BRITONS especially have been overdosing lately on sex in Asia, especially in Thailand.
Having been rejected by authorities in Bangkok and Hong Kong, Gary Glitter eventually flew back to Britain where he has reportedly shaved off his beard, fought with photographers, and gone shopping for a Mercedes.
For a 64-year-old whom one former Glitter band member living on Phuket says does all he can to court attention, it might even seem like fun.
The perverse pop pariah served his time in Vietnam for molesting little girls and it is to be hoped that he is never allowed to travel abroad for sex again.
Even before Glitter's release, the British media reported calls from Ecpat UK (End Child Prostitution in Asian Tourism) for the government to more effectively restrict the travels of sex offenders, especially pedophiles.
The other case that filled the pages of British newspapers involved Ian Beeston, 69, a retired design engineer, who was beaten and stabbed in his Isarn house, and, according to police, took more than six hours to die.
His wife, Wacheerawan, 42, and her Thai lover, Somchit Janong, 48, confessed and have been charged with murder.
To add to the horror, friends said Beeston realised his wife was ripping him off and planning his death. Yet having given her all his money and built a new home that she owned, he had no cash and nowhere to run.
The Observer newspaper reported that the British embassy in Bangkok processes the wedding documents of up to 70 couples each week.
''The requests are almost exclusively from older British men - among 860,000 UK tourists each year - hoping to marry younger Thai women,'' write Ian MacKinnon and Andrew Drummond.
''But for any British man hoping to follow in Beeston's footsteps and build a new better life in Thailand, his death was a stark reminder of how badly things can go wrong.''
Beeston married bar girl Wanna in 1999, put her two children through university, and reportedly did all he could to prove his love. His dream retirement in Thailand did not have a happy ending.
''Like so many Britons and other expatriates living in rural Thailand who are unable to converse in Thai, it appears Beeston may have been the unwitting victim of a sting his wife had been waiting for years to bring off,'' the Observer reports.
Does that ring any bells? Read on . . .
''According to his friends, the whole town, even the police chief, knew but nobody said anything. 'I thought she loved me, but she only wanted my money after all,' Beeston had told his Australian neighbour, Bill Lamb.''
Now, we know many marriages between farang men and Thai women are blissfully happy, including some to bar girls.
We also know of cases where the husband does the wrong thing. Notoriously a couple of years ago, there was the German who fled to Europe having discovered his Thai wife was expecting triplets.
We also know of cases on Phuket where the husbands are in a similar situation to Ian Beeston.
One 70-year-old Briton recently fled to Chiang Mai to escape the physical abuse of a former bar girl wife who has taken virtually everything he possesses.
The difficult point to absorb is that he still loves her and would give her a second, third, fourth and fifth chance if he could.
For anyone who has ever wondered what foreign visitors see in bar girls and why the relationships are sometimes fraught, we recommend the Observer article.
It can be found at:
http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2008/aug/17/thailand.familyandrelationships
WEDDINGS on Phuket are a great way of attracting tourists of the happiest possible kind.
Laguna Phuket drew quite a congregation earlier this month for the marriage of a Hong Kong couple, Alison Tam and Edmund Chan.
They chose to make their vows at the Laguna Wedding Chapel and shared the ceremony with a sizeable number of friends and family.
The TAT will be thrilled that a total of 84 guests flew to Phuket from Hong Kong, Canada, Malaysia, Japan and Britain.
As an Australian bride who decided to marry on Phuket told us: this way, you avoid all those too-distant relatives and invited hangers-on at the wedding.
Only your true friends will be willing to pay to fly or to travel a long distance to see you tie the knot.
Alison and Edmund's reception for 130 at the Sheraton Grande was followed by a honeymoon first night in a Banyan Tree DoublePool Villa.
Look for
Latest
August 27
After a month's delay for a poll challenge, Patong has a reelected mayor. Pian Keesin is likely to push the Patong Tunnel and the Big Buddha cable car; Phuket mourns five in van blast; Alert on PAD action.
Patong Mayor Pian Wins Despite Poll Challenge
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The familiar green Phuket City buses are turning pink and changing in other ways, too. Look for the new buses from October 1; New discount for airlines at Phuket; Dengue fight goes on foot.
Phuket Turns Pink With New Bus Service
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In a fuss about funding, Bang Tao almost loses its artificial Sky Dive Reef to Koh Racha. It was not plane sailing; Shock and disbelief at Immigration over the coming Russian invasion
Phuket Sky Dive Reef Saved for Bang Tao
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In one of the largest gatherings of its kind, thousands of people turn out in Phuket City to pay respects to 1000 monks and help the troubled Deep South; Rough seas stop Burma boatloads; New appointment at Sheraton
Phuket Spectacle As 1000 Monks Take Up Alms
August 22
The Russians are coming in larger numbers, but what about the local guides - and the money; Burmese guest worker meeting; New shopping mall opens but skip @; Beach volleyball offers big prizemoney.
Phuket Russian Invasion: Crisis Meeting on Guides
August 21
A cable car link from Patong to the Big Buddha is to be discussed as Phuket's Governor considers infrastructure options for the island's future needs as a tourism hot spot.
Phuket Patong to Big Buddha Cable Car Proposed
August 20
A boatload of Muslims from Thailand's southern provinces has joined a pilgrimage to an island off Phuket to celebrate the legacy of a local teacher. About one in four Andaman residents are Muslim.
Pilgrims Sail From South to Island Off Phuket
Look for
Having been rejected by authorities in Bangkok and Hong Kong, Gary Glitter eventually flew back to Britain where he has reportedly shaved off his beard, fought with photographers, and gone shopping for a Mercedes.
