KOTA BARU: Border marriage agents are targeting Malaysian couples seeking to marry in Southern Thailand by offering all-in-one services, including transportation and accommodation.
However, these services come at a premium, costing couples up to RM3,000 – more than double or even triple the normal fee charged by the Thai religious department.
Narathiwat Islamic Religious Council deputy president Abdul Aziz Che Mamat said the agents, who are also Malaysians, were exploiting couples who were unfamiliar with the marriage process in Southern Thailand.
The service starts at the border where couples crossover, and continues through the completion of their marriage.
"This service is essentially a 'honeymoon package'. Couples are provided with transportation, hotel, and meals. The agents take them to our office for the akad nikah (solemnisation) and then to a hotel while waiting for their marriage certificate to be processed," he said.
Admitting that most of the agents' clients were Malaysian couples who lacked knowledge about the local marriage procedures, he said the agents' fees were significantly higher than the standard charges set by the council.
The council's marriage division officer Abdul Rahman Bula Jamal said that the council's fees were limited to the solemnisation and documentation process.
"We aim to make the marriage process as smooth as possible for Malaysian couples and avoid any additional financial burden.
"While we cannot comment on the agents' business practices, our priority is ensuring that couples are not deceived and that their marriage process proceeds smoothly," he said.
Narathiwat, along with Pattani and Yala, is a popular location for Malaysian couples seeking to marry in Southern Thailand.
Narathiwat is about 65km from the Malaysian border in Rantau Panjang, Kelantan, and couples can cross via the Rantau Panjang or Pengkalan Kubor borders.