Pete,
I think there is a big difference here. The butterflies of Thailand and elsewhere make no secret of "playing the field" and sleeping with different women every night. That may be distasteful to most of us, but it has a kind of honesty about it!
THe "Neil" character seems a stretch nastier. Rather than just sex, he wants an emotional thrill too, and is deliberately hurting the women he meets. In a way he is demonstrating his power and their weakness, and, to me, that makes him a very nasty and also very dangerous person.
Of course, I know Thai women who have several boyfriends in tow, all sending them money every month, maybe some filipinos do this too.
Ian
