Most Thai women who decide to marry Japanese men anticipate financial support from their future husbands, but it is love and understanding that make their marriages last, according to a recent Khon Kaen University study.
Thai women seek Japanese men because they want their expenses covered - and needed a residence visa to work in that country, said Yenjit Thinkham, whose twoyear masterdegree study included an interview of 20 Thai wives and girlfriends of Japanese men and 16 case of families whose daughters or nieces married Japanese husbands.
What matters more
The women also expected their Japanese husbands to help their parents or relatives financially, said the study.
"Looking at the big picture, Thai women place their hopes on financial support from their future husbands before marriage, but it is understanding and love that matters more than financial issues," she said.
Thai women anticipate love and care from their husbands, but almost all cases said they hope least for cultural harmony.
According to statistics, there were 35,000 Thai women living or working in Japan from early 1980 to early 2000.
Japanese husbands expect care and obedience from Thai women.
Thai families wanted their daughters or nieces to be taken care of financially after marriage, Yenjit added.