bergen

I've tried the lamb and it was very good indeed. Well worth a visit and Louie is back!

Sounds great. I'll be there and will may bring a few more!

Not too many as I will be looking for a ride, as per normal. Jim

Jim - I will be in Ubon on Friday and go to Sisaket from there. Give me a call and we can sort out a pick up.

Sounds great. I'll be there and will may bring a few more!

and here we go..........

Had a fantastic 2 night stay in Feb here are a couple of pics

And enjoyed your company Bob!

Heavens above is this still rattling on?

How come the farmers can get together once every 3 months and the Ubon Hash can get its $hit together every month but we cannot seem, when in camel committee forum, to organise something once in a blue moon?

Dont look for perfection - there will always be critics whatever you do! Just find a venue for a whole day with beer and food in the middle of KK and let the attendees sort their own accomodation out based on a list of resorts and hotels with phone numbers. If nobody local can do that Ill drive up there one weekend and sort it out myself!

That's the spirit!

Just an update on the resort, great. Pool was clean, the woman owner said she had problems maintaining it and had hired a guy who knows how to take of of the pools

. Kids spent 4 hours it it yesterday and 5 hours today. Price for a room with 2 king sized beds 700 Baht. Food was good and farang friendly not to hot.

Sad to say I once again disgraced the proud drinking tradition of Australia by being drunk under the table by a jock, but it's a 10 round event, still 8 to go. Will be in training Luke

So you had mine as well since I left early Will try and time it better next time and go for the whole event.

Good to meet you Luke, and the other new (and "old") faces as well!

Great posting ^^ and some handy lens work also ... Panasonic Lumix DMCTZ11

Dare I ask what the +++ and ++ is ... or just leave it to my imagination?

+++ = Bar, pool table, swimming pool - ++ = some fruit/vegetables I don't remember the name of.

The Lady in the Pond is? the owner/manager/wife

Does the restaurant use your local product? some

All that water and no mention of any fish being grown ... fish in some of our ponds and in the river, but no serious farming at the moment

Great set-up you have there judging from the photos. more photos on web site in my profile

I would only add that the pond needs to be watched over or all the fish will be quickly stolen. I learned the hard way.

I have the same experience!

Not stolen, just redistributed to the common masses. You clearly had more then you needed and had left them unattended, so had no further interest in them.

There clearly is a large mass of night roaming Thai tribes, following some ancient migration route through the hinterlands, grazing on fruit, eating unattended fish and poultry and on the odd occasions gorging themselves on cup rubber.

They are seldom seen and easily spooked, Richard Attenbourgh should do a documentary on them. Jim

We experience fewer these days since our dogs are on guard.................

I would only add that the pond needs to be watched over or all the fish will be quickly stolen. I learned the hard way.

I have the same experience!

I agree with James. If it's a satellite why does it have to face the horizon. Don't they change position depending on time of day and the planets rotation.

I'm not trying to be smart because I have a similar situation at my home near Loei.

We tried True, but I cancelled it because lack of use. We bought a 3000bht dish with multiple channels. 99% Asian channels. I'd love to get some English channels.

With ever changing technology I'm curious what other ways there are to access English language channels. I can stream, but internet is not strong and usually very slow CAT.

These types of satellites are in geosynchronous orbit which means they are orbiting around the earth at the same speed and same direction that the earth is rotating. The net effect is from an observer on earths perspective the satellite appears stationary in the sky.

Cheers, I learnt something today.

Another interesting although off topic fact:

There is no true dark side of the moon. The moon rotates just like the earth does and so all parts of the moon experience day and night. The interesting bit is that the moon rotates at exactly the right speed so as to keep the same face visible to any observer around the planet so we never get to see the 'dark side' from earth.

So did Pink Floyd get it right or wrong?

3rd try and will give up. Jim

Jim ... the Lassies are so cute.

Your Missus must be very attractive ... don't get their genes from you ...

Just joking of course ... you are a lucky man.

.

Sure as hell didn't get the hair genes from me. Jim

I can confirm, she's far more attractive than Jim!

The Khao Phra Viharn National Park has been open for at least 6 months and so has the view from Pha Mor E Dang Cliff, so I don't understand what they're on about.

Last when I went, approx. 4 weeks ago, we paid 280 baht for 3 farangs and 1 car.

I refuse to pay 200 as I llve near by, and have a Thai driving licence.

The reason for the 'hard man' approach by me is that you said that magic word 'Invest'.

