''Family Mart'' Girl- Advice Please...

[MrsMills]

Why would someone from Isaan move to Pattaya to work at a Family Mart?

Because there is no work in the Village ?

[Kilgore Trout]

My two cents says that if she is educated she would have had access to learning English. Unfortunately most students, high school or uni, take at least a few English classes but can't speak an intelligible sentence.

So it is possible she put in alot of effort, or is just naturally good at learning English. Do either of these fit what you know about her?

It's also entirely possible she has had relationship(s) with foreigners and that doesn't necessarily mean she was a bargirl. If she lies to you about that, its a bad sign. There is a lot of grey area in what a bargirl or working girl is though.

If her mom is as you describe; it won't be long before you are hit up for money.

Use your common sense and best judgement I guess is the best advice. Good luck

[Bender]

How many time i did hear this kind of story-line and and so many time these story have always the same ending...

In real life you probably would never come across situations like this, but on an Internet forum, it's a common situation, it's called Trolling.

Oh no dont get me wrong.

These story do happens for real.

These story do happens a lot.

and these story happens ... only in thailand and never back home.

Myself I did witness a lot of similar story in thailand and Its always follow the same pattern over and over again.

Only the newbie are tricked.

Edited July 19, 2012 by Bender

[Kilgore Trout]

My two cents says that if she is educated she would have had access to learning English. Unfortunately most students, high school or uni, take at least a few English classes but can't speak an intelligible sentence.

So it is possible she put in alot of effort, or is just naturally good at learning English. Do either of these fit what you know about her?

It's also entirely possible she has had relationship(s) with foreigners and that doesn't necessarily mean she was a bargirl. If she lies to you about that, its a bad sign. There is a lot of grey area in what a bargirl or working girl is though.

If her mom is as you describe; it won't be long before you are hit up for money.

Use your common sense and best judgement I guess is the best advice. Good luck

[Trembly]

Why would someone from Isaan move to Pattaya to work at a Family Mart?

Actually far more common than you might think.

Father / Mother / Brother / Uncle goes to work in factory in Bangkok / Laem Chabang / Ayuthaya / Rayong.

Father / Mother / Brother / Uncle starts making a life for himself that doesn't involve hand-to-mouth agrarian existence, has steady income, can afford pickup / modest house payments etc.

Father / Mother / Brother / Uncle brings offspring / niece / nephew to live with in Bangkok / Laem Chabang / Ayuthaya / Rayong aged 13+

And so on and so forth . . .

You can also substitute factory for something to do with tourism, particularly if the Isaan person is found in the south. Sometimes they just sell somtam or have some other sort of business; a relative of a friend in Isan makes a tidy living simply by loading his pickup truck with various goods and delivering them to Burmese migrant workers at their factory dorms! He says they eat good scoff too, for example the soy milk comes from a pukkaThai-Chinese vendor from Yaowarat, none of that cheap <deleted> that Thais go for, and they won't rest until they've settled the bill unlike Thais . . . quite fascinating, but I digress.

As someone who lives and works as a teacher in Isan I see various scenes related to various permutations of this 'story' every day.

I suppose there might just be something about going far away from home that helps to give people a kick up the backside . . .

Edited July 19, 2012 by Trembly

[Bender]

How many time i did hear this kind of story-line and and so many time these story have always the same ending...

In real life you probably would never come across situations like this, but on an Internet forum, it's a common situation, it's called Trolling.

edit: double post

Edited July 19, 2012 by Bender

[fletchsmile]

Very likely she has studied at university. Thailand attaches great importance to academic qualifications, even though the quality of things like degrees are not always high in many places. Many 7-11 and Family Mart employees have degrees from universities like Ramkamhaeng. The first couple of years can be quite general with courses like English very common. So to write her off just because she comes from Isaan and speaks English, by making sweeping generalisations is nothing more than stereotyping and prejudice. I've come across plenty of people from Isaan with degree education and good English who are not related to the bar scene. That's not by any means to say all people or even a majority, but there are plenty.

