Issan Village - The First Time.....

[shaurene]

My beautiful wife is from Sisaket, and I used to love heading up there to spend time with her family. Since I have written her into my will as my sole beneficiary, I refuse to go up there anymore, and will only meet the in-laws in places like Starbucks and McDonalds in populated cities such as Chiang Mai, Pattaya, and Bangkok. Funny what a little piece of paper can do.

Wow, did you get the piece of paper from the draw in the asylum with your 7 day pass.

I live in a village just outside of Khon Kaen interesting place.

[SweatySock]

30 km west of Nong Bua Lam Phu, couldn't get more remote if I tried. Now into my 11th year, wife, 2 kids and still loving it.

[cardholder]

Great topic. I had a big smile on my face reading it

I am in my 9th year living 60 km east of Korat and still loving it.

Espen, is this a geography quiz? - 60km east of Korat must be less kilometers closer to somewhere we might have heard of ?

[Cam Khao]

I remember suggesting to my Mrs that we build a pool a few years back.

She absolutely refused, telling me no, it would just end up as a big hole full of kid soup, as all the village children would likely declare it communal property

She was probably right actually, I've slowly come to learn out in the sticks that you can't keep people out of the house. I actually disappear to the city for a few days now and then to get some peace and quiet!

Good luck OP, it can be a great life living in a small, rural community, just be sensible, don't let yourself be forced into living life in a way that is not comfortable to you.

[krisb]

Nice thread!

The first time my half Thai daughter who looks Asian in Australia has 10 local village girls hold her and you think gee, she doesn't look very Asian at all out here!

[IsaanAndy]

Then there is the first time you find a 1.5 m snake in the kitchen and all the family run upstairs to hide while leaving you to do the necessary as if you are a snake expert of many years standing ... likewise for scorpion.

[DILLIGAD]

Then there is the first time you find a 1.5 m snake in the kitchen and all the family run upstairs to hide while leaving you to do the necessary as if you are a snake expert of many years standing ... likewise for scorpion.

Yes, something I learnt in Brixton High Road!

[DILLIGAD]

I remember suggesting to my Mrs that we build a pool a few years back.

She absolutely refused, telling me no, it would just end up as a big hole full of kid soup, as all the village children would likely declare it communal property

She was probably right actually, I've slowly come to learn out in the sticks that you can't keep people out of the house. I actually disappear to the city for a few days now and then to get some peace and quiet!

Good luck OP, it can be a great life living in a small, rural community, just be sensible, don't let yourself be forced into living life in a way that is not comfortable to you.

Wise words I think, because I fell into that trap in a past life.

The dirt poor (but good) folk after a while, become the norm and its not until you venture farther afield that one realises there are also many well educated and hardworking (rich) folk in Isaan.

Unfortunetly I was surrounded by drunken, gambling wasters in the village I left.

Just my personal experience.

[Cam Khao]

I remember suggesting to my Mrs that we build a pool a few years back.

She absolutely refused, telling me no, it would just end up as a big hole full of kid soup, as all the village children would likely declare it communal property

She was probably right actually, I've slowly come to learn out in the sticks that you can't keep people out of the house. I actually disappear to the city for a few days now and then to get some peace and quiet!

Good luck OP, it can be a great life living in a small, rural community, just be sensible, don't let yourself be forced into living life in a way that is not comfortable to you.

Wise words I think, because I fell into that trap in a past life.

The dirt poor (but good) folk after a while, become the norm and its not until you venture farther afield that one realises there are also many well educated and hardworking (rich) folk in Isaan.

Unfortunetly I was surrounded by drunken, gambling wasters in the village I left.

Just my personal experience.

I consider myself incredibly lucky, and it was pure luck, I made all the usual mistakes in my first couple of years here.

I only have one piss head relation, a brother in-law, the rest are hard working sensible folks. Same with the immediate neighbors, all good folk. Like I said, I know how lucky I am in this respect, and it certainly wasn't through planning or common sense on my part. total random luck.

[AYJAYDEE]

Great topic. I had a big smile on my face reading it

I am in my 9th year living 60 km east of Korat and still loving it.

