May 1 2005
Thai mail-order bride fuels mid-life crisis #2

After just 10 days in Bangkok, our naive, forty-something American with an anger problem has fallen madly in love with his Thai dream girl - and she's agreed to marry him (See Mail-order bride fuels mid-life crisis #1). Naturally, he's managed to convince himself that she's neither prostitute nor con-artist - despite a mountain of evidence to the contrary. His farang ex-girlfriend takes up the story:
Dear David
I have some more questions regarding my ex-boyfriend who went off to Thailand to find a mail order bride.
Just to recap in case you don't recall... This guy started corresponding with some Thai girls on the Internet while dating me in hopes of doing the Mail Order Bride thing. He went off to Bangkok for about 10 days in February... came back trying to keep things alive with me but I declined... and I basically ignored any further attempts he made to contact me until this last weekend.This last Friday he came back into my life with all kinds of tales about how sorry he was, how special I was, how he was done with Thailand etc, etc. It turned out to be lies. He was just feeling lonely.
Anyway, we did talk about the "Thai thing." He said he met with one girl over in Bangkok. That she had not had sex - or so she said - for 11 years. But within 24 hours of first meeting they were going at it like a couple of rabbits.
He describes her as beautiful... which, knowing his taste, I'm positive she's a knockout... and spoiled. She grew up in Bangkok and has two apartments there. So she's no farm girl. But he says she's not too bright because she didn't know who the Pope was (Please keep in mind that is his wording not mine. Just because someone doesn't know who the Pope is doesn't, in my mind, make them stupid).
Anyway, long story short, he thinks she broke her 11 year celibacy because he's special. He's asked her to marry him and come live in the US with him. She's accepted.
He says she's an angel who hates Thai men and that's why she wants to move to the middle of the western US with him.
He says she told him that some of her friends are con artists who dupe farangs for money but not her. He has not met any of her friends or family.
Currently they are both awaiting the approval of that FiancÔø? (90 days do or die) Visa the US government offers. He is under the impression he is special and that is why she is willing to do all this. Oh and of course he is paying for the Visa and travel. But she has not asked him for any money.
So here are my questions:First, is it normal for him to not have met her family? I thought Thai women who were not con artists or in the sex trade got their family's approval before becoming engaged. He has not met any of her friends or family.
A Thai girl bent on snaring a farang man is usually desperately keen to introduce him to her family. So keen, in fact, that the issue will probably arise on the very first date - even when the encounter involves paid sex. Prostitutes have families too and their need for parental approval creates a strong desire show off any rich farang that they might have hooked.
A Western guy dating (or paying for) a Thai girl must constantly invent excuses to avoid visiting her family's mosquito-infested shack in the middle of nowhere. The heat, dirt and poor sanitation aren't half as uncomfortable as being surrounded by dozens of deliriously excited rice-farmers who have been led to believe that you're their financial saviour. Most men make the trip once and then vow never to do so again.
In this respect, your ex-boyfriend's mail order bride is rather untypical - which leads me to suspect that she actually a troubled girl from a middle-class background.
Her claim to own two apartments is so unusual that it might actually be true. I'd guess that they're mortgaged to the hilt, though, and possibly co-owned by former lovers.
Regardless of social class, a Thai girl's family should be at the centre of her universe. It's highly unusual that she should be unwilling to introduce them to her fiance but I can only speculate as to why she can't or won't.
Her family could be so rich and high-class that they might react badly to her marrying a Westerner - but, in her case, I don't believe that this is a plausible explanation. Only silly love-struck teenagers elope and she's certainly not one of those. Perhaps she went off the rails during early-adulthood and fell out with her parents.
Once a Thai girl rejects the values of her own culture, she often ends up living in a moral vacuum. "Good" girls gone bad can make the average prostitute look highly principled.
Alternatively, she might have no family problems at all and is simply milking cash out of your ex for fictional visas, air tickets, medical expenses etc. with no intention whatsoever of joining him in America. It's a very common and highly lucrative scam. If she's a perpetrator, there's no reason to involve her family.
Maybe this is how she funded the purchase of her two apartments.
Second, how realistic is it that she was celibate for 11 years given that he was having hard-core sex with her within 24 hours of first meeting her? I thought Thai women who were not in the sex trade or con artists were hard to seduce. This ties in with her friends being cons but not her. How realistic is that?
