So, let me get this straight...

They heard it from some Chinese sources that probably heard it from some Chinese tour groups who were in Pattaya?

Totally reliable. ✅

3 minutes ago, L- Lifeline said:

I hate to say it- but that was exactly my thoughts- and when you factor in the average cost of an English divorce, including a 50% share of all your assets going to your wife if the marriage is not a short marriage, it is probably cheaper to rent!

That old expression comes to mind "If it flies floats or f**ks then rent it!"

Sorry for my cynicism, but 35 years of handling, inter alia, divorces makes me very cynical indeed about relationships generally

After learning my lessons, the hard way with three marriages and three divorces I have found that friends with benefits works for me.... to be honest, I don't know of anyone who subscribes to friends with benefits that says it doesn't work

Praying SWMBO doesn't see this.......see hasn't received a single satang in 20 years.

It happens in China and Japan.

5 hours ago, Georgealbert said:

Vietnamese media outlets have claimed Thai women are hired as "rental wives" by retired Western men, particularly in tourist centres including Pattaya.

Thai women freely rent themselves out... Long term/Short term

nothing new here

30 minutes ago, jas007 said:

I don't know about the prevalence of the "rent a wife" thing, but I've seen older men in wheelchairs being pushed around by what appear to be caregivers. There must surely be established market prices for such services.

Compared to the typical US nursing home manned by ex convicts beating and stealing from the patients SE Asia is a much better place with a hired caregiver.

For a much more reasonable price. Typical price in America is roughly 9k USD a month.

Edited August 29Aug 29 by HolmesEquivelant

3 hours ago, harvardgrad said:

Zero will marry them but if you're broke and a dick then they won't charge you to rent them for the night. That goes for everywhere obviously

I've never been hit on so much at any age as a 60yo western guy in Saigon.

Pattaya was nothing in comparison.

Many hungry Viet women.

2 hours ago, redwood1 said:

13,000 baht a day for arrangements of fewer than seven days, falling to 9,000 baht a day for longer bookings.

Hell, a woman working at 7-11 Full time earns about 13,000 a month...

At these prices, it would be cheaper to hire a top GoGo girl from Walking Street full-time....

No girls get this kind of allowance in Thailand...ZERO....

And to top it off all Vietnamese girls are as pure as the driven snow...Right?

"No girls get this kind of allowance in Thailand...ZERO...."

There are some who get this kind of money. I know of a few cases. The average is however far below that.

16 minutes ago, L- Lifeline said:

I hate to say it- but that was exactly my thoughts- and when you factor in the average cost of an English divorce, including a 50% share of all your assets going to your wife if the marriage is not a short marriage, it is probably cheaper to rent!

That old expression comes to mind "If it flies floats or f**ks then rent it!"

Sorry for my cynicism, but 35 years of handling, inter alia, divorces makes me very cynical indeed about relationships generally

What I never understood is the hatred that seems to come with a woman divorcing.

And it seems to last the rest of their lives.

1 hour ago, HolmesEquivelant said:

Renting is always best in SE Asia, or quite frankly anywhere.

Why by the cow when you can get the milk for free (in theory).

That would have to be one of the best and most memorable movie scenes ever made.

3 hours ago, ikke1959 said:

ok a new name for the same... from hostess to rental wife..And it is very expensive too.. 13k a day.. Better hire them for 1 hour.

Can I have 50 baht worth please?🙂

10 minutes ago, BritManToo said:

I've never been hit on so much at any age as a 60yo western guy in Saigon.

Pattaya was nothing in comparison.

Many hungry Viet women.

If I still feel like it when I'm 60, I'll feed them but they gotta work for it

4 minutes ago, Dexxter said:

That would have to be one of the best and most memorable movie scenes ever made.

And was filmed entirely in England, as Stanley Kubrick wouldn't travel.

When I worked in Taiwan some years ago, they had a TV channel consisting of photos and profiles of Vietnamese women willing to marry Taiwanese men. Very popular with farmers seeking partners as Taiwanese girls all wanted to live in the cities not the countryside. Pot - kettle?

5 hours ago, Nemises said:

At that price I’d expect her to come with roadside assistance, annual servicing and a full tank. 😂

Meaning you have sex once a year, with a pregnant lady and an on call cardiologist?

Edited August 29Aug 29 by Peter Crow

Ignore the use of the phrase “rental wife” and everything else describes a girlfriend sourced from being a bar girl.

The figures quoted may be inflated, but you know what, add up everything that some men pay to a girlfriend that they met at a bar, not just the cash, and it might well come to that much.

Where the article is wrong is in implying that there are individuals or companies set up to provide a rental wife. I haven’t seen any. But there is a sizeable segment of beer bar girls who are looking for a long term relationship with a sponsor and a seemingly inexhaustible supply of mature/elderly western men willing to take them on. Some last a week, others years.

5 minutes ago, wensiensheng said:

Ignore the use of the phrase “rental wife” and everything else describes a girlfriend sourced from being a bar girl.

The figures quoted may be inflated, but you know what, add up everything that some men pay to a girlfriend that they met at a bar, not just the cash, and it might well come to that much.

Still works out far cheaper than the virgin Brit schoolteacher that married me 'for love'.

And a lot more sex as well!

