Diary Of A Road Trip To Loei...

[Somtham]

Monday morning my wife and I decided to take a trip from KPP to Loei to see if we could find Maizefarmer. From past posts the closest we figured he'd be was somewhere in or around one of the amphurs near Phu Kradueng. Loaded up the truck, shot a quick note to GaryA we'd be in the area, and off we went east on highway 12 passing through Pitsanalok, Petchabun, Chaiyapum, and Kon Kaen and then north on highway 201 to Loei.

We pulled into the town of Phu Kadueng and stopped at the post office. My wife started asking the questions: Do you know a dairy farmer named Tim? Been here 20 years, somewhere nearby, 300 head of cattle, 1200 rai, from America, etc, etc. The guys said yeh, there's a farmer raising cattle north of here just south of amphur King Nong Hin. We drove to Nong Hin and stopped at the police office and started asking the questions. He walked with us over to the local taxi, sawng teow, fresh market and HE started asking everybody the questions. One of the folks said, "yeh, there's a farang raising beef cattle south of town but he's Japanese, not American, and he only has about 50 head. Why don't you try the dairy north of town?"

Drove about 15km north of town and found a dairy called "Highland Dairy". The place looked vacant but the door was open and we found two men inside. Again the questions and it turns out this dairy produces it's own milk and distributes only to the local schools. It was school mid term so they weren't producing any milk. They suggested we drive to Amphur Erowan where there was a milk collection site where the local dairy farmers dropped off their milk. Looking at the map we decided to head back south to Nong Hin and spend the night. Found a quiet resort with a small lake for B450/night for a bungalow. As we were leaving the next morning the owner invited us for coffee and so we sat and chatted for a bit and my wife gave her the story of our trip. She said, "oh there's an American farmer south east of here in Thambun Poerm."

We headed out east on highway 2141 to T. Poerm. An almost, "one horse town", we stopped at the police box and started the questions. The officer said there were no farangs in town but we should check at Amphur Pha Khao. Drove over to Pha Khao and at the entrance to town there was a very large police station/prison. Went inside and there were at least 20 officers just hanging out as their shift didn't start for another five minutes or so. It was kinda funny when one of the officers looked at his buddy and said "hey, the police should know about a farang that's been here for 20 years?!" But none of them knew Tim. One guy told us there was a farang farmer about 15km east of town. We found the hosue of that farmer and turns out he is a Frenchman and he and his wife are processing rice and exporting to the USA and France but no knowledge of Tim. Found out there was an American another 10 or so klicks east. Yes, and American in the middle of nowhere, with a monstrous house fabricating leather handbags and belts for export to the US. He also had an English language school but he had never heard of Tim. He mentioned another American further east but he was retired and just hanging out.

No luck in Pha Khao so we headed north on highway 2400 to Erowan stopping every so often to ask around about Tim but no luck. When we arrived in Erowan we inquired about the milk collection station and drove west of town a bit to the station. One of the guys told us Tim didn't deliver his milk there but there was another collection site east of town and that Tim dropped off his milk there and those folks would know how to get ahold of him. Oh yeh!! When we arrived at that station there was some discussion and the lady got on the phone. Afterwards she told us to have a seat and that somebody was going to come pick us up. About 15 minutes later a rather large Thai, wearing a cowboy hat, pulls up in a new truck. Turns out the guy is managing a dairy farm for an Australian who lives in Australia. Danm, not Tim's farm.

We head back into the town of Erowan to get some lunch at a restaurant we saw earlier. Two, very drunk, Air Force guys are there and insist I sit and chat with them and the restaurant owner. I'm not very good at getting out of these situations so I sit down for awhile and tell them we're looking for Tim. The owner tells us she knows the guy that flew the helicopter when Tim was airlifted to the hospital after his accident last year. "What's the pilots' name?" I asked. "Don't know but he lives in Phu Kadueng across the street from the vegetarian restaurant on the main highway." After lunch we get back on highway 201 west to Amphur Wang Saphung and then south again to Phu Kadueng.