Espen, is this a geography quiz? - 60km east of Korat must be less kilometers closer to somewhere we might have heard of ?

yeah , 10 km from hin dat is more like it

[JLCrab]

I once spoke with (no English) a young Thai girl in Khon Kaen City who grew up outside one of the towns in Khon Kaen Province. I asked her if she goes home to visit with her parents. She said occasionally, but it is boring for her.

I said: Why boring -- don't you still have a lot of girl friends that you grew up with? She said: Sure -- she still has lots of her childhood girl friends -- but they are all in Khon Kaen City.

[MAJIC]

My beautiful wife is from Sisaket, and I used to love heading up there to spend time with her family. Since I have written her into my will as my sole beneficiary, I refuse to go up there anymore, and will only meet the in-laws in places like Starbucks and McDonalds in populated cities such as Chiang Mai, Pattaya, and Bangkok. Funny what a little piece of paper can do.

I am sure they could get you anywhere.

Jack 1964

Needs to change his will to read: that it is only valid and his wife's legal inheritance,on the condition that she survives the whole family,and is the last living relative,otherwise his whole Estate goes to a Cats Home!.... Problem solved!

[Cam Khao]

I once spoke with (no English) a young Thai girl in Khon Kaen City who grew up outside one of the towns in Khon Kaen Province. I asked her if she goes home to visit with her parents. She said occasionally, but it is boring for her.

I said: Why boring -- don't you still have a lot of girl friends that you grew up with? She said: Sure -- she still has lots of her childhood girl friends -- but they are all in Khon Kaen City.

This is one of the sad things I have noticed that gets worse every year.

The village I live in is populated by children and old people, more so each year. A side effect of this is that less and less farming is being done, each year more rice fields are left unplanted.

All of the working age people are away working, they only come home a few times a year.

[duanebigsby]

Thanks to all who have posted. Mixed bag of replies but it's good to see everyone's views. I am looking forward to relaxing retirement in the village and hey if u need the beach it's only a 4 hour ride in the pick up :-)

It's good to hear some of u r not far away from me so maybe could meet up for a beer and swap stories about pigs, rice, elephants and any other village topic haha. It's gotta be cheaper and less painful than bar fines and clinic visits lol

I enjoy the fact your post generated mostly positive responses. I often get discouraged by alot of Thai bashers. Some people are simply small town people, others city people.

When I lost my job in big city Vancouver, my first response was to move to small town BC, Canada. I came to Chiang Rai instead. I love it here but still a little city.

[SlyAnimal]

The village I live in is populated by children and old people, more so each year. A side effect of this is that less and less farming is being done, each year more rice fields are left unplanted.

All of the working age people are away working, they only come home a few times a year.

It's a good sign that the young people in your village are motivated and hard working.

I live in an Aumphur town, and a few of my gf's friends have jobs as teachers or are running their family's business. However most of the ones who are here, are here because their parents pretty much made them come back, often with a new car or similar as a sweetener lol. Most of her friends have turned down the offers of new cars etc though, as they'd prefer to pursue their own dreams.

[ALFREDO]

My beautiful wife is from Sisaket, and I used to love heading up there to spend time with her family. Since I have written her into my will as my sole beneficiary, I refuse to go up there anymore, and will only meet the in-laws in places like Starbucks and McDonalds in populated cities such as Chiang Mai, Pattaya, and Bangkok. Funny what a little piece of paper can do.

You seem to know the parents of your wife well and think "Good" of them!

Edited September 2, 2013 by ALFREDO

[Thot]

Driving a motorcycle around a corner to find a large pile of buffaloe dung in your path.

Learing the difference between baffaloe and cattle dung when tracking down lost animals.

Being able to sleep even though the dogs are howling.

Winning the two digit lottery.

[Huayrat]

Driving a motorcycle around a corner to find a large pile of buffaloe dung in your path.

Learing the difference between baffaloe and cattle dung when tracking down lost animals.

Being able to sleep even though the dogs are howling.

Winning the two digit lottery.

winning the 3 digit is better ;-)

[IsaanAndy]

Then there's the first time you drive on a road or highway and crap your pants when you see traffic coming towards you on the hard shoulder and you wonder if you are on the right side and the first time you see someone reversing back along the highway as they have missed the junction or reversing back down the junction to the highway as they have realised it's the wrong one.

