This emphasis is reflected in the Thai language in which the relative ages of people are indicated by most kinship terms. Kinship terms are also used in colloquial Thai to express respect and affection toward nonrelatives. The family is composed of those people who cook and eat meals at the same hearth and who also participate in joint economic enterprises, usually farming. The most common minimal domestic unit is the nuclear family often joined by various relatives. In marriage, the choice of a mate is left to the young people and opportunities for courtship are common.
Contemporary marriages are monogamous, but polygyny was common among the nobility in the past.
Village endogamy is preferred. Divorce or separation is by mutual agreement. Property is divided equally, and the children may accompany either parent. Social stratification is based on age, occupation, wealth, and residence. On the social scale, the rural farmers rank below the artisans, merchants, and government officials, but there is social mobility in Thai society.