From First Trip to Buying Land in Isaan

I’d like to go back to 2010 when I had been single for two years after getting divorced. I went to work every day trudging along with my life having a few dates but none of them giving me any kind of spark.

There were a couple of guys I worked with who were regular visitors to Thailand and one day they suggested I come with them. Being single I thought ‘Why not?’ Obviously I knew about the reputation of Thailand but I was ignorant of what Thailand is truly like. In the ensuing years I learned about the culture of the people and everything there was to learn about Thailand. It really is an amazing country.

The First Trip 2010

When I set off from Newcastle England I was full of anticipation and excitement. I was with my two work friends and four of their friends who were very friendly as most UK Northern people are. The flight was seven hours to Dubai with a two hour layover and then six hours to Bangkok.

When we came out of the airport it was about 1230 PM and the heat was incredible. I was running on adrenaline all day and was ready for a night I would never forget for the rest of my life.

A few examples with the food I was told not to eat Thai food every day. But I love Thai food so I ignored the advice my friends gave me. Needless to say I was ill by the fifth day. I couldn’t get out of bed. I was as weak as a kitten. A girl from the hotel went to the pharmacy and got me the correct medication. After 48 hours I was okay and ready to make up for my lost nights.

Another recommendation from the guys was not to break the two or three day rule which of course I did.

Whiskers Bar and the Two Day Rule

We went to a bar called Whiskers at the end of Soi Pothole. After a few drinks we were all enjoying ourselves and talking to the girls. Of course inexperienced me was getting sucked in by this really sexy girl who was trying so hard to make me her customer for the night. I’m not ashamed to say it yes I was her customer for the night.

We went back to my hotel and what a night it was. She was about 40 and being 43 it was a good match by all accounts. I can honestly say it was the best night of aerobics I’ve ever had in my life. She was so experienced probably been working in bars for a long time and knew exactly how to please a man.

Needless to say I broke the two day rule. She stayed with me for 10 days. She was very caring funny and took care of me in the bedroom. How could I possibly stay with her for only two days? I was getting teased by the other guys and eventually I stopped seeing her. I told her I wanted to enjoy the remainder of my holiday with my friends. We didn’t go back to Whiskers bar again.

That night we went to the LK Metro area. I met a girl called Nat. She was about 25 years old stunning with long black hair an amazing smile and a really attractive body. I bar fined her and we went for a few drinks. Her English wasn’t great but we managed to get by. We ended the night back at my hotel and had a great time together.

Looking back at that first trip to Thailand it was truly amazing. I met two lovely girls who made me feel good about myself. I couldn’t wait to go back again which I did in January 2011.

The Second Trip January 2011

I went with the same group of friends and I had saved up all year and was definitely going to enjoy myself. It was great to be back in Pattaya. My plans were not to break the two day rule but of course I broke it on the third night.

We went to a small bar down a side street near Soi Buakhao. We ordered drinks and a very pretty girl in tiny denim shorts and a tight top sat on my lap. She wasn’t in the slightest bit shy. She had an amazing figure and that was what hooked me. I spent two nights with her and instead of saying goodbye as I’m supposed to the two day rule was thrown out of the window once again. How could I end what was a really enjoyable experience? She ticked all the boxes in every department.

The next morning I asked her if she had a passport. I love traveling so off we went to Angkor Wat in Cambodia. We stayed for five nights in a five star hotel. I did learn something from our five days in Cambodia a bar girl can get lazy as she knows she’s going to get paid and fed. Don’t get me wrong I’m no sex maniac but I was definitely going to have aerobics with this beautiful girl every night. On two occasions she wanted to go straight to sleep after eating way too much food at the restaurant.

When we got back to Pattaya we said our goodbyes. Going to Cambodia with her was a great experience and I’ll never forget her. I spent the rest of my holidays meeting other girls and always sticking to the two day rule.

The Third Trip January 2012

January 2012 couldn’t come quickly enough. However the 11 month break does give you a chance to save up a good amount of holiday money.