Investing means firstly that you

1. remain in control of the asset
   
2. that there is a profitable return on the asset (ROE, Return On Equity) and
   
3. at the end of the day you have a saleable asset to sell.
   

Unfortunately, when you buy that Farm ... you definitely lose #1, #2 is unlikely, as is #3

Others experience here may vary ... they are the smart Farmers, but, at the end of the day, they still don't 'own' the assets, even though they might 'control' it.

So, be a hard ass, buy cheaply, retain the majority of your money in an investment such as bonds or shares which pay a return/dividend ... or a term deposit, if you think the previous suggestion is risky.

So spend a lazy million on a modest Hobby Farm, learn to improve the soil, grow some things, keep your Farm inputs ( materials, labour, grain etc) to a bare minimum.

With the remaining 3 million Baht … into an investment, a Term Deposit earning 4%.

That gives you 120,000 guaranteed each year. Combined with some fruits of your labour at the Farm … a comfortable living.

Just my thoughts ... amongst many other you will undoubtedly receive.

OH … BTW, 4 million Baht in the Bank is not ‘just doing nothing’ … it’s your comfortable sleep at night money ...

Some good advice here from David48!

This is the place I went to in Det once. http://www.memock.co...ชอ/ The sore eyes I hope were a once off!

So is Tronds pool kaput or just not available to guests anymore?

Think Tronds filter has had the gong and he has not been unable to fix it yet. No doubt Trond will get on line and tell me all is well now, but it is a swimming pool no shallow end not good for kids. Good for doing laps if you are a swimmer not a paddler. Jim

Temporary out of work, but will be upgraded and back in business asap (whenever that is)

Pity to those who miss the meetings!

Great time is had by the ones who don't.....................

Heap as much of that pity on me as you can Bergen. After instigating this I have missed the last two because I simply couldnt get there. Regardless of the motive, learn or drink, these events bring together people isolatedwithout enough friends... What could be more important? Time is limited for most attendees more through age than distance. Perhaps we should ask others in different areas to start their own events as well?

I'm not sure if I understand this post...

Pity to those who miss the meetings!

Great time is had by the ones who don't.....................

What is it about farming that makes you guys so good natured?

Thinking about becoming a farmer, it's not hard work is it?

That's up to you........

Unless you're young, I guess teak grows to slow to give you any money back, and business partners on 8 rai of corn.......The land is maybe a little small for investment partners - if that's what you want?

As said earlier, Very sorry not to be with you. Anyone take any photos and any thoughts at this early stage where where the next meeting might be?

AA1, not sure if anyone took any photos. You were indeed missed, and I for one love these meetings and the company that comes with! I'm in for the next meet whenever that is, and if it takes too long we should meet and share a few cold ones.........I'm sure Jim will come along as well!

1: Is the cost of living really lower than Bangkok or the coastal cities like Phuket, Pattaya, Hua Hin, etc?

Yes

2: Are there any condos (preferably with a pool in the complex) available in town or do I have to rent a town house? In which case, how much security could I expect?

No, and you will be lucky to find good /cheap rental.

3: Are the meter taxis usually available? I took a taxi there once and had to wait 30 minutes after calling their number.

Plenty of taxis available, but sometimes not coming from just around the corner.....

4: Any songthaews driving around charging 10 baht for a seat like in Pattaya?

Songthaews are cheap city buses, and have numbered routes.........

5: How is the night life? I like nightclubs/discos sometimes and pubs other times, depending on mood.

4 (5) farang watering holes, several Thai discos, a few good restaurants with live music, and plenty other options in between............

6: Are the mosquitoes as plentiful at night as in the villages nearby?

Not that much of a problem in the city, but still there.......

7: Is it safe to buy seafood in supermarkets there (considering how far inland)?

Yes!

Good Luck - and maybe see you around one day

Thanks to everyone for the answers. After reading the post "Farmers Sob Stories" that some of you have contributed to, maybe I will rethink the tractor. Im almost certain that my wifes relatives will make use of the tractor and FIL labor and not pay for the gas or anything else, maybe give them an IOU, but Im sure I or my FIL will never see one baht from them. Same thing when her brother borrowed 70k baht from me to get married. One year later not a single payment to me. I am not a newbie in Thailand, but still not the smartest guy.

Many are not "the smartest guy", but I take my hat off, for the one who admits it.

A video is indeed a great idea...

I will try to put Kylie 'I'm spinning around' sound track to it..

We have actually named her Kylie

Hope she don't get too frustrated, and bangs her head too often. All the best to Kylie!