The Thai Girl Who Waited All Night at the Airport

I was living in Honolulu Hawaii and had pretty much run through the single scene. It was unfulfilling at best bars nightclubs the island is small and the dating market was so thin on the ground. A friend of mine was constantly talking about his trips to Thailand. Of course it sounded amazing and I started watching YouTube Thailand videos. I watched a few party scenes and such but was told about the app Thai Friendly. I downloaded the app for a giggle. Having grown tired of the Western dating scene I thought it may be worth a shot.

I matched with a few women and landed on one girl’s profile who looked cute very cute and definitely my type. But once into the profile I noticed the age difference and clicked off. Within seconds I had a message from her asking why didn’t I message her. My response “You’re too young.” I messaged her at the time she was 23 and I was 40. She insisted we continue to chat. She was beautiful humble and spoke good English so I figured “Why not?”

We texted off and on for a few days on the Line app. Her name was Knock. She was a great conversationalist and never asked me for anything beyond my attention. I had heard all the horror stories of ladyboys and working girls being on the apps and did not want to be caught out. Could I have really gotten this lucky? Conversations went on for weeks then months. She was genuine and a relationship was starting to form. Maybe she wasn’t aware of how good looking she was but it was obvious her focus was only on me.

I suggested she come to see me in Honolulu. Naively I thought coming to America from Asia was easy. Much of Honolulu is like Tokyo tourists from Asia everywhere. I quickly learned she needed a visa. We contacted a visa broker big mistake. Their website seemed legit with all glowing reviews. I paid the fee for a tourist visa and when the day came for her interview with customs I was met by a call with her in tears. She had been denied entry. It was really bad news at the time.

Perhaps only warranted a change in plans. Coincidentally that week the same friend who was always talking about Thailand said he was planning a trip to Bangkok to visit his girlfriend whom he had met on Facebook a friend of a friend. I immediately said I would go too. I had never visited Asia and going with a friend made the trip much less intimidating. I booked the same flight and a couple of weeks later we hopped on a severely delayed Air China flight.

Our layover was in Shanghai. The terminal was in the middle of construction on a beautiful new facility. Some new parts were open but much of the old terminal was still in use. My phone was all but useless in China so I was unable to get a message through to Knock about the 4 hour delay. Eventually we boarded a bus and were fed out onto the tarmac to a very old Boeing 737. Everything about this flight was against my better judgment but I boarded this ancient tin cylinder and managed to arrive despite a very active flight. I have flown hundreds of times but I was so tired I didn’t really notice the severe turbulence on the way.

Arriving in Bangkok and Discovering Pattaya

We eventually arrived in Bangkok at about 4:00 a.m. and Knock was there to greet me. I couldn’t believe it she had waited all night. She had even checked into the hotel. This was the first time I’d seen her in person. 5 feet tall maybe 90 pounds olive skin and long black hair. She was beautiful. We jumped in a taxi she handled all the haggling in Thai and we took what seemed like a long ride to the Siri Sathorn Hotel in Sathorn. Back then it was a great boutique hotel. I can be very judgmental when it comes to hotels but it was like having a fancy apartment in Bangkok. It came with a full kitchen dining area living room and bedroom. Since then the hotel has changed ownership and been left to decline post COVID.

This was my first time visiting Thailand. The jet lag was brutal. We spent a few nights in Bangkok eating the overpriced food in the tourist areas I didn’t know any better. I even paid $60 for a bottle of Jack Daniels at a 7 Eleven. I was unaware of the import tax and how much 2,000 baht was in US dollars about three times the usual price I guess.

After a few days in Bangkok we headed down to Pattaya as my buddy was also headed there with his companion. Traveling through Thailand is so much easier with someone who knows the language and the ropes. I booked the hotel and was quickly made aware to not judge a property based on the photographs on the hotel booking site Agoda or any other booking sites. I had pre booked it it looked amazing. When we arrived we came to learn that the pool was under construction along with much of the rest of the property.

This was both our first time seeing Pattaya and Walking Street. Knock thought it was wild. I’ve never been in an environment like this and it was strange to watch people from all walks of life bar girls begging us to come into their bar and have a drink with them touts holding up signs outside of the venues encouraging us to come in the liveliness and all the beautiful people everywhere.

