thehelmsman

Call your neighbors over for target practice.

In Puerto Rico I had bites similiar to yours while I was working on the docks. Folks called them "No see ums" because they were so tiny.

Some calamine lotion will stop the itching and burning. Those little suckers ate up my arm. Painful.

The dress code is either black or white. Women tend to wear black, whilst the men tend to wear black trousers, white shirts.

Depending on the status and wealth of the family, the body will lie in a temple for 3- 5 days, with up to 3 services a day.

Wealthier families will usually put a full banquet on every evening.

Depending on how close you knew the bereaved, expect to put anywhere between 200 - 1000 Baht in an envelope.

Larger ceremonies will have a board where relatives and friends can write their names to sponsor the costs of the service and food for any particular day, which takes some of the financial burden off the widow(er)

Even the smaller 3 day ceremonies with maybe just one meal for the guests after the cremation, can cost 100,000 baht.

So wife's uncle died after a long time of being bedridden at home. 2 days tops till body was creamated. Straight from house to cremation with the usual long procession to the cremation site. A couple hours of Monks doing their duties, doused the wood with fluid and light it up. Their is no dress code here, In this case drinking went on for a few days afterwards because one of the sons has money and kept the drinking alive. Sure it's different in the cities but here in the deep country this is how it goes.

Everytime someone in Ampur dies money is collected from each household, they come to each house to collect, for us it's 20 baht each time. Not necessary to give for all villages.

Been doing the same 2-3 times a yr. for month stays and the occassional border run extensions for 8 yrs with a few non-o visa for DL, buying car & motorbike. Never been asked anything.

My family is absolutely fanatical about unplugging the microwave after each use because of the fluorescent clock. I showed them it costs only about 3 baht per month to leave it plugged in, but that only seemed to reinforce their position. "SEE? THAT'S THREE BAHT WE COULD BE SAVING!"

But they don't have a problem with replacing the two AA cells (cost ~ 10 baht each) in each of the analog wall clocks twice a year.

Yeah, same here. It's not for cost, as we have hot water pot going all day.

I say give Rambo a call, last I heard he was in the Chang Mai area.

Follow my advice in the stock market for 100% success......buy low....sell high. The big question now is how low will it go?

No worries in my house - I got me a Donk aka MIL.

The "I want to show everyone pictures of my large house and kids Brigade"

We have bars on first floor, none on second floor. It's all about security. Wouldn't take much for someone to enter second floor.

The plastic helps the rest of garbage burn don't you know. Old innertubes are saved for starting BBQ.

buses are for cheap travelers, not farangs, you should have got a taxi. ....

Not all of us are rich pigs.

Socialism at its finest........... hahahhaaaaa you take a taxi so you must be a rich pig.

The beatings will continue until morale improves.

I'm in awe of his plastic bag policy at the moment,it's ingenious.

So you don't think limiting the use of plastic bags is a good thing?

I think it's a fabulous idea.

BUT let's start with the facts,most Thai people in rural areas have no refuse collection per se.

So the daily ritual at 5 pm of burning plastic bags and household waste continues to this day.

If his lordship said he was going to ensure that all household waste from the nation will be collected at least weekly for free,and the waste was separated and recycled accordingly creating thousands of jobs and building recycling plants nationwide I would agree.

But the prohibition of banning the nation from using plastic bags for one day a month seems like the holy grail to some but it is one step ahead of its time.

In a country which continually struggles with water resources and such it's a nice idea but I'm not being fooled by these token gestures.

Nah, First burn is in the morning with first cup of coffee. Be nice of have garbage service. The art of compost is unheard of, everything burns.

Just call me "Sir" same as the ole lady does.

I'm 4 time zones to the west with an average temp 115F in the afternoon - heat index 130-145F. I know.....not thai related, but I'm bored.

Save your money and geta motorbike. Why would you want to be a regular bus rider if its not necessary?

If you want a good laugh outta them, find a low doorway and bap your head on ity by accident. You'll have them howling...

