April 26, 2020 - Reading time: 4 minutes
Updated: June 14, 2024

At Bangkok Investigators we endeavour to help anyone that reaches out to us wherever we can. Whether this is investigating a cheating spouse, a business dealing or a potential fraud, we don’t limit ourselves to any one form of investigation and aim to assist our clients wherever possible. 

Over the past 8 months we have been contacted by approximately one dozen individuals or companies that have been the victim of scams involving the purchase of tires from Thailand. These scams are very simple and profitable for the fraudsters. They will simply setup a professional looking website, list themselves as suppliers on online marketplaces and accept orders for tires which don’t actually exist.

The fraudster will typically send over a professional looking invoice; once the purchaser has paid this invoice (in full or typically 50% of the agreed price), the fraudsters will vanish. E-mails and phone calls will go unanswered and they will disappear, no shipment will be made. After some time without contact the purchaser will start to realize that they have been duped. It is at this stage that we are usually asked to step in and help. Recovering money from fraudsters in Thailand can be extremely difficult and cost prohibitive, especially if you are based overseas. 

How to spot a fake tire supplier in Thailand?

Having seen numerous instances of this scam taking place, we have been able to review many different websites, invoices and listings which have been created by fraudsters in order to deceive people that are looking to purchase tires from Thailand. These fraudsters vary in their sophistication. We have seen cases where private individuals claim to be acting on behalf of registered companies (which don’t exist), other times fraudsters will actually setup limited companies in Thailand in order to make themselves appear more legitimate to their victims.

Figuring out whether a tire supplier based in Thailand is legitimate or not can be difficult. Having little knowledge about Thailand and business dealings here can make yourself more vulnerable to this type of fraud. Career fraudsters will usually have a plausible answer to any question that is posed to them… We have seen cases where fraudsters will visit legitimate warehouses or factories in order to take photos which help to make themselves appear legitimate and more convincing to their victims. In some cases the fraudsters will have websites that appear more professional than legitimate suppliers. Seasoned fraudsters will also take the time to post false reviews for themselves. 

It can be very difficult to distinguish between a legitimate vendor and a fraudster. In most cases it is possible to figure out whether or not a person/company is legitimate by conducting a site visit, examining the vendor’s premises and conducting interviews. In Thailand these tasks are best suited to native Thai people.

Don’t become a victim 

If you are looking to import tires from Thailand (or any product/commodity) then it is very easy for us to protect your interests by performing basic due diligence before a transaction takes place. Before you wire thousands of dollars over to Thailand for the purchase of tires, get in touch with us and have us check the supplier for you. Is the address supplied by the vendor a commercial premises, or is it a PO box? Does the address even exist? Answering these questions using Google and online searches is impossible in most cases. We would also seek to establish whether the vendor is a legitimate registered company or a sole trader. In the case that the vendor is working for a legitimate company we can procure their balance sheet and other information which can help to aid you in your purchasing decision.

Based on the number of queries that we receive relating to this scam, we can say that it appears to be very prevalent at the moment. After all, it is easy for an unscrupulous individual to claim to be a reputable tire supplier, and it is certainly very easy to fall victim to this type of scam.

Our fees for performing basic due diligence are far lower than the amount of money at stake if a transaction goes wrong. We always prefer to run checks before a deal takes place rather than after money has changed hands. Please feel free to get in touch with one of our experienced team members for help and advice. 

April 2, 2020 - Reading time: 6 minutes
Updated: June 8, 2025

This question is asked very often and the answer can vary massively depending on your individual circumstances. Some ladies are high maintenance and aim to live a champagne lifestyle, others are quite happy to live in reasonable comfort and support their families.

Some guys send 5,000 – 15,000 THB per month to top up their girlfriend’s minimum wage salary. Other men might support their girlfriend by sending 30,000 – 100,000 THB per month, and sometimes they send even more than this. Much depends on your girlfriend, her lifestyle expectations, and any dependants that rely on her.

In order to figure out how much money it will take to support your Thai girlfriend, you need to examine her circumstances as well as her ingoings and outgoings. Does your girlfriend have children? Do her parents work for a living? These two questions are very important. Thai women are traditionally expected to support their parents in old age, and as the partner of a Thai lady this responsibility may ultimately fall on you. If your girlfriend (or her parents) are raising children then this is another expense that should be taken into account when you consider paying her an allowance.

