Dakling

Yeah, been here a long time already and normally shit like this is water off a ducks back but for some reason this one did my head in. Thought posting it as a vent was better than acting out on it in real life.

At the end of the day the whole thing only cost be about 2,500 baht but the money was trivial compared to the high blood pressure.

How about take this money to improve existing rail lines, add/improve rail lines to container ports, establish container handling yards at the larger Issan cities and the border crossings to Laos and Cambodia. Then ensure the transport rates are low enough that a majority of the current heavy truck traffic is reallocated to rail transport. This would greatly reduce the amount of non-agricultural heavy traffic from the roads reducing bus and passenger vehicle travel times while improving road safety. It would also reduce the damage to road surfaces that is currently being done by overloaded trucks.

In all honesty how many Thais headed home to Issan for songkran will be able to afford a high speed rail ticket and how many wealthy Thais go to Korat?

Oil price went down recently, will the Rubber price follow?

Not necessarily. Butadiene is a better predictor of synthetic rubber production cost and it is made from methane, butane and/or ethanol. So it is more closely tied to natural gas prices than oil prices.

Global rubber consumption seems to be continuing to grow at a slow but appreciable rate while supply is falling off (based on Malaysian gov't data). We won't see prices change overnight as there is a large inventory that will need to be cleared but it is likely that prices will improve going forward. Natural rubber production is no longer a cash cow and other cash crops are supplanting it (punny huh!). While it is true there was plenty of planting done in the past few years up in Issan, the trends elsewhere have been different. For farmers you can get similar returns from cassava, palm oil, sugar or other cash crops without the long wait time on your investment so very little rubber has been going in elsewhere for the past few years. It may take some time for the production numbers to reflect this but there is a certain percentage of trees that leave production every year and they are not currently being replaced. While there are some farms with 5 year old trees on them waiting to come into production there don't seem to be any out our way that have been planted in the past 2 or 3 years. Other than in 2008 and 2009 rubber consumption has gone up every year since 2001.

I have no idea what the price will do in 2016 but I will be very surprised if inventories don't go down somewhat this year. There is likely some supply that is elastic and will come back into the market if prices come up but I would imagine that rubber production is slow to react to these changes because of the long delay between planting and harvest. The actual global consumption and supply stats are really close to one another and it will only take a slight change for consumption to exceed demand and start to consume the inventory. It probably already has but the latest statistics I could find where based on Q3 2015 where supply and demand were equal but the trend showed a definite supply reduction with modest consumption growth.

Hopefully when folks get back to harvesting this year prices may come up a bit. I know there are no bigger pessimists and gripers in the world than farmers, and I wouldn't expect too much in 2016 but there is some reason to hope things might get better over the next few years.

On the other hand if we have another global recession like 2008 anytime soon, all bets are off.

Density is about .9g/cm3 so if you have a 250ml cup it would be about 225g. A standard US measuring cup is about 225ml so now you are looking at a touch over 200g. This is for dry straight latex so if you have water in it it will be a bit heavier for the same volume.

There is no way I would be getting into rubber these days. We have both cassava and rubber and at these prices the cassava nets more $/rai since you aren't paying staff year round. You also don't have to wait for the trees to mature, you get a crop at the end of the planting year. The trees we do have are 5 years old and my hope is that during the next 2 years prices will rebound but I have my doubts that we will see anything over 30 baht/kg anytime soon. Even if people stop planting new trees now there are more trees coming into production that have been planted over the last 5 years than there are trees coming out of production. It could be quiet a long stretch before we see prices recover. On good thing is that with natural rubber this low it now becomes cheaper than most butadiene sources so there should be some resistance to prices going even lower.

MIL just sold some at 12 baht/kg at the gate.

so wages were still nearly 10k per couple per fortnight.

Funny how this is seen as a poor wage. When the wife's siblings are short of money and there is no work locally, they often end up going to work in BKK or some other medium size city. They only earn at best 12k/month each and after expenses only can save 2 or 3 k baht each. These jobs are usually terrible too, both dangerous and unpleasant. If they could collectively earn 15-20 kbaht/month working locally and living in their own home they would be happy as clams. Since their cost of living in the village is nearly zero their wages would be almost 100% disposable income.

Wife's brother, sister and their spouses are eagerly waiting on our trees to be ready for production despite being well aware that the first few years will be very lean.

^

I figure pretty impossible to turn a profit on rice if you are paying 80k per rai up front and then doing it all contract plowing, labour, harvesting, etc. Just because the Thai's are willing to pay that kind of money doesn't mean that they will make a good return on the money. Many Thais I know who have a bit of money don't have a clue what to do with it. They only consider buying rental properties, buying land, buying gold or putting it in the bank at very low interest rates (likely below inflation). They don't know about, understand or trust equity investing so they buy what they understand. If they don't buy something with the money then as soon as their friends and family hear about it they will be getting hit up for loans too. I know in my wife's family they love their parents, their kids and their land, everything else comes second, (though depending on the individual the order as I listed might be reversed).