I admit I’m a Sugar Daddy, easy, or LDOP.

I often ask my GF who is 32 years younger than me when my “contract” is over. A. “When I die”.

I don’t do live in. I pay her house rent, motorbike, utilities, kids school fees, Big C and dining out with her friends. On top of a 50k baht “allowance”.

I’m old school. “Papa take care”. I don’t believe in woman pay half BS.

I still maintain my own house (rent) in Thailand, condo (bought) in San Diego and fly back and forth at least once, sometimes twice every year. Only business class nowadays. I paid my dues.

She could get out anytime she wants but doesn’t. I don’t own anyone.

No children of my own so not a problem for me.

Life is short. Enjoy!

How about the definition of a man who would want or prefer to-rent a woman?

The soldier is isolated from his family and probably intoxicated as well. But that practice has gone on for centuries wherever the Colonials had their troops based!

But it’s okay slagging off the women, how about the personality and character of the man?

Of course he has money, but why is he single?

I say this after attending many ex Pats forums and meeting numerous in two countries and the majority are sad cases, no social skills; abusive; alcoholics etc etc. They ought to pay more!

Having said that I know of some men who have been cleaned out and left broke! How can it get to that stage?

Some are trustworthy, honest decent men who have separated because of incompatibility issues or have been single for years and not the type a Western women would have!

I am not perfect by any means but try to look at things from a different perspective or the other side of the coin!

Vietnam news like most media is just trying to sell their country. Their country women did suffer during the Vietnam war, many were left with fatherless children!

But their statements are incorrect as is pointed out by many.

5 hours ago, Artisi said:

At Bht 50 000 a month all expenses paid, there would be thousands line-up offering their services.

I'm putting on a wig and lipstick right now.

Just another article trying to convince the public that tourism is going to benefit the citizenry.

4 hours ago, ikke1959 said:

ok a new name for the same... from hostess to rental wife..And it is very expensive too.. 13k a day.. Better hire them for 1 hour.

I hired a gal for an hour. When I was done, she asked, "OK, so what do you want to do for the next 56 minutes?"

Variations certainly, but around the globe, females in poor countries, lacking education, or an economy demanding their labor and without a social safety net .... Security concerns are a deterring factor. No surprise. Culturally Thailand certainly has been found to be accommodating for a number of cultural reasons. I am, personally, very happy to be retired here for 16 years as a retired, aged farang with a Thai Wife and Stepdaughter.

3 hours ago, redwood1 said:

13,000 baht a day for arrangements of fewer than seven days, falling to 9,000 baht a day for longer bookings.

Hell, a woman working at 7-11 Full time earns about 13,000 a month...

At these prices, it would be cheaper to hire a top GoGo girl from Walking Street full-time....

No girls get this kind of allowance in Thailand...ZERO....

And to top it off all Vietnamese girls are as pure as the driven snow...Right?

I think you're right, no girl gets a 50,000 baht allowance. I gave mine 130,000 a few months ago, but then I don't want to hear about money for a long time. The error may arise because girls pass on such payments and pretend they're monthly allowances, when in fact these are one-offs that have to last several months.

5 minutes ago, HappyExpat57 said:

I hired a gal for an hour. When I was done, she asked, "OK, so what do you want to do for the next 56 minutes?"

I assume lectured her about how Thailand would be better off with feminism and socialized medicine

Im sorry alot of you clearly lack game. I've been technically coerced into sex with a thai girl before, I did not consent. I would look to press charges if it were my home country but I knew nobody would take my case

Wife was looking for a new job so will let her know about this 👍

1 hour ago, BritManToo said:

What I never understood is the hatred that seems to come with a woman divorcing.

And it seems to last the rest of their lives.

I see a lot of hatred towards women coming from you!

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6 hours ago, Georgealbert said:

The claims appeared in Vietnamese newspaper Tien Phong, which cited Chinese outlets Sina and Sohu.

So no one bothered to read this part where the Viet newspaper got its information from the original source??

instead the typical Viet bashing begins without merit.

Reports and articles published by Chinese outlets like Sina (and Sohu) have frequently highlighted the controversial phenomenon of "rental wives" (租妻) in Thailand. These articles portray the practice as a booming, highly transactional gray-market industry primarily concentrated in tourist hubs like Pattaya and parts of Bangkok. [1, 2, 3]

The coverage often frames the trend through a mix of socioeconomic analysis, cultural critique, and sensationalism:

Core Elements of the Coverage

• The Target Demographics: Media outlets like Sina often focus on the narrative that these arrangements heavily cater to retired, older Western men (and sometimes tourists from East Asia) who have relocated or travel to Thailand. [1, 2]

• The "Black Pearl" Phenomenon: Chinese articles frequently refer to these women using terms like "Black Pearls" (黑珍珠) due to their darker skin tones, contrasting them with East Asian beauty standards and focusing on how they are highly sought after by foreign tourists. [1, 2]

• The Scope of "Services": The coverage outlines these arrangements as long-term transactions where women from impoverished, rural areas are paid to act as temporary companions, travel guides, and live-in sexual partners. [1, 2]

• High Financial Stakes: Reports claim that these informal "contracts" can range from a few days to several months, with fees fluctuating widely depending on the woman's age, education, and language skills. [1]