Her 11-year celibacy claim is utterly preposterous. She's a blatant liar and if you're looking for compelling evidence that she's totally dishonest, this is it.
I'm surprised she admitted that her friends are con-artists. We all know that best place to conceal a lie is between two truths but for her to let slip this particular truth was obviously an error of judgement. It does, however, explain why she didn't introduce your ex to them. She wouldn't want to risk having her prize stolen by another member of the pack - naive, marriage-minded farangs straight off the plane are every con-girl's preferred prey.
Third, what are odds of a Thai/American relationship working long term under these circumstances? i.e. just meeting for 10 days, then doing the 90 day visa thing with her leaving her country to live with him in the US. They must marry by the 90 days mark or she has to go home. Keep in mind, this guy is very controlling. It's his way or the highway. This guy has a temper which as of yet hasn't surfaced with her but it will with time I'm sure. I have heard the odds are bad for this kind of thing. What do you think?
These relationships usually fall apart very quickly. I can't offer you any statistics but, based on the experiences of people I know, I'm guessing that the first-year failure rate exceeds 90% (See Bar girl in suburbia #1: Thai mail order bride). The odds are significantly better if the couple remain in Thailand.
Your ex's jealous and controlling nature probably won't faze this girl because this is how most Thai men behave and, as a result, Thai women have developed an extraordinary array of countermeasures - principal of which are charm and sneakiness. They also have a fearsome reputation for jealousy themselves.
It could be argued that these two people deserve each other - but this doesn't make it any more likely that their relationship will prosper.
Finally, won't she miss her country, family and friends? Won't this be hard for her? I'm just curious. We have all warned him and I know his family is concerned. Please let me know what you think.
Western Girl;)
If she really has fallen out with her family, she's probably not going to miss them and she almost certainly feels no genuine affection for her deceitful con-artist "friends" either (Paradoxically, these mixed-up girls often derive emotional as well as financial support from their hapless farang victims). However, she'll certainly miss her country and also the fast lifestyle that she currently takes for granted.
Thai people don't transplant well. Their unique and sometimes baffling culture governs every aspect of their lives and removing them from Thailand is truly like taking fish out of water. Most Thais only have a very sketchy understanding of the world outside their own borders. It's not that they're stupid - it's just that they're simply not interested. The same is often said of Americans but, when it comes to being parochial, the Thais are way out in front. I'm one to talk, though, because I can't remember the Pope's real name either.
If this girl genuinely wants to leave Thailand, it's probably because she's got herself into some kind of scrape. A lifestyle based on lies and deceit always carries this risk. However, it's equally likely that she's just milking your ex for cash.
His family are right to be concerned but any attempt to reason with him is a lost cause. His emotional state will currently be similar to that of a teen nerd losing his cherry to a prom queen. Wild dogs couldn't drag him off - and the 10% chance of success is enough to keep hope alive.
Regards
David
I was a bit slow to respond to her original email so Western Girl chivvied me along with another backgrounder.
Dear David
I wanted to explain a bit further why I sent you my e-mail a few days ago. Up until I started dating this guy, I had no idea that there were Thai mail order brides. I had heard of Russian mail order brides. And those stories have ended very badly for the man. I knew about the Thai sex trade business but I had no idea that there was a Thai mail order bride service. Now, of course, I've opened my eyes and know this trend is growing all over the world. To a woman like me, this is extremely fascinating and astounding. I cannot imagine getting on the Internet and based on a picture or web-cam conversation think I've found my soul mate. I would think of that behavior as a lot like shooting in the dark and hoping you hit your target.
Now, I know why my ex boyfriend would go to such great lengths to get this Thai girl. He thinks he's found Shangri-La and he's a bit crazy as I think I mentioned in my earlier e-mails to you.
However, I have no idea why a beautiful, respectable Thai girl would do this mail order bride thing. We do not live in a booming metropolis which offers lots of diversity and interesting things to do. The nightlife here is not what she would expect I am sure. To compare it to Bangkok would be laughable. I've seen pictures of Thailand and know people who have gone there. They all say it's paradise. We do not live in paradise. We have semi harsh winters with awful inversions. It is a high mountain desert. She would be extremely isolated living with this guy where we live. He is not very social and does have mental issues for which he is medicated. His religious background is Baptist... so very Christian. He's relatively successful but by no means rich. He is control oriented. I am almost sure her life here in the states will not be what she expects. I am curious as to why she would leave her apartments and friends for a pipe dream. From what he says, it does seem that she does not have that bad of a life in Bangkok.