We have heard stories of women who are happy to work a minimum wage job and receive a small amount of support from their foreign boyfriends so they can live in relative comfort. Other ladies are used to a higher standard of living and may rent an expensive apartment or own a car or motorbike on finance. Supporting these types of lifestyles can be a significant financial commitment. If your Thai girlfriend genuinely loves you, it’s reasonable to expect her to make some compromises so that she is not a constant financial burden on you.

Often, foreign men fall in love with ladies from Isaan, the rural north-eastern region of Thailand. These women often leave their villages to work in Bangkok, Pattaya, Phuket, or other large cities. If your girlfriend falls into this category and comes from a farming background, she might have obligations to help her family with expenses like fertilisers, planting rice, or even repaying debts on farming equipment. Many Thai families in Isaan have loans with high interest rates or borrow informally from local loan sharks. If this applies to your girlfriend’s family, she may be under pressure to send them money every month to help with repayments. (This is often a sensitive subject, and many Thai women are reluctant to talk about family debt or financial struggles. The concept of “saving face” means she might hide debts from you to avoid embarrassment or conflict.)

Thailand’s household debt reached approximately 89% of GDP by late 2024, according to the Bank of Thailand. When you include informal loans, the figure climbs above 100%. This means many Thais, especially those with low or middle-income jobs, carry significant financial burdens that can impact your relationship. Debt can come from many sources, including credit cards, personal loans, family obligations, or even school fees for children. It’s important to understand that your girlfriend might be financially supporting her parents, siblings, or children, and she may be reluctant to share this information unless asked directly.

When considering how much money to send your Thai girlfriend each month, think about her lifestyle. Is she living modestly, or does she have a taste for luxury? Is she used to a simple lifestyle with street food and local markets, or does she enjoy shopping malls, beauty salons, and nights out? Understanding her expectations is key. A Thai girlfriend who’s used to a modest lifestyle is unlikely to ask for large amounts of money, while a woman who’s accustomed to higher living standards might expect you to fund a lifestyle that could be difficult to sustain long term.

Is she really your girlfriend?

There is a difference between supporting your girlfriend and paying a lady to be your girlfriend. If you’ve met a lady in a bar and are now offering to pay her an amount of money to spend time with you, this is a different topic altogether and not something we are touching on with this article. However, it’s important to understand which of these two categories your relationship falls into and ensure that your girlfriend has the same view — especially if the relationship started at an adult entertainment venue such as Pattaya, Bangkok’s red light districts, or Phuket’s nightlife scene. Often, such ladies continue to sleep with customers in order to earn money while also being sponsored by foreign boyfriends. Sadly, we know from experience that this happens often, and our work frequently involves exposing exactly this kind of behaviour.

Spend a little, save a lot

If you’re sending money to your Thai girlfriend on a regular basis, it makes sense to make sure she’s faithful to you and that your money is being used appropriately. We can help by running a background check on her or by checking your girlfriend through a conventional investigation. Due to the high prevalence of romance scams in Thailand, our services have often saved clients significant sums of money and heartbreak. Please visit our homepage for more information about us and the services we offer.

Related blog posts

• Signs that your Thai girlfriend is cheating on you
• How to tell if your Thai girlfriend loves you
• Most common Thai girlfriend lies and scams

April 1, 2020 - Reading time: 8 minutes
Updated: May 29, 2025

This is a question that gets asked often… How can I tell if my Thai girlfriend loves me? While there is obviously is no definitive answer to this question, we have put together some signs that might indicate that your Thai girlfriend harbours strong feelings for you.

1. She wants you to meet her parents

Many foreigners gain an incorrect perception about Thailand and Thai people through hanging around in the red light areas of tourist geared cities such as Bangkok, Pattaya and Phuket. Thailand actually has a very conservative and traditional culture. Seeking the approval and blessing from the lady's parents is seen as a necessity by many Thai women when a relationship starts to become serious.

Your Thai girlfriend might have had numerous different foreign boyfriends in the past, but how many of those did she introduce to her parents and close family? If she is eager for you to meet her family this is typically a good sign that she is taking your relationship seriously.

