DWS Posted March 10, 2006 Report Share Posted March 10, 2006 Well I would be interested in any comments, but mainly I am posting this here to get things straight in my head, and as a warming to others. Ok, let me start at the beginning. Six months ago I met a Thai lady via the internet and very quickly we were got to the point of emails every couple of days and talking by phone a couple of times a week. Usually I called her but sometimes she called or text?d me. She was 28 yrs, pretty photo, good English (BA in English for Communications ? yes I?ve seen her certificate from Krirk University, Bangkok) and we had many similar interests and attitudes to life. She was living in Phuket where she grew up, and had recently changed jobs from a language school to work in a real estate office. Eventually I had to meet this woman so in February this year I spent 10 days in Phuket with her. Initially I stayed in Patong (had planned to stay Kata but couldn?t get a hotel) and she lived in Phuket town, so she commuted over to see me on her scooter. I was very impressed, tall, slim, very pretty and a lovely bubbly personality. We went to her favourite hilltop restaurant for drinks and to watch the sunset, then back to Patong for dinner. After a long dinner we spent an hour walking and talking on the beach. We seemed to be totally in synch with where we are at in our lives and what we want for the future. A little before midnight she told me she had to go home so dropped me at the hotel and was gone. I was so captivated I didn?t even consider heading for Bangla Rd, well ok, may I considered it for a second. Every day except one (family business until evening) she would meet me in the morning and we would spend the day together until about midnight. Once she stayed until 1am but apparently got in trouble with her mum. During this time we occasionally chatted a little about her ?problem?. About a month before I got there she had mentioned on the phone that she had put a 100,000 Baht deposit down on a house (brought off the plans). The place was part of a development and completion was due end of 2006. However completion now looked like end of March and the remainder of her deposit would be needed middle of April to get her mortgage from the bank. She now had 7 months less than originally planned to save the rest of her deposit and was caught short. If she failed get the money she needed she would lose the option on her house and her initial 100K Baht deposit. But it was ok, she said she could borrow the money from her friend. However a few days after I arrived in Phuket she told me she couldn?t get all the money she needed from her friend, and was short 100,000 Baht. But she had a plan, she had been offered a job in Sweden (a friend of a friend arrangement) for two months to set up a Thai restaurant. If it worked out it might even turn into a one year contract. She had quit her job at the real estate office already and was just waiting to meet me before flying to Sweden. The two months in Sweden would give her the 100K Baht required for her house deposit. So, that gave me a lot to think about. Meanwhile we kept having wonderful days tripping around Phuket together. She told me about her one serious boyfriend, an Indian guy who had broken her heart and left her for an arranged bride. She mentioned that her family wanted to arrange a marriage for her (two oldest sisters apparently married off this way) and a number of men had talked to her family offering dowries of 1 million + baht, but she wanted to marry for love. She showed me her secret, that under her clothes she had some burn scars from an accident when she was younger. I started to meet her friends, first a BBQ with a bunch of expats from the language school she used to work at teaching Thai to foreigners. I met one of her ex pupils who ran a bar in Soi Eric, another friend a young gay Thai guy who we went to dinner and a movie with (Brokeback mountain of course ? Haha!), and her best friend (woman) who works in an insurance office in Phuket town. Then I met some family, dinner with her closest sister, then a visit to meet her mum, other sister and brother in law. Twice we picked up her niece from school and dropped her off at the sisters. Somewhere along the line I move to a hotel in Phuket town (Metrophole ? very good value I thought. Walk in rate 2500 Bht a night, but go across the street to South Services travel agent and you can get it for 1600 Bht incl breakfast). About day 4 we started having sex and about this time we started talking about her coming to my country. She told me she loved me and would come to my country, even if it meant losing her house. We made plans about going to Bangkok the next day to work on her visa, she seemed excited and happy like a decision was made and a weight lifted off. But, next day she had been talking to her family and asked if I could wait two months, she would go to Sweden, get the money for her house and then join me in my country. I wasn?t too happy but agreed. But then the following day she told me she had talked to her future boss in Sweden and he now wanted her to commit to a one year contract. Could I wait a year? Well no, I buckled and told her if she came to live with me in my country I would cover the 100,000 Baht she needed for her house deposit and take care of her. She agreed and then I was out of time, I had to start travelling home. It was the weekend so no point in her to coming to Bangkok, I would find out about visa for her and book internet ticket for her from my home. She would follow as soon as we could get a visa. I got home and started making arrangements, but then she tells me she doesn?t want to make financial trouble for me, she has started working back in her old job, and with luck she can sell some property and the commissions should give her the money she needs. She wants to stay working in Phuket for 5 months and then come to live with me so she can make some money to take care of her mum while she?s with me. I reiterate