My Thai Girlfriends Father Wants Me To Marry Her

After I finished business school in France in 2006, I went to work in Thailand for a big French company.

It was my first time in Asia, and I didn’t know much about Thailand, honestly, I just thought it sounded like a cool and exotic place to be.

I had heard about the nightlife there, but I didn’t really know what to expect.

Back then, there weren’t many blogs or YouTubers to get information from, so most of what I knew about the nightlife came from a few random blog posts and a book called “Private Dancer” that I read when I got there.

That book was still pretty new at the time.

Moving To Thailand For Work

I arrived in Thailand in August 2006, and about a month later, there was a military coup. That made me stressed out for a little while, but then things went back to normal pretty quickly.

Most people around me seemed to be ok with the situation.

After I got settled in Thailand, I just carried on with my usual stuff.

Not long after, I started checking out the local nightlife scene. And guess what? I stumbled upon a place called Soi Cowboy first, and a few days later, I explored Nana Plaza. Let me tell you, those places were a real blast.

Exploring The Nightlife of Bangkok

For about six months, I was totally into it. I went to go-go bars, tried out soapy massage places, and even went to some random massage spots. I even met some freelancers along the way.

But you know what? Looking back, I realized I was heading down a bit of a slippery slope.

Even though I was making a pretty good amount of money compared to the locals, I was spending it all and taking a toll on my health with all the heavy drinking.

My schedule was pretty packed – I was hitting the town about four times a week on average. And let me tell you, I was practically this Bar’s number one customer.

That place was my absolute favorite hangout at the time, and I ended up dropping a ton of cash there.

Looking For Love on Thai Dating Sites

About six months after I got to Thailand, and after having some bad experiences with the Bar scene I realized I needed a lifestyle change. So, I had a thought – why not try a different approach?

This was back in early 2007, and there weren’t many dating websites around then.

I signed up on an international dating site that’s still around today.

At that time, there weren’t many girls registered in Bangkok on these sites, and most of them were Thai ladies who spoke good English and were educated.

There were hardly any working girls, which was a bit different from what I’d been used to.

I put up my best photos and started looking for something serious.

I chatted with a few girls, but there was one who really caught my attention. Let’s call her Som.

She was 23 years old and had just graduated from university. She was working for a big Thai company that made consumer goods.

First Date With A Thai Girl From A Dating App

After a few weeks of chatting online, we decided to meet up for dinner at a cool spot she suggested.

And you know what? The date went really well! We had a great time and decided to see each other again the following week.

After a week or so, Som and I started going out on dates like three or four times a week.

We’d have dinners, and after that, we often hit these classy Thai nightclubs where there was live music playing.

Interestingly, I usually stood out because I was often the only foreigner there.

Som, on the other hand, stuck to non-alcoholic drinks, and even though the atmosphere was really romantic with all those love songs, I couldn’t seem to get any closer to her. No kisses or cuddles, which is something that’s pretty normal back in the West.

It was like she kept her distance, and I figured this was just how conservative Thai girls acted – definitely a far cry from the scene at Soy Cowboy!

Meeting My Thai Girlfriends Family

Anyway, after a few weeks of dating, we had only held hands, and any thoughts of cuddling or kissing were way off the table.

I was being respectful and trying to keep things decent. I felt like things were getting serious between Som and me, and I was right. But what I wasn’t ready for was what came next…

Som dropped a big news bomb on me – she said she had already talked to her parents about me.

Her folks wanted to meet me and get to know me better, so they invited me to their family home in a village near a city called Udon Thani.

Som’s dad had a business where he imported farm stuff from China and India and sold it to different places across the country.

He even spoke English quite well and had an older Mercedes car, which got me thinking they might be pretty well-off.

Even though they lived in Bangkok, they had another home in the countryside where they hung out on weekends and caught up with their relatives.

Som had this old Toyota that used to belong to her mom, and she drove us there on a Sunday.

Let me tell you, I was super nervous because Som told me we’d be meeting her whole family right away once we arrived.

Now, her dad had this reputation of being a bit tough, so I was a bit worried about that. But when we got there, he turned out to be really nice.

He talked to me in English, showed me around the place, and introduced me to everyone.

The day was actually pretty good. We had some awesome Thai food, and everyone was friendly and polite to me. It was way less scary than I thought!

