Greek claims Thai girlfriend swindled him out of Phuket property, two million baht

[JoeThePoster]

All that property paperwork must've been all Greek to him.

Is that an attempt at being humorous?

If so, you failed miserably.

On a personal note, I truly hope you get proper stitched up and some two-bob nothing on a public forum comes out with a two-bob comment.

Looks like I struck lucky and got a one-bob comment direct from a one-bob nothing without even getting stitched up.

[NamKangMan]

Another thief in a land of thieves. What a surprise. Next.

Land of thieves? Typical TV butthurt poster without brain. Why the hell do you even live here if things you know are only bad ones,judging all country? bah tv posters make me sick. It's his fault if he don't know with what kind of girl he's marrying to.It so funny when some foreigners marry with prostitute and than complain everything it's about money and they stole their money,well she ain't in this business for fun. Some foreigners are missing half brain

Great posting. You complain about what I write, then continue on and more or less agree with what I stated. Classic.

I do agree however (and as I've said many times before) that foreigners leave their brains and common sense at the arrivals gate.

How long have you lived here by the way?

It doesn't matter for how long i live here. And how does my post even agrees with what you said? i just said it's so funny when people generalize just because they hear something and immediately assume it's everywhere like this. I said it's guys fault also that he didn't know with what kind of girl he's marrying.Your saying land of thieves clearly state that thai is land of thieves. Judging dozens of people and assuming 70 millions are same.Bravo.

"I said it's guys fault also that he didn't know with what kind of girl he's marrying." - we all know "what kind of girl" we marry. At that time, we just do not know "what kind of girl" she will become in the future. This is worldwide, not just Thailand.

[Tech65]

Have a guy in our village (estate) who built a home and has a 30 yr lease on the land. He met a female of a certain illegal profession and she moved in with him. After a few months her family moved in and he was pushed out, threatened by her brother. The guy called the police to have them evicted to no avail and he was left on the street so to speak.

He took the matter to court which took over 12 months to resolve, could've of been resolved earlier if he agreed to pay them compensation, a few hundred thousand baht but he refused to compensate them for stealing his home. He eventually won his home back but lost a few electrical items and entertainment systems which were apparently removed from the home by spirits. He now lives alone and refuses to even have a live in maid.

I would call this story My Amazing Life in the Amazing Thailand.

[NamKangMan]

How many times have we all heard a similar story. Hard to know whether to feel sorry for the guy or call him a fool ....

... and thing is that it is not gonna stop. More stories like this will happen and happen again. Not worth to lose your brain listening only to your heart for a thai woman, especially if you met her in phuket. Not worth it at all.

Your post made me think, specifially in relation to Phuket.

With the changing demographic of tourists here, and a shrinking western tourist market, whether it actually may be harder in the future for the bar girls to "do over" a foreigner because there will just not be as many to meet here in the bars and nightclubs, as there have been in the past. So, while "stories like this will happen and happen again" - they may not happen as often on Phuket, in the future.

I mean, a package holiday Russian, Chinese or Indian are really not exposing themselves to the temptation, and therefore the risk, of "send money for sick buffalo."

In the past, Phuket was easy pickings for bar girls as there were many wealthy, middle aged, vunerable, lonely and easily lead foreigners, especially as Phuket was more affluent than other parts of Thailand. This is changing on Phuket.

Of course stories like this will still happen, but for a bar girl on Phuket, I think it will become harder in the future.

Edited September 16, 2013 by NamKangMan

[mok199]

_{suck it up .....}

[pookiki]

