Phone Snatching In Cebu
“First I should say that I have only sent my stories to this site as I know some of the stories shared elsewhere have appeared elsewhere, and my stories are completely true.”
The name I have given in these stories is William. That is not my actual name, but it is a name I soon took on after arrival in Thailand as the lovely ladies could not pronounce the ‘R’ in my given name. I decided on a name without an ‘R’, which turned out to be a benefit as I was constantly referred to as “Handsome Prince William” particularly during my 8 week visit to Thailand and Vietnam in 2012.
However, the main story here takes place in Cebu City, Philippines in 2024, just last year. I had at this point been to the Philippines around 15 times, and up until this moment nothing like this had ever happened to me, despite having visited the nightlife areas of Manila, Angeles City, and Cebu City on many occasions and very often quite drunk and alone.
Knowing the area around Mango Avenue very well by this time Mango Avenue is one of the main nightlife areas in Cebu City. To put it in perspective, it is nowhere near like Soi 4 in Bangkok or anything in Pattaya, but it still has plenty of bars and ladies wandering the street for the curious solo male traveler.
A Blowout Night In Cebu
The Night On Mango Avenue
On this particular night, it was a designated blowout night for me, so I did not care what I spent. I bought drinks for the mamasan, doorman, security, and several ladies. One particular lady seemed to want me badly and genuinely. She was all over me in the booth of the bar to an extreme level. Although I had a few drinks, I was still reasonably aware of my surroundings, and I was very careful with my wallet and my phone. Both were secure.
Then a couple of boys who looked around 15 came into the bar and sat near us laughing. I told them to avert their eyes. They said their relatives were working in the bar. By that time, it was around 130 in the morning not super late, but late by my standards.
I paid the bar fine for the lady I had been enjoying. Everything in the Philippines needs to be paid for upfront, and if you want to give a tip later, you can. Another thing is that when you pay the bar fine in the Philippines, you then wait out front while the lady gets changed and eventually joins you, usually coming around the back from another exit. So I waited about 10 minutes as usual, and she eventually came out.
We were talking outside the bar with a couple of her friends, and then it happened. A kid, maybe 13 years old, appeared from nowhere, put his hand into my right shorts pocket, and seconds later he bolted off with my phone. I gave chase, but what hope did a late-forties, overweight, slightly drunk foreigner have against a whippet with a head start who knew the streets and had certainly done this before? I had no hope.
I returned to the front of the club panting, sweating, embarrassed, and defeated. The lady I had been with told me not to worry and said we would find a way to get my phone back. I wondered what miracle she had in mind. There were some very sentimental photos on that phone that I did not want to lose, never mind the hassle of losing a phone while traveling.
Paying To Get The Phone Back
Then an older man in his early fifties walked up and asked me if I wanted my phone back. I said yes, of course, but asked how. He repeated, “Do you want it back?” I said yes, I need it. Then came the predictable, “How much?”
I was desperate and I knew I had a few thousand pesos in my wallet, which thankfully was not stolen. I offered 3,000 pesos. He scoffed, so I said 4,000 which is about 110 Australian dollars. The man disappeared. I had no idea what to expect, but then 10 minutes later he handed me my phone. It was obvious that this was a well-practiced scam, but to be honest, I did not care. I gave him the 4,000 pesos and thanked him.
The strange thing was that the SIM card had been taken out and was wedged between the phone and the plastic case rather than inside the phone itself. Maybe if they had been able to access the phone easily, they would not have returned it, but I had security codes set up.
Anyway, let this be a lesson to stay very protective of valuables in your pockets, even in an area you think you know well as I thought of Mango Avenue after many visits.
Two More Tourist Warnings
As part of this story, let me add two more small snippets of advice. At Manila Airport while waiting in line, a security guard approached me, asked where I was from, and when I said Australia, he told me he had relatives there and asked me to follow him. I ended up going through express check-in, and then he invited me for a coffee at the airport cafe. I could not really say no, so I joined him. Then out of nowhere he said, “Give me 500 pesos.” I asked why. He said, “Because I helped you.” I only had 150 pesos on me, so I gave him that and paid for the drinks with my card. He was annoyed. I guess this is a common scam they try on solo tourists, so beware.
The last little tale is another Mango Avenue moment. Two nights later, I was in Makati, Manila on my last evening before flying home, and I think it was Dimples Bar I went into. I sat down, and who sits next to me but the same well-endowed lady from the previous night. We both looked at each other and laughed at the coincidence as there are so many bars across Cebu, Manila, and Angeles City. I took her back to my room again that night as the stars had aligned. Did I have a choice? Not really.