What's foolish is to believe that life here will be like one long holiday, and that Thailand really is the carefree paradise that tourists perceive it as. If you were naive enough to come here with those expectations, then you're setting yourself up for a disappointment.

Six years so far and it's been one big long holiday for me, no disappointments yet.

I'm guessing your idea of a holiday isn't necessarily the same as anyone else's.

Holiday to me means cycling, running and hiking every day.

When I was younger it meant, sailing, diving, ski-ing and swimming.

Only the sports change!

What's your idea of a holiday then?

My favorite sporting event is 12oz. curls with good friends or new friends.

When you are fed up with Western world dogmas and you discover the anathema Thailand you think you found the real place to live your life, until 10 years later you realise Thailand is a lie.

Then cynicism comes in at hand.

Only if you were stupid enough to mistake a holiday destination for your future home.

Some of us were more realistic about Thailand in the first place.

You assume alot as always, so those of us whose lifestyle allows us to make Thailand our home after spending time here are stupid. My home can be anywhere, but I have a family here so this is where I live.

The unrealistic aspect to living in Thailand is to burn your bridge on your way here.

When did I say that? I spent time here before moving here. I imagine most people do.

What's foolish is to believe that life here will be like one long holiday, and that Thailand really is the carefree paradise that tourists perceive it as. If you were naive enough to come here with those expectations, then you're setting yourself up for a disappointment.

I'm not sure what you're getting at with the bridge burning stuff, though.

As in selling all you own in your home country to invest in your new life in LOS.

With enough money you can overcome any disappointments.

When you are fed up with Western world dogmas and you discover the anathema Thailand you think you found the real place to live your life, until 10 years later you realise Thailand is a lie.

Then cynicism comes in at hand.

Only if you were stupid enough to mistake a holiday destination for your future home.

Some of us were more realistic about Thailand in the first place.

You assume alot as always, so those of us whose lifestyle allows us to make Thailand our home after spending time here are stupid. My home can be anywhere, but I have a family here so this is where I live.

The unrealistic aspect to living in Thailand is to burn your bridge on your way here.

Back to the topic - If you live away from tourist areas you have to learn a little for survival. Numbers is probably the first practical thing to learn. I used to hate it when the old lady at the small market would look scared when I walked in to buy something usually Leo. Learned numbers and now she only chuckles. You have to start somewhere. My little girl giggles when I try to speak a little thai.

Most rice now is sown by a man with a backpack firing the rice out of a blower and all is cut by machine near me, very very little is now done by hand here.

So, I asked why they don't plant the rice the way you describe. Answer is if only seeds are planted to many pesticides are required to kill the grass. If shoots are planted in the regular way not as many weeds take over. The rice is mainly for themselves. The rice grown for sales would or could use the seed planting method because no one would care about excess pesticides.

Makes you think about what you buy in the stores.

Agree very lucky to meet my wife.

Was driving to Vientienne and got lost in Isaan.

I had never been to that part before, just fate that I was in the right place at the right time for me to meet her.

She is already westernized.

8 years on, still tells my mother how lucky she is to be married with me and my mother says I am the lucky one which I am.

I did the right things, cared about and supported her father who she is very close to.

When ever he runs into a rough patch, always there to help him out

Will help him come to the USA with us when all the requirements are met

she says I rescued her from poverty, I feel like she rescued me from myself

Very, very lucky and there is not one day goes by that I do not tell her how lucky I am to have her

wonderful woman.

And I'm sure she is .....you are one lucky man...

But I find curious that she was "already westernized" when you met her .....and in your OP you stated that her father was "dirt poor" so much so you gave him your house and furnishings in Issan when you left .

Issan girl from poor family westernized? What did she do for a living before you met her?

BP - You should listen to yourself. The last post you insisted the OP answer your questions. Why? You are beginning to sound like a broken record.

You guys are comical. So what if the OP went back to the states. Many posts smell of jealousy that he has the money to live life as he wants.