The more worrying signs to me are the demanding mother asking for money. In addition, Western Union isn't a cheap method of sending money and generally more suited for international. Thais often send money to the provinces simply by ATMs or post office methods (money transfer) rather than Western Union.

You also have to bear in mind it's Pattaya. Hence a lot of foreigners, and the opportunity to use English. Highly possible that another guy has had similar thoughts to you, and she's dated a foreigner before. Possibility she also works FM by day and freelances sometimes at other times, and the lines can be very grey. Possible also she has friends/relatives in the industry you're trying to avoid, given that it's Pattaya and it has probably one of, if not the highest concentration of people in that industry in the country - even if she isn't herself involved. Possible she's also just a nice girl that is looking for work in a big own to send money back home. Pattaya gives you a higher chance than most provinces though of the industry you're looking to avoid in your girl.

Edited July 19, 2012 by fletchsmile

[DP25]

Why would someone from Isaan move to Pattaya to work at a Family Mart?

Because there is no work in the village ?

Sure, that is why many people leave their village. But there are thousands of Family Mart's and 7-11s all over Thailand. Including in Isaan. Why specifically move to Pattaya to work in one? The main difference is that a 7-11 clerk in Pattaya is going to get lots of offers from foreign mongers while at a normal 7-11 you would not get those offers. You even have a bit of a leg up over gogo girls as a lot of foreign guys will be attracted to a girl with a real job and think it's safer to get involved. Just seems like a potential minefield to get involved in.

[fletchsmile]

Why would someone from Isaan move to Pattaya to work at a Family Mart?

Because there is no work in the Village ?

and there are much less 7-11s and Family Marts up country in Isaan, where mom and pop shops are more the norm. The majority of 7-11s and Family Mart's are in Greater BKK, central Thailand and places like Pattaya

Edited July 19, 2012 by fletchsmile

[loong]

I live in Isaan and although I believe that the majority of Isaan people lack anything like common sense. given the right stimulation and incentives, I am always impressed by their ability to learn.

Some Isaan girls will get a farang to help them to learn English and usually they learn very quickly. The incentive is that they will be off to the tourist areas in order to snag a rich farang husband. Not all the girls head off to Pattaya to sell their bodies, but not many get a man straight away and so will end up as a short term wife for rent.

Enjoy the company of your FM girl. If you end up in bed together, she will follow up with demands for money, or maybe not. If she expects cash, then she is a prostitute, end of story

[travelmann]

Just see how it goes but dont get in too deep. Refuse to send any money to the family WHATEVER the reason and if you get the Farang black heart crap dump her.

My wife is from Issan learnt English at the local temple for free and wanted to " get on" so came to Bkk where she found knowing more English would get her a higher salary in the Co. she worked for.

Dont always assume the worst but check things out and keep ignoring the sick relatives no matter what she says.

Go to Family Mart at various times and see if she really is there.

[travelmann]

Why would someone from Isaan move to Pattaya to work at a Family Mart?

Actually far more common than you might think.

Father / Mother / Brother / Uncle goes to work in factory in Bangkok / Laem Chabang / Ayuthaya / Rayong.

Father / Mother / Brother / Uncle starts making a life for himself that doesn't involve hand-to-mouth agrarian existence, has steady income, can afford pickup / modest house payments etc.

Father / Mother / Brother / Uncle brings offspring / niece / nephew to live with in Bangkok / Laem Chabang / Ayuthaya / Rayong aged 13+

And so on and so forth . . .

You can also substitute factory for something to do with tourism, particularly if the Isaan person is found in the south. Sometimes they just sell somtam or have some other sort of business; a relative of a friend in Isan makes a tidy living simply by loading his pickup truck with various goods and delivering them to Burmese migrant workers at their factory dorms! He says they eat good scoff too, for example the soy milk comes from a pukkaThai-Chinese vendor from Yaowarat, none of that cheap <deleted> that Thais go for, and they won't rest until they've settled the bill unlike Thais . . . quite fascinating, but I digress.