Spent the night in Nong Hin and Wed morning tried to find the helicopter pilot but no luck. We did find the Poo Yai Ban's wife but again she had never heard of this farang. She said you're going about this all wrong. You need to drive to Koen Kaen and go to the market and ask anybody selling makuas about Tim. Maybe next time I thought. Drove into the town of Phu Kadeung and stopped at the amphur office. The lady in charge got on the phone and had a long talk with somebody. She told us there was a moo baan north of town and just about every country in the world was represented by a luk keuy!! She told us which house to look for to find the person that knew everybody there. We take off headed north again and find the person that knows everybody. No Amercans! Irish, English, French, Japanese, Korean but no Americans. Oh well.

My wife and I just looked at each other and knew it was time to head back home to KPP. We did manage to hook up with GaryA along the way and have to say we really appreciated his and his wife's time and hospitality. Wonderful people. The part of Loei that we saw was beautiful with all the mountains, forests, and waterfalls and the Thai people were wonderful everywhere and nobody hesistated to stop what they were doing and spend some time to talk with us and try to help us out.

Before we started out on this trip I figured how hard can it be to find a farang who's been in Thailand 20 years with 1200 rai, 300 head of dairy cattle, and 20 rai of makua? After three days and 1200kms I figure it's pretty tough. Well, no sign of the Maizefarmer but it was a great trip and a break from the routine.

Attached is a map showing the highways of Loei we travelled highlighted in blue. The map is from "Map Magic" by ThinkNet.

Hope I didn't bore you to much with this little story.

rgds

[JimsKnight]

Good road blast Somtam!

Did you do it on bikes?

I guess he has gone quiet for now eh?

Put out an APP on TV for Maizefarmer! Maybe someone will of heard of his elusive trail!

[Gary A]

Well Somtham, I'm a little disappointed that I couldn't show you the two mini farms. That, and instead of the seven kilometer trip to Roger's place, it took about seventeen kilometers to get there. This is the first time in the three years that I have been here that the mud road has been impassible. We probably could have navigated the mud road OK but the bridge across it is pretty well gone. Actually it's not a bridge, It's a culvert that has no sides and the water just takes the mud away.

Anyways it was our pleasure to meet you and your lovely wife. You are certainly welcome back anytime.

[lannarebirth]

It sounds like a nice roadtrip and it's a shame you weren't able to make contact. sounds like you got pretty close with the helicopter pilot. too bad he was away. maybe another tact might be to contact the Khon Kaen Univ. School of Veterinary Medicine (or perhaps KKU ag school). I believe MF said his wife was a veterinary professor there.

[Tim207]

Do you know a dairy farmer named Tim? Been here 20 years, somewhere nearby, 300 head of cattle, 1200 rai, from America, etc, etc.

Are you sure he is an American? For some reason I thought he was a Brit that went to University in the US.

Sounds like a fun trip anyway. Maybe we should start a pool, who will find the elusive Maizefarmer first.

[Joe Walshe]

Somtham,

Very impressed that you and your wife went to all this trouble to find Maizefarmer. Wish I could be of soem assistance. Unfortunately, I'm in Ireland.

It is interesting to note thta the Thai police don't seem to have easy access to adresses and indeed tel. nos. of all immigrants. I wonder could the nearest Immigration office help. Other concerened residents might like to try the telephone investigation route.

Anyway, well done on your effirts.

Joe

[fruity]

Has it not occured to some people that maybe MF doesn't want to be found? Give the guy a break & drop the manhunt. Whatever the reason he no longer posts, it is his decision & should be respected. If he wanted contact he knows how! Anyway, wishing him well.

[Tim207]

Has it not occured to some people that maybe MF doesn't want to be found? Give the guy a break & drop the manhunt. Whatever the reason he no longer posts, it is his decision & should be respected. If he wanted contact he knows how! Anyway, wishing him well.

I would agree with you except for the fact that he does truly seem to enjoy helping budding farmers. It would not surprise me if he decided to stop posting but I would not expect him to stop replying privately to messages from people he has a good repore with. I also highly doubt that he is purposely hiding. There could very well be something wrong. If he doesn't want to be bothered all he has to do is tell the first person who contacts him and it would be passed on. If there is something wrong, a little support from the many people he has helped might be just what he needs.

[Somtham]

Has it not occured to some people that maybe MF doesn't want to be found? Give the guy a break & drop the manhunt. Whatever the reason he no longer posts, it is his decision & should be respected. If he wanted contact he knows how! Anyway, wishing him well.

