Surprising Encounters, Scams and Pattaya Romance

One day I’m sitting at home bored and looking for something to watch on TV. For the record, I live in Los Angeles, California, USA. I had a week off work and pretty much nothing to do. I stumbled across this reality TV court show with this absolutely beautiful woman on it.

Every guy has a type, and boy was she my type. Full bosom, tiny waist, puffy cheeks, and a nice rear. For the record, I hate reality TV shows because there are far too many of them. MTV’s Real World New York 1992, then came Survivor, and then Pandora’s box was opened. There are literally hundreds of them now.

The Case Before the Judge

The judge asked them why they were there. Robert, the plaintiff, around age 52, and Jasmine, the defendant, around 46, were there because they were once engaged to be married, but broke it off. Robert was seeking all his money back that he spent on Jasmine during the few months they were together. The total dollar amount came to about $9,000.

Robert told the judge that he had paid her rent for three months at $1,500 per month, bought her airline tickets and accommodation to visit her parents in Philadelphia for $1,000, and also bought her a wedding and engagement ring that cost $3,500. Robert was a businessman who worked in the corporate world making a six figure salary. Jasmine worked as a model but work was few and far between. So Robert was helping her out.

The Dinner That Changed Everything

The judge asked what caused their breakup. Robert said Jasmine was not truthful with him, but she said she never lied. Robert said that when they first got together, he made it clear that he wanted a relationship built on trust and honesty or it would never work out.

After 3 months, they decided to get married. Robert bought her an expensive engagement and wedding ring and flew her out to Philadelphia to meet his parents. The next step was to introduce Jasmine to his closest friends. Robert set up a dinner with his three closest friends Ted, Ed, and Ned to introduce them to Jasmine.

Robert said they met for dinner, and his friends were impressed. Robert was proud to show off his future wife but noticed a change in Ted’s attitude. He asked Ted what was wrong. Ted told Robert that he recognized Jasmine from somewhere but could not figure out where. Then Ed and Ned said they too remembered her.

Now here’s where you and the listeners might say, “Yeah, right.” When all three said they remembered her, a light switch flipped in my brain and I too remembered her from somewhere. Remember, I said I stopped on that TV channel before because she was my type of woman. Hard to believe, but true. Just like Ted, Ed, and Ned, I could not place her. Was it a magazine, a TV commercial, or what?

The DVD That Shocked Everyone

The next day, Robert got a call from Ted, who told him that no matter what he thought, he had definitely seen Jasmine before and begged Robert not to get married until he figured it out. Robert went to Ted’s house after work. Ted apologized for how it had all looked and then turned on the TV and played a DVD. What Robert saw next shocked him. Jasmine was starring in an aerobics film soft, but still aerobics.

Robert froze in disbelief. At that moment, I too realized I had seen her in an aerobics film, but it was hardcore, not soft. That is where I remembered her from. Think about it. How many stars do you remember with their clothes on? You remember them in their birthday suits. That is why Ted, Ed, Ned, and I could not place her.

Robert went home and confronted Jasmine. He asked why she lied and did not tell him about her past. She said he never asked, so she did not lie. The judge turned to Jasmine and asked if she thought she should have told Robert about her past work. She said, “No, that was in the past, and anyway, it was not real. Soft aerobics is not the same as hardcore aerobics. Soft aerobics involves body bumping and fake movements. Not real.”

Robert told the judge he did not care. He did not want a woman that over 100 men had touched all over.

The Ruling

The judge ruled in Robert’s favor and told Jasmine she must pay the full $3,500 for the ring since she sold it.

The court reporter asked Robert if he was still friends with Ted, Ed, and Ned. He said yes. They only did what true friends would do.

A Swedish View of Thai Massage Parlors

For about 3 years, I have visited many different salons. There are a lot of Thai massage parlors here in Sweden. Visiting them became a way for me to deal with my grief and loneliness after my wife passed away.

For those of you who don’t know, in Sweden, it is legal to sell sexual services, but it is illegal to buy. This means with the law, the girls at the salons are safe while the men are at risk. Right now there is a debate going on after some celebrities have been caught visiting Thai massage parlors, and the ones making the most noise in the debate are usually the ones who know the least.

The Lottery of Massage Parlors

When I visit a new salon, I obviously have no idea if it’s a good one or a bad one. Always exciting. Sometimes it’s a salon where an older woman works alone and speaks good Swedish because she’s been here many years. The best part in that case is the massage is usually top class.

Another example is the so called oil massage places often young, very pretty girls with no massage training at all. At first, you think, “Wow, what might happen now?” But then you realize she’s scrolling her phone with one hand and massaging you with the other in a boring rhythm. Those girls don’t usually stay long at the salons.

Over time, I found many good places and gotten to know a lot of Thai girls. My opinion of Thai girls is that they are very nice to talk to, always happy, smiling, and kind. Of course, I’m aware they see me as a customer, but I’ve gotten to know several of them, and some have become good friends.

Why Thai Women Are Amazing

After that, I met a Thai girl who didn’t work with massage. And I’ve never met such an amazing woman before. She was hardworking and studying at the same time. Incredibly lovely, kind, generous, caring, understanding, funny, nice, easygoing and I honestly have nothing negative to say about her. And she was very adventurous in bed.

Many people have strong opinions about Thai girls, especially Swedish women who think they are… I think they’re just jealous. A Thai girl is often petite and very beautiful even if she’s a bit older. And above all, she’s more feminine and much more fun than Swedish girls. I can’t think of anything more boring than talking to a Swedish woman, unless I want to talk about bank loans, interest rates, or square meter prices.

