'Defrauded by my wife and criminals in Thailand' - BBC special report

[Cypress Hill]

Look at him, look at her.

Everyone can see what's gonna happen ........ except him.

Question from interviewer, "What would you say to people that want to come here?"

Answer from me, "Don't marry a woman 1/3 your weight and 1/2 your age and expect her to love you or be trustworthy"

This isn't rocket science

Always knew there was a Cypress Hill in you waiting to get out.

[Kees5555]

"<deleted> them, pay them, but never get involved", was a valuable lesson an old British guy (living here already 20 years) taught me shortly after I moved to Thailand.

[theguyfromanotherforum]

All I can say is be careful. There are a lot of older "gentlemen" on this very forum who like to preach to mostly younger crowd how Thailand is not cheap and how you need a lot of money to live here. The truth is Thailand is extremely cheap and anyone telling you otherwise is probably being ripped off by their wife and family.

[t8769]

One friend met a nice local gal, 6 months later she'd cleaned out his bank account in a real estate scam.

Another friend worked for an estate agent in Pattaya, they sold the same appartment every year, gullibe buyers never took posession.

​

Another friend got caught up in a 'I want to open a shop, help me' scam.

Another friend lost everything to his wife of 10 years who ran off with the family silver and left him scraping for pennies.

There but for the grace of God.......​​

[yellowboat]

criminal energy is not only in Thailand, happened around the world

No but the Thai courts and law enforcement in allow it flourish.

[stickylies]

It's just another sad story involving farang w/ thai lady. It will never stop. 1000's of online articles, dosens of books, zillion posts on TV, it means nothing.

"Stupid farang" (their words not mine!). We're not at home. Their culture. Their rules. Their corruption. Accept that from day one, keep a low profile and you're pretty safe.

[NickJ]

I dont know how many thousands of times I have heard........."She's a real one" Or the guys who say that she was a cashier in the bar or worked in the bar for a week and hated it........The internet, those can be the most diabolical of all. You really have to be careful with Thai women.

[gandalf12]

I was lucky. I suggested having a joint account with my wife. Her reaction was "No you look after the money, I dont want to be on the account"

[sabaii69]

Look at him, look at her.

Everyone can see what's gonna happen ........ except him.

Question from interviewer, "What would you say to people that want to come here?"

Answer from me, "Don't marry a woman 1/3 your weight and 1/2 your age and expect her to love you or be trustworthy"

This isn't rocket science.

You don't need to be a rocket surgeon to see this coming. February- December marriages often collapse. Too good to be true usually does not work except for those preying on you

[lostoday]

He's not a fool he is a trusting decent man, just trusted the wrong woman like so many of us do.

He is not very bright. Look at how much he has lost. 20 people posting on this thread could have advised him, heck anyone with even a partial brain could have advised him not to do what he did. I have a friend who lost half his brain from a hand grenade in the Army and even him with only half a brain only rents and got a vasectomy at 45.

[Cypress Hill]

really? you think his wife grew up dreaming about marring a man who looks like Ian?

You think Ian's wife is like "can't wait to have a sex with this man! he is way hotter than my Thai boyfriend from school!"

You ever see a man like Ian in a Thai music video? in a romance film? in a fashion magazine?

WAKE UP!

It is all a lie. The nicer, more naive you are, the faster you are eaten alive here.

Please. Men who come here to Thailand, retain control over your money. Live month to month. Be worth more alive than dead.

The best you can say is Ian had seven years of a really nice illusion. It cost him everything but his life. so far.

There ought to be a copy of this post translated into every language and inserted into every passport after being stamped in by immigration at Swampy

[stickylies]

All I can say is be careful. There are a lot of older "gentlemen" on this very forum who like to preach to mostly younger crowd how Thailand is not cheap and how you need a lot of money to live here. The truth is Thailand is extremely cheap and anyone telling you otherwise is probably being ripped off by their wife and family.

[micmichd]

Things like this happen in Europe all the time, it's not Thai-specific.

[stoneyboy]

It's evident the man is a fool he's only gone and bagged himself another wife.

Why didn't he pack up his kids and head back home where his life would be mundane but easier to live.

[lostoday]

really? you think his wife grew up dreaming about marring a man who looks like Ian?

You think Ian's wife is like "can't wait to have a sex with this man! he is way hotter than my Thai boyfriend from school!"

You ever see a man like Ian in a Thai music video? in a romance film? in a fashion magazine?

WAKE UP!

It is all a lie. The nicer, more naive you are, the faster you are eaten alive here.

Please. Men who come here to Thailand, retain control over your money. Live month to month. Be worth more alive than dead.

The best you can say is Ian had seven years of a really nice illusion. It cost him everything but his life. so far.

There ought to be a copy of this post translated into every language and inserted into every passport after being stamped in by immigration at Swampy

No. It's people like him that keep the quality of women up for people like me. Hope springs eternal in the mind of a good looking Thai lady that the guy might be as easy as him and not at tight as me.

[mommysboy]

Some marriages succeed regardless of size, age, wealth. Anybody thinks looks are a magic charm to fen off bad happening really is in for a rude awakening.