I rent. Nothing extravagant, for sure. I have no interests in bar girls, been there done that. Not interested in having a house or a condo even if I could afford it. And I am not interested in getting married, again. When you explain these issues to a Thai woman over dinner, you learn very quickly if they are interested in you as a person or if they are 'gold-diggers'. As a result, I have found that my honesty has attracted relative sincere Thai women who are somewhat financially independent, intelligent and fun to be with. But it is by no means an easy task. As some of the other posters have noted, where is the financial security for a Thai woman in the situation I have explained. None whatsoever. If Thailand allowed for joint ownership or tenancy in common for married couples, one would still face the complexity of dividing assets if a divorced occurred or the relationship soured. Most states in the US apply the rule of community property in the event of a divorce. Which means a 50-50 split plus the issues of child support and or custody of the children - if there are any. When I divorced in the US, I relinquished ownership of the our house to my wife in exchange for her giving up any claims to my retirement pay. Not the best decision from a financial standpoint but I didn't want to throw her and my kids out on the street, either. When I meet Thai women that tell me that I have to have a car, own a condo, or build a house, I just say I am not interested in doing that. This is my life - if you are looking for more, you need to find someone else. But having said all this, I have certainly parted with more money than I should have in being the Diogenes of finding the 'honest' (Thai) woman.

[NamKangMan]

I rent. Nothing extravagant, for sure. I have no interests in bar girls, been there done that. Not interested in having a house or a condo even if I could afford it. And I am not interested in getting married, again. When you explain these issues to a Thai woman over dinner, you learn very quickly if they are interested in you as a person or if they are 'gold-diggers'. As a result, I have found that my honesty has attracted relative sincere Thai women who are somewhat financially independent, intelligent and fun to be with. But it is by no means an easy task. As some of the other posters have noted, where is the financial security for a Thai woman in the situation I have explained. None whatsoever. If Thailand allowed for joint ownership or tenancy in common for married couples, one would still face the complexity of dividing assets if a divorced occurred or the relationship soured. Most states in the US apply the rule of community property in the event of a divorce. Which means a 50-50 split plus the issues of child support and or custody of the children - if there are any. When I divorced in the US, I relinquished ownership of the our house to my wife in exchange for her giving up any claims to my retirement pay. Not the best decision from a financial standpoint but I didn't want to throw her and my kids out on the street, either. When I meet Thai women that tell me that I have to have a car, own a condo, or build a house, I just say I am not interested in doing that. This is my life - if you are looking for more, you need to find someone else. But having said all this, I have certainly parted with more money than I should have in being the Diogenes of finding the 'honest' (Thai) woman.

"When you explain these issues to a Thai woman over dinner, you learn very quickly if they are interested in you as a person or if they are 'gold-diggers'." - did it ever occur to you that they couldn't care less what you "explain" to them - all they were after was just a free restaurant dinner. :) :)

[pookiki]

I rent. Nothing extravagant, for sure. I have no interests in bar girls, been there done that. Not interested in having a house or a condo even if I could afford it. And I am not interested in getting married, again. When you explain these issues to a Thai woman over dinner, you learn very quickly if they are interested in you as a person or if they are 'gold-diggers'. As a result, I have found that my honesty has attracted relative sincere Thai women who are somewhat financially independent, intelligent and fun to be with. But it is by no means an easy task. As some of the other posters have noted, where is the financial security for a Thai woman in the situation I have explained. None whatsoever. If Thailand allowed for joint ownership or tenancy in common for married couples, one would still face the complexity of dividing assets if a divorced occurred or the relationship soured. Most states in the US apply the rule of community property in the event of a divorce. Which means a 50-50 split plus the issues of child support and or custody of the children - if there are any. When I divorced in the US, I relinquished ownership of the our house to my wife in exchange for her giving up any claims to my retirement pay. Not the best decision from a financial standpoint but I didn't want to throw her and my kids out on the street, either. When I meet Thai women that tell me that I have to have a car, own a condo, or build a house, I just say I am not interested in doing that. This is my life - if you are looking for more, you need to find someone else. But having said all this, I have certainly parted with more money than I should have in being the Diogenes of finding the 'honest' (Thai) woman.

"When you explain these issues to a Thai woman over dinner, you learn very quickly if they are interested in you as a person or if they are 'gold-diggers'." - did it ever occur to you that they couldn't care less what you "explain" to them - all they were after was just a free restaurant dinner.

The cost of dinner is relatively a 'low' risk compared to losing a house and two million baht wouldn't you say? And I choose the restaurant! How do you meet the women you are interested in?

