Lourens

These guys must have all gone to the same school (the people - not the cows). It looks same same like the Moo Baan in our Moo Baan.

The following is an excerpt from the book I'm writing on living in Isaan. I appologise if it's a bit long winded, but I feel it addresses the problem adequately:

Ants are the woe of my existence. They seem to be everywhere. And no matter how hard I try, I cannot seem to get rid of them. The problem starts with us humans. I have a very hard time to try and convince the family to keep things clean. That way, the ants won't have a reason to enter the house. But, try as I might, there will always be some kind of food stuffs laying about. Even the smallest little bit of food will attract ants. It's a law of nature. And because ants are so small, they will find the tiniest crack to crawl through.

I went on a rampage at one stage and declared all out chemical war on the little buggers. It started with soap. I cleaned all the surfaces, washed all the dishes, scrubbed all the floors. The place was spotless. Then I took cans of bug spray, those cans with the long spout, and sprayed the inside of the house, into every little crack and crevice that I could see. Next came the chalk. It's a white stick just like the stuff my teacher used on the blackboard. You draw a line (you've got to draw the line somewhere) on any surface where an ant might wander. If an ant then crosses this line, its game over. Very effective stuff this and well worth the few Baht it costs. The inside of the house was protected, or so I thought.

On to the outside. Here I used the old fashioned spray pump with dedicated ant poison. You have to be careful with this stuff. I got a nice buzz from it and had dizzy spells from it for days after. I sprayed all around the house, in the garden where ever it looked like an ant might make his home and especially around the trash cans.

The scene was set. I could now sit back and enjoy an ant-free zone. This lasted about two days. Then the first ants started to appear again. Small in number at first and I thought they may be those that escaped the initial onslaught and will be zapped by my defenses in and around the house. “Give them rope, they'll hang themselves soon enough.” I said.

Next day, there were more of them. I had to make an inspection. Walking around the house revealed a thin line of ants crawling up one wall and entering the house via the ceiling. They will go to any lengths to get to whatever little scrap of food is available. Have you ever wondered why ants walk in those straight lines and how they do it? They walk that way because it is easy for them to follow a route to the food. How they do it is actually quite disgusting. The scouts go out to hunt for food and finds it. They eat – its been a long journey. On their way back, the food is digested and they do what every living animal do. They defecate. When they get back to the nest, the other ants follow the poo trail to the food, they eat and on their way back, they defecate. The rest of the nest have no problem following the brown brick road to the promised land of milk and honey. Try drawing a line, with your finger, across the line where ants walk. They will act all confused for a little while until a few of them pooped enough again to link the trail. Disgusting but fascinating none the less.

Anyway, it seemed I had missed a spot up in the ceiling. I did all the necessary spraying and drawing but it lasted just a few days before they were back. The bottom line of this story is – get used to them they will be around for ever. You may be able to reduce their numbers for a little while or even keep them in check, but you will never be able to get rid of them completely. Ants are not that bad really. An experiment done by some scientists found that there are actually no bacteria on ants. That’s why the Thais eat them . . .

I have tried all the potions and traps and poisons on the market but all of them are useless if you don't get rid of the root. Cleanliness, that’s the secret.

Bt100 is cheap but beware: I paid that and the quality of dirt they delivered to our yard was very poor. Full of rocks and after the first rains, the whole place sprouted with weeds.

Make sure of the quality of dirt and pay a little extra if you plan a garden in the future.

Talking of the Govenor of Buriram . . .

What's the name of the Governor of Buriram? And who is Khun Supot? Is it the same man? Anybody know? I met Khun Supot a few times. Very nice man. He loves the 100 Pipers.

Welcome back macb. We missed you. This thread nearly died. I kept looking and looking and got a little worried that it might disappear of the first page. Thanks to those who kept it alive.

I appologise if I flew off the bat there but I cannot stand any remarks about racism especially out of context as this remark clearly, was even as a joke. You're right - this a humour forum and it should make us laugh or at least smile. But it just makes my blood boil if someone starts making remarks about racism. Racism is a word made up by some narrow-minded self appointed social police to try and tell us how we should live our lives. I hate the word and I hate the concept. I know all about racism and its complications and can probably write a book on the subject. All I'm saying here is: Think before you make a remark like that on a forum like this.

I've said enough and I won't be drawn into any further discussion.

Very good , though as a skinny little white guy myself I found

it slightly racist.

How the FUKC did you find that racist??!!! Would it be any better if it was an Indian and a Chinese?

Come on now - Grow up . . .

Am I the only one who actually dislikes fancy hotels? Give me a small family run hotel anytime. My favorite are actually more of a guest house type than a hotel. Clean, nice rooms, good hot water pressure, good air con and cable TV. Everyone knows your name and you feel like you are valuable.

I agree.

When I'm in Bangkok, the Honey Hotel Sukumvit Soi 19. Cheap, friendly and convenient.

What's the name of the Governor of Buriram? And who is Khun Supot? Is it the same man? Anybody know? I met Khun Supot a few times. Very nice man.

This is how I see it from a rural Thai village:

Having children is a social security thing. In the area where I live, there are no homes for old people and the children take care of their elderly. More children - better care in your old age. It makes sense in a society where the elderly don't have the luxury of pensions from the government or had the financial means to invest for the future. I see it as natural that a young girl would want children. It is her way of providing for the future. And if she can have a child from a farang who may even support her and her child, so much the better. I may be cold hearted about this but in some of these cases, I won't be surprised if the lady only uses a farang simply to provide for her old age and love for the man has nothing to do with it. She will love her child and give him/her the best upbringing she can because this is her investment for the future.

