hank75

Yes, it does seem redundant to try and make a point to you, because you clearly only hear what you want to. Which I suspect was the reason behind the perceived resentment initially. In any case, insights into your claims can be found by reading your initial trip report where you tried to convince a jobless Burmese non-MB to give you regular daily sex for a month, for a pitiful 500 baht.

Actually the whole label of middle class (you or them) has nothing to do with your absurd claim. What you said was, locals with an education and a proper job (as opposed to moneyboys) were resentful of you supposedly having more money or means. Please don’t try to justify this within a pseudo socio-economic framework; clearly the reality is different countries have different costs of living, so wage brackets differ accordingly. They are earning what is commensurate with the standard of living in Thailand. As for social envy, why would they be envious of you, a visiting farang who is a holiday millionaire and in your own words, “middle class” back home, when there are hi-so Thais within their own society if they really wanted to compare status and wealth? Maybe the economic resentment is all in your mind, and actually you have simply managed to piss off your educated sex partner in some way so it shows on his face since he is not being paid like a money boy to hide his feelings? Maybe you were obnoxious in offering the meal treat or making it seem like a bigger deal than it is? My advice to you, consider the complete situation and interaction before labelling this perceived resentment as financial jealousy. If you were as patronising to him as you are coming off here, I can understand why. By the way, Thais across all levels of society are masters of unspoken social diplomacy. There is no such thing as splitting bills unless you are a close group of friends or colleagues. Suggesting a meal is an implicit offer to pay, and if the other party agrees, they understand this and are mentally willing to gush with appreciation when the bill is picked up….usually demonstrated by a big smile and a brief wai. No one accepting a meal invitation will then glower at you as you pay unless for a different reason.

You are so conscious of your own superiority that you are projecting this on others. Absolute nonsense. I go to Thailand for business as well as for pleasure, encounter a high proportion of educated Thais ranging from local middle class to privileged. They are so used to farangs in Thailand from all sorts of socio-economic backgrounds that they don’t bat an eyelid.

I will see if a boy can accept some hair instead of his tip next time

Wasn’t even her first time. No idea why she was allowed to even walk in but there’s a video of them shaving her head….you can hear the staff aren’t angry, just resigned and tired “who frequented multiple host bars, ordered services, and repeatedly skipped out on paying her bills (“dine and dash”). Her actions left managers and staff at various venues well aware of her face.”

Another Thai TikTok account explained what happened in detail: apparently she arrived at 8 pm and tried to dash at midnight. The bar did not let her leave and explored various solutions with her, such as could she obtain money from her family or friends to settle the bill. This went on for hours. They agreed to wait until 8 am when banks opened. However at 8 am she refused to go to the bank and stated she did not actually have any money in the bank. They asked her to agree to work as a cleaner in the bar to pay off the debt. She said her family would not permit this. Finally out of frustration they told her to sell her hair and shaved her head to teach her a lesson (and so everyone could just gtfo and go home).

Edit: Entire post copied over from another forum (Translated with Gemini) Source of the news in Thai For those who dont know what a "host bar" is A host bar (also called a host club) is a night entertainment venue where female patrons pay for the companionship, conversation, and attention of good-looking male staff known as "hosts.". Usually the payments are via "drinks" in exchange for companionship. Popular in Asia from Thailand to Japan. English Translation Host Bar Drama! Teenage girl skips out on nearly 60,000 baht tab; venue shaves her head to repay the debt, sparking split opinions among netizens. (Aug 28, 2026) — A heated debate has erupted online after the TikTok account “Ton-Or Pen Neung” shared a dramatic story under the hashtag #ShavedHeadAtHostBar. The post details the behavior of a teenage girl, believed to be under 20 years old, who frequented multiple host bars, ordered services, and repeatedly skipped out on paying her bills (“dine and dash”). Her actions left managers and staff at various venues well aware of her face. Caught after repeated unpaid tabs According to reports, the young woman had done this multiple times across several establishments. Most recently, she visited a host bar in the Pinklao area and attempted her usual tactic: ordering drinks and hiring male hosts to entertain her. However, when the bill arrived, she refused to pay. This time, the venue’s manager decided to take revenge and teach her a lesson. They had her sign a contract to sell her hair for 3,000 baht (~$85 USD) to offset the costs. However, the situation escalated when the staff didn't just give her a hair trim, but completely shaved her head bald "like a nun." Netizens divided in harsh critique After the story went viral, social media users split sharply into two camps: Sympathetic / Excessive force view: Arguing that while the girl committed an illegal act by dodging the bill, the venue had no legal right to commit physical battery or shave her head. They believe the establishment should have handled the situation strictly through legal channels by filing a police report. Satisfaction / "She deserved it" view: Arguing that the punishment was fitting because the girl intentionally scammed multiple businesses. Without a severe lesson, she would continue to cause trouble for other venues. Organizers step in Journalists reached out to Ms. Chalida Phalamat, President of the "Pen Neung" Group (Ton-Or). She stated that after posting the story to uncover the facts from both sides, the host bar manager reached out on the evening of August 25. The manager explained that the teenager had accrued a bill of nearly 60,000 baht (~$1,700 USD) and used a fake ID to enter the venue. The manager then forced her to sign a contract selling her hair for 3,000 baht to cover basic costs. The contract explicitly stated consent to cut and shave her hair. When Ton-Or questioned why they didn't hand her over to the police, and why a total head shave was necessary under the guise of "donating hair," the venue claimed the hair was given to an employee to donate, though they could not specify a location. Ton-Or added that while she understands the business has operating costs and hosts rely on income to support families, the venue's actions were illegal and excessive. Even if the girl consented under the circumstances, it is unknown if she was pressured. The venue has since issued a public apology through Ton-Or, acknowledging the manager acted out of anger, and stated they are contacting her family to provide compensation. Ton-Or also urged the Ministry of Social Development and Human Security (MSDHS) to inspect the girl's living conditions and mental state, noting she appears to be a minor who might suffer from mental health issues leading to her reckless behavior. She concluded with a warning: businesses should not place mob rule over the law, and bill dodgers should always be dealt with through official legal channels.

