blue eyes

Don't the river levels go down every year? Isn't this normal in Isaan? Isn't this called the "dry season"? Is calling this a "drought" just the prelude to some activity that will line some politicians' pockets?

Of course, but with the very low rainfall in many places there are going to be very bad problems. All the village ponds round our way (T. Sawai) are normally full at this time of the year but now they are only less than half full as a lot of water was taken for rice irrigation.

Look like I'll have to give up water and satick to Chang.

Roger, Khok Muang

If the ponds are low because water was taken out for rice cultivation then this in itself does not consitute a "drought". It simply means that water was used one way instead of another. I don't actually know if there is a drought coming or not but it seems to me that whenever there is not enough water to do what everyone wants to do the gov't calls it a drought. It could be that the gov't is not handling the water efficiently or effectively....or that people think that if they use up all the water resource and there is none left then this is a drought. I want to be clear, I do not know if there is a drought happening or not....it just seems to me that the "drought" word pops up constantly and is perhaps not being used appropriately.

Let us look at the definition of drought............1. A prolonged period of dry weather;lack of rain 2. A prolonged or serious shortage or deficiency 3.Thirst!!!!!!!!I do not know for sure if we will have another drought this year or not but............If we have to buy trucked in water I belive that it is a drought---Real or Artificial it has the same ending ..We have to pay to get nam!!!!!!!!

try to find out to who these "farang"houses belong to (most of the time the mother of the wife is living in it)

Most if the time?That is an under statment!!!!!!!! (maybe always)

In Surin Amphur Prasat the going rate now is 150 baht per truck load.

Barry

Just north of Phi Mai the rate is 130-150 THB for a truck.The dirt is like clay though.But it is great for fill to raise the land .

Howdy Rono

I doubt you would find a better school than St Stephens in the area, just a bit out of our price range unfortunately.

Living in Chok Chai (about 30km south of Korat) at the moment but will be moving into Korat soon.

I would rather live in Pak Chong but I cant convince my wife (too far away from mum).

Cheers

CCC

Hi again,

Whats the price at St.`Stephens? I thought it would be too expensive for me as well, reason to look further. My wifes mother lives in Samut Prakarn, we will move to Khao Yai next year, but hey, we have a car so my wife can visit het mother and there are always busses and trains, I love khao Yai area becuase the mountain views, tranquility, dont want to live near a city with all the traffic and bad smells, heat from exhausts/factories, we want the clean air and easy peace of life.

cheers, rono

Howdy rono,

Her is the web site for St.Stephens.The cost is in line with ISB in other words NOT cheap!300-400 k THB

http://www.sis.edu/ I hope this is of help.

Sawasdee Everyone,

On the line of schools in Thailand I was wondering if anyone would be able to tell me why the web site www.thaischoolwatch.com has closed down? It was a very informative site.Not just for teachers in Thailand but in general.

When I cook Thai food, I often use the leftovers (if any) the next day as the basis for another dish. For example, I made a fish dish that was heavily flavoured with chillies one night and the next night used the leftover sauce as a basis for a fantastic yellow turkey curry. This is just one example, I have many others.

Anyone got any similar experiences? Is Thai food just perfect for this sort of thing?

ps the turkey curry is, turkey thigh, finely cubed, yellow curry paste - make as hot as you like - onions, garlic, and finely chopped potato, add the appropriate amount of coconut milk, a handful of finely chopped coriander and it's so tasty. Try it some time along with a nice veggie curry on a bed of rice, quick, easy and fab!

I have found it very difficult to make a "Thai"style dish with leftovers.I like the idea of using everything fresh.If we have made roasted pork or chicken then yes.But an already seasoned dish...no.Also the flavor of the chile is not the same it loses alot of its flavor.Not like lets say some Italian or Mexican dishes that taste better as they "age".But just my opianon.

Howdy Crew

We've just moved back to Korat after spending 2 years in Oz and we are looking for the best school around Korat for our 5 year old daughter. She speaks really good english and would hate her to lose that. Had a quick look at St Marys the other day but wasn't all that impressed by what we saw.

Anyone have ant ideas??

Cheers

CCC

Howdy CCC,

Have a look at this site it maybe of help. http://www.isat.or.th/home.asp

Also the St.Stephens in Khao Yai maybe worth a look. http://www.isat.or.th/home.asp

Chok Dee,

blueeyes

Get some of this down you and you will never look back.....(might kill you but wot the heck )

Thai Street Food Aroi Mak Mak....

8-12 Thai chillies (bird peppers), each cut into 3-4 segments

8 cloves garlic, peeled and cut each into 2-3 pieces

2 Tbs. small dried shrimp

4 cups julienned peeled unripe papaya - in strips 2-3 inches long and 1/8 inch thick

1 cup cut long beans - 1 1/2-inch-long segments

1 julienned carrot

1/4 cup tamarind juice the thickness of fruit concentrate

Juice of 2-3 limes, to taste

2-3 Tbs. fish sauce, to taste

2-3 Tbs. palm sugar, melted with 1 Tbs. water into a thick syrup - use as needed

2 small tomatoes, cut into bite-size wedges; or 12 cherry tomatoes, halved

1/4 cup chopped unsalted roasted peanuts

Guess what this is....????