[MarkCyr]

The Phuket Gazette must surely have boilerplate copy for [Nationality] claims Thai girlfriend swindled him out of [possession or monetary sum].

I hope he told the BIB that they'll get a "finders fee" of 100K should they sort this out.

[Tech65]

Sad to see a man in this conditions

But losing 2 mil baht in a bar-girl scam isn't enough to declare that he has become a bagger for that event.

Even with 2 mil baht it is not possible to live in Thailand forever. Just a couple of years or a bit more.

Thus, it looks to me that this might be more likely the same old sad story, the adventurer sexy maaaaannn who believed that it were possible to live in Thailand just buying a house, named it after a pretty baby-doll, just met few weeks before, and then have a fantastic life for ever in the earth's paradise. With little money in poket and perhaps with not monthly income.

Sad.

[charmonman]

some of these critics are harsh. To live through life without ever trusting anyone is not my idea of a decent life. My Thai friend cheated me and my wife out of milions but the fact that he was a long time good friend hurt more than the loss of money. Everything is in my wifes name. If you can not trust your wife then you should not marry her . Unfortunately in Thailand it is the man's conciet that is the problem. He thinks he is so hansome or a desirable husband that his wife is marrying him for love and not his money. He should first look at his future wife and ask him self would a similar girl in his own country would marry him for love. He is too full of himself to admit that he could not find a young or desirable girl in his own country to marry him.

You see so many young girls married to old men here who obviously married them for thier money and many are anxiously waiting for them to die or perhaps are conspiring somehow to get rid of them.

Yes, but in this case the wife was 50 years old, not much younger than him. At that age not much chance of her finding another gullible farang!

[Wat dee]

some of these critics are harsh. To live through life without ever trusting anyone is not my idea of a decent life. My Thai friend cheated me and my wife out of milions but the fact that he was a long time good friend hurt more than the loss of money. Everything is in my wifes name. If you can not trust your wife then you should not marry her . Unfortunately in Thailand it is the man's conciet that is the problem. He thinks he is so hansome or a desirable husband that his wife is marrying him for love and not his money. He should first look at his future wife and ask him self would a similar girl in his own country would marry him for love. He is too full of himself to admit that he could not find a young or desirable girl in his own country to marry him.

You see so many young girls married to old men here who obviously married them for thier money and many are anxiously waiting for them to die or perhaps are conspiring somehow to get rid of them.

Yes, but in this case the wife was 50 years old, not much younger than him. At that age not much chance of her finding another gullible farang!

Trust me, there's always one more!!!

[navara]

It might be that many readers are going to say:" ehhh... own fault ". But is it really that way???

In my country is swindle a big crime and woman (or male) go to jail for a long time. Telling somebody that you love them, with the intent to abuse them, is a serious CRIME. Often victums are left behind with a broken heart and no money left. Often this kind of criminals did this trick before and bathed themselfs in wealth.

[ThePinkPanther]

This guy DOESN'T know NOTHING about Thais and their Thailand country now DOES he? There's absolutely NO theft OR fraud apparent here now or IS there? This whole entire situation is a positive physical exercise of the Thai Law system. Nothing MORE and definitely nothing LESS. The Thai Law provokes this kind of behavior from their citizens.

Edited September 16, 2013 by ThePinkPanther

[thaigold]

Men just can't understand that women in every country strive to catch a successful male, and women in every country will use a gullible male if he allows it. I feel sorry for the guy - he probably lost his life savings in the search for companionship. Sad.

[Phronesis]

How many times have we all heard a similar story. Hard to know whether to feel sorry for the guy or call him a fool ....

... and thing is that it is not gonna stop. More stories like this will happen and happen again. Not worth to lose your brain listening only to your heart for a thai woman, especially if you met her in phuket. Not worth it at all.

Your post made me think, specifially in relation to Phuket.

With the changing demographic of tourists here, and a shrinking western tourist market, whether it actually may be harder in the future for the bar girls to "do over" a foreigner because there will just not be as many to meet here in the bars and nightclubs, as there have been in the past. So, while "stories like this will happen and happen again" - they may not happen as often on Phuket, in the future.