Fruity - I can certainly understand your point but I don't think that just because he has stopped posting means he doesn't want to meet people. This man is mister network. I have had enough PMs with him to believe he wouldn't chase me off his property with a shotgun if I showed up. I would like to meet the guy but more so am interested in what he's done with his new feedmill from India. We are in the market for an extruder to make fish food and we have travelled to Sukothai, Korat, Nakorn Sawan, and Buriram to look at machines and get first hand feedback. The trip to Loei was not a big deal. From one of Tim's last posts he said, and I quote " If anyone has any input on fish feed production - I'm all ears."

Had we found the guy I certainly would not have made this "diary" post to respect his privacy. And now after being called a stalker I regret that I posted at all.

rgds

[Gary A]

Has it not occured to some people that maybe MF doesn't want to be found? Give the guy a break & drop the manhunt. Whatever the reason he no longer posts, it is his decision & should be respected. If he wanted contact he knows how! Anyway, wishing him well.

If he didn't want to be bothered he would have certainly made one last post and stated that he was burned out and no longer wanted to take part in the forum.

[JimsKnight]

Fruity, give the guy a break! Jeez, he's one of the few people I've seen post a road trip on-line for a long time!

Exceptions being GT-Rider and myself so its refreshing to hear of roving road adventures!

[TaoNow]

Somtham: I want to echo what most of the others are saying that this was a great post and a pleasure to read. I haven't lived in Isaan for many years but plan to do some road trips there in early '08. It is encouraging to hear that people are as friendly and helping as I remember them to be. Two questions: were the two drunk air force guys you encountered Thai or American (or other)? And how did you diplomatically extricate yourself without having to sit down with them for a bottle or two?

Looking forward to more road trip diaries.

Thanks.

[bannork]

And so the mystery continues, and as Gary says if he's burned out he only has to say so. The amount and quality of info he's shared since joining TV has been astounding and he always sounded so enthusiastic it's hard to believe he would just abruptly sever contact without saying goodbye.

I think he's English, he once said his brother was working in the British civil service and he used several British spellings, ie describing his farm workers as 'working their <deleted> off' when he was injured.

Thanks Somtham for your trek and sharing the information.

[keg]

Somtham,

Great report and I think most think it was a good thing. I found it even more interesting as I lived in Loei myself until Aug of this year. You did not make it to where I lived but I never heard of a farm like his in my area nor heard anyone talk about it. I lived in a small village called Ban Huai Mak. It is about 15 KMs down a small road that leaves the highway near Phuk Kra Dung in Pha Nok Khao heading towards Si Ban Ruang. If you go seven more KMs it turns into Kon Kaen province.

Keg

[Beardog]

Somtham,

you are a great asset & a good friend to Tim. I am sure he would be flattered to know that you care enough about him to try to locate him.

I find it hard to believe he would just drop out because of the bickering! We all have a point of view, but from what I see on the community here is most try to help each other(even if their are minor disagreements) especially on the farming post- everyone is genuine & tries to help each other out.

I have lost track of a friend that was bummed & moved to Cambodia since his funds were low & couldn't meet minimum requirements to extend his one year visa.

I tried the American consulate to no avail.

Has any one tried contacting the American & British embassies?

Somtham ....your a good man & if I was Tim I would be honored to have a buddy like you in my corner!

I hope he is alright!

Beardog

Edited October 20, 2007 by Beardog

[Joe Walshe]

This question came up awhile back with someone else, so I emailed a nurse in the Uk who went and asked some questions.

Mom will be accorded & receive the same treatment as a UK citizen would receive. Thats all in order - you have nothing to worry about.

You are advised to register with your local NHS GP.

Tim

Hey Mark - thats an interesting take on the subject, but quite true.

Westerners in places like the UK, most parts of Europe and the USA, live and grow up in an increasingly "sterile" enviroment. Everything must be cleaned to a certain standard, food has to be preped to a certain standard ect ect .... and healtyh and sfety regs are quite artificial. Oh, and your kids can't play outside in the rain because they might get a cold, and they always have to where shoes ... and on and on it goes.

At the end of the day I don't think it does them much good quite frankly.

Just have to look at how fat and unfit alot of European citizens are to see that all the articificaily implimented and encouraged health cautions in their modern "advanced" lifestyles have actually resulted in a nation of people who are loosing all their natural resistances and physical abilities.

"Walk to school , now theres a good boy Johnny it's only 2 miles", could result in a flood of tears if there is a bus that can take him all the way.