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Som Tam with carrot!??

Careful - you may have your visa revoked!

Patrick

This is Farang style.

Oh one more thing to say about what we do in Issan.We enjoy our lives!!!!!! Everyones is different.

Sawasdee Everyone,

Just read this thread I like.Oh and by the way Dragonman you are right 5 weeks is long time.They are on thier way!!!!!!!!!!!Break out the loa koa and the crickets

ISSAN the only place to live It truly is what you make of your own life.

Anyone know if it is possible to buy a new ping pong table in Buriram?

TBWG

Not sure about new table but you can buy new chalk boards and make one from them.

Hi everyone,

I was just wondering if anyone knows, or could translate for me the nutritional value of the rice porridge that I get. It's an instant porridge, and I eat both the Chicken and Pork flavors. The brand name is Knorr, and the packages are yellow in color with a little piggy or chicken on the front. My grandmother always buys these for me, and I don't speak or read thai very well, plus there isn't any info on the packet itself, so I think the info must be on the original box.

I love this porridge so much that it must be bad for me. I'm on a very strict diet, so anything that anyone can do to help me out would be wonderful.

Thank you so much!

Bella

Cheers Bella,

I do'nt buy the Knorr brand,Most of the time the wife or I just make from scratch.But when from package I have bought a Vietnames brand which is not to bad for instant.It is in a blue package"fish flavor"by the name of VIFON.For the 50g serving it is

Calories 180

Total Fat 2g

Sat.Fat 1.5g

Sodium 1000 mg

Total Carbs. 36g

Fiber 2g

Sugar <1g

Protein 4.5g

Thats about it.I hope this was of help. Aloy

Hi everyone,

I was just wondering if anyone knows, or could translate for me the nutritional value of the rice porridge that I get. It's an instant porridge, and I eat both the Chicken and Pork flavors. The brand name is Knorr, and the packages are yellow in color with a little piggy or chicken on the front. My grandmother always buys these for me, and I don't speak or read thai very well, plus there isn't any info on the packet itself, so I think the info must be on the original box.

I love this porridge so much that it must be bad for me. I'm on a very strict diet, so anything that anyone can do to help me out would be wonderful.

Thank you so much!

Bella

Cheers Bella,

I do'nt buy the Knorr brand,Most of the time the wife or I just make from scratch.But when from package I have bought a Vietnames brand which is not to bad for instant.It is in a blue package"fish flavor"by the name of VIFON.For the 50g serving it is

Calories 180

Total Fat 2g

Sat.Fat 1.5g

Sodium 1000 mg (yes I know to much but what ya going to do )

Total Carbs. 36g

Fiber 2g

Sugar <1g

Protein 4.5g

Thats about it.I hope this was of help. Aloy

Well that was strange.

i am very happy for jim,jum

Beware!! dont miss when you pronouce..if u do it in different tone, the meaning will be " dip/poke the pussy"

I like the way she politly lowered the tone though....

redrus

I think it's a valid warning for us non Thai speakers, as we could go into a restaurant and get something we didn't bargain for!

Well that could be called the side dish

Sorry...can't even remember the make of my 4-wheel drive anymore.

Went for a drink and look what I found coming back

WOW !what the heck happened?I have never seen anything like that before.You must live in the North Pole!!!!!!

fd

Hey Guys give him a little slak.He did say that it had just recently reopened and is next to the Simia Tani Hotel.Which is one of the first hotels as you enter Korat City from the south,and mostley only out of Thailand Farang stay there.So heck 65THB is alot compared to the 35THB for the large Chang in the Moo Ban but it is in Korat City.

I would say grasshoppers too. They seem to taste good after a couple of beers. Just like eating a bag of pork scrathons.

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Yeah, very good beer food. The big ones can be annoying though as the long spiky legs can get caught between your teeth.

Oh Gosh,

I love them fresh fried with a beer Chang.But most people will pull of the legs before eating.FUI

Howdy Everyone,

I always find it interesting when people say "YUK"to something that they have never tried.People throughout the world eat many different things.It all depends on what is availble to eat in the area.In a part of Africa people eat pelets of clay for the minerals.Granted some things DO NOT taste good but you never know until you try it.I like the fried crickets and bamboo grubs the best,but only when they are fresh fried.The large black beetles are NASTY and stink like H_LL when they are cooked(my opinion). A beer Chang and a fresh bowl of fried crickets...YUUUUMMMMM . Rat is like any other type of meat,it will take on a flavor from the type of feed that it is given.Rats caught in the paddys taste sweet (not like sugar)and are delicious,because of the rice that they eat.If it tasted "rotten"that is probably because it was.I remember when I was a kid if the milking cows got into a field of wild onions thier milk tasted like onions.NOT GOOD Well anyway try everything at least once and enjoy your life. Photos of malang tod(crickets)kaew lam(sticky rice, coconut milk with peanuts in bamboo and sugar) and

quote name='JASON THAI' date='2006-01-01 10:30:51' post='598916']