This has to be some sort of a wind up.

Most of the major crop prices are down including rubber, cassava/tapioca/man sapalang, rice, etc. We only grow rice for the families consumption on a small bit of land that is no good for anything else. Most farmers here now try to do a rotation where they do a 5 month rice crop when rainy season starts and then 7 months of cassava on the same land in dry season. Yields are poor for both but it keeps the land busy year round and they do make about double what they would off only one crop.

We have rubber and cassava, if I didn't have people who needed work I would only do the cassava as it is about the same money with no 5-7 year waiting period. If I didn't already have the land I wouldn't even think of farming these days. If you factor in the price of the land you can't even meet inflation on farming returns these days.

Just this week it has become clear to me that a lot of what you wrote has also happened to me. The villagers are gossiping because I drive a 125cc bike, haven't built a new house or bought a new car in my wife's name (even though we've done up her existing house nicely and she already has a 3 year old car). The gossip has gotten to the parents-in-law who in turn are putting pressure on her. Unfortunately this has put an enormous strain on our relationship to the point that I'm thinking of leaving. I was (we were) very content here up until a week ago. She's now actually sick from all of the stress. I like doing DIY around the house and some gardening. I've turned the place from being a dump into a nice, clean, well cared for home fit for any farang to live in. I understand that they're uneducated and inexperienced, but I'm gutted that we're being ridiculed for being clean, diligent, caring and financially careful. I can't understand why the villagers don't spend their time doing something more useful and personally rewarding than simply sitting around all day gossiping. I've never been able to deal with or understand this kind of mentality...

Sorry to hear things aren't working out so well for you. I think you have been very smart in how you are doing everything and I wouldn't change a thing in your behavior. There is hope that if the in-laws are good people they will see over time that your wife is happy and well looked after and they will stop putting the screws to her over money. It took a couple of years before my in-laws fully accepted me and trusted me to look after my wife's long term future. The first couple of years they were sure we wouldn't last so they put pressure to get everything out of me they could before I buggered off. I am not saying that this is exactly the same situation you are facing but if you hang in there things may get better over time. At some point it might be better to cut your losses and move on though, if pressure continues to mount on your wife to the point it is ruining your relationship I would move or at least go on an extended holiday somewhere.

It is odd how different villages react to us, my village loves to see me out gardening and doing projects around the house. Often there will be 2 or 3 old ladies sitting back watching me utterly amazed that I can fix stuff with my own two hands.

For me I would strongly consider the CB300f. It will do 160km/hr on the highway if you really want to. I don't think the 500f is much of an upgrade because it is such a de-tuned twin (low reving and set up for max fuel economy). A new 300f with a few minor accessories will cost you less than a good/clean used 500f and you will have a very similar bike for most real world situations. Also you can get service done at your local Honda shop and wont need to go to a big wing. If you could scratch the money together to get a CB650f, different story.

Planning on fertilizing our fire damaged trees over the next few days. These trees have scorched trunks down at the base though not ringed (the ones that were fully ringed have died already). The remaining damaged trees all look like they will recover over time as the outer layers of the trunk are slowly spreading to cover the damaged areas.

These trees are 5yrs old, rrim600s and I was wondering should I change the mix of nutrients in the fertilizer this year because of the damage or should I stick with my normal split of around 20-10-10 ?

We've got a mushroom farm a couple of hundred metres up the road. Wasn't there when we built the house 10 years ago, only built the "tents" last year, but every day there is a plague of flies. The only "good" thing is the people who own the mushroom farm are just down the road and they are plagued by the damn things too.

Never had the mushroom problem like you, but we often have issues like this with our neighbors. Usually it is something like a temporary frog farm that stinks to high heavens. Often it is constant loud music or burning garbage or whatever. Most times they just don't think about the impact on others.

Sold at auction yesterday, Udon province, 23.78 baht per kg.

Nice to see my two husband and wife teams of tappers finally earn 15k each over a one month period this season.

You mean 15k per group or 15k per tapper? Crazy good money if it is the latter.

I live in the wife's village 45km or so from town. In theory we could get by on about 10k baht per month but we never do. Life keeps cropping up.