As someone who lives and works as a teacher in Isan I see various scenes related to various permutations of this 'story' every day.

I suppose there might just be something about going far away from home that helps to give people a kick up the backside . . .

Quite true in fact only a small proportion choose to open their legs for easy/lazy money ( and thats what it is)

[trainman34014]

With a good command of English she has been on the game, or is still on it, or has been married to a Farang before (or may still be ). With Mother talking about Western Union you can bet your last Satang that Mummy is used to receiving money from Daughter this way, most probably from another country when she was living with said Farang. What girl working in a shop earns enough dosh to send to Mother via Western Union?

Lost count of the amount of these stories we get to read. Time for a thread dedicated to green newbie's and trolls.

[travelmann]

Why would someone from Isaan move to Pattaya to work at a Family Mart?

Because there is no work in the village ?

Sure, that is why many people leave their village. But there are thousands of Family Mart's and 7-11s all over Thailand. Including in Isaan. Why specifically move to Pattaya to work in one? The main difference is that a 7-11 clerk in Pattaya is going to get lots of offers from foreign mongers while at a normal 7-11 you would not get those offers. You even have a bit of a leg up over gogo girls as a lot of foreign guys will be attracted to a girl with a real job and think it's safer to get involved. Just seems like a potential minefield to get involved in.

Any relationship is a potential minefield anywhere in the world.

[yermanee]

Why would someone from Isaan move to Pattaya to work at a Family Mart?

Because there is no work in the village ?

Sure, that is why many people leave their village. But there are thousands of Family Mart's and 7-11s all over Thailand. Including in Isaan. Why specifically move to Pattaya to work in one? The main difference is that a 7-11 clerk in Pattaya is going to get lots of offers from foreign mongers while at a normal 7-11 you would not get those offers. You even have a bit of a leg up over gogo girls as a lot of foreign guys will be attracted to a girl with a real job and think it's safer to get involved. Just seems like a potential minefield to get involved in.

And many move to somewhere where family members are i.o. to get cheap or free lodging to start with.

And you surely know that there are 7/11's, familymarts in Patpong, Patong, Soi cowboy etc.

Or are you one of the Pattaya bashers ?

Yermanee

[davidst01]

I appreciate all the replies and its a bit of a laugh as well...

Ive seen her in her 'family mart' uniform but not actually at work and thus might pop in there as a surprise.

I asked her back to my hotel after our first date but she said no which I was surprised. Its the first knock back Ive had since arriving here late last yr!

A few comments that stand out to me are:

'bino' Can she read and write in English? Been my experience / rule of thumb that a Thai who can read and write learned English in a classroom, whereas one who can only speak learned in a barroom or a bedroom.

cdmatt:

Ohhh, another possibility is maybe her mom is married to a farang, so she has a farang dad or step-dad.

These are 2 issues that I will investigate for sure.

She does seem quite sweet and thus keen to find the truth. If I fall in love with her at least its better I tell my family back home that Im with a 'check out chick' from the supermarket rather than a retiree bar girl. I think they will still be disappointed...

[Nowhereman60]

On the positive side: 1. She's cute

2. She's young

3. She's got a job

On the negative side: 1. She's from Issan

2. She's live in Pattaya and from Issan

3. Her English is good.

Go for it, you have a 50/50 chance you got a good one. Better then some others who go straight to the bar and tells everyone she's a bar girl but she is diffident then the others.

[BookMan]

She does seem quite sweet and thus keen to find the truth. If I fall in love with her at least its better I tell my family back home that Im with a 'check out chick' from the supermarket rather than a retiree bar girl. I think they will still be disappointed...

