Double your pleasure

Wichai Hengjarernsook is in the junk business, and so not a man to overlook a bargain when he sees it. The 24-year-old native of Samut Sakhon’s Baan Paew District, where women are far-famed for beauty, couldn’t decide which of two identical twin sisters in his village he wanted to wed. So, being an astute businessman, he popped the question to both at the same time, stating frankly that he wanted them in the plural. Much to his delight, they happily agreed. After the announcement of the marriage, a wedding party was organized for the morning of March 23 to celebrate the nuptials of Wichai (whose full name means “Researching Improved Pleasure”) and his blushing brides, the Sirintara and Tipawan Puttanookulchai, both slender and fair-skinned beauties. The party, held at the brides’ home in Village 1 of Tambon Lak Sam, was attended by many hundreds of relatives and friends, and broadcast around the nation on the morning news. The bride price was reported as 80,000 baht and 120 grams of gold – times two. The brides’ parents were reportedly ecstatic over their daughters’ match; “This is the happiest day of our lives,” they said. “We’re not upset in the least, because the twins grew up together and have never been apart.” The groom said his many-splendored love was the natural result of proximity: “Our homes are quite close to each other,” he explained, “and every day in going to school I walked past their house. After they grew into women, I couldn’t make up my mind. “I liked both, so I wooed both. Every time I asked one to go out, I asked the other along as well. If I bought something for one, I bought the same for her sister. Finally, after we had been seeing each other in this way for three years, I confessed to both I couldn’t decide between the two. “I want to marry both of you,” the handsome Wichai told them. “Will you have me?” Without the slightest hesitation, both replied in the affirmative. Having received the double thumbs-up from the prospective brides, K. Wichai asked a respected elder to approach the parents and formally request their daughters’ hands. They readily agreed – and now the best is yet to come. Will the trio live happily ever? It has been observed that women are notoriously catty when forced to share the same man – to say nothing of sharing the same house and the same bed. But faint heart never fair lovers won: the happy groom is thus optimistic, as are his brides, who vowed not to let jealousy come between them. “My sister and I grew up together and have never been apart. Now we never shall be,” said Sirintara, elder of the two beauties by a matter of minutes. “We’ll dedicate ourselves to looking after our husband, to ensure a happy family, and we’ll never let envy or jealousy enter the picture.” “I’ve prepared the house,” said Wichai. “Each has her own room; they’ll decide between themselves which goes to whom. As to how I divide my time, I don’t expect any problem. During the week, I’ll sleep with each on alternating nights,” he said, turning to give each a big mushy kiss, to show how much he loved them. Wichai denied newspaper reports that on the seventh night the trio would consummate their passion as an ensemble – thus ending speculation that the marriage would bring to reality the common male fantasy of having a three-way with a pair of gorgeous identical twins. The total bride price of 360,000 baht is not unusual as bride-price for a single virgin, but it is a bargain for two. Said Tipawan as she stood, decked out in her gleaming new gold: “Now we’re married we’ll help our husband in the junk recycling factory. He’s a good man – doesn’t drink, smoke or run around with girls; and what’s most important, now my sister and I will never be apart. That’s why we married him.”