Abstract

This paper draws on empirical research examining the dialogue of Thai women now living in England following migratory marriage. The focus on Thai women as ‘mail-order brides’ (Esara, 2009; Sims, 2008; So, 2006) has been given impetus through Thailand’s sex tourism industry, and is the attraction for many British male nationals travelling to Thailand on holiday (Charoensri, 2011). This has resulted in momentum for the United Kingdom (UK) becoming a favourable destination for marriage migration. It is only in the last decade that attention has been paid to the experiences of Thai women living in the western world through marriage migration (see Charsley, et al, 2011; Chuenglertsiri, 2020; Esara, 2009; Sico, 2013; Statham, 2019). This qualitative study, using semi-structured interviews explored the experiences of 10 Thai women following marriage migration to England. The findings show that women have little, or no support depending on their husbands emotionally and financially. Their isolation is compounded by language and cultural barriers. The women’s experiences can be viewed as domestic violence. Some women have experienced heinous sexual violence, and most are coercively controlled largely to ensure they service the needs of their husband. This paper builds on current knowledge and is unique in the fact that the women are not linked to the sex tourism industry or identify as a ‘mail order bride’. It also raises implications for government policies that enable migratory marriage without following up support for women.