We spent a week in Pattaya. During that time my friend had to head back to Hawaii. I had another week before my departure. Knock and I decided to go back to Bangkok and spend some time around the Sukhumvit area. Several nights there and I was ready to move again far too crazy with the traffic and action. Soi Cowboy was not my style. I was used to city life but this was another level of wild. I was also not in the market for pay for play but still wanted to experience the entertainment areas. We ended up back in Sathorn at the previous hotel this time with a much nicer room a huge upgrade. We spent the remainder of our time together at the night market and enjoying the local food.

Eventually the day came when I had to return to Honolulu. I had a business there and bills to attend to that I couldn’t be delayed any longer. It was a heavy feeling in my heart.

The Taxi Ride to the Airport

My flight departed at 1:00 p.m. As with many hotels there there were plenty of taxi drivers waiting outside. Knock negotiated the price and off we went to the airport. The driver knew I was going to the airport and I was running late. Of course we get on the road and after a couple of U turns I told Knock to ask the driver what he’s doing. He needed to get gas. I was livid. The driver knew I had a flight to catch and he also knew that I was running late. He still accepted the fare and asked me for the money to buy gas. Not much choice at this point.

We arrived at the airport. I promised Knock I would get back to Hawaii resolve my affairs and come back to Thailand as quickly as I could. She was sweet about it but I could tell she wanted to believe me but her better judgment was telling her that this was probably the last time we would see each other. I’m sure all her friends and family warned her that I would come visit get what I wanted and bail out never to be seen again like many do. Her worst fears being realized.

I walked towards customs and looked back at least 10 times. Our eyes never met. She looked back I watched her take the escalator down to the MRT station. It broke my heart. Reality was setting in that I now had 20 hours of flight time in front of me to think about the future and how to move forward with this amazing girl.

Story 2 The Wallet That Came Back and the Sponsor Who Changed Two Lives

2019 August. The company that I worked for told me to use my time off or lose it at the end of the year per company policy. I quickly planned my third vacation to Thailand really without the money to do so. A few months later I was in Patong.

On my first night there I met a very pretty petite woman named Le. She told me that she had just started working in the bar and had not gone out with a customer like they all do right? I had a great time with her playing pool but I drank too much and I got kicked out of the bar on my first night in Phuket. I was not rowdy I was just drunk really falling over. I’d had enough according to the female bar owner. I’d had enough drink to sink a battleship. I was not happy but I paid my bill and I went back to my hotel. I also later found out I had left without my wallet in the process.

The next morning I realized my wallet with all of my cards was missing and I was 9,000 miles from home. What to do? I went searching for it. After some research I found out when the bar opened and I came back to find the only woman opening the bar was Le. She seemed happy to see me and gave me my wallet with all of my money still in it.

I had such a good time with her the night before and I was so impressed to get back my wallet with all of the money still in it that I promised to come back to her that night to see her again. I did exactly that. In fact I did see her every night of my vacation.

By the second night I guess I was unsure on my feet after a day or too many beers. She offered to walk me back to my hotel. When we got back to my hotel I was very interested in aerobics but I didn’t have protection and that’s a no go for me. I don’t go to Thailand for the amazing women I go to party so I don’t carry protection with me normally. So no aerobics. She stayed the night in my hotel room. I gave her 2,000 baht in the morning which was much more than the going rate at the time. After all I got my wallet back right? Nothing missing.

The next morning at the hotel it was obvious she’d never been to a Western style hotel before. She took a very long very hot shower. When she came out she asked me when the heated water stopped. I told her the hotel was about 15 floors with I imagine nearly endless hot water all the time. That and a few other things led me to believe she was honest about just starting at the bar.

Le and the Wallet She Returned

At the time I was 45. According to her she was 38. I later found out that this was to be true. Why I didn’t go for a younger woman that night? Again I go to party I’m not trying to find a girlfriend. On some rare occasions I just enjoy some company for the night. I hope you understand.