Funny Moments in Massage Parlors

When it comes to more or less serious massage parlors, less services doesn’t mean bad to me. I’ve had lots of funny moments in those places. Once I got two girls at once because they had nothing to do at the time. Situations like this happen all the time, and for a 50 year old man, it’s a great ego boost. People can think what they want, but I have fun. And as far as I know, we only get one life.

One time a girl even fell asleep while massaging me. Yes, it’s true. Very funny. These are my thoughts and experiences of Thai women. They are often described negatively here in Sweden, but I think they’re amazing.

Great story there. I think most of the people who speak badly about them in Europe, America, wherever, are actually the women the European women and the American women. And I just put it down to a little bit of jealousy. Because as the guy said, even when they’re older, they’re normally very petite and small. And they are, for the most part, very nice even working girls. They’re very nice to talk to and a lot of fun.

A Five-Baht Water Scam in Thailand

I have listened to your channel for a while and I think you really try to give expats the full story. This is just a little bit to add to your tool bag, and it happened to me today.

Every 2 weeks I buy a 5 gallon jug of water from a truck that comes through our subdivision while my Thai wife is at work. This has been going on for at least 6 months. I’ve always paid 20 Baht, and it’s always been the same. Two young men a driver and a worker. The worker would carry the water to the door and sometimes he would ask for a cigarette, which was no problem.

Today the water truck came with a different worker, and I directed her to carry the bottle to the front door. I thanked her in Thai and gave her 20 Baht. She said it was 25 Baht. I wondered if the price had gone up. She spoke to the driver. I don’t know what she said because I don’t speak Thai, but I paid 20 Baht like normal. I really don’t know if she was trying to shake me down for an extra 5 Baht because I’m a farang, but the driver clearly wasn’t going along with it. It just goes to show you there are good and bad people everywhere.

Falling Hard for Meow on a First Trip to Pattaya

I landed in Bangkok in March last year, thinking it would be nothing more than a simple two week break from the rain and routine back in Manchester. I was 42, divorced, no kids, tired of the same old scenes and the same tired conversations.

Meeting Meow on Soi Cowboy

I didn’t plan to go to Soi Cowboy that first night, but I ended up there. I think the lights just pulled me in. Everything was glowing, flashing, pumping with music. Girls in short skirts stood in groups calling out to me like I was someone important. I stopped outside a go go bar and I lit a cigarette just to take it all in. And that’s when I met her.

She walked up to me like we already knew each other. Her name was Meow. Long brown hair with blonde tips, black jeans, and a tight white top that said ‘Sexy’ in silver letters. She said she wasn’t a bar girl just waiting for a friend. She asked where I was from, and when I said England, she smiled and said she liked the way I talked.

We ended up in a small beer bar further down the soi. She ordered a vodka Red Bull without asking and finished it in two gulps. I paid for it and for the second one she quickly ordered after. Then she said she was hungry. We walked to a food stall where I bought her grilled pork and sticky rice. We sat on plastic stools near a drain, laughing about nothing. She touched my arm often, smiled a lot, and I felt the best I’d felt in years.

The Downfall of a Pattaya Romance

On the 11th day, she didn’t reply to my message. I waited all day, then into the evening. I started pacing the room. Something didn’t feel right. I walked down to Soi Cowboy, hoping she’d be at one of the spots we usually passed. Nothing. I kept walking. And then outside Baccara Bar, I saw her. She was holding hands with a man at least 20 years older than me. Pop belly, bright red face, wearing a Hawaiian shirt and sipping a beer.

She saw me and froze, then turned her head. I walked over and asked what was going on. She looked at me like I was a stranger. She said she was busy. I asked who the man was. She said he was a customer. I asked about her rent, her brother, the sandals. She shrugged. She said I wasn’t her boyfriend, she wasn’t my wife, and I’d been kind, but that was it.

I didn’t say another word. I walked back to my hotel, packed my bag, and flew home the next morning.

A Second Trip and A’s Unexpected Kindness

I booked a flight for October and took two weeks off. This time I stayed on Soi 4 near Nana. The area was rougher, more full on, and it suited my mood.

I ended up in a small beer bar on Soi 8. That’s where I met Brian Yorkshire guy, white beard, belly like a barrel. He said he’d lived in Thailand 20 years. Married a Thai woman. Once she took everything, including the dog. Now he just drank Leo, played pool, and gave advice no one asked for. He said, “If you come to Thailand looking for love, you’ll find lust. If you want peace, you’ll find madness. But if you come with no expectations, you might just survive.”

One night, I noticed one girl looking at me. She walked over short black hair, soft brown face, no makeup. Her name was A. She asked where I was from. I told her the UK. She smiled, said I looked tired. I said I was. She said maybe I make you feel better. I told her I didn’t want that just someone to talk to.

She laughed and said, “Okay, I sit with you.” We talked for 2 hours. She told me about her village near Ubon. Said she had a niece she looked after and a mum she sent money to. I bought her a Coke no alcohol. She said drinking made her feel sad. Before I left, I gave her 500 Baht. Not for anything, just because. She smiled, said thank you, and didn’t ask for more.

I came back the next night, then the next. We talked more. We never touched. She never pushed. I started to feel normal again, like I could breathe, like I’d finally let go of Meow.

Thailand isn’t what they sell you. It’s not all lies, but it’s not all magic either. You can lose yourself here or you can find yourself, but you rarely get both.