Something my illustrious and respected comrade, Slurms, said recently made me think. (Okay, okay, I know what you?re saying...?Geez, if Slurms can make us think, the world must be coming to an end.?) But before we are cast off into the outer depths of the cold, dark universe, let me first examine his quotation. To be exact, Sir Slurms said, ?white knights thinking you saving all the poor girls?. If you are not aware, he was referring to the attitude of some farang (sometimes middle-aged, but not always) regarding their self-perceived status as savior for some poor, but soon to be lucky with his help, (usually younger) Thai girl.

I will admit that certainly there are those out there who buy into (and even live) this stereotype. There are those farangs (some, but not all) who see themselves as the great hope for some poor, uneducated, struggling, ?little brown? Thai girl.

On the opposite side of that same coin, there are some Thai girls that see themselves in need of saving and a nice, rich (sometimes fat and balding) farang is just the ticket out of her current life. While her intentions may be good and she doesn?t feel that burning passionate love towards her new found savior, she can learn to love him?or at least tolerate him on a semi-emotional level.

But of course not every situation is always so innocent, clear-cut and mutually beneficial. Sometimes that ?white knight? views all Thai girls as helpless, little lost souls tossed about by the waves of life?s hard luck. And worse yet, that ?knight? can see this not as a situation requiring his assistance, but rather an opportunity for his exploitation.

And of course there are the girls who prey upon the well-meaning, true-love seeking farangs (I believe Nave called them ?hunters?). Perhaps these farangs have not received the attention or the love they desire back in their western world and being the object of affection (whether it is true or for reasons of less noble motivation) is quite overwhelming for them and all too easy to buy into. Yes, these gullible oafs are indeed ripe for the picking for a sweet-talking, cute-walking Thai girl with an ounce of manipulation in her.

I?m not writing this to offer any answers nor really give much of a personal opinion, but I will say that most of the girls that I have met here on TF are not in need of any saving (more than likely they?d be saving me?from the emotionless lack of love and turmoil of?oh wait, that is another journal for later?) and are indeed just as self sufficient, honest and strong as we farang (or at least as much as we like to think we are) that so happily seek their attention. I?d also like to believe that the friendships forged here at TF are more the rule than the exception?but of course I have never lived in Thailand and have no first hand knowledge of the state and status of the majority of relationships between Thais and farangs.

fair game...fair game...

Agree -- agree !!

Nice thought of Lyle,, but remember that each country - - each place, there are both good and bad ppl... or what ever you call them, it is like coin ,, always has 2 sides.. !!

Sure no one is hurting by your jrl so far.... living our life is one of a game we play everyday.. sometime you are manipulated, at time you manipulate someone else...

But slurms got credit out of this... lolz