Am I right?

I would imagine that the new UN Secretary General wouldn't get much respect from Thai people with a name like "Ban Kee Moo".

The new PM will rename Thailand as Koochi Coochi. Then in future any uprisings will be known as a Koochi Coochi Coup.

*

You made two good points there maxx

I lived in a small village just outside of Buriram town for more than a year at one stretch and enjoyed every moment of it. Then unfortunately I had to go and get a job again for a year. And now it looks like I'll be back in Buriram again for a while at the end of this month. A good description of my lifestyle can be found on My BLOG. Print it all out and take it on your next bog visit (unless you have to squat).

I tried posting the following HTML code complete with square brackets before and after:

<table border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0">

<tr><td><embed src="http://www.worldtimeserver.com/clocks/wtsclock001.swf?color=FF0000&wtsid=TH" width="200" height="200" wmode="transparent" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" /></td></tr>

<tr><td><h2 align="center">Buriram</h2></td></tr>

</table>

But it comes out looking like this:

<table border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0">
<tr><td><embed src="http://www.worldtimeserver.com/clocks/wtsclock001.swf?color=FF0000&wtsid=TH" width="200" height="200" wmode="transparent" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" /></td></tr>
<tr><td><h2 align="center">Buriram</h2></td></tr>
</table>

It's supposed to show a clock. What am I doing wrong?

I tried and I tried and I tried. The best I could to was to add links to MY BLOG. Go take a look. It's in a block on the right.

Buriram Time

You can add a link to this site THE WEATHER IN BURIRAM

Works really well.

[WEll Laurens sounds good idea jummp on board and create the link ot tell me how to do and I wil with pleasure, not usre how to do the weather link mate al help gratefully recieved]

macb

Sorry mate. I have no idea how to add a link. Maybe a Moderator could help? Or maybe it could become a pinned topic at the top of the page. There could also be weather information all other districts in Isaan or Thailand for that matter. Now is that a good idea or WHAT?

You can add a link to this site THE WEATHER IN BURIRAM

Works really well.

Count me in. I think that makes eight confessions. But there's a lot more. I just returned from there a couple of days ago. I met a few people over time and a beer amongst others, Thaicoon, Colin the Computer (but he's in Prakon Chai) and a few others. But I don't mind sharing the Isaan forum. It makes for interesting reading sometimes.

So then you just slide across the dirt trail to reach the fountain of refreshment?

Our cat think of it as a fountain of refreshment loving it to drink water from here. And you know how cats are - a mind of their own. Now, I was thinking, if I could combine these two . . . .

Anyway, I always knew those PT classes in school had to be good for something. In my old age I can still stretch and keep limber with every movement. But it does seem to become tricky after a late night out. Balance is everything. Good thing we don't have a squatter toilet. Imagine the confusion. Squat for a number two, then stretch for a fountain fanny flush and then grab the cat to wipe. OMG!!

Otherwise in February the neighbours will think you are seriously religious when they hear daily you scream "JJJJJeeeeeesssssssuuuuuuussssss!!!!!!!!!"

I can just picture that!

Spray all the way. Then wipe to dry. Where I live now, we only have a bidet (if that's the right spelling). It's like a little water fountain in a bowl next to the shi**er. The problem is when you've done your business and then have to move over to the fountain. Not every movement is the Teflon coated kind where only a light dusting is required. Sometimes there will be remnants and they will always fall off just as you move from bowl to fountain. The fountain itself is a pleasure to behold with hot and cold running water and even a lever to switch from fountain to flush. Aaah, the good life. Just one thing to remember - Never, ever use only the hot water unless you like boiled eggs and a fried a_hole for breakfast.

It's funny you should ask. I've just been reading this great big book on "How to put your rat down" and evidently you could either hit them with the book or shoot them just above the nose.

(With appologies to MP)

I just give her everything I own and let her take care of me. It works for me and we are both happy. It was difficult in the beginning to teach her how to work according to a budget but well worth the effort now. She saves money every month and we can have a holiday every three months. Living expenses in our neck of the woods runs to about 20000 Baht a month and we have a 12y/o son and take care of mama. The only fixed expenses are water and electricity and the telephones. We recently bought a car but that should not influence your decision on how much to budget for living in LOS. Be very patient and teach your wife what a budget is all about. It bears fruit in the end. Chok dee Krap.

Are you tired of those sissy "friendship" poems that always sound good, but never actually come close to reality? Well, here is a series of promises that actually speak of true friendship. You will see no cutesy little smiley faces on this card - just the stone cold truth of our great friendship.

1. When you are sad -- I will help you get drunk and plot revenge against the sorry bastard who made you sad.

2. When you are blue -- I will try to dislodge whatever is choking you.

3. When you smile -- I will know you finally got laid.

4. When you are scared -- I will rag on you about it every chance I get.

5. When you are worried -- I will tell you horrible stories about how much worse it could be until you quit whining.

6. When you are confused -- I will use little words.

7. When you are sick -- Stay the hel_l away from me until you are well again. I don't want whatever you have.

8. When you fall -- I will point and laugh at your clumsy ass.

9. This is my oath..... I pledge it to the end. "Why?" you may ask;

"because you are my friend".

Send this to 10 of your closest friends, then get depressed because you can only think of 4.

Friendship is like peeing your pants, everyone can see it, but only you can feel the true warmth.

Or go buy a pirate copy of Microsofts' Flight Simulator for about 80 Baht. Everything in there plus you can get updates from the internet.