Big wedding Koh Samui style

Yesterday was a big day in my wife's family, a niece of my wife married in a big wedding Koh Samui style! It started early in the morning, where we were invited to the house of the bride, who is from Samui and who is the family link. The groom is from Chiang Rai in the North of Thailand.

The groom arriving at the bride's house

After we had breakfast under a canopy, which hid us from the already scorching sun, we waited for the groom to arrive at the house, so he could enter and 'claim' his bride.

Holding up gold neck chains, to be sold off

Now the groom was facing an interesting task. Everybody with a gold neck chain, undid it and held it between two persons. Every time the groom encountered a chain, he had to 'pay off' the two people holding the chain, so he could progress to the house. There were plenty of gold chains to be 'bribed' and it looked to me that there was a two tier envelope scheme going on. One of the groom's pockets was filled with 100.-THB notes in an envelope and there was a different pocket which held envelopes with a higher amount of money! In total some 30 to 40 envelopes switched owner, which equates to about 15-20 golden chains.

The newly wed couple

We left shortly after the groom entered the house, slowly making his way to the bridal room where his soon to be wife is waiting for him.

We went home and in the afternoon, we got ready to go to the big party at Phru Chaweng, where some 2000 people were invited for the celebration.

Part of the guests

All these 2000 people show up more or less at the same time, which can cause interesting parking issues, which this time were surprisingly dealt with very efficiently. The first time I witnessed this.

All 2000 guests all want to eat at pretty much the same time and that can be an interesting happening to observe. Yesterday was well organized though and it went smoothly.

The mayor handing flowers to the newly weds for good luck

It was not only a big wedding but also a fairly 'important' wedding, since the mayor and part of his entourage showed up to give their blessings. Not a given on your average wedding on the island. I've been at weddings with even more higher up political figures coming over from the mainland but this wedding was definitely up there, with the mayor coming over.

Part of yesterday's outstanding food

The food was excellent, with starters, steamed fish, a kind of sweet pork, a salad, a soup, a curry and sweets for dessert and the inevatible bottle of Thai whiskey.

A great way to enjoy some excellent Thai food before I take off later this week for the Philippines for around three weeks.

Don't forget to use my Camille's Samui hotel recommendation blog and my Camille's Thailand hotel recommendation blog for all your hotel bookings on Koh Samui and around Thailand. By doing so, you will support my blog. Thanks folks! 

Camille