Posted on 12/23/2006 5:15:33 PM PST by Dallas59
BANGKOK (AFP) - "I could not find anybody in the States. There was nothing in America for me. That's why I'm here," says the clean-cut 52-year-old bachelor, who bears a passing resemblance to Hollywood actor Michael Douglas.
Sullivan, an emergency nurse from Florida, is one of a growing number of foreign men seeking young and beautiful Thai brides via the Internet.
Speaking at the Bangkok office of Sweet Singles, a Thai bride-by-Internet company, Sullivan says he has decided to "go beyond boundaries" in his search for a wife after a futile quest in the United States.
"American women in my age are, basically, a wreck. They are physically and emotionally beaten up from relationships and life. They are untrusting," says the well-built Sullivan, sporting a pink shirt and white pants.
"I think the feminist movement in America in the 60s really trashed American feminism. American women lack a certain femininity about them that women of other countries have," he laughs.
Sullivan contacted Sweet Singles six months ago and was introduced to Yoshita Tongsalee, an attractive 27-year-old teacher of traditional Thai dancing.
After corresponding with her via e-mails for three weeks, Sullivan decided to meet her and flew to Bangkok in early December.
"Just from e-mails, I knew she was the one. I just knew," says the American, his emerald earring dazzling.
"I find Thai women in general to be less self-centered and more family-centered than I find in western women," he says. The couple plans to marry next year.
John, a 43-year-old Briton who got married to a Thai woman four years ago via an Internet bride agency, also has grievances about western women.
"English women are very demanding and they expect you to be good-looking and have plenty of money and give them lots of attention. They drink a lot and they smoke a lot and they eat a lot," says John, who declined to give his last name.
"I am not very good at getting women anyway. I'm not the best-looking guy in the world. I'm quite short and it's very hard for me to find an English woman who is shorter than me," he says on the telephone from London.
Before marrying his Thai bride, John dated six British women, but his relationships with them were anything but happy.
"I'm just fed up with British women. They are not so loyal," he says.
When he met six Thai ladies in Bangkok via the Internet, including a 32-year-old business woman who later became his wife, John says he was struck by their kindness and family-centered values.
"I think Thai women are more loyal to their husbands. They are not just 'take, take take.' Also they have old-fashioned family values, which we used to have in this country," he says. John and his wife now have two young boys.
John and Marc declined to say how much they paid to get their Thai wives. Sweet Singles says it can charge a foreign man up to 1,700 dollars for a three-year membership to meet Thai ladies.
Some 10,000 foreign men have signed up with Sweet Singles over the last decade, and nearly half of them were previously divorced, says Bee, the company's customer service manager.
Some 80 percent of them get married to Thai women through the agency.
Americans account for 60 percent of the company's male clients, with the rest mostly from Australia, Britain, Germany and Scandinavian countries. Their average age ranges from 55 to 60.
Some 20,000 Thai women have also joined Sweet Singles, with their ages ranging from 20 to 40. The company charges a Thai woman 700 baht (20 dollars) for membership.
Bee, a petite 40-something, says Thai woman often have a favorable impression of foreigners.
"Many Thai girls were disappointed by Thai men who are famous for womanizing, drinking and gambling. Thai woman believe Caucasian men are more responsible and sincere and not playing around with other women," she says.
Thanitchaya Buaban, a striking 26-year-old beauty from Thailand's northern tourist spot of Chiang Mai, says she used to have a Thai boyfriend but he cheated on her many times.
"I was heart-broken. After I joined Sweet Singles, I started meeting foreigners and they were very kind and polite," she says at the firm's office.
Thanitchaya says she now has many American suitors who are trying to win her love with diamond rings and necklaces.
"I'm going to choose the best one," she says with a big smile.
For Sullivan's fiancee Yoshita, her experiences with Thai men were more traumatic.
