In my humble opinion there are too many stereotypes in this thread. People are people, everywhere, and one will make friends with others if there is a common hobby / interest, and/or a common sense of humour, and/or a mutual physical attraction.
I have been to Thailand umpteen times, but found it hard to make local friends in Thailand as there are relatively few locals who are fluent in English or in one of the other (European) languages that I speak. And only physical attraction is, again in my humble opinion, not enough to become friends.
In Hong Kong and Singapore, however, and to a lesser extent in Taipei, I found it very easy to make local friends as many people are fluent in English.
As to the attraction of GWM to GAM, I must admit that, as a very average looking GWM in his mid-40's, I get a lot more attention from cute GAMs in their 20's and 30's in Singapore and Hong Kong than I get from cute GWMs in their 20's and 30's in Amsterdam, London or San Francisco. However, the majority of GAM go for partners in their age group and also increasingly are sticky rice.
A hundred years from now, when China is the richest and most developed country on earth, old and fat GAMs can get any cute young blond thing in Europe and North America......