Vegemite

A guy in the Chiangmai sub-forum is having a problem that’s killing his fish, can any of you help him?

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=109678

Asking here because I think you guys maybe more knowledgeable about this than most

Look in this forum, this page at the moment.

Title: one year catfish farming.

I've been thinking about doing my next Visa Run into Laos at Savannakhet including spending some time in Isaan along the way. One of my wife's best friends lives in Karasin and we're planning to spend a few days there. Can recommend sites to see and places to stay in Karasin and around Mukdahan, Khon Kaen, or Roi Et?

In Roi Et, Poon Petch sport club ( the name is not what it is all about ) is a good place to stay.

Serviced apartments with A/C, real toilet, hot shower, TV, balcony and fridge if you want.

It is almost new and they were building a pool there when we were there this time last year.

Has great resturant and is close to most things of interest.

I will be there this time this year as well, maybe 1 week.

The Phra That Yasothon festival is held this month.

If you went to Yasothon, it might be a good idea to visit Roi Et - which is one of the nicer small cities and is close.

Good idea,

Roi Et is a great place.

Cant wait to get back there.

Last year I visited a farang resturant and bar north of Ubon.

It is a long way from Bangkok or any other place in Thailand that farang visit and an eternity from where I was born.

My wife and I sat there alone and were pretty much ignored.

It was a bit of a let down but I guess that if you live in a small or remote area anywhere ( almost ) in the world, the local people will take some time to get to know you.

How long is what matters.

Sorry for boring any camera Gurus, but I have just bought a Canon powershot.

I understand pixels but it has another setting for compression.

What is compression and how does it work?

Please forgive my ignorance oh great ones.

And thanks for any info.

Great subject, I love honey.

Can enyone tell me how and where to get the real thing in Thailand?

All I could find last time was supermarket bottles of sugar goo.

Will be in Bangkok and then Roi Et and Ubon in a few weeks.

Any info would be really great because the Thais dont seem to know the difference.

I am even taking some good Manuka honey to the father in law to make his medicine ( he is the local medicine man and people come from miles around for his wares. ).

All the best.

ray

I'll be following your posts I'm hoping to make the move out to LOS sometime over the next couple of years and am a keen biker too, havent visited Isaan yet but have strangely already fallen in love with the place

May get to Isaan somewhere later this year for a few weeks to see what its like, and am thinking of seeing some parts of it by bike

I too will be coming over as a single person so its good to know theres some nightlife and drinking places, but also thousands of rai of undisturbed countryside too

Looking forward to the simple life already...

I will be up in the Isaan sticks in a couple of weeks at the wifes tiny village.

When I was there last year I borrowed a couple of small motorbikes from the inlaws and rode around some of the villages close to where we were staying.

It is just the greatest place for exploring on a motorbike.

Flat as a pan cake for hundreds of miles and although you feel as though you are isolated from EVERYONE there seems to be another village down the road a few kms in every direction.

Roads are pretty good but the surfaces change from tar to metal to dust ( have only been there in the dry season )

You dont need big CC,s because it is so flat and easy at least where I was based.

I suppose that other places are different but I was in a large area of rice farms.

This time I am going to buy a second hand bike for myself and explore a bit more.

Cant wait.

P.S. Did you know that in some of these small villages they sell you petrol by the whiskey bottle and just pour it in the tank for you.

How many do you want?

Heaps of fun.

Hi,

I am hoping you can help and advise me

Whilst waiting for my Spanish house to sell, I am needing transport beyond Tuk tuks and minis buses (no good at night and restrictive). I am NOT in a position to buy a car (my much greater preference for many reasons) until my house is sold SO I a looking toward getting a 115cc or 125cc cc scooter or motorcycle.

I last drove a Vespa some 35 years ago. I am NOT a bike lover for safety and handling reasons compared to cars). At that time the wheels were tiny and fat and were a nightmare for stability in heavy rain, frost and not great at holding on corners.

I am sure things have moved on a lot since then for both motorcycles and scooters and I am asking those with knowledge for some much needed help and guidance.

Basic facts

1) I am 134 kilos and expect to be carrying my wife most times, total around 180 kilos hence why I am looking at around 115 or 125 cc engines (and not 100cc or less).

2) We live in Khon Kaen city not really any hills of consequence.

3) I have NO bias for either a scooter or bike.

4) I am essentially interested in road holding & handling, braking, cornering and basis safety in both dry and heavy rain. High speeds fantastic acceleration are NOT important to me expect having the necessary pulling power in times of need (e.g. overtaking or misjudgement)

5) I am more interested in a quiet safe machine with adequate power, than a roaring, fast accelerating beast beneath me. I am not a bike enthusiast, JUST a potential user who wants to get from A to B safely.

