I hope someone can help me.  I have been involved in a very complicated maintenance dispute with my ex-husband for the last 3 years.  He has a girlfiend over there to whom he sends between £1000 and £2000 every month.  She has a cash card and gets money out of his UK bank account.  Thing is that the money is withdrawn in small amounts - often several in one day - sometimes from the same machine.  I am beginning to get a bit worried that there might be something shady going on.  I understood that the cost of living was quite cheap over there.  This woman has a job and paid £2000 in tax last year (or to be precise my ex-husband paid it for her!) so she must be quite well off.  Does anyone have any ideas?

I don't understand what you want to know....

1. Yes, it is cheap to live in Thailand, I live well for £700 per month.

2. Regular cash withdrawals are common for Thais, they always love to spend money.

3. I doubt anything 'shady' is going on except that your ex-husbands girlfriend is enjoying spending his cash. (Many Thai women love to gamble).

4. I suggest that you tell your ex-husband to explain to his Thai girlfriend to limit her cash withdrawals to larger amounts fewer times to save the fees of using a bankcard.

Men just love spending money on Thai girlfriends, it gives a sense of power, and a thrill of helping out because the women are often from very poor families. It makes the world go round!!!

Well, For the first thing, you don't sound to bright for having married such a brainless idiot,and for point number 2 ,if he is your EX,what is it any of your business? sounds to me like a whole bunch of dull knives in that drawer.

If he pays her that much and she must make at least 5 million baht per year to pay that much in tax,,I would like to know how anyone could spend that much money a year.

If he's your "Ex" as you state, and you have seperate accounts, why on earth should you be concerned about what he does with his cash? Or do you still keep a joint account for some reason best known to yourselves?

Its an Obvious Troll slagging off Thai women again.  sigh. I wonder how many people here have got 2 or more nicknames.

Thank you for your replies.

For those of you who have leaped to conclusions - I have no axe to grind, am not seeking revenge and all those other boring cliches.  Instead I am a mother of 4 children (age 10 and under), I work full time.  My ex-husband refuses to pay maintenance.  Believe me I have no desire to poke around in his finances, this is part of the legal process which I must go through to try and get him to support the children.

Regarding drawing money in small amounts:

ATM machines in Thailand invariably give out cash in 1 thousand Bht notes, e.g. a request for Bht 5,000 receives 5 x Bht 1,000 notes. Many smaller stores/shops rarely have change for a Bht 1,000 note therefore the Thais tend to request smaller sums. For example, if a Thai wanted Bht 2,000 he/she may make 4 requests of Bht 500 thereby receiving 20 x Bht 100 notes, much easier to change.

Many smaller stores/shops rarely have change for a Bht 1,000 note therefore the Thais tend to request smaller

what kind of store do you go to dude.

Are you saying that the British Courts cannot compel your ex to pay maintenance ?

I do agree with Dr, why the english court can't do a thing?

your ex is a dick-head, no doubt!

fight, stike back ... your children deserve this!

may I add; your ex must a real idiot, stupid nut, brainless guy to give a credit card to his Thai girlfriend  

may I also add ... make sure that your ex will be obliged to keep the money needed safe, try to push the court to make a kind of safe money on every penny he is earning, see what I mean, do it before too late!

good luck and have a nice day