[cardholder]

Driving a motorcycle around a corner to find a large pile of buffaloe dung in your path.

Learing the difference between baffaloe and cattle dung when tracking down lost animals.

Being able to sleep even though the dogs are howling.

Winning the two digit lottery.

Being able to establish that the pile of dung is not a basking snake is also quite useful.

... as is developing the skill to establish the speed and direction of a snake (crossing the road) so you can decide which way to take evasive action.

[cardholder]

Then there's the first time you drive on a road or highway and crap your pants when you see traffic coming towards you on the hard shoulder and you wonder if you are on the right side and the first time you see someone reversing back along the highway as they have missed the junction or reversing back down the junction to the highway as they have realised it's the wrong one.

The one that always get me is the car in the left hand lane (often of three) and when the lights change to green he does a right turn across the other (two) lanes.

A friend has a Darwin-esq theory about the Thais and driving. How can 66 million people (or a significant proportion of them) ALL cut right turns at 45 degrees, not look right when joining traffic and seem incapable of engaging the clutch until a green light has been green for over 10 seconds ! These people can live in Sisaket/Buriram/Korat/ Chiamg Mai/Trat/Chonburi, it doesn't matter, they all do it. Why ? No one has taught them to do that (I accept no one has actually taught them to drive at all) and these manoeuvres are not in the perfectly good Thai highway code !

Edited September 4, 2013 by cardholder

[dutchisaan]

I live in a small village in Chyaphum, and I do not want to live in a other place. The people are nice, friendly and helpfull. I do not need to sit in a expensive bar in tourist town, I just have a beer at the local store. Life can be good, just enjoy it.

[thehelmsman]

I live in a small village in Chyaphum, and I do not want to live in a other place. The people are nice, friendly and helpfull. I do not need to sit in a expensive bar in tourist town, I just have a beer at the local store. Life can be good, just enjoy it.

A little go-go action from time to time never hurt anyone. Not that I'm even remotely close to any of that. What my dad used to say about the Dutch and their money seems to be true. Just a harmless jab............cheers and yes I'm bored in Issan.

[rct99q]

Woke up on Tuesday morning in the outdoor sala naked as a jay bird with a killer headache! No matter how long I have lived here I still forget not to start drinking with the old man. I rather enjoy my 70baht lao khao but it usually takes a day or two for the vision to return. And don't tell me none of you Isaan residents have never had a night of drinking naked with local villagers!

[Dancealot]

I live in a small village in Chyaphum, and I do not want to live in a other place. The people are nice, friendly and helpfull. I do not need to sit in a expensive bar in tourist town, I just have a beer at the local store. Life can be good, just enjoy it.

A little go-go action from time to time never hurt anyone. Not that I'm even remotely close to any of that. What my dad used to say about the Dutch and their money seems to be true. Just a harmless jab............cheers and yes I'm bored in Issan.

I think you allowed yourself to be bored in Isarn. It's your own choice.

[Thaddeus]

And don't tell me none of you Isaan residents have never had a night of drinking naked with local villagers!

With the opposite gender I have, a couple of times.

[thehelmsman]

I live in a small village in Chyaphum, and I do not want to live in a other place. The people are nice, friendly and helpfull. I do not need to sit in a expensive bar in tourist town, I just have a beer at the local store. Life can be good, just enjoy it.

A little go-go action from time to time never hurt anyone. Not that I'm even remotely close to any of that. What my dad used to say about the Dutch and their money seems to be true. Just a harmless jab............cheers and yes I'm bored in Issan.

I think you allowed yourself to be bored in Isarn. It's your own choice.

[thehelmsman]

And you Dancealot have an extremely frightning Avatar

[nanapong]

The country life seems like hell to me. I much prefer the city life.Not so many pigs and creepy-crawlies and more creatue comforts.

Edited September 8, 2013 by nanapong

[jimbobs1]

I also had a bar in pattaya,,,spent fortunes on the good life ,,,,,I am now in a small village by Roiet with my 2 kids and lovely wife,,,mother and father have moved into our lovely new home we built,,,my brother and sister have just spent a month here,

4 motorbikes to explore with,,only electric and water bills to worry about,,,dirt cheep to live,,,

bliss. Goodbye Liverpool