When I first started coming to Thailand about 6-7 years ago, I fell in love with Samui and ended up living there for 5 years, got married etc etc
Unfortunately I've developed pretty serious epilepsy and the regular seizures really scare and upset my wife. She begged me to move to her home where we can get some help when things go bad. So we did just that.
Since we've been here I've done a lot of modernising to the home including hot water, proper kitchen, proper furniture, sofas, beds etc - and the house is very comfortable. We don't have power cuts but the water does seem to go off regularly which is weird.
We're not right out in the sticks, we've got a 7/11 at the end of the road and a small town about 10km away. It is big rice farming country, so loads of massive trucks, tractors, weird motorbike trailer things, big harvesters etc. Community is very close and everyone very friendly.
I am literally the only farang around and at times its almost like being a bit of a celeb, people have asked for selfies and all sorts, quite strange. But I've also made a lot of connections and nice to drive around with most people giving you a wave or saying hello.
The only thing I really HATE about living here is the fkin music! Everyone seems to have huge sound systems, some in their homes, some mounted on trucks etc and it seems like the louder and more powerful it is the more people will be impressed. Even the temples play music from 5am sometimes. On the days where someone is becoming a monk the bass can shake your windows and there's frick all you can do about it because they get written permission beforehand. Supposed to remember Kreng Jai - but fook me is it infuriating at times. I had to invest in a good pair of noise cancelling headphones haha. Its not everyday either but on the days that people are celebrating something it can be very noisy. And there seems to be a lot of celebrating going on haha
But apart from that I really love living here. Cheap, slow pace of life, friendly, good natural fishing, lots of family etc. I've also been feeding the dogs round here and made a name for myself as "that farange who comes and feeds the dogs" haha. So be it!