We try to present a positive outlook for our members here on SiamHoney, but we realize there can be many obstacles for Thai women and Western men to overcome. Simple cultural misunderstandings can sometimes create conflicts that are never resolved and ultimately lead to the end of an otherwise perfectly good relationship. The good news is that most of these problems can be avoided if the participants take the time to learn more about each others basic beliefs.

There are many places where you can obtain information about Thai culture, but very few that actually relate those details to a dating situation. The book "Thailand Fever" by Chris Pirazzi and Vitida Vasant is one of the best resources we have found and we highly recommend giving it a look. And, of course, at SiamHoney we will always do our best to provide our members with the knowledge they will need to maintain healthy cross-cultural relationships.

In past articles we have written about some of the issues affecting dating in Thailand and the whole scenario is probably summed up best in the following sentences from the “Thailand Fever” book. “Start with thousands of years of separate cultural development. Blend in a sizable language barrier, add a dash of economic disparity, coat with a thick frosting of conservative propriety, and decorate with colorful stories of rampant prostitution in Bangkok, Pattaya, and Phuket. What do you get? A recipe that makes long-term relationships between Thai-Western couples complicated, to say the least!”

Now all of this probably sounds quite discouraging, but there is no need to panic as things aren’t as bad as they seem. All of these problems can be solved with a little education, patience and open-mindedness. And the rewards are always great for those who are willing to spend some of their time exploring other cultures.

The language barrier is one that can be easily sidestepped. There is plenty of material available for anyone that wishes to learn Thai and ladies in Thailand are always eager to improve their English skills. We recently created a Thai-English page here on SiamHoney that has plenty of common phrases and should help get things rolling.

Dating outside your own social and economic class can often prove difficult. These differences are usually easy to recognize when meeting people in your home country, but are much harder to notice over the internet. We try to help our members avoid this issue by focusing on and marketing to educated, middle-class individuals, but ultimately it’s up to each person to understand who matches best with them and what inequalities they are willing to accept.

The conservative nature of some Thai women may require a bit more patience from their gentlemen admirers. There is a noticeable change among the younger generation in Thailand, but most ladies still practice traditional behaviors like no public displays of affection. It’s just proper manners for a Thai lady and she will always appreciate a gentleman who is understanding and treats her with the respect she deserves.

The unpleasant “bargirl” image that attaches itself to Thai women is a major problem that SiamHoney would love to see go away immediately, but we’re aware that it’s going to take some work. It’s all about stereotypes and stigmas and it prevents many nice gentlemen from ever even starting their search for a Thai lady. The solution can actually be quite simple as any man that spends a little time walking around the business districts in Bangkok will soon realize how many educated, attractive, professional Thai women are out there. That answer not being possible, we will continue to do our part to improve the situation by providing honest information in a positive environment.

The key to success for any Thai-Western couple is for each participant to keep an open-mind and to learn as much as they can about their partners culture. Finding your special someone isn’t always the easiest mission to complete, but it’s always worth the effort. And even if your cultural differences create some extra obstacles, you can be sure that love will always find a way.