The Real Cost Of Living In Thailand
This is not a train crash tale, but a practical one about the costs of living in Thailand with a bit of history attached for interest.
I have seen loads of online guides on how much it costs to live in Thailand, and it is difficult to get a clear idea because the information comes from so many sources that often contradict each other. “How to live on under $500 a month in Thailand” will always be met with “You need at least $2,000 a month to live in Thailand.
The cost of living is like anywhere and depends on the location within the country, the type of accommodation, lifestyle decisions, age, priorities, what and where you eat, whether you have a partner, and your own things like a car. There can never be a fixed price for living somewhere, and you only truly understand the cost once you live there. It all comes down to what you want out of life and what you need to change to suit your personal finances.
Starting With A Cheap Bangkok Flat
I have lived permanently in Thailand for nearly 16 years, after doing visa runs for a few years before that. Back then, I was in my fifties and retired, but with no pension only my own pot to see me through until my UK state pension eventually kicked in. Most of my pot came from my divorce and the sale of my house, which was a straight 50 50 split with no problems or lawyers taking a cut. I’m not talking hundreds of thousands, but it was careful and frugal.
When I retired, I actually qualified at that time, but the UK changed the rules in 2016 in a way that was not in anyone’s favor. Anyway, back then, I lived with my partner in a very cheap Thai one-bedroom flat on the outskirts of Bangkok. My partner lived there because it was next to the bus station where she used to work an 18 hour shift on the old red Bangkok buses as a ticket inspector a few months before we met.
The cost of that apartment was 1,000 baht a month plus water and electric. There were smaller rooms at 800 baht, but I would not recommend going that cheap. It was extremely basic and cheap Charlie, but perfect for low-income people. In Thailand, there is accommodation for all income groups, unlike many Western countries due to regulations and basic standards.
We stayed there a couple of months and then moved to a much better place about 15 minutes on a songthaew ride away, which cost 3,000 baht including internet. With spending and travel and the occasional short break out, our costs worked out around 8,000 baht a month on average.
Moving To Isaan After A Family Loss
That rented flat ended almost 14 years ago after living there for around 18 months, when Gert’s mother became ill. Gert returned to her village in Isaan, while I stayed in Bangkok, and 3 weeks later her mother passed away. Everything changed again.
I had visited her village a couple of times when we did visa runs to Laos. I paid my landlord 3 months’ rent in advance to keep everything current and headed to Gert’s village, where I ended up staying almost 3 months before we returned to Bangkok. Gert always said she wanted to return home and work her farm. Her brothers and sisters had their own houses and families, and her father had moved out years before, so the house was empty, and it would be her inheritance.
I had a big decision to make. Do I go or do I stay? I decided to live in her village and refurbish the old house. By that time, we had been together for 4 years, and I felt I knew her well enough and trusted my instincts. The complete rebuild cost just over 300,000 baht, and I have spent another 250,000 baht over the years finishing everything inside and out. That work was completed 2 years ago in 2024, and it took 12 years to finish the build.
I suppose having a woman 8 years younger with a similar mindset and understanding of me helps a great deal. She does not throw money around, and she is careful with hard-earned cash. Once it is gone, there is no getting it back, especially here in Thailand, so be warned.
Monthly Budget In An Isaan Village
Now, back to the cost of living. I have spent money to get to this stage where I have no rent. We have dozens of chickens, fruit trees, herbs and spices, and two fish ponds all bought by Gert from her hard work. She now sells her produce, and she even built a small house on her farmland from her earnings.
Here is a breakdown of our monthly village and farmhouse expenses
- Internet 700 baht
- Electric 800 baht (without using air conditioning)
- Phones 600 baht
- Fuel for both motorbikes 400 baht
- Groceries around 4,400 baht
I’ve never given her a salary, but I pay for almost everything. That continued until I got my UK state pension a couple of years ago, when I started giving her 9,000 baht a month. This adds up to 15,900 baht a month, but when you factor in a few beers and those unavoidable extras, it averages out at around 20,000 baht a month.
Unexpected costs always appear, so I allow 25,000 baht a month for a decent retirement for two people. You must always overestimate, and I personally allow 25% extra. The bottom line is, if you are living here on a budget and you are sensible and willing to plan properly, then you can make it work year after year.
A fortnight millionaire is a fool if he thinks he can retire here with that holiday mentality. They are worlds apart, and it will not match reality. Thinking a few years ahead is a good strategy, but always be aware that change can come quickly and directly affects expats, so a Plan B or C is essential.