Our First Kiss

Later that evening, we were back in Bangkok. And guess what? Som surprised me with a quick kiss before she dropped me off at my place.

It wasn’t a full-on French kiss, but it made me really happy and felt like a good sign for our relationship.

Over the next few days, we continued our usual dates. But still, there wasn’t much physical affection between us.

No more kisses or anything. Som was nice to me, but there was still a bit of distance, and I was starting to feel a bit awkward about it.

Then, one night, Som told me some exciting news. Her parents wanted to invite me for lunch on the upcoming Sunday.

They had reserved a fancy Thai restaurant that only rich people seemed to go to.

Som made a point of telling me how posh these people were and how exclusive the place was.

She mentioned that it was pricey, but they were inviting me and I would be their special guest.

I felt really good about this – it seemed like they really liked me and appreciated having me around.

Meeting My Thai Girlfriends Parents

The big day finally arrived, and I hopped into a taxi headed for that swanky restaurant.

As I walked in, there was Som with her family – her dad, her mom, her younger brother, and a friend of the family I hadn’t met before.

Turned out, this friend was introduced as someone who hadn’t seen Som’s dad in ages, and they were reconnecting. It was all pretty cozy.

But here’s the kicker – they had reserved a VIP room just for us, away from the rest of the diners. Fancy, right?

We ordered some drinks, and then Som’s dad pulled me aside.

He dropped a bombshell – he wanted me to call my mom back in France using his phone.

The purpose you my ask? He wanted to chat with her about me and Som, to see if I was seriously invested in the relationship.

I was caught off guard and explained that my mom only spoke French and didn’t understand English.

He said he had it all sorted out. He said his friend could talk to my mom in French.

Father In Law To Be Has Spotted A Foreigner For His Daughter

Now, a thought started swirling in my mind – was this guy hired to translate our conversation?

It felt like things were getting pretty odd. I decided to stall a bit, pointing out that it was only 7 AM on a Sunday in France, so we should probably eat first.

He agreed, and we all dug into our meal, while I was still a bundle of nerves.

While I got that Som’s dad was just checking up on his daughter’s relationship, I didn’t quite like how it was all sprung on me like this. The whole situation felt like a plot twist in a movie.

After about an hour or so, Som’s dad was pretty insistent that we call my mother.

He handed me his cellphone, and I dialed the number with my fingers crossed, secretly hoping she wouldn’t answer. I could’ve given a fake number, but by then, my feelings for Som were pretty strong, and I didn’t want to mess things up.

To my surprise, my mother picked up quickly, but she sounded a bit worried when she saw an unfamiliar Thai number calling her.

I could tell she was probably imagining all sorts of things happening to me in Thailand.

When I explained that I was with Som’s family and they wanted to talk to her, she seemed relieved. In fact, she sounded quite amused.

My Girlfriends Thai Father Is Forcing Me To Marry Her

Here’s where it gets interesting – Som’s dad asked me to translate his words to his friend, who didn’t really know much French but apparently understood it pretty well.

This guy was listening intently and sometimes exchanged a few words in Thai with Som’s dad, almost like he was giving his commentary on our conversation.

I could feel his presence in the background, monitoring my translation skills closely. It was like I was in the middle of a language test and After a brief introduction The questions began.

They asked if I had been married before, or if they thought I was ready for a serious relationship. And then, the big one – if I would be willing to marry their daughter.

Now, that last question was a bit surprising. We had only been dating for about three Somths at that point, and we hadn’t even shared a proper kiss, Yet, her parents were asking my mom if she would be okay with us getting married. It felt a bit like they were jumping the gun.

The call finally ended, and I felt a wave of relief wash over me.

Som’s father assured me that he was quite pleased with how the conversation went and that he was ready to start planning the wedding.

As he said that, I started feeling incredibly nervous.

The truth was, I hadn’t mustered up the courage to tell them that this wasn’t exactly what I had in mind – at least not this soon. Things were moving really fast, and it was overwhelming for me.

Eventually, the dinner wrapped up, and Som’s dad dropped me off at my place in his Mercedes.

My mind was racing with thoughts as I tried to process everything that had just happened. It was like I was caught in a whirlwind, and I wasn’t quite sure how to navigate it all.

