Is my Thai girlfriend trying to sell me a pup?

[Durio]

I live in Australia and in a long term relationship with a Thai woman.  We plan to move to Thailand full time in around four years from now.  She is from Korat but is happy to live anywhere in her country where I will be happy.  I live in a tourist city now and look forward to living somewhere a little more authentic and rural.  I had assumed that we would buy and build in the Chiang Mai vicinity but the annual smoke hazard seriously turns me off.  I have an allergy to smoke and cannot imagine how I could function if I stayed during that time of the year.  I have seen a few places in Issan but have not travelled too much.  I get a really good feel about the people and the culture in Isaan and can imagine us living and growing food and living a simple lifestyle which is our plan.  

 

My gf assures me that there are parts of Isaan that are "cold" but whenever I do research I do not see evidence of that.  She mentions Loei area as being cold but when I look at the monthly long-term statistic it is hotter than my city of Cairns in the topics of Australia.  So my question is are there elevated locations where one can live in Isaan that will stay significantly cooler throughout the year.  Whilst I am experienced with heat and am physically fit, I am a little apprehensive about the notion of undertaking physical work in the extreme heat of northern Thailand. 

 

I would love some advice from those with experience.  Thanks in advance. 

[PoorSucker]

It's only cold during the winter when  it goes down to 15 degrees nighttime, daytime still 24 degrees.

Summertime its' dry and very very hot.

 

This goes both for Issan and Chiang Mai.

 

I prefer to live by the sea where you get constant temperature year around and a cool sea breeze.

 

[Durio]

WOW...not very positive so far but thanks for your opinions.  I am wanting people to be honest in their feedback and advice.  

[tifino]

 

Interesting....

 

 

oh! - I mean the various Urban meanings for 'pup'

[Durio]

I think the origin of the term refers to someone being sold a puppy delivered to them wrapped up in fabric when they thought and had paid for a (much more expensive) piglet.

 

[ubonjoe]

A inflammatory post meant to deflect the topic has been removed.

[ubonjoe]

32 minutes ago, Durio said:

WOW...not very positive so far but thanks for your opinions.  I am wanting people to be honest in their feedback and advice.  

I have lived here in Isaan a long time and do not find the heat excessive.

Don't believe every post you read since many of those posting may of never been in Isaan before.

[Durio]

That is salient advice ubonjoe.  I will take it on board.

[Martyjustice]

The heat is on par with southern US, but the humidity usually runs a bit higher in Thailand. Everyone does seem to burn fields after harvest. So if the OP is allergic near the gulf may be a better choice.


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[dotpoom]

13 hours ago, Durio said:

I think the origin of the term refers to someone being sold a puppy delivered to them wrapped up in fabric when they thought and had paid for a (much more expensive) piglet.

 

Your lady sounds like a delightfull and accomodating lady.  Unfortunate that you would associate, what many would consider a derogitary term, with her. 

    I do hope though that you find a suitable place here where you will both have a happy life.

[Briggsy]

Khao Khor Petchabun. 700 m above sea level.

[simoh1490]

I live in Chiang Mai, arguably one of the coldest regions in the country during winter months and I've have been here for over 16 years, for me there are months for physical work and months not to. Here, typically, early February through late April is very hot and very dry, around May sees the South West monsoon so it's very wet but the humidity is much higher as a result. The rains last about five months but this is also variable, by October the temperatures should be starting to cool and November should see it 24-30 day time and 10-15 night time. Yesterday where I live it was 30 degrees during the daytime, last night the low was 18 degrees - later in December, in the nearby mountains, the temperature will drop to freezing.

 

So no physical work February through May, work with plenty of sweating from May through October and winter time, and now is when it's a good time for projects, make hay whilst the sun doesn't shine! 

 

As for the pollution: there are years when there is very little pollution and others when it seems excessive, if you're obsessed by numbers and keep reading the air quality statistics, the North is not the place to be. It helps to live in a rural environment during the burning season, it's far less noticeable than when living in the city.

[Durio]

Thankyou dotpoom for your response.  I really did mean that tongue-in-cheek.  She has no ill-intention nor do I suspect she ever would.  She has told me that I can pick anywhere in the country to live and she will be happy.

[Durio]

3 minutes ago, Briggsy said:

Khao Khor Petchabun. 700 m above sea level.