I know this guy's family and I know they are worried. Especially his mother, who worries he will get taken advantage of. She wanted him to sign a prenup with me for his protection and I am fairly well off. (Money would be the last motivation for me in deciding to get married). I can't imagine how worried she is now. All I know is that his behavior has caused a huge rift between him and his family. They no longer talk. He has a lot to lose. He has children from his previous marriage who live with him and a fairly successful business.
I'm wondering how straight-up this girl could be. Hence my questions in my e-mail to you the other day. (If you didn't get that e-mail, let me know and I'll send it again.) I guess from my questions, I see red flags based on what information he's shared with me and I'm wondering what your thoughts are. This guy has not been very careful at all. It seems to me, you would want to meet this girl's family and friends before jumping in head first into a commitment. Now I know it probably won't do any good. He's been told by anybody and everybody to be careful. He's been told the horror stories but he refuses to listen and believes this time will be different. I think it could be different but he should take it slow.
I think we would both agree that meeting a few Thai women online and then going to visit them for a week does not make this guy an expert on Thai women. It certainly does not set the stage for a lifetime commitment.
Anyway, perhaps you could answer my questions from the other day. Let me know your thoughts. And I could perhaps forward parts of your response to him in hopes of finally educating him.
Thank you,
Western Girl
My previous answers prompted Western Girl to fill in a few more details of the story and to ask a few supplementary questions.
Dear David
Your response, as always, was insightful. Unfortunately, now I have even more questions.
It's funny. I thought the very same thing about these two deserving each other. I actually thought maybe he's met his match and they are perfect for each other.
Ok so here's what I know about this girl which I did not mention in my e-mails. She's somewhere between 27 and 30 years of age. I think closer to 30. She may have a child. She might be divorced. But I am not sure on those last two items. He came back into my life saying he wanted to end it with her. But in the end could not bring himself to do it because he thinks he might break her heart. He describes her as very lovely and sweet. She would never hurt a flea kind of thing. The sweet-natured is the big deal to him. I almost get the feeling from talking to him that she is so sweet that she seems naive and needy like a child... Does this come into play with these con girl's temperament?
Yes. Successful con-girls are all lovely and sweet and needy like a child. They are not, however, naive - but their farang victims obviously have to be. Someone's heart will get broken but it's definitely not going to be hers.
I thought you would react to the celibacy that way. I was pretty sure you and I were on the same page with that topic. I am then assuming that had she been truthful she would have been more careful and sex would have occurred much later in the relationship after making him jump through some hoops, correct?
Correct. However it's also true that some respectable Thai girls will sleep with an eligible farang on the first date - but only if the guy is an exceptionally good catch and only if she's 100% certain that no one will find out.
Unfortunately for your ex, Internet shoppers and 10-day tourists never get to meet this kind of girl.
He is adamant she is not a bar girl. But she could be a con artist and not necessarily a bar girl, correct?
It depends on what you mean by "bar girl". It's quite possible that she's never worked behind a bar but Bangkok is home to thousands of sweet, demure girls who make a living out of fishing for foreign men - both on the Internet and in local nightclubs.
Some might even have a daytime job but most don't have the time. Duping several foreign lovers simultaneously is a fulltime occupation in itself - not to mention all the conventional tricks that she's turning on the side with the guys who turn out not to be so gullible.
Girls playing the lonely-hearts scam are, by definition, prostitutes but their numerous farang lovers will often perform hair-splitting intellectual summersaults to remain in denial. In my opinion, if a girl solicits like a prostitute, drops her knickers like a prostitute and asks for money like a prostituteÔø? then she's a prostitute.
Every con-girl is a prostitute but it has to be said that not every prostitute is a con-girl.
In the girl's defense, I just asked my ex if he had met her parents. He said no. He might have declined to meet her parents when she pressed. I have no idea. She could have wanted him to meet them. So it might be him. I thought it was weird because he does want to SERIOUSLY marry her and I would think since she is from Bangkok supposedly it would be easy to meet her family. My question actually was wouldn't it be advisable for him to meet her folks to get a better idea of her background?