On my third holiday in Thailand I flew to Copenhagen from U Tapao airport not far from Pattaya and then took a ferry to the Full Moon Party on Koh Samui. I must say that this is definitely the best party I’ve ever been to. Although my friends and I were in our early 40s and far older than the rest of the partygoers we still had an unforgettable night.

We flew back to Pattaya met up with the guys and enjoyed the rest of my time in Pattaya. The remainder of my holiday the girls I chose were all good fun and I always stayed with them for only one night. They were happy with the money they received and in the morning we always left each other on good terms.

One night I was out with the guys and wasn’t really looking for company that night. Anyway at about 10 PM I went to 7 Eleven for a bottle of water. While I was in the shop a very very pretty girl made eye contact with me and flashed me a really sexy smile. She was about mid 20s. We started chatting and she was asking the usual questions. I was attracted to her with every passing minute.

We went to the checkout together and when we left the shop I asked her if she wanted to go for a drink and meet my friends who were watching a football match. She liked Manchester United and it seems most Thais like either Liverpool or Manchester United. After the game she came back to my hotel. All I’ll say is the aerobics were very good and she had an amazing body too.

I’ll never forget this particular girl and the way I met her because it sums up why Pattaya is a great place to meet sexy women. I went into the shop for a bottle of water and came out with a stunner.

The Dark Years in the UK

In September 2013 I met a woman from Newcastle and formed a relationship that lasted six months. That was probably the worst six months of my entire life. And to top it all off every January my friends went to Pattaya sending me videos of their nights out while I’m sitting next to my partner in the UK watching the damn TV.

Vietnam 2019

When we split in 2019 I decided to go to Vietnam alone. I started in Hanoi and did various trips that I booked from a travel agent near my hotel all of which were excellent value. If you go to Hanoi the top of the list has to be Ha Long Bay which is absolutely stunning.

While in Hanoi I did go looking for fun in the bars. But because I was alone and didn’t want to take any risks what I did do was ask a motorbike taxi to take me to a massage parlor. When I walked in I was taken to a room with about 15 girls. I looked at them all and picked the best one.

The taxi driver told me it would be 750000 Dong for a massage so I took 1 million and planned to give the change to the girl. Unfortunately I was charged 1 million by the guy at the till. So I felt a bit guilty when the girl had finished the massage and I couldn’t tip her which she definitely deserved.

Five days later I continued on to Da Nang and Ba Na Hills which was again a tremendous experience. The next stop was Saigon where two of my friends flew from Bangkok to spend a few days with me. The nightlife in Saigon was pretty good but not as good as Pattaya with very few bar girls compared to Pattaya.

I would definitely recommend Vietnam as the people were really friendly and the food was amazing.

Pattaya Before Lockdown

In 2020 I managed three weeks in Pattaya just before lockdown was imposed. In the second week of our holiday we decided to stay in Bangkok for a few days. We jumped in a taxi from Pattaya and stayed at the Nana Hotel just across from Nana Plaza Hillary 2 and a few other good bars. We had a great time in these bars having a good laugh with all the girls.

On our last night before we headed back to Pattaya I met a freelance girl in Hillary 2. She was called Pom and she was great fun to be with. She came to my hotel and I certainly wasn’t disappointed. I liked her because she was easygoing and a pleasure to be with. The next day I asked her if she wanted to come to Pattaya with us and of course she said yes. We came to a financial arrangement that we were both happy with.

Down to Pattaya we had a great time. The three things she loved were eating sleeping and aerobics. I couldn’t fault her in any way. A few days later I dropped her off in Bangkok and headed back to the UK.

Not long after I arrived back in England the world shuddered to a stop and sadly COVID changed many people’s lives.

Pom and I kept in touch on a daily basis via Line. I felt sorry for her as in Thailand if you don’t work you don’t earn any money. She never asked me for any money and as my business was suffering due to COVID I was not in a position to help her.

Returning During COVID 2022

It was two years before I could go back to Thailand due to the pandemic. So it was great to be back this time for six weeks. However it was a totally different Pattaya from the last time I went in 2020.

