Change the subject a little. I knew a few very wealthy Thais. They would never get these gals. Most of the guys that were foreigners I knew in Pattaya. Would drag these gals out of the bars. And all the ones I knew had kids back home being raised by mom or grandparents. Back then saving a hoe was popular. Lots of wealthy farang being fleeced big time. Girls in the bars massage parlors where farang went were second tier , third tier.

Not sure how it is now but years ago, I knew several farang that thought their wives were salt of the earth. Only to have the rug pulled out from under them later on.

After traveling quite a bit, I liked Thailand ,but it really was the underbelly of SE Asia.

2 hours ago, Gknrd said:

The hookers on the border are drop dead pretty, I ate lunch with one just out of curiosity and asked her where she was from. From the far north. One I talked to was from Korat. From the little I know about hookers, they were recruited and they are very picky. 20 years ago I had a friend that was a book keeper at a bar in BKK. But, not for foreigners. Strictly rich Thai's. The girls there were hand picked from up north he said. Drop dead gorgeous.

Back then he said they would go to the small towns and just buy the girls from their parents. Now very hush hush, but back then just regular business. And all by Thai's not foreigners.

dude. Yeah but it's true lots of the girls in the mountains have Chinese mixture and very delicate features and pale extremely soft skin (not got my hands on them though). They're dirt poor too so I could see how they could be preyed upon, especially by Thai men as that's their style.

42 minutes ago, Gknrd said:

Girls in the bars massage parlors where farang went were second tier , third tier

A woman I know who runs a restaurant asked me this question a few months ago because she was honestly baffled. Why do the farang like the dark skinned Isaan girls? In her mind these guys are coming here with big money and getting with the ugliest women.

What's the answer? Some guys really do like dark skinned women because it's exotic for them but I think the mass majority are meeting them from the sex industry and for whatever reason that sector seems dominated by Isaan girls. Even in Chiang Mai I think a lot of the bar girls come from Isaan even to help fill the roles.

The girls in the north are IMO far more beautiful but how does the average Farang meet them? You can't just stroll into some bar or massage parlor and pick out a girl. Dating apps have some but the numbers are tiny compared to Bangkok/Pattaya. If I got divorced and had to remarry I wouldn't have a lead either. I'd have to tell one of the few Thai people I know that I'm single and if they know anyone.

3 hours ago, blaze master said:

Yes buying counterfeit shirts is illegal in thailand.

Personal Use Exception: Thai law differentiates between having counterfeit goods for distribution versus for personal use. Simply owning a counterfeit shirt or wearing it is generally not treated as a criminal offense, and you are unlikely to face jail time or heavy fines.

7 hours ago, Blueman1 said:

Why, is buying, or wearing, a counterfeit shirt illegal?

YES,

Personal Use Exception: Thai law differentiates between having counterfeit goods for distribution versus for personal use. Simply owning a counterfeit shirt or wearing it is generally not treated as a criminal offense, and you are unlikely to face jail time or heavy fines

7 hours ago, Shocked farang said:

Why, is buying, or wearing, a counterfeit shirt illegal?

It's a rip off of the original brand. Brands have value, didn't you know that

Personal Use Exception: Thai law differentiates between having counterfeit goods for distribution versus for personal use. Simply owning a counterfeit shirt or wearing it is generally not treated as a criminal offense, and you are unlikely to face jail time or heavy fines

4 hours ago, BritManToo said:

Age of consent in Thailand is 13! (If nobody makes a complaint

You think? Which section of the Thai Criminal Code covers that?

3 hours ago, Keeps said:

The old pedant ducks out and you don't hear from him when somebody proves him wrong. Rarely, if ever holds his hands up.

Personal Use Exception: Thai law differentiates between having counterfeit goods for distribution versus for personal use. Simply owning a counterfeit shirt or wearing it is generally not treated as a criminal offense, and you are unlikely to face jail time or heavy fines

3 hours ago, Keeps said:

The old pedant ducks out and you don't hear from him when somebody proves him wrong. Rarely, if ever holds his hands up.

The old pedant simply asked a question, he didn't make any claims that could be proven wrong.

38 minutes ago, Liverpool Lou said:

Personal Use Exception: Thai law differentiates between having counterfeit goods for distribution versus for personal use. Simply owning a counterfeit shirt or wearing it is generally not treated as a criminal offense, and you are unlikely to face jail time or heavy fines

So it IS illegal, but rarely enforced or prosecuted?

