You do not normally run into 'internet romance scams' from Thailand, unless they are conducted by outsiders, who are currently residing in Thailand, and these are typically our 'West African friends'.
Thailand of course has a heavy sex tourism industry, a normal tourism industry, as well what seems to be a large number of retired expats.
Over the years my communications with some Thai ladies have been eye opening. In some poorer Northern provinces, landing a 'farang' husband is like winning the lottery, even better if the farang is going to live in Thailand. Either way a house ends up being built for somebody,either the happy couple, or the lady and her parents. (where she will probably retire after sugar daddy croaks)
One very engaging Thai lady I chatted with was not a stunner. She was 40, mildly cute, straying toward plain, but her eyes lit up when you chatted, and she was animated, very bright, and witty. She was cool, and fun. I seriously considered meeting her. (Yes, I was single at the time.)
We chatted over a few months. Her initial story was she worked her way through university, worked in a factory in Bangkok, and eventually met a farang, who told her to go back to the province to wait for him to sort out his divorce, while he financially supported her.
The amount of monthly support he sent was outrageous by local standards, if true. It amounted to 6 times what a local peasant farmer would earn.
She claimed she was able to build her parents a new modest house, buy a laptop, and bank some money before the 'allowance' stopped.
(It also appeared she was doing some 'translating' with the laptop for local girls who spoke no english, but had online romeos.)
The story changed eventually, and the final version included her working in a bar in Bangkok after university, and then shacking up with an Expat who later supported her back in the province for a few years, before ending the arrangement.
This lady did not appear to be a bimbo, not a seductive, wiggling man-toy like you can see on videos and movies.
When we expressed mutual interest, and the possibility of meeting, she laid out the arrangements for any possible marriage to her.
(this is all online, and we had never met.)
I don't remember the exact details, but it included a few thousand dollars of Gold, for the mother, $200 a month, while the parents were alive, and eventually building a new, small house, 'for the parents'.
(who I was previously told already had one? The new one must have been for her future retirement?)
Thai culture has a dowry tradition called 'sin sod'. From what I understand, this is not a current, common practice, and the price is determined by the virginity of the lady, age, and education.
This was kind of mind boggling to me, when I balked I was offered an 'installment plan'. Reduced down payment, smaller monthly payments to the family, and the promise to build a house 'in the future'.
( I wonder if she ran a credit check on me?)
As charming and delightful as she was to chat with, and talk to on the phone, this pretty much ended whatever fantasy I was wallowing in.
I pulled the plug amid some major waterworks on her part, on cam, and said 'Bye'.
A few years later I saw a familiar face on a different Asian dating site, and said 'Hi'. She told me she had returned to Bangkok, and was doing some sort of work that didn't involve bars. I wished her luck.
Many of the Thai ladies who contact my baiting profiles are more interested in landing an older 'Farang' who is willing to retire in Thailand. Some already have 'the house', maybe paid for by the previous benefactor, who may be pushing up daisies,now?
It's not unusual to see a profile for an attractive, middle-aged Thai lady that announces 'Come live in my house.'
I'm not judging. It's interesting to me.
When I run into Thai ladies online from the Northern provinces, I try to get the 'story' they have to tell.
I chatted with one recently. Pretty, 50, divorced. The story was her professional Thai husband dumped her years ago for another lady, keeping the kids, and casting her away. (who knows?)
She was currently working a domestic job, and claimed she had no contact with her two children, and seemed very sad about it.
'They know my phone number, but they never call me for years!'
Eventually she told me she had hooked up with a very elderly 'Farang' who lived in Thailand after the divorce, almost twice her age, who never married her. He eventually died, and all she had left to show for it was the new small car he had bought her.
The car was long gone, sold, and the proceeds dwindled. Now she is not happy, alone, but working hard, but with the eye on the internet for the next knight in shining armor.
I always mention I am not interested in living in Thailand, but she made the pitch, anyway.
'You come live here with me...'
The counter-offer she proposed included her coming to the US as my wife, and eventually we would retire in Thailand, and ...gee....why not build the little retirement love nest, now?
If only I could get pretty, local women to throw themselves at me like this?
This fantasy is too expensive, not only a long plane ride, but a house to boot?
I could try waddling up to well preserved widow in my local Starbucks, give her a wink, and 'Hey, Toots, buy me a house and I'll be your boy toy....GRRRRRRRR!'
On the same Thai dating site I met the 'car' lady, another attractive middle aged lady messaged me repeatedly.
'You come meet me. Marry me. I go USA you wife.'
'Uh, Lady....I don't even know your name? Can't we be friends first?'
'You come meet me. Marry me. I go USA you wife.'
I'd like to say she was enamored with my handsome face on my profile, but I have no picture on that profile, at that dating site.
This post is not intended to depict the ladies in Thailand in general. I've chatted with many accomplished, lovely, ladies from Thailand. I respect that many are not that interested in leaving Thailand, they are happy and loyal to Thailand, even though there are some political problems currently.
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