She may be the assistant day manager

[soi41]

The Family Mart uniform did the trick with her last sponsor, and it seems like it is working again Personally I prefer nurses i high heels

[Pseudolus]

Reminds me of an absolute cutie who works in my local fmaily mart here in BKK - very good English, and not a trace of filth about her. I assume you have asked her about her life then? How she ended up in Pattaya? She might have moved as a hooker and found getting banged by dirty sex tourists was making her puke so decided to do her best working in a shop. Careful with the mum though! However, that might just be a ruse trying to get money from you trying to motivate the inner knight in shining armour in you.

[Payboy]

Christ 20 seems a bit young to be a retired bar girl.

And too old for Family Mart.

[harryfrompattaya]

The mother keeps ringing her daughter asking for money via Western Union. Says it all stay away if not bar girl same as.

[bizwhiz]

From my experiance all thai girls want the money. Girls with a normal job just as bad as a bar girl so expect to have to pay to stay(with her) If the familys poor you will have to keep them happy to keep her happy.

Re: your girl speaking decent english and living in Pattaya...Most girls living there will be tempted to go out and make a couple of thousand baht in 1 night rather then a 10000 baht wage at family mart etc per month...

If the mother has been wanting cash in the past i would guess she was doing some work on the side there ...

And why would she go to Pattaya and not bangkok if she was educated?

My moneys on she has worked/working the males in the past .Maybe shes working you over now?

If she come onto you initially then its a given shes in pattaya for a reason other then working in family mart.

I've had an issan GF a few times and i would not suggest it to anyone. Its hard work.

But theres also guys who have had a great relationship with them.

Take her for a stroll down walking street and surrounding areas at night, ask her sneaky questions,see if shes familiar or acts abit different.

Good luck with it

[inthepink]

Just see how it goes but dont get in too deep.

[mca]

Why would someone from Isaan move to Pattaya to work at a Family Mart?

Because there is no work in the Village ?

and there are much less 7-11s and Family Marts up country in Isaan, where mom and pop shops are more the norm. The majority of 7-11s and Family Mart's are in Greater BKK, central Thailand and places like Pattaya

Have you ever been to KK city? There's about 8-10 7-11s on the University campus alone.

Edited July 19, 2012 by mca

[sirineou]

Why would someone from Isaan move to Pattaya to work at a Family Mart?

Because there is no work in the village ?

aren't any Family marts closer to her village than Pattaya?

If she was a bar girl and gave it up to work in a Family mart, should not be a negative but a positive.

Any way this Op is loaded with tasty morsels for as to chew on, especially the part where the mother calls and ask for money

via western union all the time.

Me thinks this is a Troll post, what you think?

Edited July 19, 2012 by sirineou

[Nowhereman60]

Something just hit me. Why does the mother want the money Western Union. If she is in Thailand it is most common to transfer money and a lot cheaper from Bank to Bank. It's doesn't cost to open an account except to have a small deposit.

[TommoPhysicist]

Something just hit me. Why does the mother want the money Western Union. If she is in Thailand it is most common to transfer money and a lot cheaper from Bank to Bank. It's doesn't cost to open an account except to have a small deposit.

There are quite a lot of WU branches way out in the villages, away from towns and other banks.

PS @OP

Don't give her more money that you think the fun is worth, and not in advance.

No matter why she pretends to need it.

PPS

I never understand why people worry if the girl they just met is a hooker or not.

Hookers are great fun. Enjoy!

Edited July 19, 2012 by TommoPhysicist

[phl]

how old is OP? if double or close to it of her age, there is your answer.

some learn english from internet, by spending nights chatting and facebook, but thats not to say she did not have a boyfriend foreigner for a few years.

[inthepink]

I never understand why people worry if the girl they just met is a hooker or not.

Hookers are great fun. Enjoy!

Many men are not all that keen on dating prostitutes, although maybe that doesn't apply to Western men in Thailand.

Edited July 19, 2012 by inthepink