It's not just advisable - it's essential. However, the love-sick victims of this scam often become willing accomplices to it and the last thing they want is to discover any evidence of wrongdoing.
It's also weird because he describes her as poor but also spoiled. And with those apartmentsÔø? Could her apartments belong to her family? I'm baffled with that.
Poor but spoiled is the classic demeanour of a Thai prostitute. They come across this way because their job involves constantly asking for expensive things in a sweet and childish manner.
I can't shed any further light on the apartment mystery but I'm pretty sure that there must be a few farang dollars invested in them. If she's been playing this game for the last 10 years, she must have won the occasional jackpot.
As I mentioned before, these apartments are probably mortgaged to the hilt. Girls like this often adopt a very fast lifestyle and their money is usually frittered away on gambling, clubbing, alcohol, drugs, designer clothes and huge phone bills. Despite an income that might exceed that of a High Court Judge, they usually have nothing to show for their efforts besides a few gold trinkets and a large wardrobe.
How I know he is paying for the visa: When he was trying to get me back, he wanted me to reimburse him for $1,500 (isn't that grand) he had paid a lawyer to get her a visa. (I said no...lol) If he's paying a lawyer, how does this scam work? How does she get money from him with regard to that? Also on a plane ticket if he actually buys her a ticket?
The lawyer is probably just as dubious as the girl and I reckon that she must be furious that "her" money was paid directly into his pocket.
His scam - if you can call it that - is merely to charge a large fee for doing very little. The process of applying for a visa is actually quite straightforward and most people don't bother with a lawyer. The difficult part is to fabricate a huge pack of lies that must include an employment history plausible enough to disguise the fact that she's been a prostitute all her working life. She must also be clever enough not to get tripped up by the leading questions she'll be asked at interview. Being middle-class greatly increases her chances of success.
The basic con-girl scam is laughably simple. The obstacles that prevent our couple from being together can only be solved by him sending her cash - for a statutory medical examination, for example, or to have a minor offence expunged from her police record - but, sadly, more obstacles will always arise and, in the meantime, she doesn't have enough money to pay her living expenses or to deal with the many imaginative misfortunes which have befallen her. As her knight in shining armour, he can hardly refuse to help - and she probably has a small regiment of others on the go too.
The only clue that this girl might actually be willing to join your ex in America is her age. In Thailand, prostitutes pushing 30 are nearing the end of their working lives. The competition from younger girls is just too intense and they will often attempt to secure a farang husband before they finally hit the wall. In fact, given that they're often unemployable, most don't really have any other option.
How I found out about the con friends: He and I were talking and he said "She has friends who scam white guys, but not her. They get men to send them money all the time." I then asked "Have you sent her money?" He said No. But given how dishonest this guy is that could be a lie.
Of course he's been sending her money but it will always be earmarked for some noble cause and this, in his mind at least, doesn't equate to paying for her services.
Is it absolutely a red flag that she would even infer that she knows of con artists?
Mixing with con-artist prostitutes is definitely a red flag. "Good" girls don't. Despite their relative wealth, these pariahs of polite Thai society can only socialise with their own kind.
What about this reasoning that Thai men are assholes? Is this really a reason why Thai girls seek out Farangs? It seems to me from reading some of the things on your site that these girls seem to have no problem with Thai guys and often have a Thai boyfriend on the side.
Bar girls chant "Thai man no good" like a mantra but the truth is that eligible Thai men aren't interested in forming relationships with prostitutes. They expect their wives to be young, virginal and uncomplicated and they regard prostitutes as being for recreational use only. They also can't be fooled by the sickly bullshit that so often works on farangs.
If she wants a Thai partner, the average prostitute will have to settle for a low-life - the kind of guy who will get her pregnant and then do a runner - but this is precisely why so many of them ended up selling their bodies in the first place and, not surprisingly, hooking up with a rich farang is often seen as a better option.
The girls who keep a feckless Thai boyfriend on the side tend to be those right at the bottom of the bar girl food chain. The sophisticated, English-speaking freelancers of Bangkok set their sights much higher and, when they meet a farang customer who turns out to be special, they will often quit the night-scene to move in with him.
