Puntogf Antiques.

Charm Thai

Thai Wives in Phuket

Here on the beautiful island of Phuket in Thailand, there are a great number of mixed Thai-Western marriages. It really is turning into quite a phenomenon. Around Phuket's schools and playgrounds it is common to see mixed-race children happily playing with the 100% Thai kids. They are usually easy to spot with fairer skin, western features and non-black hair. A whole generation of culturally diverse, multi-lingual children is growing up and will soon be quite an asset to Phuket's tourist industry.

This phenomenon of mixed marriages in Phuket has really exploded over the last decade. Of course, the major reason is the expansion of Phuket's tourist trade. When you have more than a million western visitors a year, it is natural that some of them will meet and fall in love with local people. Especially when the local people are so appealing.

But there must be more to it than that. The tourist resorts around the Mediterranean, Caribbean and US also receive millions of foreign visitors a year. There are mixed-nationality marriages at these resorts but not thousands in a small area like there are in Phuket.

One thing stands out when you look at Phuket's ex-pat population - the vast majority of us are men. Probably around 90% of the ex-pat population is male. That is not the case when you look at the breakdown of tourist visitors where the split is only 60-40 in favour of males.

So while there are many women visiting Thailand, only a small percentage of them decide to settle here. It is probably a similar percentage to those that settle at other holiday resorts. But the men are marrying Thai women and settling here in numbers that way exceed what is typical elsewhere. There is an obvious conclusion to draw. There are a lot of men coming to Phuket to actively seek wives. They are not just falling in love while on holiday - they are coming with the pre-planned intent of finding a doe-eyed Thai beauty to be their spouse.

Many men seem to be dissatisfied with their experiences of women in their home country. Society has changed rapidly in the west over the last few decades. Women have become more confident and assertive. They can be intimidating to approach and fast with a withering put-down. They are much more demanding in their relationships and expect a lot of concessions from their partners. Many men do not like it. They still want the fifties ideal of a feminine, doting wife.

So they come to Thailand in search of the answer to their problem. Here, they believe they can still find women who are beautiful, feminine and attentive to their husband's needs.

It is dangerous to generalise too much about the men who marry Thai girls and settle in Phuket. They all have their own story. Just the same, there are common patterns. You can place a lot of these men into three broad groups:

Group 1. There are those that come to Phuket for 'normal' reasons such as work or a break from work. It is natural that some of these people will meet and fall in love with locals. This happens all over the world. There is no doubt that Thai women are very charming so perhaps it is more common here than elsewhere.

Group 2. Then there are those who fall in love with their bargirl. The girls who work in the sex industry are good at selling themselves; it is their job. It is not usually the hardened sex-tourists that fall for their charms. They tend to pick up a new girl every night with no emotional attachment. It is the new guys. The men who come to Phuket for the first time, not quite knowing what to expect. They probably have an idea that they are going to pick up a prostitute but they don't know how it works. They end up doing the GFE (girl friend experience - see Phuket Naughty Nightlife). That is picking up a bar girl and then keeping her for the entire length of the holiday. They act as if they are boyfriend-girlfriend. The girl gets plenty of time to weave her magic. She tugs the guy's heartstrings with her life story until he is brimming with sympathy. She gives him lots of affection and by the end of his holiday, he is in love.

Group 3. Then there are those who come with the pre-planned intent of finding a wife. They have thought about it and come to the reasoned conclusion that a Thai wife would make their life better. Some of these guys will look for their new wife around the sex venues of Patong. Others want to stay away from the sex industry girls. They may try dating agencies or internet matching services. Some of them will try to meet 'good' Thai women away from the tourist resorts. Their approaches may vary but the conclusion is the same - they think a life in Phuket with a Thai wife would be better than their current life back home.

Whatever the reasons, the mixed Thai-Western marriage is now an established part of Phuket's scenery. Not all of these Western men find their dream wife. Many of these marriages run into problems but that is true of marriages the world over. There can be extra problems related to marriages between people from different cultures. Still a lot of western men are very happy with their choice.

About the Author

The author has lived in Phuket, Thailand for seven years. If you want to read more about the colourful island of Phuket then visit Know Phuket where you will find more articles and visitor information.

Thai $39.72 Thai

THAI TRIBAL SILVER TRIANGLE FLOWER PENDANT CHARM $7.89 These unique silver charms will work great as earrings, or look good as the centerpiece of a funky little necklace. Lightly antiqued finish adds definition to the design. Front is stamped, back is smooth. Measurements: Triangle is approximately 15mm long, 13mm wide at widest point, and 1mm thick. Ring soldered on top is 5mm outside diameter. Inside diameter approx. 2.7mm. Quantity: 1 Hill Tribe Silver Stamped Triangle Charm.

Sterling Silver 'Festive Thai' Charm Bracelet (Thailand) $45.4 This handmade creation is offered in partnership with NOVICA, in association with National Geographic.Product Features:*Festive charms dangle from a braided bracelet *Jewelry is crafted by hand with sterling silver *Luminous charm bracelet is from Thailand *Hook clasp Story Behind the Art:Achara and her husband have been designing, crafting and marketing silver jewelry for over 20 years. 'At first we crafted our unique products by ourselves. Then we learned that the hill tribe people of northern Thailand had wonderful silversmith skills, but that most of their jewelry is not traditionally considered very marketable. So we decided to work in close association with them to promote their culture worldwide. Our mission is to create unique designs in great quality silver jewelry.'What is Worldstock?The handcrafted nature of this product will produce minor differences in design and sizing. Subtle variations will occur from piece to piece, adding to its unique qualities. Measurements may vary slightly.ImportedPlease allow 10 business days for the product to leave our warehouse and to receive tracking information. You should expect to receive this item within 15 business days.

Shiekh Thai $39.97 Shiekh Thai

Promise Thai $39.97 Promise Thai

Overtones (Thai) $19.99 Overtones (Thai)

Live (Thai) $20.99 Live (Thai)

Thai Die $7.19 Thai Die

Instant Thai $6.25 Instant Thai

Swick & Huerta Charm Venomous Snakes In Thailand - Swick Suffers Worst Prank Of His Life