Reviewed by ThaiLawOnline, a licensed Thai law firm practising in Thailand since 2006. Thai lawyer of record: Wichuda Atthamethakon, LL.M., Thai Bar Licence 3149/2556.
Last updated on September 5, 2026
Engagement (การหมั้น, man, in English betrothal) is the legally recognised promise to marry, and khong man (ของหมั้น, also written khongman) is the property the man gives the woman as evidence of that promise. Sections 1435 to 1447 of the Civil and Commercial Code govern both. Under Section 1437 a betrothal is complete only when the khong man is delivered, and the gift becomes the woman’s property at once. Thai law will not force anyone to marry, but it regulates what happens to the khong man, the sin sod and the wedding expenses when the engagement is broken.
Table of Contents
What Sections 1435 to 1447 provide
Formation. Section 1435 requires both parties to have completed their eighteenth year, raised from 17 by the Civil and Commercial Code Amendment Act (No. 24) B.E. 2567 in force since 23 January 2025. Section 1437 makes delivery of the khong man the act that creates the betrothal, and the same section deals with sin sod, the property given to the woman’s parents or guardian in return for her marrying. Without a khong man there is no betrothal in law.
Breach. Section 1438 states the rule foreigners find surprising: a betrothal gives no right to sue for the marriage itself, and any agreement to pay a penalty for breaking it is void. The remedies are in Sections 1439 and 1440: return of the khong man where the woman breaks the engagement, and damages for injury to body or reputation, wedding expenses reasonably incurred, and losses from disposing of property or changing jobs in reliance on the marriage. Under Section 1447 the claim for the khong man must be brought within six months.
Practical points for a foreigner getting engaged
A Thai engagement ceremony usually takes place on the wedding morning, with the khong man, often gold, and the sin sod displayed on a tray. Nothing is registered; the district office records marriages, not engagements. The legal effect depends on evidence: photographs, the list of gold and cash read out by the elders, and bank transfers. A short written note of what was khong man, what was sin sod and what was a gift to the couple avoids an argument later.
The common mistake is to treat the sin sod as refundable. It belongs to the parents once given, and if the couple marry it stays with them whatever happens later. Where the marriage never takes place, Section 1437 allows its return only in the cases it describes. A ceremony without registration at the amphur creates no marital property regime; the marriage exists only from registration.
Khong man, sin sod and ordinary gifts compared
The three transfers made around a Thai wedding have different owners and different fates.
| Transfer | Given to | Legal status | If the engagement is broken |
|---|---|---|---|
| Khong man | The woman | Her property from delivery (Section 1437) | Returned if she breaks it; kept if he breaks it |
| Sin sod | Her parents or guardian | Parents’ property, consideration for the marriage | Returnable only in the cases in Section 1437, never after marriage |
| Wedding gifts | The couple | Ordinary gifts under Section 521 | Not recoverable unless revoked for ingratitude |
Amounts are a matter of family and status, not law. Sin sod of 100,000 to 300,000 baht is common for a middle-class bride and 500,000 to 1,000,000 baht or more for wealthier families. No court can order a foreigner to pay any of it.
Frequently asked questions
Is an engagement legally binding in Thailand?
Partly. A betrothal exists in law once the khong man is delivered under Section 1437, but Section 1438 prevents either party from suing to compel the marriage and voids any penalty clause. The remedies for breaking it are return of the khong man and damages under Sections 1439 and 1440, claimed within six months.
Can a foreigner get sin sod or khong man back if the wedding is cancelled?
The khong man must be returned if the woman breaks the engagement or the fault is hers; if the man breaks it, she keeps it. Sin sod can be reclaimed only in the situations Section 1437 describes, and the claim is time-limited. Once the marriage is registered, neither the sin sod nor the khong man is recoverable, even on divorce.
What is the difference between khong man and sin sod?
Khong man is the engagement gift given to the woman herself and becomes her property; it is what makes the betrothal complete. Sin sod is given to her parents or guardian as consideration for her marrying and becomes theirs. Wedding gifts to the couple are neither, and are governed by the ordinary law of gift.
See also: sin sod, marriage certificate, prenuptial agreement, gift under Thai law, and the full guides to sin sod in Thailand and getting married in Thailand.
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