To think a single man travelling to Thailand regularly is up to no good

[Katyazamo]

My uncle (who I am not particularly close to) travels to Thailand alone several times a year. He is in his mid 50s and has lived with my grandad since divorcing his wife around 20 years ago.
It's suddenly occurred to me that he's probably up to no good :/
AIBU?

You're right I should have better things to think about...its just crossed my mind today.
Never been to Thailand. If it is prostitutes he lives near central London..surely prostitutes are available there?

I'm usually intrinsically suspicious, but evenIwould feel slightly sick to be jumping to conclusions like that about a close family member.

Have you got any other reason to be suspicious?

He could indeed have a Thai girlfriend. I know a couple of people who have married Thai women in perfectly above-board equal-marriages fashion.

Or he could be into Thai culture/cookery/wildlife/beaches.

Or he could be visiting prostitutes.

It's the kind of thing we really can't judge without knowing your uncle.

I lived in Thailand for a couple of years and met many frequent visitors such as your uncle.
Thailand is a beautiful country, with amazing temples, culture and people.

I am sure there must be some single older men that visited the country several times a year without prostitution in mind, I just never met any of them.
Yanbu

So what do you think of the priest by is that goes regularly alone...

He almost certainly has a Thai girlfriend out there

I'm not sure that's quite what the OP suspects

I'm a cynical pessimist so I would have same line of thoughts op. However you can't accuse people of wrong doing without proof so you need to do some digging. Thailand attracts more than sad old men frequenting prostitutes.

corythatwas If he was specifically into Thai culture or cookery so much that he regularly visited Thailand, there would be other indications of that.
The obvious answer is usually the correct one.

I had such an uncle too. Lots of uncles doing this trip. Not so many aunts

We were also suspicious - very.

Yes I'd be thinking the same way as you @Katyazamo

It's fine to go on holiday as a single person but when you combine that with the location being rife for child prostitution and sex tourism as well as the multiple visits in a year then yes it's a red flag.

He's going there for something that he deems well worth the money he must be pouring into all these flights.

corythatwas Were these men you know that married Thai women from abroad, about the same age as their wife? And about same level of attractiveness?
Or was it fat old men marrying desperately poor young beautiful Thai women?

Maybe you should mind your own.

dodgy

Hmmm. I'd be suspicious. Been to Bangkok once and it upset me so much is never go back.

I lived in Thailand for 4 years and think what you're saying is offensive on several levels.

Would you think the same of your Aunt? I suspect not.

Why do you think it's okay to suggest that the only reason to visit a county (a vast, varied, interesting and beautiful one) is to have sex or get up to other 'no good'?

I get that men have a rough time of it on MN but this seems fairly low. Man goes on holiday = sex tourist, john, creep, suspicious.

Maybe he likes to sit on a deserted beach with a good book, eating bbq chicken, som tam and sticky rice, drinking a Singha and getting away from his nasty and judgemental niece.

I've been to Thailand. There are a sickening number of western men with young girls in the hotels and on the streets that I suspect keep them "company" during their vacation away. None looked to be happy to share the company of a middle aged bloke with a paunch.

I know a lovely woman (solvent, very attractive, late 40s) whose boyfriend does this. I don't for a minute believe he goes for the culture or the temples. He's an absolute arse, which doesn't help.

YABVU

Stop guessing and generalizing, it's none of your business.

I wouldn't assume, no, but I'd certainly wonder

Most of the folk I saw at Thailand's famous sights were couples, families or obvious groups and I can't say I noticed many clearly lone men wandering around

The demographic was rather different, though, when it came to visiting bars and slobbering over obviously underage girls in the street and back at their hotel ...

I think it is my business if a man is going to a poor country to use prostituted woman and/or girls. I would certainly keep my DCs away from anyone who thinks this is acceptable.

Fabulous phone call overhead in airport lounge. Very loud man.

Calling his grown up sons to update them that he was going to Thailand- for his catch up time- all very quiet-been busy- just needed a bit of quiet sunshine as usual- very quite holiday- very karmic (his words) - to re-fresh himself etc.

Next call was to a prostitute agency/taxi firm (who knew that they existed) to arrange to be picked up at the airport. He had to select both the type of car and the type of woman.

The whole lounge was in stitches- and he carried on regardless.

I would suspect he had a much younger girlfriend out there, in the same way that I would think that an older European women visiting certain North African and Eastern Mediterranean countries regularly was more than likely traveling to see a toyboy.
I work in the travel industry and am also married to a man from a country where there is unfortunately a lot of sex tourism so am aware of what goes off. There is of course the exception to the rules and sometumes you get an older man/women that visits these countries alone as they have a genuine love of the culture, food, history etc.

Sharks den - 'would you think the same of your aunt'? - er no because traditionally women are not sex tourists in thailand! Op I would definitely think what you think. It sounds well dodgy.

Doesn't feel good