In Thailand my kids are and did grow up playing in the mud and rain, getting bitten by all sorts of bugs, falling and scraping knees (and a broken arm on more than one occassion), running around the bush barefoot - and they are none the worse for it. Face with Macdonalds or Pizzahut meal and a Thai roadside food stall - they'll chose the later.

I bet it was a shock horro scenario for the NHS nurses when your wife wanted to get up and go home. Of course they wouldn't know any better.

Tim

The above quotes are from maizefarmer posted under the topic "Pregnant Wife: Your Experiences?, Living in the UK" in October 2006.

They suggest to me that maizefarmer is from the UK and has or has had kids in Thailand.

I hope the above halps in solving the mystery to Maizefarmers benefit.

My wife will ask her relatives in Loei to amke enquiries.

Joe

[bannork]

He once wrote that he had 2 sons at an international school in the Pak Chong or Korat area and as your quote says he wanted his kids to grow up used to the outdoor life.

[qualtrough]

Somtham, I am impressed with your search and sorry that it was not successful. Although I am not a farmer I did enjoy reading Maizefarmer's posts from time to time. It does seem somewhat mysterious that he would suddenly just drop out of TV without notice and be uncontactable. I hope that someone does get to the bottom of it and that there is a happy explanation.

[Somtham]

Thanks all for the positive posts. The "stalker" post took the wind out of my sail but many of you have been very, very positive in your replies. To answer a couple of the questions we did the trek in our, oops again, my wife's pickup truck. The two drunk Air Force guys were both Thai, I guess in their late 40's to early 50's. To get out of the situatio0n I had my wife come over and we just said our order was ready and we need to go eat. And Tim is American but is very well travelled. I believe his parents were Red Cross workers and he has lived more off shore than on shore.

Another member will try to contact Pallasaide today so we'll see what happens. Hope Tim is ok.

There are so many posts on other forums about how the Thai's are xenophobic. Well, I assure you that when you get out into the country and meet the "real people" they are so friendly and willing to help and share. Take a trip and enjoy and unwind. It's wonderful.

Again, thanks for the positives. Shall we get back to some farming posts?

rgds

[fruity]

Somtham,

I very much ENJOYED reading the initial road trek post, most interesting. I did not mean to knock your efforts, however, I still contend that if the guy wanted contact with anyone, he knows how to do so. Personally, I would be horrified to think there were people running around trying to locate me. I appreciate that you & others are acting soley out of concern; likewise, I am concerned & only hope MF is alive & well. Irregardless of all speculation this man is entitled to his privacy.

[Issangeorge]

Fruity, below is Maizefarmer's last post. He posted it on July 06/07. He does not sound like someone who is fed up with the board and dosn't want to post anymore, it sounds like someone who was hoping to be back in a week and then catch up on messages and answer posts. Considering we have not heard from him since this post it is obvious that some of us our concerned that something happened to him, and I commend Somtham for trying to find him. Whatever happened to him perhaps some of the board members can help. Remember how much he enjoyed all the good well wishes sent to him when he was in the hospital. Maizefarmer if your out there lurking we are all concerned about you and hope you are ok. Issangeorge.

Hi Guys

I have loads of messages to chase up on my message inbox.

Apologies to all who have being waiting for me to pull my finger out my arse - I have being in India (and will be till Sunday) negotiating the purchase of a small 2nd hand commercial feedmill - which was successfull, but wow, that is a nation of bazaar merchants and very tough bargin drivers!!! Spent 2 weeks now dismantling it and packing it into 3 containers to bring back to Thailand. My own feedmill - at last!!!. Nothing great, its' all analoge (i.e. no fancy electronics to maintain), which I guess is better for Thailand (if its mechanical it can be fixed, if it's electronic sure as hel_l you're going to have a headache down the line getting some small part or PC type board, worth nothing but which brings the whole thing to a standstill). Good for between 500kg - 1500kg per day dry feed/concentrate/pellets/powder and flakes and p/day.

Included is a whole bunch of bits and pieces which make it suitable for fish and chicken feed production as well. If anyone has any input on fish feed production - I'm all ears.

Will catch up with all otustanding messages and business with forum members next week.

Thanx

MF.

[guyshown]

Somtham ---

I enjoyed reading your adventure story and was really hoping to hear in the end that you had located the Chap- Best of luck and hope to hear of good news in the near future.