Cherry Bob And The Used iPhone
I met Cherry on Tinder in Australia a few years ago. She was a stunning lady who could be described as slim with long dark hair and a beautiful face full of character a face that had thousands of expressions and an accent that could make you melt.
At first, while we were having dinner, all I could see was this Spanish-looking woman with permed hair, and it was not until we really started talking that I learned she was Thai. She spent a lot of that dinner telling me about her life. I remember her explaining a very tough life with a daughter, and that she was with another boyfriend who she had loved, but he was a cheater he had a woman in every port.
Cherry was 40, and her daughter was 14. She had met an Australian man in Thailand, and he brought her back to Australia, but they later separated, and now she wanted someone to hold her hand and be with her into old age and those were her exact words.
Dinner With Cherry
We agreed to catch up again, and that was when my life changed. She was no longer wearing jeans and a top. This time she wore a beautiful white dress, and my heart raced as we held hands walking to where we were going to eat. And after that date, we kissed, and she told me we matched well together.
A Relationship With Doubts
I will not go into detail about myself, but I am now 54, 193 cm tall, and 100 kilos with a muscular build. What I hide is I am a very sensitive person who can read people well. I was looking for a lover, but also to fall in love. I have commitment issues because of the legal system in Australia, and I am comfortable never being married. A relationship approaching 2 years is a dangerous time for me as it requires financial agreement. I kept my finances secret because I prefer to know that attraction is not based on wealth.
As the weeks went by, I must admit that I pursued her quite hard. We would have intense aerobics, and then she would be unavailable for a few days. She always threw out a challenge to make our next time even more intense. But there was this ugly gut feeling I could not shake. Something felt off.
A lot of the time she was out with her friends, which often involved parties with her Thai girl groups for birthdays as well as casino visits. For around 10 days a month, she would retreat to her house and go silent. I researched more and realized she had the exact symptoms of PMDD (not to be confused with PMS) which has symptoms similar to bipolar, but they only appear around 10 days before a period and disappear when the period begins.
As we became closer, I started spending a couple of nights a week at her rented house, which was a beautiful two-story place with polished floorboards renting for almost 1,000 Australian dollars per week. I felt like a king when I turned up there. Food, laughter, endless aerobics but the relationship was always two steps forward and one and a half steps back.
Finding Bob In The Background
Then one day, a settlement notice pinged on her phone for the purchase of a house. I said congratulations, but she looked awkward. Just before moving into the new house, she flew to Thailand with her daughter and asked me to water her plants. I stayed there one night, and it was a night I will never forget.
There was a tablet next to the bed. I looked at it. It was password protected, but she had created an account on it for my son to play games, and that one had no password. In the thousands of fashion photos, there were screenshots of messages from men offering money and nude photos of her. Her email address showed two of her previous boyfriends flying her to Thailand with hotel bookings. It made me wonder what she was doing now.
A little more looking, and I found her current holiday ticket and it was booked by a man named Bob. My heart dropped just as my phone buzzed with “Good morning” on WhatsApp. I did not answer for 2 hours, and she kept asking if I was okay. Once I calmed down, I asked, “Who is Bob?” She said he is a friend who helped me book the tickets and said, “Ask my daughter we are not with him.
When she returned, we resumed the relationship. I now had all the information I needed. I wanted to leave, but I wanted to dig more into who Bob really was. Then she gave me one of her classic lines “Old boyfriends are like used iPhones. If I want something, I just ask them, and if they can help me, that is good.” She told me she loved me and thought she was going to lose me during her holiday. She said, “Yes, he bought me the house. I was supposed to pay for half myself, but I did not want a bank loan, so I pay him a bit every month.
The Final Decision To Leave
Cherry and I went to Thailand together a few months later and had a good time. When we returned to Australia, the relationship was approaching 2 years, and I had to make a decision. By now, the decision was about my mental health.
The final straw came one night when she was laughing at a girl’s Instagram clip. The girl said, “You should have one guy for cooking, one for laughing, one for aerobics, one for entertainment, and one for shopping.” Cherry burst out laughing and could not calm down. She later posted the clip on Facebook saying, “This is how I roll.” One thing about me is that I am very kind-hearted, and when she showed me the clip, she was almost crying with laughter while I stood there hoping I was “aerobics one” because I was certainly not the money one.
A week before my birthday, my dad was coming over, and it was now 2 weeks before the 2 year period that she could potentially claim we were in a relationship. By now, she was aware I had half a dozen properties, and it was time to end it.