These couplings are often genuine love affairs but the girl won't throw away her address book and she certainly won't ditch the love-sick farang buffaloes sending her money each month.
If they talk everyday via webcam, does this mean she is seriously interested? She gets up at 5:00 a.m. to talk to him everyday because as he puts it, it's the only time she can talk.
She's seriously interested, alright - but only in what she can scam from him.
I don't believe that she's an early riser. Five in the morning is probably her bedtime. Thai prostitutes usually spend the early hours of the morning having sex with inebriated tourists in hotel rooms and, even if our girl doesn't score a customer, she still won't be able to sleep. She'll fill the time by phoning her friends - who are often perfectly happy to take calls during sex (I'm not joking).
If this is the only time she can talk, then she's definitely leading a double life. If a guy living abroad is serious about keeping his Thai girlfriend on the straight and narrow, then he must call her frequently on a landline (not a mobile) at times of HIS choosing - times that are inconvenient for a working prostitute. She'll continue to be unfaithful, of course, but not with the same impunity as before.
Your ex has allowed his con-girl to seize the initiative (Whatever happened to "his way or the highway?"). He must fear that cramping her style will dampen her enthusiasm for keeping this little charade going - and he's probably right.
Also, how important is his behavior around her. He was drunk the whole time he was over there. Would a respectable Thai girl have an issue with this? It seems that many Thai girls don't drink or smoke, right?
Many respectable girls don't drink or smoke but, as Western values slowly replace Thai traditions, this is beginning to change.
Thai men have always enjoyed a drink and Thailand scores exceptionally high marks in the world rankings of alcohol consumption. Lunchtime drinking is quite common and public holidays give ordinary Thai families the opportunity to litter the country's few remaining beauty-spots with broken whiskey bottles. Heavy drinking is perfectly acceptable here - so long as it doesn't descend into alcoholism - and a girl rejecting drinkers from her dance-card might end up single.
Beer-soaked farang holidaymakers are unlikely to find themselves fending off many respectable young Thai beauties, however - but they're free to take their pick of the naughty ones. You have to feel sorry for a guy who can't tell the difference.
Anyway, these are some of the questions which occurred to me while reading your e-mail. Sorry I know I'm asking a lot but hopefully you won't mind answering a few others... Thanks so much for your response. It explains a lot. And I really appreciate the time and effort.
Take care
Western Girl;)
Wow David
I think it is safe to say that you absolutely think this girl is no good. I basically just parroted exactly what he blabbered about to you. Obviously, what I parroted came up flaming red flags. I have to say while reading your e-mail my jaw dropped and probably didn't close until well after finishing. I believe I said in my first e-mail to you that this guy deserved a hard kick in the "arse" and believe me he does but after reading your recent mail, I feel a bit sorry for him.
Nevertheless, before I "cut and paste" and send him your comments, I want to be sure I've covered all possible bases and been, where possible, a "devils advocate".
Ok so first off, I think what happened here is that he did his research and discovered that "farm girls" were probably girls in the sex trade. So he very carefully selected a girl who was from Bangkok and if she is the same girl he told me about in February and I think she is. She is an accountant. At least her ad on the Internet said as much. (Now me being curious, I looked on the site where he was getting his girls, Thai Love Links, and noticed very interestingly that there are a surprising number of accountants. It seems to be the trade of choice.). Anyway, I think he thinks he has avoided the con trap by picking a career girl who is from Bangkok. However, I know that he rapidly - we are talking in a few days - got his ticket and flew there. And from listening to him talk last weekend, it would seem he and his gal spent not only nights but also the better part of the days together. Could she get time off from a real job with such short notice?
The vast majority of Thai workers have no annual-leave entitlement - only public holidays. A girl who claims to be working but then turns out to be "Miss Available" is almost certainly a con-artist.
In Thailand, the term "accountant" is used very indiscriminately and an office dogsbody who sometimes processes a few invoices could quite truthfully describe herself as one. The title doesn't necessarily confer any professional status but it might impress foreign men who aren't aware of its ambiguity.
It's quite likely that your ex's girl might once have shuffled a few papers around in an office. Young girls straight out of full-time education don't turn into prostitutes and con-artists overnight. Disenchantment with the shockingly low wages (perhaps US$50 a week for a bookkeeper in Bangkok) and poor prospects needs to set-in first. People sometimes forget that Thailand is a developing nation. Glittering careers are very hard to come by - even for graduates.