37 minutes ago, Liverpool Lou said:

The old pedant simply asked a question, he didn't make any claims that could be proven wrong.

So you simply asked a question alluding to the fact that you knew the correct answer but actually, you didn't know the correct answer?

12 hours ago, Nick Carter icp said:

Its not 13

"In Thailand, the age of consent is set at 15 years old. This implies that individuals aged 14 or younger are not legally permitted to provide consent for any form of sexual activity. "

For the purposes of prostitution the legal age is 18.

10 hours ago, Keeps said:

The old pedant simply asked a question, he didn't make any claims that could be proven wrong.

So you simply asked a question alluding to the fact that you knew the correct answer but actually, you didn't know the correct answer

No, I just asked a question, I didn't allude to anything, you chose to interpret my question that way.

10 hours ago, Keeps said:

11 hours ago, Liverpool Lou said:

Personal Use Exception: Thai law differentiates between having counterfeit goods for distribution versus for personal use. Simply owning a counterfeit shirt or wearing it is generally not treated as a criminal offense, and you are unlikely to face jail time or heavy fines

So it IS illegal, but rarely enforced or prosecuted

Apparently, but I would bet a lot of money that not a single person has ever been charged with buying a counterfeit shirt for personal use or wearing one, never mind being convicted of it. In practice, it's as illegal as going out in Thailand without underwear - technically illegal but actually a non-issue because how would anyone ever know?

On 5/15/2026 at 10:21 AM, NorthernRyland said:

really? I was in Surat Thani last month (coming from Chiang Mai) and there was a very noticeable lack of good looking women. Lots of fat, really dark skinned, broad large nose and frizzy hair which you never see in the north. Really feels like a different country to me down there and I think many of those people are different ethnicity entirely from the northern Thais.

Look up the history of southern Thailand and see who originally "owned" it andwhy they are mostly Muslim and speak other "foreign" languages than Thai.

A bit like NE Thailand where folk mostly speak Laos!

Google will enlighten you !

Has an old English mate, ex Guards, now passed away (at 91), who had been a "planter" (rubber & oil palm) in Kedah, Malaya at the time.

He told me the tale of crossing the border into southern Thailand by car for some fun, and after a good boozy, girlie, time, bundling a few young pretties* into the boot of the car and breezing back across the border to the plantation.

• I don't think these girls even had ID cards back in those days...1950's?

Now THAT'S what I call human trafficking!

However the girls were more than willing to go, were well looked after and handsomely paid.

They didn't want to return to Thailand and begged to stay !

I think this excursion was often repeated!!

True story.

On 5/15/2026 at 4:06 AM, Gknrd said:

The hookers on the border are drop dead pretty, I ate lunch with one just out of curiosity and asked her where she was from. From the far north. One I talked to was from Korat. From the little I know about hookers, they were recruited and they are very picky. 20 years ago I had a friend that was a book keeper at a bar in BKK. But, not for foreigners. Strictly rich Thai's. The girls there were hand picked from up north he said. Drop dead gorgeous.

Back then he said they would go to the small towns and just buy the girls from their parents. Now very hush hush, but back then just regular business. And all by Thai's not foreigners.

Very likely the most beautiful face I've ever seen was a fair Muslima gal who worked at the night market in Hat Yai.

Maybe with the hijab and all I was recycling an "I Dream of Jeannie" fantasy from adolescence.

To be fair to the native girls of the South: in Bkk I had a regular who was from NST. She was the color of a filbert, the lustre of her dark skin was something to behold. And she was quite sweet.

The image presented bears a resemblance to traditional "Chinese tea houses." The individual rooms appear confined, reminiscent of rabbit cages. Individuals managing the establishment, likely acting as intermediaries, can be observed stationed within the hallways, seemingly overseeing financial transactions. Meanwhile, the workers themselves appear subjected to pressure, seemingly compelled to attend to increasing numbers of patrons. It is commendable that the RTP has initiated measures to address the situation in these tea houses.

On 5/15/2026 at 6:10 PM, BritManToo said:

You've never been to any of the village schools, half the 14yos are walking around with babies. Age of consent in Thailand is 13! (If nobody makes a complaint).

A generation ago, maybe yes. Definitely many pregnant 16 y.o. girls, at that time.

Things have changed a lot.

You rarely hear of a pregnant 14 y.o. these days.

Even 16 or or 17 or 18 are considered too young for a pregnancy.