BANGKOK: After a series of doomed relationships with American women, Marc Sullivan came to Bangkok in a bid to meet Miss Right at last.

“I could not find anybody in the States. There was nothing in America for me. That’s why I’m here,” says the clean-cut 52-year-old bachelor, who bears a passing resemblance to Hollywood actor Michael Douglas.Sullivan, an emergency nurse from Florida, is one of a growing number of foreign men seeking young and beautiful Thai brides via the Internet.

Speaking at the Bangkok office of Sweet Singles, a Thai bride-by-Internet company, Sullivan says he has decided to “go beyond boundaries” in his search for a wife after a futile quest in the United States.

“American women in my age are, basically, a wreck. They are physically and emotionally beaten up from relationships and lives. They are untrusting,” says the well-built Sullivan, sporting a pink shirt and white pants.

“I think the feminist movement in America in the 60s really trashed American feminism. American women lack a certain femininity about them that women of other countries have,” he laughs.

Sullivan contacted Sweet Singles six months ago and was introduced to Yoshita Tongsalee, an attractive 27-year-old teacher of traditional Thai dancing.

After corresponding with her via e-mails for three weeks, Sullivan decided to meet her and flew to Bangkok in early December.

“Just from e-mails, I knew she was the one. I just knew,” says the American, his emerald earring dazzling.

“I find Thai women in general to be less self-centred and more family-centred than I find in western women,” he says. The couple plans to marry next year.

John, a 43-year-old Briton who got married to a Thai woman four years ago via an Internet bride agency, also has grievances about western women.

“English women are very demanding and they expect you to be good-looking and have plenty of money and give them lots of attention. They drink a lot and they smoke a lot and they eat a lot,” says John, who declined to give his last name.

“I am not very good at getting women anyway. I’m not the best-looking guy in the world. I’m quite short and it’s very hard for me to find an English woman who is shorter than me,” he says on the telephone from London.

Before marrying his Thai bride, John dated six British women, but his relationships with them were anything but happy.—AFP