The vast majority of ordinary Thai people work long hours in honest employment but their only reward is a mere subsistence income. If you can't inherit it or marry into it, wealth can only be acquired by building up a successful business or by becoming a senior - and corrupt - public official. For pretty girls with expensive tastes, conning lonely farang men out of their life savings is the best business opportunity available.
Incidentally, some "farm girls" scrub up quite well and, to farang eyes at least, could pass for sophisticated urban princesses.
Second, keeping in mind that while I have traveled, I've never been to the Orient and so I know very little of the culture there. Why is it so unlikely that this apartment cannot be hers? Is it uncommon for women to own property in Thailand? Could it be her family's and they let her live there thus explaining her being spoiled? Could the apartment be her own by way of a divorce? Or could she have a real job and have paid for it honestly through hard work? After all in the US, these would all be highly likely scenarios. Also my ex mentioned these apartments cannot be sold, why not? I guess Real Estate cannot be sold in general? And he mentioned foreigners cannot buy Real Estate in Thailand as well. Is that true?
Thai real estate can be bought and sold quite easily. However, foreigners aren't permitted to buy houses or land - only condos. Naturally, there are ways around these restrictions - such as signing a lease or setting up a holding company - but some men prefer to buy a property in the sole name of their Thai partner - a decision that they'll probably come to regret.
Thai women have the same legal rights as Thai men and it's perfectly normal for them to own property. Our girl could certainly have acquired these apartments through her family but it's far more likely that she was installed in them by lovers. Rich Thai men are typically very generous to their mistresses and naive farang men are easily manipulated into making unwise "investment" decisions.
It's quite possible that the apartments might form part of a divorce settlement but, of course, we don't know. The only thing that I'm certain of is that she didn't pay for them herself by doing an honest job. Fifty bucks a week doesn't buy this kind of lifestyle.
As to why she can't sell them, I'd hazard a guess that her mother cares for her child in one apartment and she keeps her stuff in the other - while actually living at a farang boyfriend's place or in the hotel rooms of customers and potential victims.
She's unlikely to have invited your ex to visit her at home. This would risk giving away clues about her true situation. Con-girls prefer to groom their victims in anonymous hotel rooms.
Why is it so unlikely that one would meet a respectable Thai girl on the Internet through a dating site?
I think that it might be possible to make contact with a respectable but broke Thai divorcee through a dating site but it has to be said she'll probably be motivated more by the desire for a better life rather than by any notion of romance. If she's willing to move abroad, this implies desperation - unless, of course, she's really a prostitute seeking out big money or a con-girl working the lonely-hearts scam.
Some of the women profiled on Thai Love Links are clearly not part of the farang night-scene - they're not attractive enough and they don't speak English - but I'm sure that most men will quickly skip over the Buri Ram B-team in favour of the gorgeous Bangkok con-girls with webcams.
Also, if, lets say, she is an accountant working lets say 9 to 5, is it possible she gets up before work and trots down to the local Internet cafe to talk to him before she has to go to work? When I did the time conversion it is more like 6:00 a.m. her time that they talk. They never talk on the phone only web cam and that is probably because my ex is cheap and doesn't like to spend money. Anyway, let me know your thoughts on this. And thank you very much.
Western Girl
Anything's possible but this quaint scenario isn't very convincing and it certainly doesn't explain why she can't take calls in the evening.
Most of Thailand's Internet cafes are full of teenagers playing shoot-em-up games. In the nightlife districts, however, a select few cater almost exclusively to provocatively-dressed con-girls scamming foreign victims. If she's using a webcam, a quick look at what's going on in the background might reveal the truth.
Your love-sick ex has made no serious attempt to verify this girl's dubious claims. Blind faith and rising hormones have reduced him to a state of temporary insanity. If you forward my advice to him, I can guarantee that it will make no difference whatsoever.
I can't tell you what the outcome will be but I think it's more likely that she's grooming a Western Union buffalo rather than seeking out new opportunities in the US.
The Thais call these men buffaloes because of their stupidity, their hard-working nature and their willingness to be led around by the nose by a rice farmer's daughter. Like African tribesmen, Thai con-girls measure their wealth by the number of buffaloes they own.