Thailand still had restrictions on everyone face masks body scanners when entering shopping malls. Many restaurants and bars were closed. Walking Street was closed. And probably the worst thing was that the bars were closing at 900 PM and there weren’t many girls around. They had obviously returned to their villages. The really stunning looking girls were asking a ridiculous amount of money for short time and long time. I simply refused and did without.

I contacted Pom in Bangkok to see if we could meet up for a few days and of course she said yes. I left the next day and met her in Terminal 21 shopping mall for some food. I was watching her eat and she hadn’t changed. I don’t know where these Thai girls put it because they are so small and slim. I’m six foot two and there’s no way I could devour what these girls eat.

That night we met her friends in a bar beside Nana Plaza. She was married to an Australian guy. As the night wore on her husband got talking to me a bit too close for my liking bearing in mind that inside a bar you don’t need to wear a face covering.

The following evening I wasn’t feeling great. I had all the symptoms of COVID 19. I took a test and surprisingly it was negative. I knew I had it because I had never had symptoms like this before. I was angry because back in England I wore a face covering for two years and never caught COVID.

What was really disappointing was that I had booked five days on Phi Phi Island with Pom. We got a flight to Krabi bearing in mind that I passed through two body scanners at the airport which showed negative readings then a ferry to Phi Phi. The first two days on Phi Phi were awful as I definitely had COVID. I stayed in the hotel and ordered my food from outside. On the third day I was fine and we continued the holiday as normal. We went to some islands by boat and snorkeling was very impressive with all the different fish. Phi Phi and the islands nearby were truly wonderful and I can honestly say it’s one of the best places I’ve visited.

Phi Phi During COVID

Sadly we didn’t have any aerobics on the island because Pom was terrified of catching COVID. I had mixed feelings about this. On the one hand I understood that she didn’t want to catch COVID. But on the other hand she could have taken care of me in other ways or is that me being a bit too selfish?

Just to add to the story Phi Phi was extremely quiet and many bars and restaurants were still closed.

When we flew back to Bangkok I got a taxi back to Pattaya and Pom jumped in a taxi back to her room in Bangkok. There were no cuddles or kisses and my time with her left me feeling really disappointed and sad for the both of us.

When I got back to Pattaya I had another test and it was still positive. I was so fed up I told the guys I was staying in my room that night. They bought me a bottle of vodka and some orange juice. That night I drank way too much drowning my sorrows. The next day I had a serious hangover.

Later that day I tested again and I was negative. Thank God. Normal service resumed.

Meeting Jib on Soi Honey

In the last 10 days of my holiday we were just relaxing most days by the beach in Pattaya and going out at night. One day as we left the beach I suggested taking a different route back to our hotel which was the Nature View Hotel on Soi Buakhao. We ended up walking up Soi Honey. The time was about 500 PM and most of the bars had lots of girls in them. We all agreed we would come back to Soi Honey at some point that night.

I would just like to say that by now I was very comfortable with Pattaya. I knew what to look out for the scams extras being added to your check bin and overzealous bar girls who promise you everything when they get to your room and leave you as soon as they can with your money. My friends looked after me the first year I came but now I was wise enough to look after myself.

So that night we went to Soi Honey and my life was about to change.

We started at the top of Soi Honey just off Soi Buakhao. The bars were full of pretty girls and definitely outnumbered the guys. We were going to stop at the soi all night. We entered the third bar to the usual fuss that the girls make. We were all ushered to the seats by the bar and the usual conversations started with the girls.

Out of the corner of my eye I saw a girl sitting down alone on her phone. Even though she seemed disinterested in us I tried to catch her eye. She was stunning with flowing black hair a tight short dress and I thought she was about 25. I later found out she was actually 29. It’s incredible how Thai girls always look younger than their age.