HI I WOULD LIKE TO BILD A 2 BEDROOM BUNGALOW FOR MY SON AND GIRLFRIEND IN KORAT, HER MUM HAS ALREADY GIVEN US THE LAND SO WE SAVE MONEY THERE, DO YOU THINK WE COULD BUILD THIS FOR 500 THOUSAND BAHT, I DONT WANT A/C JUST FANS, SMALL BATHROOM ROOM WITH SHOWER (NOT BATHTUB) AND NO NEED FOR CARPORT

CHEERS

JASON

Sawasdee Jason Thai,

Here is an old chart of building cost around Bangkok Metro Area.I hope it gives you an idea.The wife and I just built a detached,house wooden, elevated 90 Sq.meter home 20 km north of Phi Mai for 385k THB.As you can see we built it for much less then the chart.But it is 300km away from BKK and the cost of labor and some materials are less.This may not be what you are thinking of,but it is a beautiful home for us.

Chok Dee, cost47_eng.pdf

The white string is tied on the wrist to give good luck. Mainly during a ceremony called Bai sii or the very similar ceremony of marriage.

As far as i am aware the strings are tied on the wrist to bind the spirits to the wearer, and thus give good luck

The string should be left on for 3 days after which it can be cut off, however many prefer to leave the string on until it falls off naturally.

In fact the string can be put on the wrists at any religious occasion or when good luck is needed, sometimes it can be yellow or orange ( normally from a monk).

In the case of the bai sii or wedding you will find both wrist covered in maybe hundreds of string given from all attending, after the 3 days the main bulk of these will be cut off and 3 will be left on.

totster

Sawasdee Totster,

Thank you for not being an a..hole like some people on this site. And explaining about something that is very important to all Thai people.Some of these comments are why many Thais think mia dee of farang.

Howdy Everyone,

Here are two types of plantain.The hawaiin I have seen for sale only in Issan around Phi Mai.The other plantain I have seen for sale all over the Kingdom.The Hawaiin is about 15-20cm long and very fat.The common one is about 30-35cm long.Both are not very good to eat out of hand,meaning they should be fried.If fried green they will not be sweet,serve with a lime and garlic sauce.If fried when the skin is brown and the fruit is soft it will be very sweet carmilized,serve alone or with a squeez of lime.Enjoy Oh you should slice to fry or they will burn if you try to fry whole.

Howdy moskow5,

I will try to attach 2 photos, the red is a Thai style dress and the other is a Issan style.My wife used the Thai style in the morning ceremony and the white in the actual wedding ceremony after the morning ceremony.You do not have to use two dress though one will do.It is important to use the white dress if you will have the pouring of "blessed"water and tying of string around your wrist,for good luck.The wedding dress's should match the grooms suit.If you would like more info on a traditional Issan wedding PM me.The wife and I can give you some info.

Chok Dee!!!!!!!!!!!

A friend of mine is having a baby with a Thai national in mid january.He lives in the UK she in Khorat,how he is going to work that out I dont know....but  I would like to know is there anything to see and do in Khorat as he expects us to be there for the birth.Also she told him that he cannot be with her for the birth as this is frowned upon unless he pays the doctors???sounds suspect to me. :

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Howdy Charley,

First off I would have the friend verifiy that the girl is pregnant and it is his.Two,there is no problem with him being there to watch the birth just stay out of the way and no comments .There is no"fee" to be there,just the usual medical bill.He should wait to see the bill before paying .And pay the hospital not give the money to his "girlfriend" to pay it.

About things to do in Korat.Many things to do in and around,it is a large city.As you enter the city from the south on A2 to the left right before the MALL is a tourist office with a ton of info about Nakhon Ratchasima and the sorounding areas.Enjoy your time in Beautifull Issan.

Howdy everyone,

The wife she just soaks the veg's in water for about 30 min.Some we peel,carrots, some we do not,cucumber.Oh it is rain water.We do not have any problems.We live in a small mooban in Issan.

Not wrong... once I saw an unfortunate Korean woman posing in front of a cage, patiently waiting to have her photo taken, when one of those big tigers decided to take a leak on her...

She was not amused...

She may not have been but I am sure everyone else was.

Have you ever tried getting a vet in and spaying and neutering people's cats in the neighborhood? Feral cats don't come from nowhere you know, they come from irresponsible owners who allow their pets to breed indiscriminately.

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You can't be fare dinkum. Get a vet in This is Isaan whe're talking about. Don't know what part of the world you come from but it must be sheltered.

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I guees you have not been to the rohng pah yah bahn