BANGKOK: A Thai man working in Taiwan recently made the headlines after getting engaged to his girlfriend in Thailand via a virtual ceremony.
After just one week of meeting in person and three months of online conversations, the couple’s relationship blossomed into love and the man called on his parents to perform the engagement ceremony on his behalf.
The TikTok account “Noon, Daughter of a Farmer” shared a video clip of the engagement, which quickly went viral, amassing over six million views. The ceremony was unique as it took place online, with the groom’s parents delivering the dowry to the bride’s family while he attended virtually through a video call from Taiwan.
The bride, 27-year-old Phatsuda “Noon” Prabnguluem from Buri Ram, said that though she has a degree in Chinese and initially planned to become a teacher, she decided to stay home and help her parents with farming. She is their only child.
Around three months ago, Nakhon Ratchasima-native Jirawat Pinitnoi, 22, messaged Phatsuda, saying he was a follower of her mother’s social media page. The pair began chatting and ended up meeting in person while she was visiting relatives in Nakhon Ratchasima.
A week later, Jirawat left to work in Taiwan but continued keeping in touch with Phatsuda daily via chat and video calls.
Impressed by his commitment, Phatsuda accepted his proposal. On Oct 30, Jirawat’s parents travelled from Nakhon Ratchasima to the bride-to-be’s home with a dowry of 30,000 baht and a one-baht gold necklace (15.244 grams) to formalise the engagement.
Though Jirawat could only attend virtually, the small ceremony was filled with love and warmth. The couple plans to marry early next year when Jirawat returns to Thailand. For now, though, they plan to maintain their connection through daily chats and video calls.
Jirawat said that after conversing with Phatsuda for some time, he discovered that they had many similar interests, attitudes and a shared love for farming. He said he called on his parents to hold the engagement ceremony after realising that Phatsuda genuinely loved him.
Phatsuda's mother, Sukhon, meanwhile, said she was delighted to see her daughter with someone who brings her joy.
She also noted that Jirawat appears to be hardworking and well-mannered, adding that it appears as if Phatsuda’s dream to find someone to help with the family farm has come true. - The Nation/ANN