[pete_r]

For what it's worth, in one of his early posts Tim mentionned his Thai name is Khun Seri.

[jayjayjayjay]

Somtham, Fantastic post, ignore the flamers and agitators (their born to irritate). This is a great road trip, hopefully you have more to come. I hope we find MF live and well in the near future, bless him if something has happened, it is persons like yourself with a true concern that gives me faith in human spirit, I think the majority know why you made this trip, bless you, Jayjay

[Prakanong]

I really enjoyed reading the trip report too - not the usual TV post and very interesting.

[donx]

Somtham,

I applaud you for your efforts to locate MaizeFarmer. I hope to hear soon that someone has news about his mysterious silence on this forum.

[torrenova]

I also think your trip well intentioned and I do not think that there is anything sinister in your undertaking it. Why MF stopped posting is a mystery but it was all very sudden. I hope that it was not health related but if he can post from India then he can get online from anywhere where he is physically able to type.

If he really just wanted to disappear off radar I think he would have posted but do not think he would be hostile to a personal caller.

I also think it should not be too hard to find a guy with such a wealth of information. These statements are not confirmed by the way

His name is Tim

You have a Thai name

He recently visited India

He imported a fee machine from India

His wife works / worked as a vet

He has kids

The kids go to school in Korat or elsewhere

The kids have broken their arms

He has 1200 rai

He has 300 cows

He is American

He grows some vegetable / fruit thing

He had an accident

He was airlifted

I think is would be nigh on impossible to miss him given that information unless it is all bull5hit.

I would start with the airlift, hospital, insurance angle.

Then on the India and shipping the feed mill

Then his wife as a vet

Locally his 1200 rai and 300 cows would seem a good bet but it proved not to be.

Are you really saying that no TV member has his email or mobile number ?

[old wanderer]

I also think your trip well intentioned and I do not think that there is anything sinister in your undertaking it. Why MF stopped posting is a mystery but it was all very sudden. I hope that it was not health related but if he can post from India then he can get online from anywhere where he is physically able to type.

If he really just wanted to disappear off radar I think he would have posted but do not think he would be hostile to a personal caller.

I also think it should not be too hard to find a guy with such a wealth of information. These statements are not confirmed by the way

His name is Tim

You have a Thai name

He recently visited India

He imported a fee machine from India

His wife works / worked as a vet

He has kids

The kids go to school in Korat or elsewhere

The kids have broken their arms

He has 1200 rai

He has 300 cows

He is American

He grows some vegetable / fruit thing

He had an accident

He was airlifted

I think is would be nigh on impossible to miss him given that information unless it is all bull5hit.

I would start with the airlift, hospital, insurance angle.

Then on the India and shipping the feed mill

Then his wife as a vet

Locally his 1200 rai and 300 cows would seem a good bet but it proved not to be.

Are you really saying that no TV member has his email or mobile number ?

I have spent time with Tim here in the USA both at my home and his apartment, we also road motorcycles together in Malibu...I did not save his GSM phone and my history only goes back. I do have his apartment address, and he is missing...When I have anything more definite I will post it.

[fruity]

It always amazed the hel_l out of me how Mf found the not inconsiderable time to make all those lengthy posts, search the web for all the links he posted etc. For a man who was supposedly SOOOOO busy with his massive farming operation, it all never really rang true with me. Did he ever exist? Who the hel_l was he?.......It seems that there were no members who actually met him in person, on the Thai side of the pond at least! ........seemingly, very careful about not giving out his phone number, exact location etc? His wife was supposedly a veterinary professor at KK uni?; common sense would guide me there as a first point of call if I were desperate to locate him, which I'm not. The principal will know in an instant who the female veterinary professor who is married to an american is won't she?How can a farang named Tim who farms 1200 rai has 300 cows etc be so difficult to find in a relatively small province? Answer, because he doesn't exist!? Why would anyone go to the trouble of going to India to buy a second hand feed mill WHEN THERE ARE plenty of the same to buy here in Thailand?.....Nothing adds up!

As I have said before, personally, I cannot understand why anyone would go to such lengths to find someone they had never met personally? Can hardly call him a friend can you?

[slapout]

Fruity; I have had similar thoughts to yours in the past. MF also seemed to be trying to sell used equiptment to several of the TV members. I even wondered a time or two if there were more than one person posting as MF. Guess its things like this that makes life interesting.