I asked the mamasan if the girl would like to join me for a drink. The mamasan didn’t ask her but told me to go and sit with her and she would bring two drinks over. I introduced myself and her name was Jib. She was 29 and from Isaan. She told me she had come down to Pattaya three weeks ago. Well that was a red flag to me because I’ve heard all that before.

Getting to Know Jib

Jib stood up to go to the toilet and now I got to see her figure. Wow. She was perfect in every way long legs a slim body very beautiful with a great smile.

When she came back from the toilet we carried on our conversation. Her English wasn’t great but we managed. The guys wanted to move on to the next bar which was a shame because I was quite happy to stay with Jib. I did something I’ve never done before with a girl I gave her 500 Baht. She seemed really happy about the money I gave her which I thought was odd. It was only a small amount. I told her I would come back the following evening. I didn’t tell her I would bar fine her because I wanted to know more about her first.

The following day the guys and I went to the beach had a few beers and food. I was thinking a lot about Jib and was hoping I would see her later that night. When we returned to the bar she saw me and came straight over thanking me again for the money I gave her. She took my hand and led me to some comfy seats. I bought some drinks and we basically carried on the conversation from the previous night.

After a couple of beers the guys were ready to move on. I was in a dilemma now. I decided to stay with Jib for a couple more beers and I would catch up with my friends later. We talked for two hours and I eventually said I must go and meet my friends. I told her I would come back for her.

Sadly I never made it back. I got drunk in Tree Town and went back to my hotel with a chicken kebab. I felt terrible the next day because I promised I would go back to see her. So after lunch I set off to her bar but she wasn’t there. The mamasan told me she wasn’t happy that I didn’t go back. I got there about 200 PM and was told Jib normally gets to the bar about 500 PM. So I gave the mamasan a bar fine and I was back in the boss’s good books. I even bought us both a drink.

I found the mamasan a very interesting person. She had been working in Pattaya since she was 18. She married a German guy when she was 25 and lived in Germany for 10 years. They eventually split up and she moved back to Pattaya with a fair amount of money from the divorce which enabled her to buy the bar. She was now 45 and living with a Swedish guy.

Koh Samet With Jib

When I met up with my friends I told them I was taking Jib out for some drinks and if they were still out we could meet up in the Beach Club around 11 ish.

When I got to her bar about 800 PM Jib looked stunning with a short white dress high heels and immaculate hair. The mamasan pulled me over to one side and told me that when Jib found out that I had bar fined her she immediately left the bar to buy a new dress and she also went to the hair salon. I couldn’t believe it. I was taking out such a beautiful woman.

Yes I know it’s all about the money and these girls are in Pattaya for one reason only but that was the last thing on my mind. We had a great time together and met one of my friends in the Beach Club. He had bar fined a girl earlier in the night so we made a good foursome especially the girls because they chatted like long lost friends. We all got quite drunk together and had a great night.

Jib came back to my hotel and to be honest we were too drunk for aerobics. We fell asleep naked. The next morning we both shouted and did what we didn’t do the previous night.

That day we ate together and got to know each other a little bit more. Jib told me she was from a farming village in Isaan and had come to Pattaya only three weeks ago when her Thai boyfriend of 10 years had split up with her because he had met someone new.

Straight away I thought ‘It’s the same old story that many Thai girls talk about “I’ve only been here three to four weeks.”‘ In my experience I can generally tell if a girl has just arrived mainly through her grasp of English phone tattoos fingernails hair and slimness of her body. However the really good way to find out if she’s lying is social media their timeline of photos comments etc. So after a few hours of checking out Jib on social media I believed her story.

Going Back Six Weeks Later

We kept in touch when I got back to the UK. We talked every day and I was well smitten by this beautiful Thai girl. I decided to go back six weeks later.

I rented a condo in Jomtien for two weeks. The reason I stayed in Jomtien was that it was well away from the Pattaya nightlife. I wanted no distractions because I wanted to see how we got on together. The condo was in a great location opposite the beach and it also included a kitchen which Jib used to cook Thai food virtually every day.

We had a great time together and everything was perfect between us. But I still had that nagging doubt about her. I’ve read so many horror stories about Thai bar girls.

