Dear
Hillary,
I work in a large corporation which employs about 500 (gorgeous) Thai women. I
have always been a bit stand-offish, as I didn’t want 500 of them thinking I am
a lecherous old B (even though I might be). One girl in particular has been very
friendly, holds my arm as we walk along the corridor, puts her arm around me if
we are the only people in the lift, and suchlike. I take it from this that she
likes me, but where do I go from here? I would like to get to know her better,
but I don’t want to become a laughing stock in a company of this size. Back home
it would be dinner and a show, but I really don’t know here. I am also a lot
older than her.
Mark
Dear Mark,
You are certainly a bit wide of the mark with the old “dinner and a show”
routine. I think you must be in your 60’s for that to be the way to a woman’s
heart. Look at it this way, Petal, she has been doing the running up till now,
holding hands and generally being touchy-feely, so she is not worried about the
age difference. In this country you will see many older foreigners with younger
Thai girls (more’s the pity I am no longer young), so that should not stop you.
Why don’t you ask her where is a good place to have dinner Thai style and when
she tells you the restaurant, then ask her to accompany you. Thai girls are not
forward, so just suggest a couple of nights and see if she takes the bait! Good
luck. And just be a gentleman, you are not going for a short time with one of
the girls from the bar. OK?
Dear Hillary,
I am in my 70’s and have been a widower for five years. I think it is time I
moved on and began to enjoy myself again, but here’s the problem - who with? In
the UK where I have been all my life, any “available” woman is a widow, with
tons of baggage and they are not looking to be part of a relationship, they just
want a man to take care of them. I’m probably looking at the same thing from the
other side of the coin, I suppose. I have a friend who emigrated to Thailand and
now has a young Thai wife who does look after him, and he says I should come
over there and forget the UK. I got given your address by him and he suggested I
talk to you as well.
Fred
Dear Fred,
You sound like a lovely genuine man, so I hope I can give you the right answers
here. Please do come over, but just come for a two week holiday. So much happens
in this country, that you could easily fall into some of the traps round here
for single pensioners (I presume you are a pensioner, Petal). You will find that
your friend will most likely take you to one of the bars, where a beautiful
young thing will leap on your lap and ask for a “lady drink” and by the evening
will be stuck to you like glue. That does not mean she thinks you are UK’s
answer to Brad Pitt, but that she has the feeling that your wallet needs
emptying, and she is the one who can help you with that problem! Sure! Enjoy her
company, but remember it is just play-acting, that is her “job” to keep old men
happy, so keep your wits about you! After three months, come back and get to
know the culture a little better, and get to know some of the more senior expats
who can also give you advice. Unfortunately it is easy to lose money here, if
you don’t know your way around! Go slowly and carefully, Fred and contact me
again when you come over. Best of luck.
Dear Hillary,
We are coming over your way again, after ten years away from Thailand. We have
kept up to date of the happenings in Pattaya by reading the Pattaya Mail
on line, and we always read your column first, Petal! I feel that there must
have been many new restaurants in that time, so I was wondering if you could
recommend a few we should try? We (my husband and I) would be very happy to host
a dinner for you during our month’s holiday.
Agnes
Dear Agnes,
Aren’t you just the nicest people, remembering that Hillary might like the odd
something substantial to eat between the Belgian chocolates and the French
champagne! However, I am not the one to advise, but Miss Terry Diner, is the one
to speak to. Just click on the Dining Out column and you will get the latest
review, but at the end of that one you will get all the reviews for the past few
months. Take your time, make a list and enjoy!