2. She prefers to spend time with you

Is your girlfriend keen to spend time with you? Does she turn down dates with her friends or family in order to spend more quality time with you? If your Thai girlfriend is keen to make time for you then this certainly a good trait to look for, and a sign that she might be taking your relationship seriously.

3. She doesn't ask you for money 

Does your Thai girlfriend love you or does she see you as a walking ATM machine? Well, if she is asking you for money all the time and constantly talking about money, this is usually a sign that the latter option might be true. However; we are seeing a growing number of Thai ladies that are involved with romance scams who never ask their boyfriends for money. These women understand that asking for cash is seen as a red flag by a lot of men… They will tend to build up trust over many months or years before asking for help with money.

4. She talks about her long term plans

Does your girlfriend only talk to you about shopping trips and places to eat out? Is she concerned about the future of your relationship and how you will remain together long term? Or is she more worried about short term activities? If your girlfriend is making long term plans which include you, then this is a sign that she might be committed to you, thinking about your relationship in the long term and harbouring strong feelings for you.

5. She isn't constantly using her phone when you are together

Is your Thai girlfriend more interested in speaking to you or staring into her phone screen? While we all use cell phones on a daily basis, there comes a point where your phone becomes a distraction and limits your interactions with the people around you. If, for example, you are eating at a nice restaurant with your Thai girlfriend and for the duration of your meal she is more concerned with scrolling through Facebook or texting her friends, this might be a sign that she isn't very interested in you.

If your Thai girlfriend ignores her phone and tries to devote all of her attention to you whilst you are together, this is another positive sign that she might harbour strong feelings for you.

6. She is content with what you're able to provide her

Does your girlfriend ask you to buy her things and then become upset when you can't or won't? If your girlfriend throws a child-like tantrum when you refuse to buy things for her, this is definitely a sign that she might be more concerned with what you're able to provide her instead of your feelings and your relationship with her. A loving Thai girlfriend will accept the things that you're able to provide her and remain composed when she doesn't get her own way. 

7. She displays your relationship on Facebook

If a Thai woman's Facebook profile is filled with photos of you together, and her relationship status is set to "In a relationship with [your name]", this is a sign that she is taking your relationship more seriously. However, consider this point with caution as in relationship scams women often have multiple Facebook profiles. It is common for Thai ladies to have 3 or 4+ Facebook profiles, one profile for her friends and one for her family members... This allows her to hide her non-serious relationships with close family and friends. If a lady has two or more boyfriends then she will often have two or more Facebook profiles, typically one for each boyfriend.

8. She wants you to marry her

Marriage is important in Thailand. Often in Thai culture, relationships are not considered to be real relationship until a marriage has taken place. Getting married shows true commitment to one another and announces your relationship to the world. If your Thai girlfriend often talks about marriage, and wants you to get married to her, this is a signal that she considers your relationship to be serious and that she harbours strong feelings for you.

9. She passes a background check

Due to the prevalence of romance scams in Thailand, we recommend running a background check on your Thai girlfriend as your relationship starts to become more serious, especially if you have started a relationship after meeting through an internet site or app. Running a background check will allow you to check a number of different points relating to her, such as her marriage/divorce history, children, employment history, household, criminal record, and more.

If your girlfriend has been honest and truthful with you, and all of the information matches up, this should act as another positive sign.  

Learn more about our background check service.

Check your Thai girlfriend

As a leading detective agency based in Thailand we are often asked to investigate Thai women and find the truth for our clients. We can help by running a Thai girlfriend background check or by checking the lady's lifestyle through surveillance, or even making checks with our decoy service. Please feel free to get in touch with us for a free quote, remembering to include all relevant details with your inquiry so that we are able to understand your situation.

Related articles

If you enjoyed this article then check out these related articles:

• Signs that your Thai girlfriend is cheating on you
• Signs that she is not a good Thai girl
• Most common Thai girlfriend lies and scams

March 27, 2020 - Reading time: 8 minutes
Updated: June 8, 2025

There’s no single guide or checklist that can definitively tell you whether someone is a “good girl” or not — all people are different and every situation is unique. However, there are certain warning signs and red flags you can look for in your Thai girlfriend that might suggest she’s not exactly the wholesome partner you hope she is. We’ll explore some of those red flags in this article.