6) I hold a full UK Motorcycle & car licence and am waiting for my International Drivers Permit so I can apply for a Thai driving licence (or drive on the Permit if I can get insurance on a UK license and IDP)

Some questions that come to mind (you may consider there are other I have missed)

1) Is there much difference between 115 and 125 in real day use.

2) Are there any main differences between scooter and bikes regarding 1) to 5) above

3) What are peoples recommendations that I should take into consideration

4) I have looked at the Honda Wave 125s & 125i, Yamaha Nouva MX motorcycles and the Yamaha Mio scooters.

Please can anybody give me any opinions on these, and ALSO whether I should definitely be looking at other specific makes and models that would compete favourably (or better) with these. If so what do you suggest I also look at please?

5) I know the Honda Wave is very highly used and thought machine for its class, but given my personal facts what are members opinions.

6) My instinct is that a 115cc or 125cc motor cycle would have safety, handling, braking, cornering benefits over scooters but are my instincts well founded or based on old fashioned technology views and incorrect?

I really could do with any advice members are able to give. I will be honest I do not like bikes and feel they are very vulnerable compared to cars (even if more manoeuvrable). Having seen how people drive in cars/bikes in Thailand my fears are not reassured.

PRIMARY CONSIDERATION is safety for my wife and myself

Kind regards, Dave

Hello Dave,

I rode one of those dastardly Vespas for a few years about the same time as you.

My parents wouldnt let me get a " real " motorbike.

I was forever coming off the bloody thing. I remember, as a teenager, trying to show off in front of a cluster of teenage girls sweeping around an easy corner in the wet and ending up on my ass right in front of them.

It was SO embarassing. The seat was flopped up and I was hurting, red in the face and trying to be cool.

It didnt work.

I ended up owning " real " bikes after this and I did get squashed badly one time.

I really think that a motorbike with a petrol tank between the legs is a good thing for control.

I have ridden Honda Waves and similar and I dont think that you have much control if you have to change direstion fast.

With a tank to clamp your legs to, the bike becomes part of your body and as such is much more controlable. I personally prefer a hand clutch as well.

Hope it helps.

err sorry george only joking

Dont worry!

Nothing wrong with kicking walking sticks if nobody sees you do it.

Sneaking up behind them and tickling them under the arms is a lot of fun as well.

There is an excellent motel on Phadang road 350 baht per night.It is at the rear of a very good bar restaurant called Wrong Way.It is run buy Ting & her American husband Richard who will book you a room tel:-0868686661

I will be there in around 4 weeks and this place sounds good for us.

We are going out to that expensive place by the Meh Kong river for a night or two so I want somewhere to stay to even out the cost a bit,

Can you tell me if it a hotel or guesthouse (both O.K. ) and does it have a real toilet and hot shower? Fridge? Air con.? What is the name?

Thanks for your help.

Hi

I think if you have only one day just get a tuk tuk and have a look around.

The temple is around 200 years old, so the other half says, and is definately worth a look. You can buy some quite interesting suv, soov, soeviniers ( never could spell that word ) from the monks and it is a nice place to be.

The lake is great and full of fish. If you want you can buy some fish food and feed them. The lake is such a nice area and well kept.

There are dozens more people more in the know than me about this area but I just hope that you like it as much as I did.

All the best.

P.S.

If you get the chance stop over in Roi Et for a while.

It is a great place. Friendly, clean, laid back and you can even get farang food there.

Will be up there again in a couple of weeks or so and I cant wait.

Hope you enjoy your trip.

All the best.

We have since booked 2 1 way flights to Ubon for 1355 the day we fly in. Now we jsut have to get from there to Roi Et. I think its about 150kms. Does anyone know the easiest way to do this? Is there local buses from the airport to Roi Et? Could we get a cab?

I don't know for sure how many or how often the bus runs to Khon Kaen from the airport.

I would go to the transportation centre to check - easy to do.

If no bus get a cab straight to Mor Chit Bus Terminal. At that time of the day heavy traffic so at least an hour . Take aircon bus from Mor Chit direct to Roi Et.

Im not quite sure what you mean about not using flight numbers? It is only Air Asia 900 baht single to Ubon or Kon Ken and travel on from there much easier and quicker than Taxi / Bus etc especially after an International flight in. Internal flights in Thailand are cheap!

Why didnt you fly direct with PB Air.

They fly from BKK to Roi Et and it is a very nice trip of about 55 mins.

I used the bus to get from Roi Et to Bkk during the day last time at the end of February.

It took over 8 hours, the air con just couldnt keep up with the heat and it arrived in Bangkok at rush hour so it was another hour to get to the hotel.

It was the PITS and I will either fly or break the trip up by staying at at least one place on the trip, next time.

Do you have a Lonely Planet Guide for Thailand? They are a lot of help.

