I am married to a Thai woman, but I made sure to explain exactly where I am coming from (culturally), and what my concept of a relationship is. I never consented to simply follow Thai culture since this is not my culture. We can adapt to some degree, but the two parties have to meet in the middle.

Open and clear communication is the most important thing. I suggest you discuss this openly with your partner. Tell her how you feel about her request and ask her how she feels about it.

There are several ways to look at this. In the west the woman generally expects a nice ring for the wedding which can be quite an expense. In Thailand the woman wants to be assured that she is economically taken care of. Many times women in Thailand are asked by her friends how much her western boyfriend or husband pays here, and if she says “nothing”, she is losing face with her friends. I know this is strange for us.

It might be an innocent request, but you need to talk about it with her. She needs to understand that you think and feel differently from her, otherwise this can potentially escalate into a relationship challenging situation.

Theoretically husband and wife share financial resources anyway, and this has to be addressed clearly how this will look like.

On the negative side, and it does not sound like this applies to you, Thai women often try to extract money from their lovers or husbands. But you said that she never asked you for anything.

So if this is a one time request that makes her feel better, it might be perfectly innocent. But this is something you have to know before marriage. Don’t wait until after marriage to navigate a potential minefield. Discuss it openly before in a cooperative, sensitive but clear way. If she understands and is willing to adapt her Thai ways at least partially, then you are off to a good start. However if this turns into an issue right away, it might be a warning signal.