This Heather Deep appears (or rather sounds) to be a person of Thai origin who has migrated to the United States. Some of the women pictured above definitely don't look Southeast Asian.

You should visit Southeast Asia. While provincial areas are certainly third-worldish (especially in Indonesia), the cities you're likely to visit would be first-world. Even advanced. If you're earning in dollars and your cost of living is in Thai baht it could be downright wonderful.