Also you can get hold of Tourism Athourity of Thailand on the internet, just google " tat thailand " they have been a great help to us in the past and are happy to help.

Even the Thai embassy in your country are a wealth of info and will send you a huge amount stuff.

Google " the great chilly farm " not Thailand but a lot of info and well worth a look.

I asked these questions a couple of years ago on this forum.

Should still be hear somewhere.

If you search " Mahasarakham " in the little Google box at the top it should come.

The best post I have ever seen from anybody regarding this subject was from Ray23 and it is really worth reading.

Although it wasnt quite the same for me ( the wife told them that I was a private person and it worked a treat ) Ray23 knows a lot about this stuff and he tells it straight.

just wondering if anyone here in isaan has ever had any experience smoking fish or meat, and if they know the thai name of the wood used. if i was home, i'd use hickory,maple,cherry,alder etc., but don't think they exist here.

thanks in advance for any help/advice given.

turnpike

I used to smoke a lot of fish in New Zealand and used a wood called manuka ( local Maori word ).

Just asked the wife about this and here is what she came up with.

No botanical names just say it as you read it and she said your wife or most upcountry Thais will understand what you mean. Mai means wood and not sure about the spelling but who cares.

Mai Takaer ( she says the best )

Mai Rung

Mai Jik or Mai Jeek

Mai Phayom

Good luck.

Lived in a coastal part of New Zealand for a number of years where everybody that fished would smoke thier own.

There were all sorts of contraptions used for doing it made out of all sorts of materials.

Block or brick smokers did a good job with the fire light on the floor. They looked a bit like an outside dunny or out house.

The trick is not to let the smoke get to hot and the rule of thumb is that you should be able to put your hand into the area that the fish is and not feel to hot.

I had a really simple smoke house made from an old rack drier with a door and racks inside. Perfect.

In the back was a hole about 400mm x 400mm and protruding from this hole was half a 44 gallon drum cut from top to bottom if it was standing up and the top and bottom taken out. Like a tunnel.

Light a fire on a piece of corrugated iron and just slide it into the tunnel.

If it gets to hot slide it out a bit or slide it towards the cabinet for more heat.

Hope you can understand this will post before I time out agian.

I used to smoke a lot of fish in New Zealand and used a wood called manuka ( local Maori word ).

Just asked the wife about this and here is what she came up with.

No botanical names just say it as you read it and she said your wife or most upcountry Thais will understand what you mean. Mai means wood and not sure about the spelling but who cares.

Mai Takaer ( she says the best )

Mai Rung

Mai Jik or Mai Jeek

Mai Phayom

Good luck.

Vegemite,

thanks for that and to all who replied, i'll run those words by the missus when i'm back in a week and see how it goes. now that i've got you here,vegemite, a couple of questions about fish smoking, if i may.

i used to use pickling salt for the brine, but will plain old table salt work? not sure pickling salt is available here. i plan on doing some of my catfish, would you recommend skinning them, filleting them, or just gutting them and smoking them whole? any recipes you could recommend where the ingredients are available in thailand?

(i bet you're sorry you responded now)

thanks again for your help, much appreciated.

turnpike

You know, this is the third time I have tried to return a post. Maybe they dont like me anymore.

We used to split the fish ( usually snapper ) from the belly up toward the backbone ( head off and no guts ) through the rib bones on one side only.

We left the skin above the backbone intact and then opened the fish out a bit like butterfling a chicken. Skin still on but no scales.

We rubbed into the flesh rock or sea salt and then brown sugar.

Tried soaking them overnight but the jury said no better.

I think for catfish you can leave the head on and cut down from the backbone and through the head and then open out as these fish are a similar shape to the mullet that we smoked.

Will send another post. Dont want to time out.

I've fished a bit in Chiew Lan reservoir in Khao Sok National Park. Giant Snakehead fish are very fun to catch... and eat. they're a sucker for goofy top-water lures like the Devil's Horse or almost any buzz bait.

I've only caught fish in the 3 kilo range, but I've seen them up to probably 10+ kilo (caught in nets).

I'm hoping to get a fly fishing outfit soon and try my luck at catching big snakehead fish on poppers.

A fly rod is great idea I have had the same urges.

But maybe a telescopic spinning rod would be better. What do you think?