Our fixed expences are only the internet at 600, electricity at about 800 (double for the 3 months a year I run the air), fuel usually runs about 2k/month, 6k does for food. We can live reasonably well on that. We eat pretty good with me buying whatever I want, our food price stays low because my wife grows much of our food. Most of our spending is a mix of annual bills, beer and other discretionary spending. Our (me, wife, step-son and MIL), true spending usually comes in at closer to 30-40k/month when you factor in everything. Getting set up to the point where I can be happy living in that range cost us about 3 million baht (vehicle purchase and house improvements). I don't know that owning your own home is any cheaper than renting a small apartment because I am constantly putting out 3-5k baht fixing or improving stuff around the house.

Thailand can be cheap but it ain't free and if you don't tend to live frugally at home don't expect to enjoy doing so here!

Got stung by 3 big black wasps or hornets. Solid black body, no other colours. One got me on the lip, in 2 minutes my lip was as big as a golf ball, very painfull. Went immediatly to a pharmacy and got an anti-inflamitory of some sort. 15 min after taking the drug swelling was down 50%. Not an experience I would choose to repeat.

In my viliage there is a Thai guy who has been told he will lose upwards of fourty rai because it lies next to a river and should be government land. He has owned it for awhile now but has no idea what to do to fight this confiscation. As bad as it hurts, it is not a Thai-Farang thing the Thais are getting screwed too.

Not so in my experience can speak a little Thai but integrated well in village life mind was born in a northern village myself. In fact I have two nights a week now teaching English to several local kids and 3 parents which is a nice break and a humble earner for me (before it starts I only accept veg grown local oh and the odd Leo so as not to be rude)

I understand what you are saying but my version of integration would be having a number of good local friends who I can have interesting conversations with and whom I also could have fun outings with. Just because I give their kids free English lessons I wouldn't consider them as friends regardless of how appreciative they are.

I think anyone contemplating a move to an Issan village should do their best to minimise the up front financial investment until they know for certian that they will want to live there for a long time. It is nigh on impossible to sell a big house built in some remote villiage and you would be lucky to get half your investment back out of it. Try moving to a nearby large town and rent a house for a year, go spend weekends with the family and see how it goes. This is also your chance to meet some of the local expats, some of whom you will need to steer clear of but some may become good mates over time. If that first year goes well then look to stay in the village for a longer period of time, maybe there is extra room in the family home or maybe there is an empty house in the village you can rent. Heck, let it be known you will pay 5,000 or 10,000 baht a month and people will move out of their house to let you rent it at that price. Try that for 6 months and then if things are still going well look at getting some land to build a place for yourself. If you want to live frugally in the future try to keep your house as small and as simple as you can so that people won't think you are made of money. Using local labour is a good idea to inject some cash into the comunity but be sure your build is very simple as they won't know how to do western style kitchens or things like that.

Even if you have the means to build a big mansion I think it is better not to do so. Build a simple house with lots of useable outdoor areas and you can make a very comfortable house for very little money. There is no one to impress in the village and you likely won't be entertaining unless you count the inlaws. If you are someone who likes to have freinds around and socialise regularly the village may not be the place for you. While there is the odd guy who learns the language well and who integrates well with the villagers that is the exception rater than the norm. Unless by integration you mean getting pissed with the local drunks every day over a bottle of Laokao, I do see some guys who "integrate" well in this fashion. If you can get by doing your own thing, can resist the lure of excessive drinking and have some western friends that are not too far away, then you stand a much better chance of success.

Another way to make your time in the village more enjoyable is to get out of the villiage regularly. Take some of the money you save by living in the village and travel. Spending some of the hot season at the beach or in some mountain resort can make that time of year a bit easier to take. For me I can take the village but it isn't really where I would choose to be if I didn't have our farm to manage and if we didn't have family commitments there. A number of guys who I talk to who live in villages say that it is "ok" and perhaps better than some terrible place where they lived before but that doesn't really sound like a ringing endorsement to me. While I feel living in the village is the best choise for me, wife and step-son for the time being I have to admit it is not the ideal situation for me and there are days when I am about ready to start packing and leave for good.

Is living in a village doable? Yes, I think so for many people but the real question is, is living in a village the best lifestyle for you and your spouse?

You are so right when you say it depends on the village. I am shocked when people paint all villages with the same brush. Each village in our area is different and has its own personality so to speak. This area was homesteaded in the time of my wife’s grandparents so most villages are Northern Thais from various places in the North. There are also villages with a distinct Isaan flavor as they were settled by people from further south. The nearest hill tribe villages are maybe 20 km away.

Some villages are neat and the houses and yards well maintained while others are neglected and an eyesore. A lot depends on the local leadership and the affluence of the farmers and businessmen in that area.

I suspect a lot of foreigners end up in desperate villages with desperate people because of how and where they met their partners. If people meet through more traditional methods of school, work or friends I am guessing things might not be so bad.

Agree with this 100%, in our area every village seems to have a different character.