Regards
David
Hi David,
Thank you for your patience in answering all my questions. I really appreciate it. I forwarded him most of your comments and suggestions. I also included links to your articles: Is your Thai sweetheart a con woman and Bar girl in suburbia #1 & #2 which I thought contained some good info as well.
Hopefully, he can read this objectively with an open mind. As I said before he has a lot to lose. He has kids who are counting on him and have been through enough with his divorce.
I think I see your point and I agree with you. While "anything" is possible, it is highly unlikely that this guy happened to find on the Internet the equivalent of the "Thai jackpot":
"A stunningly gorgeous career woman who during her 20's sequestered herself becoming celibate, working at her career, sitting home nights while some of her friends were out having fun and making an easy living off men night after night. Then finally after years of being alone and slaving away as an accountant, she gets up the gumption and posts an ad on the Internet only to connect with our guy and after just weeks of communication decides to risk meeting him, a stranger from another country and then upon meeting him decides that he is the one she has been waiting for all these years and sheds her born again virginity becoming a wild sexpot within days of meeting him. And finally decides without conviction that he is worth leaving her country, her only security (her accountant job) and her homes."
Kind of sounds like a romance novel doesn't it?... SCARY. Yes, I agree with you. Highly unlikely. I think you are right. She is probably no good.
I will let you know what my ex says...
Thanks again, take care.
Western Girl
Hi David,
I just thought I would let you know that you were 110% correct on my ex's reaction to your information. Wild dogs couldn't drag him away.First off, after just those 10 days in Bangkok... well actually 8 if you take into account fly time... he's become an expert on Thailand and Thai society. He's quite cocky about the whole thing. He wants to retire there in 10 years and acts like he knows everything about Thailand. Remember this was his first trip out of the US... ever.
His reaction to what you had to say and those two links I referred him to was that you were talking about "bar" girls not regular girls in Thailand. He said his girl is not a bar girl and was adamant that you were just talking about bar girls on your site. He says there are 1000's of sites just like yours on the Internet all saying the same thing. He's heard all the stories and knows what to look for. He knows the odds are bad but he also thinks he's a good judge of character and will not get screwed over. He believes his girl is different. He believes everything she has told him and thinks she will take good care of him. He is adamant that he is special to her and that is why she is leaving her job and country for him. She has told him she will live anywhere in the world so long as it is with him. He has it all worked out. Once she is in the US with him, she will get a job and they will live happily ever after.
His point was that she is just too lovely (from his description she sounds quite beautiful) and sweet to be a con girl. And her heart has been broken which is why she was celibate for 11 years. She has finally trusted a guy again and he's not going to break her heart... By the way, what's with this "breaking heart" syndrome that Thai girls seem to have? So many of them seem to cry out "don't break my heart," yet it seems the opposite happens which is ironic to say the least.
Anyway, when confronted with the point that respectable Thai girls are hard to seduce (one of your articles mentioned it should be like raising the Titanic.), he said "not so" and that Thai society is based on sex or revolves around sex. (You have to wonder about what sort of experiences he had in Bangkok which caused him to make that generalization.) He said that it's a myth that respectable Thai girls are hard to get into bed and that actually it is quite easy... I guess his point is that they are all nymphomaniacs... He said, "he's the white god over there" and can have his pick of 1,000's of women. He has obviously gotten a huge ego over this experience.
He says Thai men are assholes and that is why Thai women seek out farangs.
He hand picked this girl out of 1,000's of women on the Internet and is positive she is not a con artist. He thinks he is smart enough to see a con coming if that was the case.
His family thinks he has lost it. They are very upset about this and the effect this will have on his kids. I think he should take it slowly. What's wrong with visiting her a couple more times over the course of a year and getting to know her and her family rather than have her move into his house with his kids for 90 days after just 8 days together? His actions seem a bit extreme and after your information, crazy and stupid. She is still, for all intents and purposes, a stranger. I think we can all agree that 8 days together in a vacation atmosphere does not make two people life mates.
The biggest red flag for me was that he described her as spoiled. To me this is very telling and implies a lot about a person's personality. For instance, I would not describe a born again virgin working full time with a resume which includes a university education as spoiled but rather as serious especially if she is caring for an 11 year old child. She certainly wouldn't have time for games. If she were really the girl he describes, I suspect the last thing she would have time for is entertaining a farang on holiday who for all she knows is looking for a good time. But he refuses to listen to reason as you so keenly pointed out.