Thank you.  I will research this now

[Durio]

6 minutes ago, simoh1490 said:

I live in Chiang Mai, arguably one of the coldest regions in the country during winter months and I've have been here for over 16 years, for me there are months for physical work and months not to. Here, typically, early February through late April is very hot and very dry, around May sees the South West monsoon so it's very wet but the humidity is much higher as a result. The rains last about five months but this is also variable, by October the temperatures should be starting to cool and November should see it 24-30 day time and 10-15 night time. Yesterday where I live it was 30 degrees during the daytime, last night the low was 18 degrees - later in December, in the nearby mountains, the temperature will drop to freezing.

 

So no physical work February through May, work with plenty of sweating from May through October and winter time, and now is when it's a good time for projects, make hay whilst the sun doesn't shine! 

 

As for the pollution: there are years when there is very little pollution and others when it seems excessive, if you're obsessed by numbers and keep reading the air quality statistics, the North is not the place to be. It helps to live in a rural environment during the burning season, it's far less noticeable than when living in the city.

Thanks for that helpful info.  Is the smoke pollution worse in CM city because it is in a valley subject to an inversion layer at times?  Why is the smoke better away from the city?

[cornishcarlos]

Petchabun is very nice. We have a 33 rai plot on the Issan side of the same mountain range, near Chaiyphum.

Temps in the winter are very conducive to outdoor work :)

[mstevens]

14 hours ago, Durio said:

WOW...not very positive so far but thanks for your opinions.  I am wanting people to be honest in their feedback and advice.  

Don't forget that the parts of Isaan (or anywhere in Thailand for that matter) which are described as "cold" are relative.  There is nowhere in Thailand that is cold compared to what you would consider cold in Australia or other western countries.  And the cold season sometimes only lasts a very short time, as in days, before the heat returns.  And even those places which are "cold" for a period can be hellishly hot for many months i.e. much of the year.

[simoh1490]

2 minutes ago, Durio said:

Thanks for that helpful info.  Is the smoke pollution worse in CM city because it is in a valley subject to an inversion layer at times?  Why is the smoke better away from the city?

From experience of having lived in a high rise condo in the city and also currently, 22 kms out in a rural area on the edge of the mountains: 

 

In the city it's a combination of vehicle exhaust fumes and blown in smoke from rural areas, all of which are trapped by masses of concrete which get very hot during the day time. Visibility in the city can be very poor so even if you don't think it's too bad, what you see makes you believe that it is. Even outside of the burning season, the air quality in the city can be poor because of car exhaust fumes, the burning season just adds to that and compounds the problem.

 

In the countryside we're surrounded by trees so there's always good air flow and a breeze and we don't have the visual stimulus that makes us think the air is heavily polluted, even if it might be!

 

 

[Durio]

2 minutes ago, simoh1490 said:

From experience of having lived in a high rise condo in the city and also currently, 22 kms out in a rural area on the edge of the mountains: 

 

In the city it's a combination of vehicle exhaust fumes and blown in smoke from rural areas, all of which are trapped by masses of concrete which get very hot during the day time. Visibility in the city can be very poor so even if you don't think it's too bad, what you see makes you believe that it is. Even outside of the burning season, the air quality in the city can be poor because of car exhaust fumes, the burning season just adds to that and compounds the problem.

 

In the countryside we're surrounded by trees so there's always good air flow and a breeze and we don't have the visual stimulus that makes us think the air is heavily polluted, even if it might be!

 

 

That does make sense to me.  I have lived in some Asian cities in the past and as I age the constant noise and exhaust emissions annoy me more than when I was a much younger man.  My gf will buy about 5-10 rai somewhere once we agree on a location and preferably with a dam/s already constructed.  Then we will build a simple cool house which I will fund and we will start with the process of growing food.  

[Andyfez]

I've lived here 14 years, and the temperature is something you have to get used to.

The far north west is a little cooler. But that comes down to altitude.

The same goes for petchabun, or Issans Khao Yai region.

But if you have mountains you need to look out for extra rain.

The hot season is hot wherever you are.

This is Thailand

 

[wirat69]

The further you are from the ocean, the hotter in the daytime and the colder at nighttime.... as one poster already pointed out Loie, your location mentioned in your article, can be very hot in daytime and very very cold (body feel) at nighttime..... temperate climate is available closer to the seaboard.......