Seeking Advice About My Foreigner-Thai Relationship

The following day, I told some of my Thai colleagues I trusted and who were good English speakers about what had happened.

They shared my feelings that the situation was strange and advised me to slow things down.

That evening, I messaged Som and told her that I was feeling scared because everything was moving way too quickly, I explained that I wasn’t ready for marriage at this point, although I cared deeply for her. It was a conversation I had to have.

To my surprise, her response was quite aggressive. She told me that I had made a promise and couldn’t change my mind now, as her family would lose face if things changed.

I tried to explain that I had never made any such promise, and that her family had made decisions on their own. I also mentioned that I wasn’t prepared to rush into marriage.

That’s when things took an unexpected turn. Som informed me that if I were to cancel the wedding, I would need to pay them a hefty sum – a hundred and fifty thousand Thai baht – immediately to cover the cost of the rings her parents had apparently purchased.

I was taken aback because I had no idea they had even bought rings, let alone that they were expecting me to contribute to the costs. It felt like things were spiraling out of control and turning into a mess that I hadn’t signed up for.

Thai Girlfriend Losing Face After Breakup

She continued to express her disappointment, claiming that I had betrayed her and caused her to lose face.

She even went as far as saying that my actions had tarnished her reputation, and that I needed to pay for it.

She brushed off the 150,000 Thai baht as a small price compared to the embarrassment I had apparently caused them.

I was left speechless, so I stopped responding and decided to wait until the next day.

When the next day arrived, I was at work and started receiving numerous calls from her father, which I chose not to answer.

Am I Being Scammed By My Girlfriends Family?

I decided to share the situation with my trusted Thai male colleagues. They were both in their thirties, married, with kids, and part of the Thai urban middle class, They spoke excellent English and had a solid grasp of their culture.

They were alarmed by what was happening and suggested that I might be falling into a scam set up by by Som’s family.

They shared their suspicions that Som might have something to hide, and her family was pressuring me into a rushed marriage to cover up a potential issue.

They mentioned that in Thai society, it’s crucial for middle or upper-class girls to retain their virginity until marriage, and the urgency could also be due to her having a hidden child.

Some Thai Girls Parents Force Them To Marry

They explained that some Thai girls rush into marriage to save face with their families, not for financial gain, but to avoid embarrassment from their past.

Their advice to me was clear: stop communicating with Som and her family, and completely ignore their attempts to contact me. It was a lot to process, but their insight helped shed light on the situation, making me rethink everything that had already happened.

The following day, I got a message from Som, and it wasn’t good news.

She said I had to cough up the 150,000 Thai baht by the next weekend, or else there would be serious consequences. She claimed that her father was furious with me, and he knew where I lived and worked.

She warned me that he would track me down if I refused to pay.

Hiding From My Ex Thai Girlfriend

Suddenly, I felt like my safety was at risk, In a panic, I headed back home, packed my stuff, and moved to a hotel on Sukhumvit Road.

I did this to avoid Som’s family potentially ambushing me in front of my condo.

When I returned to work the next day, I shared this terrifying situation with my Thai friends. They didn’t take it lightly at all. They assured me they’d take care of the issue themselves, which brought me some relief.

They asked for Som and her father’s phone numbers.

Later that same day, one of my friends approached me at my desk with reassurance.

He told me not to worry, that everything would be okay, and that I wouldn’t be bothered anymore.

I couldn’t believe it so I asked how they managed to achieve this.

He explained that his family had some powerful connections with high-ranking officials. He had asked one of them to make a call and give Som’s family a stern warning.

Basically, they were told to back off and not contact me again, or there would be consequences. It was a surreal turn of events, but I felt incredibly relieved knowing that I had support from someone with such influence.

During my four years in Thailand, I never saw this happening to me, especially from a girl like Som.

I had completely lowered my defenses around her – she was a smart, well-off Thai girl who seemed genuinely nice. But then this whole situation unfolded.

After that, things changed for me. I found myself back in the naughty nightlife scene, although I toned it down to just two nights out per week.

From that point on, I didn’t pursue any other relationships with local Thai girls. The Som experience had left its mark.

I want to mention that during this time, I was fortunate to have the support of those two Thai guys who became my friends.

They were the ones who stepped in and helped me deal with the mess. Their assistance made a significant difference during a confusing and tough period.