[kannot]

Things like this happen in Europe all the time, it's not Thai-specific.

unlike this forum eh?

[georgemandm]

Look at him, look at her.

Everyone can see what's gonna happen ........ except him.

Question from interviewer, "What would you say to people that want to come here?"

Answer from me, "Don't marry a woman 1/3 your weight and 1/2 your age and expect her to love you or be trustworthy"

This isn't rocket science.

How the hell would you know what has happened it has not one thing to do with his age ok it can happen anywhere you are just one of the meany brian dead dick heads who thinks you no all about thailand

[lostoday]

Some marriages succeed regardless of size, age, wealth. Anybody thinks looks are a magic charm to fen off bad happening really is in for a rude awakening.

Ya look at Rupert ..... well maybe not.

[jobwolf]

Would you trust Thailand and its people with your retirement savings i sure wouldnt.

I am sorry but I don't understand why people think young women marry us old geezzzzers for love.

Are old men so devoid of reality or is it just imagined pride and self esteem which blinds us.

Everywhere in the world it is only about money when we reach a certain age,

the only difference is some women will wait for us to die instead of defrauding us. In Thailand they don't wait because they know the

police will be on their side for some cash which used to be ours.

Hormones and wishful thinking can lead to a bitch.

LOL

[lgking]

This is unbelievably shocking...!

[phitsanulokjohn]

This report will only dissuade any potential retiree's frrom coming here,with the same genuine ideas of Mr Rance .The amount of income lost to the Thai economy as a result of this report is immeasurable.Why can't the Thai authorities see the wider picture,and the effect this will have on their country?

If only this report had ended with a fair and satisfactory conclusion,it would have boosted confidence worldwide,but alas I feel the poor guy is just banging his head up against a brick wall.

[Tubby]

Next up Koh Tao. BBC Panorama investigates (at least I hope so)....get in there BBC!!!. Show the world how pathetic and corrupt the Thai system is.

[stickylies]

Things like this happen in Europe all the time, it's not Thai-specific.

Er, forged signature, proven as the chick is in prison, and the guy doesn't get justice (his property back). Nah. I don't think that will happen in europe *all the time*...

[Mudcrab]

This is unbelievably shocking...!

Yes I agree, the video was most disturbing.

Nothing shouts out UK farang sucker than going to the beach wearing socks and shoes.

But really lets get to the guts of it.

Does any sane person sign up his cash on a contract to form a company where he does not have control?

49% doesn't give you control.

This is the same guy who had quite a portfolio of properties on Phuket isn't it?

Sometimes love, greed and stupidity can be a very bad combination.

[KMA]

i'm just going to throw this out there but..being in Phuket (mafia land) there is a chance that the wife was threatened in some way to do all these things. I mean she sold their house for 500,000 when it was worth 10 mill? Seriously she was married to a smart man and she knew the value of the home, so why sell sooo cheap unless under duress of some sort. I can easily see these gangs approaching women married to rich farang and tell them to forge his name or we're going to kill your family, it is entirely possible. It's a doable scam and one I would bet has been done before. Just sayin..

[theguyfromanotherforum]

Actually I just watched this. The most shocking part is that Ian doesn't seem that stupid and naive as some posters make him out to be.

[stickylies]

Sometimes love, greed and stupidity can be a very bad combination.

True, especially in a country where majority of people earn 10.000thb/month and envy farang's wealth.

[Kerryd]

Some people play it smart.

Rent the house.

Rent the moto.

Rent the wife.

Keep money/valuables "back home" - out of reach to all except yourself.

Others - not so smart.

We hear the stories of the various foreigners who take dives from balconies (or off themselves in various other ways) and after the initial speculation of whether or not it was "assisted" the story fades and we rarely ever find out what lead to the situation in the first place.

Many suspect it was events much like described in the OP that may have lead to their decision to end it all. Guys fleeced for everything they had in the world and little or no recourse to ever hope to get any of it back. The 2 in the video seem to still be getting by, poorer but all the wiser as the saying goes. Well, poorer at least.

Again, others - not so lucky.

I recall a story from a book I read years ago (A Fool And His Money maybe ?) where one middle-aged, overweight, balding old fart found the cure to succumbing to the charms of the local girls. He would shower then stand in front of a full length mirror and take note of all the things about himself that were "less appealing" (balding gray hair, nose, jowls, gut, varicose veins, whatever). Then he'd get dressed and go out for the evening secure in the knowledge that he'd be able to resist all those calls of "sexy man" and "hansum" man for another 24 hours at least (after which he'd start finding himself thinking that gee, maybe he wasn't that ugly after all and have to start all over again).

Unfortunately as we all (should) know, too many people get off that plane and dump all reason and intelligence into the trash bin, then proceed with their holiday. As long as there are cute, nubile young women in Thailand, there'll be fat, balding old farts ready to be taken (to the cleaners) by them. (Just like the old saying of a fool and his money, or a sucker born every minute and two to take him.)

[springheeled jack]

while I feel sorry for the man sad but I am afraid he is just another statistic there have been so many farangs who have been parted from their wealth in very short time in his case 9 years I wonder what his children think about it all?