[Durio]

2 minutes ago, Andyfez said:

I've lived here 14 years, and the temperature is something you have to get used to.

The far north west is a little cooler. But that comes down to altitude.

The same goes for petchabun, or Issans Khao Yai region.

But if you have mountains you need to look out for extra rain.

The hot season is hot wherever you are.

This is Thailand

 

My rational brain was telling me that of course there are no cool parts of Thailand but as others here have pointed out the notion of coolness is a relative term.  And to my gf 18 degrees at night is cold!  Where I live has a hot and humid summer...so I know I can definitely handle the heat.  The question I need to answer now is do I want to endure it?

[simoh1490]

It's worth pointing out that almost all parts of Thailand can suffer during the burning season so trying to escape it completely, every year, may not be possible. This is because much of the pollution is blow in from Myanmar, Laos, China and in the South, from Indonesia hence it's helpful to look at a wind map in conjunction with the NASA Firms (firemap) to see what's happening where and to understand the source and impact of the pollution - the combination of those two tools should help you pick an area more easily:

 

https://www.windfinder.com/#5/15.0000/100.0000

https://firms.modaps.eosdis.nasa.gov/firemap/

 

 

[Durio]

6 minutes ago, simoh1490 said:

It's worth pointing out that almost all parts of Thailand can suffer during the burning season so trying to escape it completely, every year, may not be possible. This is because much of the pollution is blow in from Myanmar, Laos, China and in the South, from Indonesia hence it's helpful to look at a wind map in conjunction with the NASA Firms (firemap) to see what's happening where and to understand the source and impact of the pollution - the combination of those two tools should help you pick an area more easily:

 

https://www.windfinder.com/#5/15.0000/100.0000

https://firms.modaps.eosdis.nasa.gov/firemap/

 

 

That is great advice.  I had not thought of the bigger picture.  Thanks so much.

[zoza]

it is very unusual for a Thai lady to agree to move anywhere in Thailand so

if she has agreed to move anywhere I would take that as a big plus

the weather is mainly hot and hotter but no close family ties is what I would look

for if I had my time again . best of luck. 

[owl sees all]

I suggest around Kumpawapi in Province of Udon Thani. Can be devilishly hot in the March to September period but gets regular rain (more so than north of the Sakon Nakon road). Very agreeable temperatures from November to Feb'. Never gets cold. Just chilly for the Thais early in the morning (little fires outside houses).

 

Generally nice people. More akin to Lao than Thailand in some respects. Relatively cheap land which is always available due to people running up debts (hot sales). A few farang.

 

Check it out.

[Durio]

2 minutes ago, zoza said:

it is very unusual for a Thai lady to agree to move anywhere in Thailand so

if she has agreed to move anywhere I would take that as a big plus

the weather is mainly hot and hotter but no close family ties is what I would look

for if I had my time again . best of luck. 

Both her parents have passed away as she is already 43 years of age.  And some of her siblings live abroad.  Those who live in Thailand seem to have enough money to take care of themselves.  I think it would be nice to have her family around and too experience a close knit family.  I wonder what your experience of your partner's family was like?  And my gf already has her own lovely house on 6 rai in Nakhon Ratchasima.  Because she used to live there with her ex she does not want to move there and we both want to live more rural anyway.  I was not aware that it is unusual for a Thai partner to be willing to live anywhere.  Thanks for you advice.

[jcore]

Maybe just rent a place for a year and experience different locations? One  of the luxuries of retirement.

[Durio]

8 minutes ago, owl sees all said:

I suggest around Kumpawapi in Province of Udon Thani. Can be devilishly hot in the March to September period but gets regular rain (more so than north of the Sakon Nakon road). Very agreeable temperatures from November to Feb'. Never gets cold. Just chilly for the Thais early in the morning (little fires outside houses).

 

Generally nice people. More akin to Lao than Thailand in some respects. Relatively cheap land which is always available due to people running up debts (hot sales). A few farang.

 

Check it out.

I will check this out thanks.  Do you live there?

[Durio]

2 minutes ago, jcore said:

Maybe just rent a place for a year and experience different locations? One  of the luxuries of retirement.

I am considering that.  But I plan to spend a month (December) each year for the next three years driving around (my gf has a car in Thailand) and we can check out some of the areas that people are recommending.  My gf has the money already to buy land so we might try and secure that ahead of moving?  Not sure if the land value is increasing?