Warangkana Chomchuen of U.S. news broadcaster NBC said in this opinion piece that the tradition of giving a bride's family a dowry is changing in Thailand. Chomchuen said the Thai groom typically pays the "Sin Sod" of cash, jewelry, gold or property to prove to the bride’s family that he will be a good provider. In a marriage between two affluent families, the dowry can reach as high as $500,000. Chomchuen said that in recent times, young Thai grooms give dowries as a simple symbolic gesture, and then have the money returned to them by the bride's family after the wedding is over.
NBC