I mean, a package holiday Russian, Chinese or Indian are really not exposing themselves to the temptation, and therefore the risk, of "send money for sick buffalo."

In the past, Phuket was easy pickings for bar girls as there were many wealthy, middle aged, vunerable, lonely and easily lead foreigners, especially as Phuket was more affluent than other parts of Thailand. This is changing on Phuket.

Of course stories like this will still happen, but for a bar girl on Phuket, I think it will become harder in the future.

Yep...the patronage of bars in Phuket is both changing and declining. Many will go broke because Indian, Russian and Chinese budget package tourists just don't go to bars. If they drink they buy the booze at Tesco or 7/11. A mate of mine has a bar down on Chalong pier road. I spent a couple of evenings down there catching up with him the other week. There were several Indian groups that came in over the two nights. Each group comprised for 3 or 4 blokes. They did not buy a single drink between them rather they tried to find a girl who would come and sleep with all of them for a single bar fine. The girls just laughed them off...but the writing is on the wall. If Phuket tourism continues on its current path either the girls accept the prospect of being gang banged by 5 Indians who want to split the bar fine...or they have to go elsewhere to ply their trade.

[Tchooptip]

Another thief in a land of thieves. What a surprise. Next.

Anyone who talks like you clearly came here for a living situation without knowledge of the country. Also as evident is that you are poorly traveled and never have lived outside your own country until moving here.

Oh, you know me so well, not lol

My knowledge of the country prior to coming here, and the knowledge and experiences gained here in the past 8 years would lead me to think I know the country and its people pretty well.

And how the hell do you get "poorly travelled" and "never lived outside your own country" from what I wrote? Oh wait, you ASSUMED, and you know what they say about that ...

You could have added to "a land of thieves" with....................thieves, and arrogant, obnoxious, cold-hearted, racist foreigners who could improve this country to no end just by leaving it.

I do love your tirade mikemac +

[Ian Curtis]

But my Girl is Different~~

Yea! If I had been given 1 baht every time I'd heard this then I would be a millionaire by now

By the way, how many of us have attempted to give warnings to a smitten guy upon seeing that he is about to 'go under'? Do they listen? I can recall just once when a guy acted on advice. At the time I was the only 'foreigner' in a small village and knew nearly everyone there. One day a young German guy was brought to the village by one of the girls who was doing bar work. Because I had been a resident there for about 5yr and the only 'foreigner', he and I often chatted. He then began explaining to me that that he wanted to have a house built and how do I go about it but . . . . he then admitted that he first needs to front-up the money for them to buy the land. Naturally I asked where is this land? It didn't take me long to see that her family already owned the land but please check at the local Ampur. Don't take my word for it. Next day he went.

[NamKangMan]

I rent. Nothing extravagant, for sure. I have no interests in bar girls, been there done that. Not interested in having a house or a condo even if I could afford it. And I am not interested in getting married, again. When you explain these issues to a Thai woman over dinner, you learn very quickly if they are interested in you as a person or if they are 'gold-diggers'. As a result, I have found that my honesty has attracted relative sincere Thai women who are somewhat financially independent, intelligent and fun to be with. But it is by no means an easy task. As some of the other posters have noted, where is the financial security for a Thai woman in the situation I have explained. None whatsoever. If Thailand allowed for joint ownership or tenancy in common for married couples, one would still face the complexity of dividing assets if a divorced occurred or the relationship soured. Most states in the US apply the rule of community property in the event of a divorce. Which means a 50-50 split plus the issues of child support and or custody of the children - if there are any. When I divorced in the US, I relinquished ownership of the our house to my wife in exchange for her giving up any claims to my retirement pay. Not the best decision from a financial standpoint but I didn't want to throw her and my kids out on the street, either. When I meet Thai women that tell me that I have to have a car, own a condo, or build a house, I just say I am not interested in doing that. This is my life - if you are looking for more, you need to find someone else. But having said all this, I have certainly parted with more money than I should have in being the Diogenes of finding the 'honest' (Thai) woman.

