your future Ryan & Damo Sawadee

Lovely relationship you two have. And how nice of her parents to forgo the dowry and return to the sister. It sounds like the parents raised great kids, and im sure they have no worries they will ve taken care of in the older age. Thanks for sharing

Totally enjoyed 😊 God Bless you all .Anita from Ireland.

Very beautiful! All the best to you guys!!

I love Damo. Such a sweet spirit

Hi Ryan your lucky you met a genuine woman online. I met a woman travelled around thailand 🇹🇭 for a month had a good time all happy then a month after my return it went downhill. So trying to find a genuine woman is hard especially on the Thaifriendly site. Take care 👍

Too cool . ❤much love to you both & the younguns 🙏

Hey Ryan and Damo, a very interesting video my friends. You guys live a life like most of my Hippie generation friends wanted to live but couldn't give up what they had been programmed for. I did do it in Laguna Beach for a while but I had other people that took me out of it. Life is short so live life any way you want to.

This was very interesting and enjoyable. Well done to both of you.

Seems like a good genuine woman. Nice job, brother.

Hello Ryan and Damo! Absolutely sincere and lovely interview! Thanks for sharing! That was awesome. Stay healthy and safe 🙏

You guys are super cool! Good vibes

Great interview Damo, such a great insight to your life and your thoughts, thanks Ryan for putting this video together

Hi Ryan that was an emotional video of yours it was interesting to listen to you Thank you so much.

Very honest and you both have my respect🙏🏻some of the question and answers i can find it also in my family Thank you both for this nice interview😁

Great interview with Damo, Ryan....... It's to be expected when you have someone care, generous, and intelligent to work with....... My hubby Chris and I have also experienced cultural differences (he is English & I am Maori). However, we have been able to find the best of both our cultures and blend them together. We have under our belt and still going strong. We love both of your channels and always look forward to new content. All the best with your mushroom supplements, I already use some of those products, too. May your lives be blessed. Arohanui Ryan, Damo, Otis & Hugo

I’m happily married to a Filipina from the province for many years and can’t help but notice the similarities. The language and religion may be different, but the culture is very very similar.

Lucky man you have a great beautiful wife and mother wonderful kids a nice house and farm 🚜 what more can a man ask for .

Perfect..🙏 Nice interview...you lucky man.👍

She has a lovely smile. Wishing you both a wonderful life❤.. Liked the interview very much.