Since I raised the point, here are two real events that I think are worth sharing with other posters:

1. From my own direct knowledge. Farang (living permanently in Bkk) is HIV+ but never tells anybody, full AIDS not yet appeared, still enjoying quite OK health. Meets very pleasant (and hot) young man in an office and invites him to apartment. Farang convinces the young man to have bareback anal sex. The young man moves in quickly and they fuck each other regularly bareback. Farang regularly brings other boys home for threesomes. Eventualy threesome idea fades but farang still brings other boys home and live-in is regularly expected to go any sit/sleep in the 24 hr coffee shop attached to the apartment.

Both start to get sick and farang denies he is HIV-. Both quickly gravely ill, farang refuses to take care of the young man who is confirmed to have full lown AIDS and now too ill to work. Friends take him home to Northern province where he quickly dies on the floor of the family hut with no medication. (This is well before any form of cocktail is available in Thailand.) Farang hangs on a bit longer, buys a ticket to go home, very ill and weak but sill takes boys from bars. On the night before flight takes boy from bar, next morning holds a sale in his room and sells everything. Keeps enough money for his taxi fare to airport and departure tax, give s the balance of the sale proceeds to the one night stand - about 40,000Baht. Has no other further funds whatever. On arrival carried from aircraft. Refuses medical care, refuses ambulance transport, begs for money at airport for taxi fare to relatives house, dies 2 or 3 days later.


2. Initially related by my old Thai friend who published a gay magazine, then I became involved along with some other farang friends. Now about 12 / 14 years ago.

Farang comes to Bangkok (first time) for several weeks holiday. Meets young man who is working in a host bar to get enough funds to stay in university. Farang decides he will support his new 'boyfriend' and despite protests by BF he is set up in an expensive 2 bedroom apartment, around 50,000Baht per month rent plus utilities etc. Farang also pays a deposit on a large expensive motorcyle (which the boy doesn't want). Farang says he will send money every month for the rent / motorcycle payments, etc.

First month funds arrive, end of second month no funds, and rent/MC payment now late. Boy tries to ring his supporter but always encounters strange voices and 'not here / moved out / don't know where he is now' comments. Landlord now getting angry and daily calls from hire purchase company re MC payment. Young man is desperate, doesn't know what to do and he visits my Thai friend the magazine publisher for advice. (When there were many gay magazines it was common for boys with problems to visit / send letters to the publishers for advice.)

Boy takes 20Baht and goes outside for a quick meal. Comes back and his room has been padlocked. Landlord says 'no entry till rent is paid'. Boy asks if he can at least take his wallet with ID card. NO.
Boy also needs to register at Uni for next semester but cannot because all his personal documents are locked in the room and no money.

Landlord and MC company now getting real heavy and MC has been repossessed, but still large amount outstanding. Boy goes to Indian loan shark and borrows money to clear all the debt. Now landlord wants one month extra rent. That's borrowed also from loan shark. Typically the loan shark is adding 20% interest per month to the outstanding balance.

Study is now out of the question, he is now working several jobs to pay the loan shark. Starts work at 4am as a runner carrying crates etc in a fresh market, works as a waiter for 2 hrs at lunch time, works as a massage boy from 3pm then works in a go go bar every night, never has a day off. Lives in a tiny cockroach infested room off Soi Suan Phlu, no furniture, just a dirty blanket on the cement floor, shared filthy bathing area.

He pays back about 60% of the money in about 2 years. My magazine friend now mentions the story to me, for the first time. I call the farang in Sydney, he listens but says he can't help (and doesn't see why he should help) and doesn't want his Sydney BF to know about this situation.

I ask several other farang in Bkk to pool some money and we quickly pay off the debt. By this stage the young man is not at all keen to have any contact with farang and is initially conerned that there are strings attached.

He's now missed three years of study. We also give him enough funds to get back to uni (clothes/fees, etc), and pay six months rent on a room in a better building, pay for furniture, TV etc.

He goes back to his original host bar and continues uni. He's since graduated. I still see him ocassionally, he's a nice young man, and he now opens up and talks. He tells he would like to get married but he can't get close to anybody - can't trust anybody.

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