"When you explain these issues to a Thai woman over dinner, you learn very quickly if they are interested in you as a person or if they are 'gold-diggers'." - did it ever occur to you that they couldn't care less what you "explain" to them - all they were after was just a free restaurant dinner.

The cost of dinner is relatively a 'low' risk compared to losing a house and two million baht wouldn't you say? And I choose the restaurant! How do you meet the women you are interested in?

So, you admit there is a 'low risk" that the women is only interested in a free meal.

I meet the Thai women I am "interested in" at the various beer bars, so, no risk at.

It seems we are "interested" in them for very different reasons.

Edited September 16, 2013 by NamKangMan

[HaleySabai]

poor bugger, i saw him in the road and the crowd of people around watching...

......and saying..."Bahh Farang"...... oh uhm, paradise lost....again!

[ianf]

Another thief in a land of thieves. What a surprise. Next.

Land of thieves? Typical TV butthurt poster without brain. Why the hell do you even live here if things you know are only bad ones,judging all country? bah tv posters make me sick. It's his fault if he don't know with what kind of girl he's marrying to.It so funny when some foreigners marry with prostitute and than complain everything it's about money and they stole their money,well she ain't in this business for fun. Some foreigners are missing half brain

Except that some of us married University Graduate professionals (In my case a civil engineer and linguist) and we still get scammed. There is something in the Thai personality that seems to say that this behaviour is OK. My sad, but personal experience, is that Lying is not a problem in Thailand. Nor is corruption. Nor is ... well we could go on and on. But it's all OK because one visit to the monks and it's all OK again. Just an afterthought - when the ex visited the UK a year or two back after her scam, she had the damned cheek to accuse me!

[NamKangMan]

Another thief in a land of thieves. What a surprise. Next.

Land of thieves? Typical TV butthurt poster without brain. Why the hell do you even live here if things you know are only bad ones,judging all country? bah tv posters make me sick. It's his fault if he don't know with what kind of girl he's marrying to.It so funny when some foreigners marry with prostitute and than complain everything it's about money and they stole their money,well she ain't in this business for fun. Some foreigners are missing half brain

Except that some of us married University Graduate professionals (In my case a civil engineer and linguist) and we still get scammed. There is something in the Thai personality that seems to say that this behaviour is OK. My sad, but personal experience, is that Lying is not a problem in Thailand. Nor is corruption. Nor is ... well we could go on and on. But it's all OK because one visit to the monks and it's all OK again. Just an afterthought - when the ex visited the UK a year or two back after her scam, she had the damned cheek to accuse me!

"when the ex visited the UK a year or two back after her scam, she had the damned cheek to accuse me!" - well, "if farang not go Thailand, scam not happen."

As a "linguist" - you should know the "global language" - MONEY.

Edited September 16, 2013 by NamKangMan

[crazydrummerpauly]

For the ZILLIONTH time : For your sanity and solvency, in Thailand, only spend as if you are making a GIFT. It's that simple - whatever you spend, just think of it as GONE GONE GONE. And if you cannot afford to work with that approach - keep your cash firmly under lock and key. I'd go even further than that - don't even tell anyone, including your nearest & dearest, how much you have ! Advice from a bitter loser ? - NO, simple thinking from an experienced winner.

[happysanook]

<deleted> sake - what a bunch of <deleted> have posted here. You have no idea what went and are quick to slag of the guy and basically laugh at him. Lets hope you have no misfortune in your life. Grow up.

Give them a break. Most of them are shit - faced on whiskey, senile, or both.

[Nip]

I prefer calling him a fool instead.

Before transferring any funds or buying assets in Thailand. I did involve my Lawyer in preparation of legal documents and got it signed from my wife. In what soever case might be my Thai partner will not be able to claim any of the assets.

This is a lesson for all of us who wants to stay in Thailand for long term.

There is a devil behind every smiling face.

How many times have we all heard a similar story. Hard to know whether to feel sorry for the guy or call him a fool ....

