NARATHIWAT: The number of Malaysian couples getting married in southern Thailand has dropped following stricter border controls, including the closure of illegal crossing points along Sungai Golok since December 2024.
Narathiwat Islamic Religious Council deputy president Abdul Aziz Che Mamat said since the tightening of the border, the number of Malaysian couples coming to marry had fallen from four or five couples a day to just one or two.
Previously, around 50 Malaysian couples married there each month, but this has now decreased by 40%.
"Although couples can cross legally at the Muhibbah Bridge with complete passport documents, many still choose illegal crossings," he said during a recent media visit to the council's office.
Despite the passport requirement, some Malaysian couples are willing to face fines imposed by their home states' Islamic councils for ignoring the regulations, he added.
Abdul Aziz also revealed that in 2024, the Narathiwat Islamic Religious Council solemnised the marriages of about 600 couples, with over 300 of them being Malaysians, mostly from Kelantan and Terengganu.
Most Malaysian couples marrying in Narathiwat are aged between 40 and 60, mainly for polygamous reasons, while the younger couples, typically in their 20s or 30s, come to Thailand due to family opposition or pregnancy, he said. - Bernama
