I've never really understood culture clashes in relationships too much before. I suppose I had a bit of a naïve view of the world. I suppose I thought you'd have to get used to little quirks, such as eating a different cuisine than the one you were used to, or somebody's manner seeming a little abrupt, or jokes and sayings getting lost in translation.

I didn't have too many problems when I was in Dubai (though I only dated an Australian and a Greek), or in Cambodia (when I didn't go anywhere near any of the men there) — apart from a few language barriers. But here in Thailand I think I have integrated a little more than I found possible in Dubai and more than I had time for during my brief stint in Cambodia.

In Thailand, I work with Thai people, I go out with them and I can attempt to communicate with them in their own language. The point has inevitably come where I've started to think about and would like to attempt to date a Thai man. I say attempt because that's where I've found my troubles with cultural differences begin.

I've been warned against it. Westerners tell me the gulf between our attitudes to dating is too wide; Thai men tend to have many wives and girlfriends, which is considered acceptable. They are also said to be intimidated by Western women and our "tell-it-like-it-is" attitude. But, equally, I know many happy, successful relationships between Thai men and Western women.

The way I see it is, I haven't had any luck with any men I know. I don't even know where I am with Western men most of the time. Generally, it has to be said, I am the second-most important girl in the life of the guys I fall for, as I seem to (unknowingly) go for men who are cheating scoundrels (I'm putting it mildly, but rest assured I am typing these words with the kind of fury that makes your jaw clench until it hurts and smoke come out of your ears).

But Thai men are an altogether different species to me.

So far, in my limited experience, I have found that you can chat with a Thai man all evening, swap phone numbers and still not be sure if you're just friends. They will be sweet and attentive and charming, and you still can't figure out if it's just social conventions that make them behave so considerately or if they want to take you for dinner. They're slow and shy in their approach and they might not even make one. It's a world away from the dating scene I'm used to (Gym Guy, for instance, just strolled up to me in the gym and asked if he could buy me dinner. Seeing as I like eating and I like good-looking men, I was powerless to resist).

So at the moment I'm not entirely sure if I'm being courted by a very sweet, talented Thai guy, or if it's all in my head and actually he's just too polite to tell me he's not that keen. I'm so glad that I've opened up a whole new Pandora's Box of dating problems; as if being female and single in Bangkok isn't hard enough. Now I feel like I'm 15 and clueless again!