PATTAYA, Thailand – In a city famous for its aging foreign population and fading nightlife, one woman has quietly turned emotional intelligence into a full-time survival strategy — supporting herself and her family by maintaining relationships with not one, but three foreign retirees at once.
While some may view it as manipulation, others see it as a calculated art of survival in a city where jobs are scarce, wages remain low, and families back home often rely heavily on the women working in Thailand’s tourist hubs.
Each of the retirees — elderly foreigners drawn to Pattaya’s promise of comfort and companionship — offers her some form of financial assistance. Between money transfers, daily meals, and even rent support, she is able to keep her household running while sending regular cash back to her rural hometown, where her parents, siblings, or children may be struggling with unemployment or rising living costs.
“She’s not doing anything illegal or even dishonest. It’s about survival,” said a local vendor familiar with her story. “What choice does she have? The bars pay minimum wage, and she’s supporting more than just herself.”
As Thailand brands itself as a retirement paradise, a deeper issue is becoming harder to ignore — a labor force shortage in service and caregiving sectors, particularly in tourist towns. Many younger Thais, especially women, are turning away from jobs with long hours, low pay, and little security. At the same time, a growing number of foreign retirees require companionship, assistance, and care.
In the absence of formal systems, personal relationships often fill the void.
Online reactions have ranged from judgmental to sympathetic. “Then no complaining about not finding a job,” one commenter wrote. “She figured out her own way. Others are just wasting time on their phones.” Another added, “Typical Thai business owners want foreign money but only offer minimum wage to staff. This is what happens.”
For some, the woman’s actions symbolize agency — a sharp response to economic hardship and structural inequality. For others, they raise concerns about emotional exploitation and the loneliness of aging foreigners in unfamiliar countries.
Regardless of perspective, her story underscores a growing reality: in the absence of real options, survival has become an art — and many are painting outside the lines.