When I went back to England I decided to ask her if she would like to be my girlfriend. I couldn’t believe I was going down this road. I felt I was setting myself up for an almighty fall. However we both had strong feelings for each other and we agreed to give it a go.

Unlike Western women Thai women are not bothered about the age gap. I think as long as you take care of them and treat them with respect they will do likewise.

Jib left the bar where she worked saying it was an awful way to make money and found a job in a hotel. I was happy that she left that kind of work because for some Thai girls it’s the only way they can make decent money to send home and look after themselves in Pattaya. Jib is fortunate because her family in Isaan was fairly comfortable by Thai standards so there was no need to send money back home. No sick buffaloes no sick aunties or uncles and no broken down tractors.

More Story Details

In June 2022 we went on a two week tour of Vietnam starting in Hanoi and working our way down to Saigon. Again we had a great time together and she loved Vietnam. How could you not love Vietnam? It’s a wonderful experience.

When I was due to go back to England we said our goodbyes at Bangkok Airport and she was really upset and crying. My God they certainly know how to pull on your heartstrings.

Meeting the Family in Isaan

I saved up enough money to go back and see Jib this time in September 2022. I met her at Bangkok Airport and hired a car to drive to her parents’ house in Isaan including a week on Koh Chang.

Getting out of Bangkok was an absolute nightmare. It took me an hour to hit the motorway and I had a bad headache with the stress of it all. Five hours later we reached her town. I’ve read about farangs having to buy plenty of beer and whiskey as a gift. I had no problem with that and it didn’t cost as much as I thought it would.

That night there was plenty of food and the beer was flowing. Aunts uncles and cousins all came to see the only farang in the village. It seemed everyone was coming out of the woodwork. But it was a night that I thoroughly enjoyed even if I didn’t have a clue what her family was saying about me. Apparently I was the first farang to have visited the family.

The next day Jib gave me a tour of the family farm and what they grew chilies garlic and many other crops. She explained the process of shipping them out to the middlemen for export. When she explained to me how much money these farmers received for their produce it’s a pittance. It’s no wonder they have to work so many hours in their fields to make ends meet.

After a week with Jib and her family we set off to Koh Chang. We drove down to Trat and boarded a ferry to the island. We arrived in darkness and heavy rain. There was one road that ran the length of the island. Parts of that road were very scary with steep inclines heading towards our house which was about 20 miles away according to the sat nav. Anyone going to Koh Chang please try not to get the last ferry a morning or afternoon ferry would be a lot safer.

We hired a two bedroom house from a German guy who was an excellent host and couldn’t have been more helpful. His house had excellent facilities including a kitchen two clean bedrooms and two bathrooms. A cleaner came every day. We had a great time together and our relationship was going great.

Koh Chang and Goodbyes

When it was time for me to return home we drove back to Bangkok and said our goodbyes again. Looking back I can honestly say that 2022 was an incredible year for me personally.

Buying Land for Jib

In December 2022 Jib told me her father would sell me an acre of land very close to his home. This would enable Jib to build a house. I think you all know what’s coming next. Well I’m in that deep now so yep I bought the land for her.

In January 2023 I went back to Pattaya with my friends. However my holiday with the guys this year was definitely not going to be the same as in previous years. It was a difficult juggling act. The holiday was a mixed bag of me going out with my friends Jib going out with her friends and Jib and me having alternative evenings together.

The nights when I wasn’t with Jib were interesting as I received many texts from her worried about what I was up to. I had never seen this side of Jib before.

The last week of my holiday I drove up to Isaan to make sure everything was legit. I paid the money for the land via bank transfer and all relevant documents were correct. I fully understand that if we break up I can kiss goodbye to my investment. However my thoughts are that nobody can take this land away from Jib and she’ll have it as long as she lives. So I’m happy with that.

I’ve spoken to many guys from around the world who’ve bought land and built a house in Thailand and even married a Thai woman. They are happy together and have made it a success. So it can definitely happen.