Do you know if I can buy a rod and real in Bkk?

wisdom teeth are the last teeth to erupt ( around age 16-21) and sometimes there is not enough room at the back of the dental arch for these teeth to erupt through fully and come into a functional position , they get impacted either on the tooth infront or on the ascending ramus of the mandible ..... the bit of the jawbone behind the teeth.

sometimes they come half way through and get stuck , sometimes they remain buried under the gum.

half buried ( half covered by gum ) or impacted teeth that are impossible to clean properly will eventually give problems and need to be extracted.

the position of the tooth in the jawbone and its relation to the tooth in front and the shape of the roots and their relation to the inferior dental nerve which passes below the tooth will indicate to the dentist whether the tooth will be a straightforward extraction or a bastard of a job.

depending on the degree of difficulty the dentist will , depending on his skill , experience and confidence either do it himself , or refer the patient to a specialist.

x rays can sometimes be deceiving and what can appear to be an easy extraction can sometimes turn out to be just the opposite.

unless you have some underlying condition related to blood clotting , then bleeding should not be a problem.

difficult extractions may need sutures in the gum and will result in a bruised and swollen face for a few days , but most extractions are uneventful.

upper wisdom teeth rarely give problems , and are usually straightforward extractions.

if in any doubt , get it done at one of the dental clinics in a decent hospital , where a specialist will assess the case , rather than at a dentist who may not have a lot of experience with wisdom teeth extractions.

in the hands of a competent operator , wisdom tooth extraction is nothing to fear , despite all the stories you may have heard.

Thankyou for that oh great one.

I have one comming out under sedation on Thursday night.

Not in Thailand though.

just wondering if anyone here in isaan has ever had any experience smoking fish or meat, and if they know the thai name of the wood used. if i was home, i'd use hickory,maple,cherry,alder etc., but don't think they exist here.

thanks in advance for any help/advice given.

turnpike

I used to smoke a lot of fish in New Zealand and used a wood called manuka ( local Maori word ).

Just asked the wife about this and here is what she came up with.

No botanical names just say it as you read it and she said your wife or most upcountry Thais will understand what you mean. Mai means wood and not sure about the spelling but who cares.

Mai Takaer ( she says the best )

Mai Rung

Mai Jik or Mai Jeek

Mai Phayom

Good luck.

But the ants eggs came wrapped in a leaf.

The live baby frogs were in plastic bags if that helps.

Things have changed a bit. Try again.

No 7/11s where we were even 20kms away this is this best we could do.

I have been coming up with evermore elaborate excuses as to why I can't visit her home and extended family, but now I have given in. I have met her mother here in Bangkok and know her brothers, so it won't be a huge shock.

I'd like to hear a few of your experiences during your first trip in to darkest Isaan. I have seen photos of her home village, so, once again, it won't come as a total surprise.

I admit to being a creature comforts kind of person, but I have traveled around Asia and have 'roughed it' in the past. Just how rough is it? It's more the reaction from the locals that I'm interested in. How will they perceive a non-Thai speaking westener?

Is it OK if I go for a wonder round on my own? (please don't insult me with comments along the lines of "they eat stray farangs") It's more that I don't want to scare/annoy/surprise anyone and possibly ruin the trip.

Any tales to tell would be gratefully read.

Go man!! Bet it will be a very enjoyable time, maybe even the time of your life. I had the same feeling many years ago. May I suggest talk to her or some other farangs to get an ideal about the surrounding area(ie nearby hotels, 7/11 etc) Truth me "been there, done that"

I have been coming up with evermore elaborate excuses as to why I can't visit her home and extended family, but now I have given in. I have met her mother here in Bangkok and know her brothers, so it won't be a huge shock.

I'd like to hear a few of your experiences during your first trip in to darkest Isaan. I have seen photos of her home village, so, once again, it won't come as a total surprise.

I admit to being a creature comforts kind of person, but I have traveled around Asia and have 'roughed it' in the past. Just how rough is it? It's more the reaction from the locals that I'm interested in. How will they perceive a non-Thai speaking westener?

Is it OK if I go for a wonder round on my own? (please don't insult me with comments along the lines of "they eat stray farangs") It's more that I don't want to scare/annoy/surprise anyone and possibly ruin the trip.

Any tales to tell would be gratefully read.

I was the same as you, basically dreading going upcountry.

When I finally did it wasnt so bad and it sort of grows on you for some strange reason that I cant put my finger on.

The wifes village is very small and primative.

The food was a worry for me so I took some cans of baked beans and sausages and a couple of loaves of bread, I just cant eat that upcountry food, and it worked out really well. The local shop lady could cook up some good Thai food ( as aposed to Issan food ) so that helped but it was just living on a basic level for me. A bit like camping for to long.

A chair is a good thing if you can get one. Sitting on the hard bench things that they spend most of thier time on starts to wear thin after a while. Your back is allways curved and not a lot of soft stuff under your bum.

Sleeping on a tiled floor ( I was a lucky one ) on a thin matress was the pits so I never got a good nights sleep. I am thin so it may make a difference.

The chickens wake you up before the crack of dawn and it all starts again.

No english.

The locals are really friendly in a proud sort of a way and great people. The best.

We will be up there again in March but this time there will at least be an air bed and we will have our own room thankyou to the gods.

People told me on this forum that I wouldnt apreciate it until after I had been and this is true for sure. I cant wait to go back.

All the best.