Take this with a grain of salt but the cynic in me is shouting that this is lulling you into an exaggerated sense of kinship and thus familial obligation. I am sure Cam’s family will be lovely, make you feel very welcome, and - seeing how respectful Cam is of you - follow his lead. At the same time I have heard too many stories of farang men being lured too quickly into marriages with Isaan bargirls because they were introduced to the families and children early on via video calls, then visits, called “son in law” or “stepfather” and made to feel a real sense of camaraderie and belonging. Before they knew it, they were hog-tied, offering sinsot and building houses in the village. You don’t need to arrive with a sceptical attitude….enjoy your adventure to the fullest. Let us be the cynics for you as your story progresses.

Glad that it’s a helpful back up You and Cam seem to have a solid relationship and he’s respectful of your money so I wouldn’t worry unnecessarily. Just don’t make it a habit so it stays in “emergency-only” territory. Also perhaps don’t mention it around his family. When I’ve sent WU to guys, I never send to their bank accounts (so they don’t know it’s a possibility) and always only cash pick up so they need to expend some energy going to the counter and doing the pick up. Instead of sitting around on their asses waiting for the magical money fairy. I’ve only broken this rule once for a guy I had a longstanding arrangement with who lived somewhere so rural that he couldn’t easily get to a WU counter. Don’t forget once you’re physically in Cambodia you can send money to yourself. It doesn’t need to be through Cam.

You may want to try sending Cam a small amount just to ensure you have it properly set up, and that transfers can be made to your name or his. Receiving isn’t the problem, it’s ensuring that you can transfer remotely from your bank to WU, so don’t go to a physical outlet, try and do it all online. I used to send via credit card and suddenly that option stopped working, so I had to fall back on bank transfer.

The risk in riding a motorbike is never oneself, it is other people. The last time I was travelling through Samui, the roads were particularly steep and winding with potholes. I was riding pillion and clutching the handlebars with a death grip. Much to my horror we encountered an elderly farang who was driving a motorbike with one shaking hand while holding up his phone with the other to record the journey (or he could have been on a video call with his Thai wife who knows)….helmet-less of course. This sight does not faze me at all now. I get a bit worried when I see infants perched on motorbikes but usually they’re placed in front or sandwiched in between parents and someone has a hold of them (Thais and Cambodians alike). However farang especially the French are yet again perpetrators of a particularly laissez-faire style of motorbike riding especially with children….I’ve seen many European tourists with their young children (under ten, sometimes looking no more than six) riding pillion behind the parent, their legs bouncing as they are unable to reach the supports. They’re holding the parent around the waists because they’re not large or strong enough to hold the rear handles. Scares me every time.

@jimmie50 you are overthinking. Bring USD, with some smaller bills $10 is sufficiently small. Your first meal or convenience store purchase will sort out your riels, otherwise Cam will know how to break your notes. As @vinapu has wisely said, notify your bank you are travelling so they will not block your card suspecting a scam. However I have found Western Union an efficient way to get a stack of cash in Cambodia. It’s even better for Americans because you send and pick up USD so no exchange rate incurred, only a very small transaction fee.

They were probably desperate for you to stop flashing and just leave

Very possibly you could hire a songthaew-style vehicle to transport humans, luggage and the motorbike, or some other mode. My ex guy brought his bike from Phnom Penh to his village so transporting bikes is a common occurrence. It took me a while to get comfortable riding pillion but now I am quite used to it. I’ll take a Grab bike for short hops in Bangkok or on a trip with my guy, as he’s a good driver. I think you’ll soon develop that same confidence level with Cam. If I stayed more permanently, I’d learn to ride one myself. Would prefer a neat Vespa scooter that moves at a sedate pace rather than those zooming machines the boys seem to like.

Tongue in cheek but genuinely curious, superior to whom? Or are there Inferior Courts as a point of difference? Edit: I lazily did not exercise my Google finger prior to posting but have now been enlightened that there are, in fact, inferior courts