my earlier offer of 100,000 Baht for her house plus cover what she needs for her mum and other commitments if she comes to spend time with me. I also explain I never mix love and money, so if I?m to lend her 100,000 it will be as a business deal, full documentation and a contract between us. Now tonight I get the clincher, an email saying she understands the need for documentation and a contract, and she still hopes to make the money she needs by herself, but in case she can?t would she be able to borrow 200,000 Baht from me?! The alarm bells which had been tinkling away are now clanging. Ok, about me, I am well travelled (including a year working in Thailand) and no spring chicken, 42 yrs and I?ve had a number of serious and casual girlfriends in the past. I?m no newbie, and yet this woman has gotten to me big time. This seems so much like a scam and yet I just can?t accept that this woman doesn?t have feelings for me. I believed I could tell if a woman is really in love with me and that is the scary part, that there are women out there so good they can fake this. I didn?t think you could fake those little unconscious things women do when they are with someone they care about, or the way a girlfriend reacts when you make love that is different than with a hooker. Not once did I get any hint that she would rather be somewhere else than with me. Realistically, while 100K Baht or 200K is not an insignificant amount, it wouldn?t break me, I just wouldn?t be able to buy any new toys for a while But at the moment I can walk away from this without costing me anything except my wasted time when I had hoped to meet someone genuine. At the end of the day I had a fantastic girlfriend experience for 10 days, some good sex and have some nice memories. Yes I have really fallen for this woman and to walk away will hurt big time, but I?ve been there before and know I?ll survive. I wish I was wrong about this, but unfortunately I think the general opinion on the board will be that I?ve read this right. Cheers, D.W.S. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paul101 Posted March 10, 2006 Report Share Posted March 10, 2006 Having an education is no indicator of character, I know a working girl who has two degrees and who has her tallons into some poor Spanish sod. Why did it jump from 100k-200k? funny how whatever the reason 100k seems to be a favourite figure with thai women. I don't think having a contract would be much of a gaurantee in getting paid back, unless you have it linked up to getting a share of the house maybe. How does she hope to make the money by herself? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
-.-.- Posted March 10, 2006 Report Share Posted March 10, 2006 I do agree that you were most likely scammed. The thing that really hurts is when you really, really like the girl. It seems like that is the case here. Beer and whiskey help dull the pain.....and often these things have a suprising way of working out for the best so try to remain upbeat and optimistic. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
magician Posted March 11, 2006 Report Share Posted March 11, 2006 Just because she is scamming you does not mean that she does not like you. Sure, she likes you. The fact that she may be able to get 100k-200k baht from you certainly helps. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
asiafun Posted March 11, 2006 Report Share Posted March 11, 2006 She sounds as if she is counting on your chivalrous nature to come to her rescue, that you can fancy yourself as her knight in shining armour. Somewhat complicated scam with a big payout if it works....judging by the sin sot she was claiming was paid for her sisters, you were to be set up yet again if you swallowed the house story. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shygye Posted March 11, 2006 Report Share Posted March 11, 2006 Go online in a different persona and I am sure you will see her phishing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
limbo Posted March 11, 2006 Report Share Posted March 11, 2006 DWS, What makes you think that a women after seeing you for 10 days and asking for 200K is not a scam. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
longwoodguy74 Posted March 11, 2006 Report Share Posted March 11, 2006 Is this a wind-up? Yes! You are being scammed. Run. Away. Fast. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
colorwolf Posted March 11, 2006 Report Share Posted March 11, 2006 DWS said:About a month before I got there she had mentioned on the phone that she had put a 100,000 Baht deposit down on a house (brought off the plans). The place was part of a development and completion was due end of 2006. However completion now looked like end of March and the remainder of her deposit would be needed middle of April to get her mortgage from the bank. did you go out and see this development? or did you see plans, drawings, pics, contracts? also, did you see where she and her family live? unless she (or her family) has a bad credit history, she/they can get a loan for 100K...depending on where this goes you could offer to help with the interest repayments... and indeed, as mentioned earlier, why is she short of 200K suddenly... But she had a plan, she had been offered a job in Sweden (a friend of a friend arrangement) for two months to set up a Thai restaurant. right...young woman with background in "communications", education, real estate goes to sweden to set up a thai restaurant...and after that is done goes up to lapland to help santa pack his sleigh... good luck with this one...and let us know what happens... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BuffHello Posted March 11, 2006 Report Share Posted March 11, 2006 i have heard this same story before with different farang victim . they can keep up the pretence for a long time ,18months is no problem when they play the long game Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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