Looking for a real Thai girlfriend in Pattaya? Meaning one who’s seeking a long-term foreign partner for love rather than financial gain. If you start by ignoring the skeptics who spout that all Thai women in Pattaya are sex workers only interested in dating foreign men for financial gain, you’re already halfway there.
The Reality
Countless foreign men living in Thailand or abroad met their Thai wife or girlfriend in Pattaya, including many who met their sweetheart in a girlie bar while in search of a little fun or a Thai girlfriend experience.
The Golden Rules of Dating Thai Women in Pattaya
The secret to finding a Thai girlfriend in Pattaya who loves you for all the right reasons is simple:
- Take it slowly and don’t rush in
- Understand the local scene
- Keep an open mind
- Don’t fall in love with the first girl you meet
- Don’t be the white knight
Some Realities of Single Thai Women in Pattaya
Here’s a little of what to expect when you start meeting and dating single Thai women in Pattaya:
A proportionately large number of Thai women in Pattaya are from other parts of Thailand, predominantly Isan (Northeast Thailand). They likely still have family there, along with a strong desire to move back.
Women in unskilled jobs may work up to 60 hours a week for as little as 15,000 baht per month, with most being duty-bound to send a monthly payment to help support their parents and/or the children they left in their care.
A significant number of them are bar girls (see photo below), freelancers, or otherwise work in the adult entertainment and nightlife industry.
Even some Thai women employed outside the nightlife scene occasionally turn to freelancing on dating apps or in the discos and nightclubs of Walking Street.
It might appear that they don’t have children, but as often happens when women come to Pattaya for work, they leave their children in the care of their family back home.
Some may appear to be women, but they’re actually ladyboys, see photo below.
Most Thai women in Pattaya don’t speak conversation-level English. Those who do typically interact with foreigners frequently, such as those in the hospitality and nightlife industries, or they’ve had or have long-term foreign partners.
Whether in Pattaya or elsewhere, it’s often said that some reasons Thai women prefer foreign men are due to Thai social and cultural norms, such as Thai men being reluctant to date Thai women with dark skin, single mothers, divorcees, or those they see as a lower class.
In reality, most Thai women in Pattaya are probably not interested in foreign men at all.
The Problem
You can certainly end up dating Thai women you meet by chance while out and about in Pattaya, like anywhere else.
The problem is that when your goal is to find a long-term girlfriend in Pattaya, have no interest in a ready-made family, and don’t want to risk meeting someone who might turn out to be a financially motivated bar girl or freelancer, even a ladyboy, you might be just as likely to meet a mismatch as find your match.
Of course, you can improve your chances of meeting a so‑called “good Thai girl” in Pattaya by focusing on women in ordinary jobs, such as those working in stores, hotels, or even that cute Thai girl you see working at the local market. But it can just as easily result in embarrassment for both of you.
The Solution
The best way to find a Thai girlfriend in Pattaya without hassle and risk is through your social circle, work, introduction by a friend, or dating apps, where you at least know or can easily find out if the women are the type you would consider dating.
Using Dating Apps To Find a Thai Girlfriend In Pattaya
The advantages of using Thai dating apps to find a Thai girlfriend in Pattaya are that it’s cheap, you can search beyond your social circle and the nightlife scene, it’s much easier to say “hi” online, and they’re full of Thai women seeking foreign men.
You’ll find a whole load of freelancers and bar girls on dating apps in Pattaya, that’s no secret. But you’ll also find lots of Thai women online seeking genuine relationships. To tell them apart, just start by asking them what they are looking for.
Can You Date Bar Girls in Pattaya
Dating bar girls in Pattaya is usually not recommended, but if bars are your social circle, you will get to know girls who are open to a relationship.
If you find yourself in what feels like a genuine relationship with a bar girl, be certain it’s because you’re not trying to be her white knight, never give more than you can afford to lose, and accept it might be too good to be true.