Love you, Love your money - Pattaya Bar Girl Love Story

I'm a fairly generous guy. I enjoy giving gifts as much as receiving them, so to some extent I beleive I'm thought of as one of the good ones when it comes to Lady drinks and tips. Not over the top, but someone who pays his way.

Quite a few years ago I had a girl from Soi 6 in Patttaya. Anyone who knows this infamous street knows it's full of short time bars and the girls are there because it's quick easy money. I got to know one bar girl who called herself Tim (real name Taen).

She was OK and we went off together when I was in town. There was never anything about this relationship but I would buy her small gifts. She had a thing about wearing football (soccer) shirts over her very short denims, so I bought her a genuine one from England but she gave it to her son, Yo. I bought her a watch in Bangkok. Nothing fancy but she gave it to her son (a girls watch!).

I never saw her wear or use anything I gave her, so I stopped. Eventually she told me she had a regular boy friend, and she was moving back to her home in Korat with him. They were going to start up a shop using some land next to her parents house. He was Danish and I will call him Lars (not wanting to upset anyone).

I said, "Great, good for you" thinking at least I won't be spending any more money on her. Good luck mate.

About 3 years passed by and I get an email from Taen - by coincidence I was in Pattaya at the time.

Lars Dead – come see me

"Lars die", she said, please come see me in Soi 6. So there she was, back in the bar, with memories of her friend, who apparently, died in a motorbike accident in Sydney at Christmas time. She was quite tearful as she showed me pictures of the coffin and a letter from the man's mother in Copenhagen promising to help the family as much as she could.

I was a bit sceptical so, I scanned through the Sydney newspapers for a story about a Danish motorcyclist who had come to grief at Christmas time whilst on holiday. I found no story. My suspicions were roused but I gave her the benefit of the doubt.

She came back to Bangkok with me and stayed at my apartment. For days she did nothing but lounge around and sleep.

I was getting rightly pissed off to find she hadn't even bothered to get any food in or do anything, so I asked what she intended doing now. She said I could give her 20,000 Baht a month if liked. "No thanks", I replied.

"But I need to pay off big debt – I need 200,000 Baht - you can give to me".

Slightly astonished I asked her if I heard right

"You want me to give you 200,000 Baht?" - "Yes, you good man"

She had boasted earlier about a brand new Honda SUV Lars had bought, so I suggested she sold the car – must be worth at least 500,000 Baht

"Oh no, that's Lars car"

"But he's dead, he won't be needing it".

"Yo can use it" (Yo is now 15 years old)

So with no further ado, I sent her on her way, and off she went, crying her eyes out. Generous I may be, stupid, I am not.

Now , here's the twist.

Around about 2 years later again, I get an email

"You remember my sister, Taen, she have son Yo. Taen now very sick. You good man, send money for Yo so have good school".

I asked by email how come Lars family aren't taking care, (as the letter promised). One more email came saying it was too late

"Taen die today". You not give money for Taen or Yo.'

It would seem that I was the bad guy after all.

Was the email really from her sister or was it sent by Taen trying to extort more money from me? Did Lars die in Sydney? Did Lars ever exist?

I'll never know, but I bet the Honda is still sitting proudly outside the house – if that ever existed!

Live and learn.