Who knows if this will have any positive effect on him. He seems unwilling to listen to other people's point of view.
Western Girl
Your ex is clearly in no mood to allow commonsense to get in the way of his erection. His daft opinions about respectable Thai women amount to little more than a gullible middle-aged man's masturbatory fantasy. Worse still, his head appears to have swollen up to the size of a planet.
I've dealt with all of his misconceptions already so I'm not going to repeat myself. Instead, I've written an article that might offer him a little practical advice (See Unmasking a Thai Internet con-girl).
I'm fairly certain that his current relationship will fail but he appears to have been bitten by the Thailand bug and the condition follows a predictable course.
The love-sick fool stage is usually followed by an "Elvis period" which can last upwards of two years. This second adolescence is often reported to be considerably more enjoyable than the first one but the novelty of bedding an endless succession of beautiful young prostitutes in every imaginable combination eventually wears off and most guys end up enjoying a near-faithful relationship with a delightful long-term Thai girlfriend who may or may not have a bit of a history herself.
I'm guessing that your ex has already been measured up for his rhinestone jumpsuit but his career in the States and his child-rearing responsibilities may prevent him from slipping it on as often as he might like.
Regards
David
[Posted to Relationships by David]
*** THE COMMENT FORUM IS NOW CLOSED ***
Relationships
Don't call me Papa: Thailand's losers in love
Louis Theroux and the Thai introduction agencies
Phuket waitress cuckolds farang sugar daddy
No to foreign brides: Feminism meets fascism
Ning from Nong Khai wins divorce lottery
Pills that drive Thai women crazy
If she's a looker they'll brand her a hooker
Thai women seek foreign husbands
Unmasking a Thai Internet con-girl
Thai mail-order bride fuels mid-life crisis #2
Thai mail-order bride fuels mid-life crisis #1
Nana Plaza girl dupes love-sick farang
BusterB loves women but hates feminists
Finding love at the World Trade Centre
My never-ending rants about farang women
Is his Thai internet bride a con-girl? #4
"Boo who?" says farang cry-baby
Confessions of a Thai driving instructor #2
Confessions of a Thai driving instructor #1
Why do rich Thai girls act like hookers?
Farang boyfriend steals victory in extra-time
Was my Thai dream date a con-girl?
10 tips for rekindling Thai hooker love
Private eye exposes my Thai girlfriend's lies
Hutch Thailand unveils doomsday weapon
Thai mail order brides exposed
Is his Thai internet bride a con-girl? #3
Is his Thai internet bride a con-girl? #2
Is his Thai internet bride a con-girl? #1
Bar girl in suburbia #2: Back to prostitution
How to deal with sticky Thai girls
10 ways to keep Thai bar girls happy
Bar girl in suburbia #1: Thai mail order bride
Cheating Thai wife throws baby in garbage
What she says and what she means #2
Turning a Thai hooker into a lady
Is your Thai sweetheart really a conwoman?
Please don't call me at work darling
Previously
June 2007
May 2007
April 2007
March 2007
February 2007
January 2007
December 2006
November 2006
October 2006
September 2006
August 2006
July 2006
June 2006
May 2006
April 2006
March 2006
February 2006
January 2006
July 2005
June 2005
May 2005
April 2005
March 2005
February 2005
December 2004
September 2004
August 2004
July 2004
June 2004
May 2004
April 2004
March 2004
February 2004
January 2004
December 2003
November 2003
October 2003
September 2003
August 2003







Readers' comments
November 11, 2006 7:03 AM
November 26, 2006 4:59 PM
December 10, 2006 5:17 AM
April 13, 2007 10:22 AM
April 13, 2007 3:51 PM
April 13, 2007 3:54 PM
April 13, 2007 6:18 PM
April 13, 2007 9:33 PM
April 15, 2007 6:34 AM
April 15, 2007 12:22 PM
April 15, 2007 4:33 PM
April 16, 2007 2:56 AM
April 16, 2007 4:02 AM
April 16, 2007 4:34 PM
April 19, 2007 7:36 AM
April 19, 2007 1:22 PM
April 22, 2007 4:35 AM