For a 64-year-old whom one former Glitter band member living on Phuket says does all he can to court attention, it might even seem like fun.
The perverse pop pariah served his time in Vietnam for molesting little girls and it is to be hoped that he is never allowed to travel abroad for sex again.
Even before Glitter's release, the British media reported calls from Ecpat UK (End Child Prostitution in Asian Tourism) for the government to more effectively restrict the travels of sex offenders, especially pedophiles.
The other case that filled the pages of British newspapers involved Ian Beeston, 69, a retired design engineer, who was beaten and stabbed in his Isarn house, and, according to police, took more than six hours to die.
His wife, Wacheerawan, 42, and her Thai lover, Somchit Janong, 48, confessed and have been charged with murder.
To add to the horror, friends said Beeston realised his wife was ripping him off and planning his death. Yet having given her all his money and built a new home that she owned, he had no cash and nowhere to run.
The Observer newspaper reported that the British embassy in Bangkok processes the wedding documents of up to 70 couples each week.
''The requests are almost exclusively from older British men - among 860,000 UK tourists each year - hoping to marry younger Thai women,'' write Ian MacKinnon and Andrew Drummond.
''But for any British man hoping to follow in Beeston's footsteps and build a new better life in Thailand, his death was a stark reminder of how badly things can go wrong.''
Do you have a relationship story to share? If, so please add your comment in the comment box below. It's easy!
Beeston married bar girl Wanna in 1999, put her two children through university, and reportedly did all he could to prove his love. His dream retirement in Thailand did not have a happy ending.
''Like so many Britons and other expatriates living in rural Thailand who are unable to converse in Thai, it appears Beeston may have been the unwitting victim of a sting his wife had been waiting for years to bring off,'' the Observer reports.
Does that ring any bells? Read on . . .
''According to his friends, the whole town, even the police chief, knew but nobody said anything. 'I thought she loved me, but she only wanted my money after all,' Beeston had told his Australian neighbour, Bill Lamb.''
Now, we know many marriages between farang men and Thai women are blissfully happy, including some to bar girls.
We also know of cases where the husband does the wrong thing. Notoriously a couple of years ago, there was the German who fled to Europe having discovered his Thai wife was expecting triplets.
We also know of cases on Phuket where the husbands are in a similar situation to Ian Beeston.
One 70-year-old Briton recently fled to Chiang Mai to escape the physical abuse of a former bar girl wife who has taken virtually everything he possesses.
The difficult point to absorb is that he still loves her and would give her a second, third, fourth and fifth chance if he could.
For anyone who has ever wondered what foreign visitors see in bar girls and why the relationships are sometimes fraught, we recommend the Observer article.
It can be found at:
http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2008/aug/17/thailand.familyandrelationships
And On A Happier Note
WEDDINGS on Phuket are a great way of attracting tourists of the happiest possible kind.
Laguna Phuket drew quite a congregation earlier this month for the marriage of a Hong Kong couple, Alison Tam and Edmund Chan.
They chose to make their vows at the Laguna Wedding Chapel and shared the ceremony with a sizeable number of friends and family.
The TAT will be thrilled that a total of 84 guests flew to Phuket from Hong Kong, Canada, Malaysia, Japan and Britain.
As an Australian bride who decided to marry on Phuket told us: this way, you avoid all those too-distant relatives and invited hangers-on at the wedding.
Only your true friends will be willing to pay to fly or to travel a long distance to see you tie the knot.
Alison and Edmund's reception for 130 at the Sheraton Grande was followed by a honeymoon first night in a Banyan Tree DoublePool Villa.
Look for
TRENDS
every day, Monday to Friday, at Phuketwan. It's essential reading. To tell us your news, email bigislandmedia@gmail.com or telephone 081 6513489.Latest
TRENDS
from Phuketwan:August 27
After a month's delay for a poll challenge, Patong has a reelected mayor. Pian Keesin is likely to push the Patong Tunnel and the Big Buddha cable car; Phuket mourns five in van blast; Alert on PAD action.
Patong Mayor Pian Wins Despite Poll Challenge
August 26
The familiar green Phuket City buses are turning pink and changing in other ways, too. Look for the new buses from October 1; New discount for airlines at Phuket; Dengue fight goes on foot.
Phuket Turns Pink With New Bus Service
August 25
In a fuss about funding, Bang Tao almost loses its artificial Sky Dive Reef to Koh Racha. It was not plane sailing; Shock and disbelief at Immigration over the coming Russian invasion
Phuket Sky Dive Reef Saved for Bang Tao
August 23
In one of the largest gatherings of its kind, thousands of people turn out in Phuket City to pay respects to 1000 monks and help the troubled Deep South; Rough seas stop Burma boatloads; New appointment at Sheraton
Phuket Spectacle As 1000 Monks Take Up Alms
August 22
The Russians are coming in larger numbers, but what about the local guides - and the money; Burmese guest worker meeting; New shopping mall opens but skip @; Beach volleyball offers big prizemoney.
Phuket Russian Invasion: Crisis Meeting on Guides
August 21
A cable car link from Patong to the Big Buddha is to be discussed as Phuket's Governor considers infrastructure options for the island's future needs as a tourism hot spot.
Phuket Patong to Big Buddha Cable Car Proposed
August 20
A boatload of Muslims from Thailand's southern provinces has joined a pilgrimage to an island off Phuket to celebrate the legacy of a local teacher. About one in four Andaman residents are Muslim.
Pilgrims Sail From South to Island Off Phuket
Look for
TRENDS
every day, Monday to Friday, at Phuketwan. It's essential reading. To tell us your news, email bigislandmedia@gmail.com or telephone 081 6513489. 