"I was planning to marry my first Thai boyfriend, but he did not show up on our wedding day. He embarrassed me and my family," Yoshita says. "My second boyfriend cheated on me and impregnated another woman."
But Yoshita, who wears a golden heart necklace, says she is looking forward to living in Florida with the man of her dreams -- even if she still refers to him by his last name.
"I believe Mr Sullivan is a gift from God. He is really a good man and respects me. Every day I pray and thank Buddha for giving me Mr Sullivan," she says.
Sullivan nodded and held her hand.
"I have to step outside my own culture to find someone with whom I am compatible. I am not narrow-minded in that regard," he smiles.
This country is just jam-packed with some of the most beautiful women in the universe and this dweb couldn’t find one to his liking? Mayhap he is such a loser that no women in this country wanted him!
LOL
If they only knew...
I wonder what the divorce stats are on such marriages anyway? A beautiful Thai woman I used to know dated one of my best friends briefly after divorcing her first American husband (whom she met through a dating service). Same old, same old... She was after the usual things in a man: Money and good looks. Which is okay, I guess. Not surprising at all. But geez, boys... Marry someone with whom you'll have something in common!
Every pot has a lid...I guess sometimes the lid is in Bangkok!
Somehow, I don't think you are talking about food.
Thank you! You saved me from the obligatory post...
Sorry, but after 53 years here, I have encountered many more women who are unfaithful than men. 40 years ago, maybe not, but check the statistics now; you may be surprised to find that the 2006 liberated women are pretty quick to stray when things are worse and not better.
This is different how?
1. He's doing an interview in the offices of a company that proudly proclaims itself a Thai bride-by-internet company.
2. He says American women lack a certain femininity, which is often a code word for "submissiveness." Whenever you hear a guy trolling for Asian mail-order brides using the word "femininity," I'm highly suspicious. Plus he's finding himself a woman half his age.
3. He knew via e-mails he'd met Mrs. Right. That's just not sane.
4. He's an ER nurse wearing a pink shirt, white pants, and an emerald earring. That's reasonable doubt for ya, right there. As an American Woman, one look at an ER nurse in a pink shirt, white pants, and an emerald earring, and all I'd be thinking is GAY GAY GAY.
5. Finally -- and this isn't a perve point -- all the men in the article are complaining that Western women aren't loyal and have been scarred by relationships. Then we hear that these guys are average age 55 - 60 and divorced. So if women in their age group have been scarred by relationships, maybe these guys should look in the mirror and do some soul searching before they say, "I know! I'll marry a "feminine" woman my daughter's age from Thailand!"
I agree with him that many women in this country are just wrecks, even at my age of 33. However many of you are right, he just isnt looking in the right place. My guess is that he came out of a long relationship went back out became disillisioned and figure it was easier if he just bought a wife over seas, and why buy a 55 olds when you can get a shiny new 27 year old.
And then a year-later:
"Edd-eeee, I want to talk to yooooooo. I'm an American woman now, I want what's coming to me. What have you done for me late-leeeee? HALF!!!!!"
They are looking for the best deal they can get. Nothing unusual about that. Wealthy older American men do not seem to have a hard time finding attractive younger American women. There are likely to be lots of Thai women who would like the idea of a wealthy (by Thai standards) older husband.
There are a number of older American men who retire to places like Mexico (where their pension goes further) and take up with younger local women
Thailand is for losers who don't know about FR...
What, we have a dating service now? Where do I sign up? :-)
Or trade the 40 year old for two 20's...
;^P
((Great weird minds....))
Not posting to anyone in particular here, but Mr. Sullivian did say...
"American women in my age are, basically, a wreck. They are physically and emotionally beaten up from relationships and life. They are untrusting," says the well-built Sullivan, sporting a pink shirt and white pants.
"I think the feminist movement in America in the 60s really trashed American feminism. American women lack a certain femininity about them that women of other countries have," he laughs....
And to this I tend to agree with him.
Thailand?
Freepmail me the negatives and we'll see what develops...
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