Dear Hillary,
Has there been a change in the way Thai women think? I was here 10 years ago and all the women were polite, couldn’t do enough for you, always wanting to “take care” of you, even to putting your socks on in the morning. Now it looks as if all they want to do is photograph themselves with their mobile phones and send text messages to their girlfriends. That’s when they’re not stuck in front of a computer screen posting pictures of themselves on Facebook. The ‘old’ Thai girls were delightful - the ‘new’ Thai girls are boring.
Any comments on this, Hillary?
Barry

Dear Barry,
What you have just discovered, my Petal, is that all of life is change. Little by little over time, these changes occur. It is only when you have been away for a period of time, like 10 years, that you see a big jump in the way society acts, not just Thai ladies. I’m afraid you will not change things, so you are stuck with looking for 40 years old Thai women, who are not into Facebook, or go looking for an alternative culture on some desert island where mobile phone coverage has not reached. Best of luck Barry.

Dear Hillary,
You seem to have an endless supply of broken hearted men writing to you. It gives the wrong impression of Thailand. What about all the happily married chaps writing in to show the other side of the coin. I have been married to my fan for 15 years and while not a marriage made in heaven, we have just the odd spat now and again, like all married couples. I was married before in my home country, but that was not as good as this time with a Thai lady. My friends back home all say they have the same problems with their farang wives, so it isn’t so bad in Thailand. I’m happy.
Jack

Dear Jack,
I am happy you are a happy Jack, but you must remember that this is a column for the lovelorn, so that is one reason that you don’t read letters from the happy campers like yourself. I like the way you admit that it isn’t always plain sailing, as no partnership ever is, but you have taken the rough with the smooth and I am sure you will have many happy years in front of you.

Dear Hillary,
Your column appears to be only for men complaining about Thai ladies, what about the gay men complaining about Thai men? Or don’t you print those letters? Interested to know, “Petal”.
Jeffrey

Dear Jeffrey,
One simple reason that you don’t read items from the gay community is that they haven’t written in. Over the years there have been a very few, but I can’t force them to write, can I Petal!

Dear Hillary,
Do you know of any trustworthy dating places? I have seen a few advertised on the internet, but don’t know if I should try them or not. They all want fees to find you a girlfriend, but from what I can see, they’re all a bit past their use-by date, and that’s why they are in a dating place. Where do I go, Hillary to find someone right for me?
Bill

Dear Bill,
While there may be someone for everyone in this world, what are the chances of that ‘someone’ signing up for a dating agency? Have you ever read Bangkok Angel written by Mike Smith? He came over here and gave up the agency route after repeated failures and then fell madly in love with the waitress at the Huntsman pub on his last evening in Bangkok. It did work out for him in the end, though it was a long hard slog. Our book reviewer wrote, “Everyone that visits Thailand should read this book. It is a true record of all the highs and lows, elation and anxieties that can occur when you meet the Love of your life - especially when she is Thai. It is also a book that all western males in Thailand will appreciate from first hand experience ... The book is like Mike himself, humorous, self effacing and so truthful it hurts. Definitely a great read.”
My advice is to keep looking my Petal, she is out there somewhere.

Dear Hillary,
The beautiful girls of Thailand amaze me the way they can sit sideways so gracefully on the rear of a motorcycle. I have even seen one girl calmly drinking a glass of red wine as they threaded their way through the traffic. Do you know when did this custom start and do they fall off?
Side-saddle

Dear Side-saddle,
Traditional Thai dress has included the long wrap skirt for many years and the Thai women have ridden buffaloes, elephants and oxen, long before the invasion of the Japanese motorcycle. Riding side-saddle is an example of Thai practicality. Imagine wearing a tight skirt and trying to throw your leg over the rear of the Honda/Yamaha/Suzuki 125, the ideal motorcycles for a family of five. Impossible! But you can sit sideways. Do they fall off? Yes they do, but only when the rider loses control.