Vietnam bride agency boss explains why man still unwed after paying $12,000 and seeing 20 women
TNP
Feb 10, 2025
For over three years now, 43-year-old Wang has been hoping that True Love Vietnam Bride Matchmaker would deliver its promise of finding him a wife.
The agency describes itself as "the preferred international matchmaking agency for bachelors looking for the perfect life partner" on its website.
However, more than three years and $10,000 later, Mr Wang is still a bachelor and is now accusing the agency of cheating him.
He told Shin Min Daily News that he had gone to Vietnam and paid "Ah Hua" a $2,000 betrothal fee.
"Ah Hua told me in person that she was engaged to someone else," said Mr Wang.
"If I wanted to marry her, I had to pay her the betrothal gift right away and hold the wedding the following month. Only then would she break off the engagement and marry me instead."
The couple had disagreements and the relationship fell through.
The agency then introduced Mr Wang to another woman.
"I was told that I had to pay the full amount before the agency could arrange to bring the person to Singapore," said Mr Wang.
"I paid up, but the person could not enter Singapore.
"Now I have spent about $12,000 and still have not married anyone."
The agency's director Mark Lin told the Chinese daily that he had introduced at least 20 women to Mr Wang.
"I have been in this business for 23 years," said Mr Lin.
"Most customers need to meet only one or two women before falling in love and getting married.
"But Mr Wang has dragged it out for so long and has seen so many women but still can't get married. Whose problem is that?"
When questioned about Ah Hua, Mr Lin explained that the woman was not engaged to anyone before he introduced her to Mr Wang.
He added that he had to pay Vietnamese agencies to help find potential wives for his clients.
"He looked at more than 20 women, and the agency fees I paid for him were almost $7,000 to $8,000. I didn't make much money."
With regard to the second Vietnamese woman Mr Wang tried to marry, Mr Lin explained that registering the marriage beforehand would give the woman a much higher chance of entering Singapore.
"Because if you register, it means you want her to enter the country as your wife, but I am not the one getting married. If he doesn't go through the procedures, I can't do anything about it."
Mr Wang said now that his parents have died, he hopes to get married and have children as soon as possible.
"I live alone in a four-room HDB flat. I am lonely during the holidays. I really hope to find a partner, get married and have children."
