Changing perceptions towards marriage and singlehood among Thai women

As for most other countries in Asia, Thailand had been characterized by universal marriage since the 1960s. However, the country has witnessed increasing trends towards later and less marriage, where singlehood is particularly high for well-educated women. This paper aims to explore Thai women’s perceptions and attitudes on marriage and singlehood, particularly those among the never-married women. Through a sequential mixed-method approach, the study first quantitatively examines the contemporary context of marriage and singlehood, the perceptions of Thai women towards singlehood, gender equality and childbearing, and the factors influencing these perceptions. This is followed by a qualitative study to explore the attitudes and perceptions of the never-married women towards singlehood as well as their lifestyle, life satisfaction, and preparation for old age. An in-depth interview is conducted for the never-married women aged 30 – 44 who completed college and currently reside in Bangkok. The qualitative data collection is on-going and scheduled to be completed by October 2012.