PhuketAmerican

My Mrs. is not from Isan, she's not a farm girl, and she is not Hi-So Chinese. She is from Nahkon Si Thammarat, so I have learned to sleep with my eyes open.

Where/how did you guys meet? Here in Phuket? Buddhist or Muslim? I get alot of grief from other expats for having a muslim girl but she doesnt drink or gamble and seems very motivated compared to some of the lazy "kept women" I have encountered here.

Did you convert to Islam?

Nope, have not converted to Islam, keep beer in the house for myself but no pork, eat as much as I want out at restaurants which suits me fine, and respect her beliefs and customs and don't pressure her to change, and feel no pressure on myself. Her family is fine with this especially since I was raised a Baptist and know as much/more than them about their prophets which are mostly the name as the bible.

My Mrs. is not from Isan, she's not a farm girl, and she is not Hi-So Chinese. She is from Nahkon Si Thammarat, so I have learned to sleep with my eyes open.

Where/how did you guys meet? Here in Phuket? Buddhist or Muslim? I get alot of grief from other expats for having a muslim girl but she doesnt drink or gamble and seems very motivated compared to some of the lazy "kept women" I have encountered here.

Who here has a local (Phuket born and family from here) girlfriend? Ive worked here over a year and every other expat I know has an Isan girl save for 3 people. I don't know any others with local Phuket Muslim girls. Where did you meet? How long together?

I came to take a more exciting job working outdoors and get a change from a stressful career in the USA, and have no plans to leave having met an honest, hard working, pretty, local Phuket girl same age as me who has traditional values all but lost in America.

I live and work in Phuket and have been involved with a local Thai Muslim woman whose family has lived here for a long time. I don't know any other foreigners who have a Muslim long term girlfriend and only one involved with a Southern Thai (from Nakorn Sri Thammarat). Most of the guys I know all have Isan girls from Buddhist families. It has been interesting to say the least to witness Muslim community events such as weddings, circumcision parties (!), religious festivals, etc. and I like trying Southern Thai foods that I never see in most restaurants or would never have been exposed too. The southern dialect of Thai is also interesting to learn and I have found using it in the right places can get extra food, better service, free things, and elicits overwhelmingly positive responses. I hear alot of other expats talk poorly about the conspiciousness of the Muslim community especially when the call to prayers begins, but many seem to forget that Phuket and the peninsula were more or less dominated by Muslim Malay for a long time before the Siamese Thai and Chinese tin miners came to Phuket. The last year or so has been a great experience for me and I am very happy. I read horror stories (and hear them and have seen some unfold) but my girl and her family never ask me for money, or tell me sketchy sob stories, and are actually quite generous and sharing with me. Has any other foreigner living in Phuket shared a similar experience?