Be aware Traveman in Phuket indeed Thailand the lawyers are the biggest crooks. The law here protects the guilty or wealthy. Lawyers simply can not be trusted. A document signed by you today and locked away in your safe can tomorrow be trumped by a forged one you know nothing about until it is too late! The real fool is the one who thinks others are fools. Thing is there is no definitive rule of law or precedence in Thailand and even if there was there is nobody to uphold it especially when it involves inbred foreigners. Beware the system here has a way of kicking you in the hole and as with kindness being seen as a weakness over confidence is a commodity we can not afford.

[cekipa]

<deleted> sake - what a bunch of <deleted> have posted here. You have no idea what went and are quick to slag of the guy and basically laugh at him. Lets hope you have no misfortune in your life. Grow up.

Give them a break. Most of them are shit - faced on whiskey, senile, or both.

I bet the opposite: most of the people here know far well what went wrong because mostly more or less have been through themselves. Thing is: are you strong enough to recover and move on or succumb despite having around people ready to help you ? It seems this guy has chosen the second way. He got some compassion already which he ignored.

[AloisAmrein]

Never trust a Thai wife, her family is far more important then you, you are just good enough for delivering money. Never buy property in Thailand, you lost it already in the moment you pay it. I know too many similar stories like this one here. In addition, for farangs it is not possible to buy in the own name, condos only, and this is of no interest. And prices are far too high nowadays, for the same price you can get a very decent house in Eastern Europe or in Latin America, there even lower.

[ozyjon]

Again

[market trader]

How many times have we all heard a similar story. Hard to know whether to feel sorry for the guy or call him a fool ....

well if he is a fool then probably 50% of us are also fools.

[Equalizer]

Listen guys you lot take it from me right here. I met the mother of my daughter 9 years ago, she was 18 i was 35. This girl was brand new, and i mean brand spanking new. When i pulled them knickers down for the first time, i was chipping out of the rough with a sand wedge. I had the bar, three actually. Sold them a long time ago. As a 35 year old man at the time, i had to watch, listen and console grown men twice my age who had been taken to the cleaners by Thai women. It wont happen to me was the cry, until the shit hit the fan. It was a very humbling experience seeing a conveyor belt of guys getting systematically robbed blind. Truth is , there is no way to stop it. The place is set up for it. People who have been here for a while will agree with me when i say the most difficult part of moving out here is the lack of routine. The one thing we all come out here without is the consciousness of routine and the implications that surround one of the most fundamental things every one of us have in our culture. From the time we leave that cot we are all regimented into out culture. From the first cries of, get out of bed, your breakfast is on the table and your going to be late for school. Right up until you are ground hogged in a job that is, "for many, not all". Tedious, boring depressing and basically living a life of building up to a weekend on the same orders. Week in and week out. We are for the most part institutionalized in the UK, over there we have a rough idea what we will be doing next week, maybe two weeks down the line, we mostly know what we will be doing in the evenings, the mornings, the noon's and the nights. Our women are also institutionalized, as a man we are looked at as a provider and a breeder. This is where most of the problems start. We are a vulnerable peoples, especially when our routine has been striped away and we have a licence to think for ourselves. Yes, we all think we think, but we do not think outside our culture zone because we never have a situation over there where we need to. You come out here and for the first 2 years you are waking up looking for your uniform, boots, suit, boiler suit, you name it. The place and the people here are a fair ground ride, we get on board and we cant get off. We are drifting on a daily basis in a world of emotional instability, insecurity, and ignorance. For us this is a lethal combination because we have always lived under the work, family, routine blanket. Only so much can go wrong there and what does go wrong, most of it is predictable anyway. Out here you are alone emotionally, you need to think for yourself, occupy yourself, become extremely vigilant, conscious, and smart. This is the reason why 90% of the under 50s fail here. The ones who have money can afford to be taken advantage of and still survive, then again money and emotions can conflict. As for my wife she is manipulative, greedy, lazy, and will steal, lie and cheat. This has not been influenced on her by sadistic Pattaya journey girls, she does not drink, smoke and work! If i can get an 18 year old clean slate 9 years ago and do nothing but offer trust, advice, security, status, money, car, house, and this person is naturally unsentimental, heartless, disrespectful, deceitful and genetically flawed, what chances do most people have.