Breaking Free From Cherry
In the weeks that followed, I told her I did not want a relationship anymore. Her messages alternated between professing love and accusing me of talking to her friends. Eventually, the narcissist in her could not keep going, and she stopped. My recovery was swift, and I felt alive again.
Contacting Bob About Cherry
But Bob stayed on my mind for a year. I did not care about the other men, but Bob seemed to truly love her. He had put a significant part of his life on the line for her. The guilt of what I knew weighed on me and affected my training and recovery. That pushed me to contact him.
I sent him some images on WhatsApp, and he rang me straight away. I told him I was sorry and we were never supposed to meet. He could tell I was telling the truth. At first, I was unsure how much to say, but when I learned he was in Thailand with her while I was looking after her house, that was when I opened up. Weeks passed, and we finally met and had a long walk. He turned out to be exactly the man I hoped he was kind, smart, humble, and appreciative.
We both unraveled timelines and exposed her lies. We both still cared about Cherry in some strange way, but Bob had a problem. He was still being played as a Superman rescuing a single mother, and she was still living in his house thinking it was hers. I will not go into details about how Bob got his house back, but when a very smart man joins with someone who knows Cherry better than she knows herself, we became a formidable force.
Cherry still messages Bob, and when she found out we had been talking, she told him we conspired to take her house and that she is furious. It is amazing how a scammer can twist things. Bob is building his dream home a few streets from mine, and he is now talking to a lovely lady who has a heart of gold. When his house is finished, my payment will be served coffee by him on his balcony and I cannot wait for that.
A Return To Thailand At Sixty Four
“I’m a 64 year old man who has been retired for 5 years and living in the United States.”
I used to go to Thailand every year in my forties and fifties until the music, drinks, and going out every night finally got to me. 4 years ago, my wife got cancer and she is very weak and sleeps around 20 hours a day. So, my only option now is to travel to Thailand again to get some action.
I watched a lot of online guides and learned about Thai Friendly. I joined Thai Friendly and within the first hour, I received around 20 likes and messages from women, which did not make much sense to me. So, I was very careful with the messages I received. Three or four of them started telling me about cryptocurrency and USDT, which I had never heard of before, so I kept a few LINE numbers to start this new adventure.
Trying Thai Friendly Again
For many years, I wanted to be with a woman in her 20s, slim and attractive someone who would actually turn me on. So, I picked a 24 year old with a nice face and we had a date for 700 in the evening. 700 in the evening was a strategic time because if something happened and she did not show up, I still had time to call somebody else.
The Blue Pill Experiment
I had never used the blue pill before, but I decided I might need some help. I went to my doctor and asked him to check my testosterone level, and to my surprise, it was 550 which is pretty good for my age. The normal range is between 250 and 1,100. I still brought the blue pills with me.
The first leg of the trip was to Dubai around 14 hours and the next flight was at 700 the following morning. So I stayed the night in Dubai before the 700 in the morning flight to Bangkok, which took around 7 hours. On the way, I swore I would never fly that many hours again.
The driver met me at the meeting area, and we started the 2 hour drive to Pattaya. I checked into the hotel, had a shower, and went to sleep. When I woke up, I sent a message to the cute 24 year old to come to the hotel that night.
She arrived on time, and when I met her outside the hotel, she looked much heavier than her picture, which was a bit of a turn-off. But after a few years of not having anything, I did not have a problem doing the aerobics.
The next night, I sent a message to a pretty 27 year old, and it happened again. She was pretty, but also pretty fat. I wondered what happened to the slim Thai ladies. This time, I went through the motions, but could not get to the finish line. I took her again the next night, but still could not finish. I think it was anxiety and the lack of attraction that caused the problem.
Phuket And The Double Date
A few days later, I decided to fly to Phuket because Pattaya was boring. I sent a message to a local lady, and she was exactly what I was looking for cute and slim. I asked her to come back the next night. She asked for 1,500 baht for that night and said if I wanted her to come back the next night, she could bring a friend for 2,500 for both.
Being 64, I did not think I could go day after day with two at the same time, but I thought, “What the hell? You can still have fun with the ladies even if you do not get to the finish line.” They came together the next night, and we started spending time together, but my 100 mg blue buddy could not get me up. I went to the bathroom, took another 100 mg, and tried again, but it did not help because it does not work instantly.
I later Googled it, and the answer was scary because you can get a heart attack and other problems if you take more than 100 mg. So, do not try this at home. I did not care and just had fun with them. After that night, I took a break for 2 days to let my body recharge and save my heart.
This was in July 2025, and I am going back in November next month. I’m not sure what will happen this time.