My wifes family were very suspicious of me when we first got married and pushed my wife to try to get me to buy things and put them in her name as a way of safegaurding my wife's future. They figured that it was unlikely that our relationship would last. Now 7 years later the situation has changed dramatically. My wife and I fixed up the old family house to a very comfortable but not showey standard and we live there with the MIL. We got the land and the old house for free provided we took in the MIL which is no problem as she is great to have around.

The MIL is now the one who runs interference for us as she has put the word out that my money is for my immediate famly only. My wifes extended family are all happy to see that the MIL is taken care of as is my wife and step-son. The only time we ever get asked for money is to help out for local weddings or funerals, the MIL is in charge of deciding how much we give and it is usually a pittance. She has a long memory of who helped her and who didn't when she was trying to raise a family as a widow. The inlaws are also great at helping out with every day tasks and we get unlimited babysitting from the MIL. As our house is the renovated original family home we do get the in-laws dropping in daily but they are just there for a visit or to drop their kids of with the MIL while they go work on their farms or whatever.

If it wasn't for the wife's family being easy to get along with, I don't think I could hack it in the village. I couldn't live with the agro some people are describing. There are other things that do irritate me, the chickens, the dogs, the morning loudspeaker, burning trash (including plastic), useless Puyaiban, etc., but at the end of the day those are not make or break issues. I can speak a bit of Thai but I don't really have anyone to talk to in the village other than my wife. At first I was keen to work on my Thai but now I don't see much point in progressing as they rarely talk of anything other than what they will eat next, the weather or farm prices. I do have a number of western friends within a 60km radius or so and this is important for my sanity. I get out about twice a week to meet friends for a round of golf or a few beers and a chin wag. I also think to be successful living in the village you have to be ok with being alone in a crowd. I am happy with my books, computer, movies, etc. and don't need constant human interaction to be content.

The biggest issue my wife has nothing to do with other villagers though in early days they would upset her with impolite questions about me and our relationship (such as how much money we have or do I have any rich friends that would like to move to the village and marry them). My wifes biggest issue these days relates to the spouses and girlfriends of my friends. The Mia Falang crowd can be a bit of a mixed bag. Some of the older ones are always trying to tell my wife what to do and how to "manage" me, thankfully she just smiles and nods but she does tire of it sometimes. The biggest problem though is that some of my friends are single and my wife will see them with a new woman every now and then. This bothers my wife as she has her own (strict) ideas about fidelity and also because invariably the new woman peppers my wife with questions like, "how many women has my friend been with?", "is he really rich?", etc. This puts her in a bad place where she has to be evasive or lie because she doesn't want me to have problems with my friend even though she doesn't think much of his behaviour.

Perhaps I am completely wrong on this but it appears your rubber trees may be on government owned land. I base this on your comment that there are few legal land titles in the area. There are government documents which allow land for ag. use, do you have such a document? Or any document showing you have the right to farm said land where your rubber trees are planted?

If not its (land) is kind of like ''open range'' any one can use it and burning to bring on mushroms is popular as thats a cash crop for those with the matches. If this is the case, lots of luck, if your goal is profit.

I am not exactly sure what you are on about but much of the land in our area has limited formal documentation relating to land titles. We have documents that have been signed by the local PuYai and our immediate neighbors but these are not formal land titles. When we purchased our land and we registered the purchase at the local Ampur but we have no Chanote, Sor Por Kor or Nor Sor Sam or anything like that. We are in the process of having our land titled but don't know what form of title we will recieve. Under the previous government we were told we would get Chanote now we are being told it will be Sor Por Kor. People have been on this land farming for generations and we are not near any parks, rivers or forests. Our land is clearly defined with a fence line and no one has contested our claim on the land during the initial phase of the titleing process.

No one is coming on our land and purposly burning the trees, rather they are lighting their own land on fire and then not taking care of the fire. These fires then spread to our land, we also had some idiot decide to burn along our fence line where the road goes through, killing a full row of trees in the process.

Hi Dakling,

Its unfortunate to hear that you continue to have problems with your neighbours; have you been compensated for the damage earlier this year? If you have photos of the burnt trees I would be interested to see what they look like?

Have you (or your wife) considered a claim against your neighbour in negligence? I recall you had a representative from a government department to inspect the extent of the damage.

Good luck with the preventative measures you're taking.

J

We have never been compensated for damage and I would never expect to receive compensation.

In our area there are few to no legal land titles and the local vilage headmen are incredibly inept. We have had no government representatives inspect the damage and they have no interest in getting involved in a situation that may have some form of conflict.

When I first tried to see who had burnt our trees the locals all claimed the the fires were started far away and spread through their lands as well as ours. If we try to get the police involved we would have to pay them to investigate and I have no faith that they would actually do anything of value. I will try to post some photos of the damage in a week or two.