1. She works in a bar

If your Thai girlfriend works in a bar (or has done in the past), this is the biggest possible red flag that she might not be a good girl. Most of the bar girls that we investigate are found to be cheating on their partners. No matter what she tells you — or how convinced you are that she’s different — if she’s involved in the bar scene, the chances of her being faithful are low. Women in this line of work often become skilled at lying, spinning convincing stories that keep their boyfriends in the dark while they continue seeing other men. We specialise in exposing these lies and uncovering the truth.

2. She smokes cigarettes

Roughly 2% of Thai women smoke. Outside the adult entertainment industry, it’s not very common and is generally frowned upon in Thai culture. If your girlfriend smokes regularly, it might be an indicator that she’s more likely connected to the nightlife or sex industry.

3. She has tattoos

While Western influence is gradually shifting opinions on tattoos in Thailand, visible tattoos on women are still often associated with the sex industry. Try finding a lady working a respectable office job in Bangkok with visible ink — you might struggle. Tattoos aren’t a guarantee of anything, but they’re definitely something to factor into your judgment.

4. She has two (or more) Facebook profiles

Why would anyone need multiple Facebook profiles, phone numbers or even devices? We’ve investigated countless cases where women involved in romance scams maintain more than one Facebook page. For instance, “Pin” has one account filled with photos of her and her European boyfriend — she’s “in a relationship” with him. Her other profile? It’s all smiles with her American boyfriend. Same setup, different man.

Often one account is for family and friends, the other is used to show off a fake romantic life to a foreign partner. It’s a calculated way of hiding multiple relationships — and a sign she might not take yours seriously.

5. She is always talking about money

Wages in Thailand are typically lower than in Western countries. So, yes — if you’re in a serious relationship, helping her financially might be part of the equation. But there’s a line between offering help and being used. A genuine Thai girlfriend might occasionally need help with bills or family expenses. But if she’s constantly bringing up money, it’s worth asking: does she care about you or just your wallet?

6. She says that all Thai men are bad

If she makes sweeping claims like “all Thai men are bad”, take a moment to ask why she feels that way. The reality is, plenty of Thai men are kind, responsible, and loyal. If she’s been rejected or mistreated by local men, it might say more about her than about them.

7. Her English is too good

Most Thai people speak limited English unless they’ve either gone through university or spent time regularly interacting with foreigners. So if your girlfriend’s English is unusually fluent, it’s worth considering how she learned it. A university education is usually a good sign — if it’s genuine. On the other hand, many women pick up fluent English from working in bars and chatting with foreign customers over years of nightlife experience.

8. She is constantly drinking alcohol

Moderate drinking for special occasions is normal. But if she’s frequently getting drunk, hitting clubs every other night, or seems constantly involved in the party scene — that’s not typical behaviour for most Thai women, especially those with stable careers or traditional values. Heavy drinking habits can be a big red flag.

9. She has no visible means of income

We regularly hear from men who say, “My girlfriend doesn’t work, but she’s out at clubs all the time with her friends.” This is usually a clear sign that she’s freelancing — meeting men in nightlife areas and living off whatever support she gets. Often these women have multiple men sending them money and use different tactics to keep the cash flowing without raising suspicions. Some are so skilled they don’t even ask for money outright — they wait until the boyfriend offers.

“None of these points apply to my girlfriend! She’s a good girl!”

Maybe. But remember: professional scammers know exactly which red flags foreigners are looking out for. Many will deliberately avoid doing or saying things that might trigger alarm bells. They might take you to temples, introduce you to their family, or avoid asking for money for months just to build trust. These women can be incredibly convincing — and that’s why we exist. If you have doubts, a proper investigation is the only way to be sure.

Check your Thai girlfriend

We offer discreet and professional services to help you verify your Thai girlfriend’s background. From background checks and personal surveillance to our unique decoy service, we have the tools to help you discover the truth — whether she’s really a “good girl” or not.

Learn more about Thai lady investigations.

Related articles

• Why You Should Run a Background Check on Your Thai Girlfriend 
• Can You Really Trust Your Thai Girlfriend? Warning Signs to Know 
• The Reality of Dating a Thai Bar Girl: What You Need to Know