Why even on my third trip to Thailand I fell for this woman? She has a big heart and not just for rich farangs and I honestly believe to this day she was new at the bar. 3 years later a piece of land and a house that she now owns she has been coached very well by her Thai female mentor who taught her how to get farang sponsors tell them she loves them only and is now an expert at extracting money from each of her sponsors. From what I hear she was quite wealthy by Thai bar girl standards.

If truth be told I was the first of these sponsors a very naive foreigner who came to Thailand for the first time. I put her children through school. Bought her that house. Do I regret it? Of course I regret her decision to do that to me. Do I regret drastically changing her daughters’ lives? Not at all.

I’ve known so many people that blindly give money to a charity never know where that money goes. There are two young girls who have had their lives drastically improved by me. Money well spent. And well done to Le for being so streetwise and improving the lives of her daughters as well as her own.

Story 3 A Drunken Night a Stolen Wallet and the Ladyboys

These stories all come from my time in Thailand whilst I was working in Australia back in 2012. During breaks in between harvest or seeding working etc. I used to go to Thailand from Perth in Australia. I was on a working holiday visa in Australia from Scotland and decided to visit Thailand as my friend from back in Scotland was living in Pattaya at the time. Australia was an amazing country but to have a month long holiday there it would cost me a fortune and I knew my money would go so much further in the Land of Smiles.

I can remember at work I used to think after 1 hour working I could buy three beers or so in Thailand or even two beers in a lady drink. I didn’t go to pubs or restaurants much while at work so it was a great way to save and knowing I could blow it all and let my hair down when I got to Thailand. And that’s exactly what I planned to do.

The time had come to leave my current place of work and head out to a backpacker’s hostel in Perth city for a couple of days. I hated staying in those places. Even at around $30 a night it was eating into my spending money. I know that’s a good price for accommodation but sleeping on the top bunk and having people coming in and out of the room at all hours of the night eventually gives you a bad night’s sleep. Plus I was like a little kid so excited to get on the aircraft to Thailand.

Finally the day arrived and I boarded the aircraft direct to Bangkok which I think took around 6 hours. I can’t actually remember to be fair. Eventually I landed and headed straight to Pattaya. I found the hotel I usually stay in on Soi 7 and jumped in. The lady who owned it was really nice and even today we remain good friends. She has since sold the bar and lives with her husband in Sweden.

I was just doing the norm for the first week or 10 days drinking every day eating far too much food frequenting other bars and finding new ones trying to find a lady who I could invite back to my hotel and so on.

One or two weeks into a month long stay I was looking for a bar to watch a much anticipated Scotland versus England football game. I had been drinking all day and was excited to try and find a random new bar to watch the game which was going to kick off around 10:00 or 11:00 p.m. Thai time. I went to a couple of sports bars and they weren’t showing it or were closing. So I took a motorbike taxi to LK Metro and I went to I Rovers Bar which people through the day had told me would be the best place to watch it. I think I was the only Scottish supporter in there but I didn’t care I was there to have a good time and hopefully Scotland would win.

A Drunken Night in Walking Street

I still have no idea as to who won that day. The game had finished and it could have been around 1200 or 100 a.m. I was absolutely drunk and should have gone home but decided to carry on the night on Walking Street. I staggered from I Rovers to Walking Street and I can remember holding on to lampposts etc. to get my balance. Boy was I drunk. Anyone who would have wanted to kidnap me probably could have very easily without my knowledge. Every now and then I had to sit down and take a breather talking to random people and street sellers. I was a friendly drunk and I like to try to show this not like many other idiot drunks we see in Pattaya these days.

I walked well staggered into Walking Street and I think I went to Rock & Roll Bar (not quite sure of the name) but they always have live music on and it’s a very big bar that sits on the left side. I had another few rum and Cokes and listened to the music. I was in no fit state for aerobics that night so wasn’t on the hunt for female companionship but looking back I should have found someone to take care of me after what you’re about to hear.

I left the bar at around 2:00 a.m. saw some stunning ladyboys in the street with my beer goggles firmly glued to my face. They had the best bodies and beautiful flitting dresses showing their figures. Please know I’m not gay in any way and have never experienced a ladyboy nor would I have aerobics with one but these girls or guys whatever you want to call them were stunning. One asked if I wanted to go short time but I refused. I stood and talked to them for a bit and we laughed and joked as they tried to get me to go with one of them.

After refusing and saying goodbye I shouted out for a motorbike taxi and left to go back to the hotel.

This is where it gets interesting. I was heading up the hill on the way to Jomtien and I realized I couldn’t feel my wallet squashed into the motorbike seat which I normally could as it was where I kept my Thai baht coins. Also I felt around my pockets for a bit whilst the driver took me to the hotel. We arrived at the hotel and I checked every single pocket. My wallet had definitely gone. I was not sure exactly how much money I had in it but all my ID and bank cards were in there also. Luckily I had money in my front pockets it was only about 300 baht but it was enough to pay the taxi man.

After panicking for a while I decided to go back to Walking Street to confront these ladyboys who I was talking to before I left. I got a taxi back and saw them. They obviously played dumb. There was nothing I could prove and I didn’t want to kick off with any of them. I asked in the bar if by closing time anybody had handed in the wallet and they told me to come back in the morning.

Missing Wallet and Phone

So now I’m without a wallet bank cards and ID etc. and I’ve got about 10 baht left in my pocket. I bit the bullet and decided to get home. Not knowing about the 10 baht bus that took people at the corner of Second Road to Jomtien I started to walk back to the hotel as there is a 7 Eleven near where I stay and a Bangkok Bank ATM and branch next to it. I walked in my drunken state somewhat sobered up by now and walked alone. I had no idea where I was going and looked for the go kart place I knew because once I saw that I knew the way home. EasyKart I think it’s called now.

Get this I wanted to call the woman at the hotel who was a great friend of mine. You couldn’t make this stuff up someone had actually stolen my phone during my trip back to find my wallet. As if the night couldn’t get any worse my phone and wallet were now missing.

Eventually I made it back to the hotel after going down some dark streets and being drunk I was so silly. I would stop to ask people the directions. Some people didn’t speak English but I managed to get by with my broken Thai and a little of their broken English. There were still some people around nice older Thai people who wondered what I was doing but were not aggressive towards me. They helped me and pointed me in the right direction.

So I went into the 7 Eleven that was near my hotel and asked the staff if they had a number to call the Bangkok Bank in emergencies. A nice Thai man who was just a customer in the shop buying stuff also had a Bangkok Bank card. He took it out and showed me a number to call on the back of his card. I thanked him and took off to my hotel to get some money from my room.

I went to the 24 hour internet cafe to call my bank in Scotland on Skype. I explained what had happened and they canceled my card. I couldn’t get any help to call the Bangkok Bank so decided to go to the main bank in the morning once it opened.

The day after I reflected on my antics and what had happened the night before and I arranged a meeting at the Bangkok Bank in Jomtien. I explained to them that I had my wallet stolen. They checked my bank account and it was empty. They told me to contact the police and I had to go to Soi 9. The police weren’t interested and gave me a letter just to show the bank that I had been to see them and what my story was.

Reporting the Stolen Cards

I explained to the bank that my card had my signature on the back and how could anyone use it by copying my signature? They investigated and pulled up a receipt from where and when my card had been used. The till receipt had a Thai signature on it and there were two transactions for 14,000 baht. I thought I would never see this money again and was annoyed that even though I signed my card how can someone else use it and sign it with a different signature and everything is just fine? The person working in the shop should have looked up at the signature and saw that something isn’t right surely. But no I’m sure they were quite happy to take my money for whatever this person bought.

In the end I didn’t get any money back which I half expected anyway and had to borrow money from my Thai friend who owned the bar/hotel I stayed in. She gave me 4,000 baht and as I was leaving soon to return to Australia for work I had to exchange the money at the airport to Australian dollars just to get a roof over my head for a couple of nights while I sorted out work.

I returned to work and after a couple of weeks transferred 5,000 baht to my friend which she was so happy about getting a tip also. 5,000 baht was the minimum amount I could send as an international transfer.

So I had a very drunken night and spent a lot of money. Lost my wallet and my phone. I can look back and laugh now about how daft it was. It’s a great story to tell my friends but at the time I was stupid and drunk. Well this is Thailand stuff does happen. We live and learn.