Diary of a farang in Isaan

[owl sees all]

Everything seems calm on the North East Front today.

 

Just whistled for a cup of coffee, and it arrived in under two minutes. Just as I like it, flavourwise*, but cold. Put it in the microwave, but had to ask Mrs Owl how to set it. She obliged without moaning. Something's going on.

 

Some rain this morning. Not much, but anything is a bonus.

 

* 3 in 1 coffee. Very consistent taste.

Edited September 22, 2020 by owl sees all

[faraday]

20 minutes ago, owl sees all said:

Something's going on

If you are absent for a few days, & then report you've been in the 'orspitul........????

[Fat is a type of crazy]

It's really windy here. The downside of being around gum trees is if they're not dropping branches or burning they're falling over. Had a few people killed in cars in the last year within 10km of here and a few houses smashed  in a recent storm. Mine aren't too close and more likely to fall on the neighbours.  

[owl sees all]

58 minutes ago, faraday said:

If you are absent for a few days, & then report you've been in the 'orspitul........????

I want to state categorically:

 

I feel fine.

Edited September 22, 2020 by owl sees all

[bluesofa]

12 minutes ago, owl sees all said:

I want to state categorically:

I am not suicidal.

So you're not risking the coffee then.

I just daren't ask what the three ingredients might possibly be.

[Lacessit]

3 hours ago, owl sees all said:

Everything seems calm on the North East Front today.

 

Just whistled for a cup of coffee, and it arrived in under two minutes. Just as I like it, flavourwise*, but cold. Put it in the microwave, but had to ask Mrs Owl how to set it. She obliged without moaning. Something's going on.

 

Some rain this morning. Not much, but anything is a bonus.

 

* 3 in 1 coffee. Very consistent taste.

I get the tinned coffee, Birdy or Nescafe. Then I microwave it for one minute, perfect. 15 baht against 30 - 60 baht at a coffee shop, yes I am a tighta##e.

Please note, OSA. You don't put the tin in the microwave, one pours it into a ceramic cup first.

I never ask my GF for coffee. Just keep the supply of kaow pat goong, pad siew gai, pad pat ruam, chicken biryani and mussuman curry coming, teerak. No, I'll pass on the frogs you just got fresh from your father's septic tank outfall.

 

[HighPriority]

On 9/20/2020 at 4:36 PM, owl sees all said:

Great stuff HP. How are you gonna fill it?

 

There’s an adjacent shed with a 400+ m2 roof area.

I’ll do a wet system where the down pipes will go underground across to the tank and discharge into the strainer baskets in the tank roof.

[owl sees all]

2 hours ago, Lacessit said:

I get the tinned coffee, Birdy or Nescafe. Then I microwave it for one minute, perfect. 15 baht against 30 - 60 baht at a coffee shop, yes I am a tighta##e.

Please note, OSA. You don't put the tin in the microwave, one pours it into a ceramic cup first.

I never ask my GF for coffee. Just keep the supply of kaow pat goong, pad siew gai, pad pat ruam, chicken biryani and mussuman curry coming, teerak. No, I'll pass on the frogs you just got fresh from your father's septic tank outfall.

 

I'm gonna try the tinned coffee as you say Lacessit. But 15 baht!!?? And then there is the microwave costs. I must point out that 3 in 1 is only about 4 baht.

 

I don't really like going into the business side of the kitchen (to the left). Firstly the ceiling is only 1-78 metres high and I'm 1-88. So I'm constantly stooping. And secondly, I had four sisters, and later, four daughters, and they would tell me "This is not the garden shed. Not the place for your experiments Owl. Get out!" Although I have to fix things, like the sink tiles.

 

I'm with you on the frogs. I have eaten them, along with snake and dog, but I'm more fussy now as I'm getting older. The other stuff; 'kaow pat goong, pad siew gai, pad pat ruam, chicken biryani and mussuman' might as well be in double dutch. I keep it simple; lots of leaves and fruit. Like nature intended.

 

Of course when you are in special forces, protecting the people from the baddies, you have to learn to eat just about anything.

[HighPriority]

On 9/20/2020 at 7:25 PM, FarFlungFalang said:

He might have to import the Leo because I pretty sure those photos are in Oz.Not sure where though the trees look like Blackbutt trees which grow on the east coast but it looks like he's wearing a westcoast eagles shirt with King Gee stubbies.

 

FFF ????

Fair effort, well done ????????
Darwin, NT.

Woolybutts.

Not West Coast ????

the shirt is my corporate livery and yes indeed King Gees ????????
Now don’t come back without two cases of Leo ????????

[owl sees all]

10 minutes ago, HighPriority said:

There’s an adjacent shed with a 400+ m2 roof area.

I’ll do a wet system where the down pipes will go underground across to the tank and discharge into the strainer baskets in the tank roof.

Look forward to seeing it in action. Tell us more about the liner. Will the water be fast enough to fill the tank? What dimension down-pipe will you fit?

Edited September 22, 2020 by owl sees all

[owl sees all]

2 minutes ago, HighPriority said:

FFF ????

Fair effort, well done ????????
Darwin, NT.

Woolybutts.

Not West Coast ????

the shirt is my corporate livery and yes indeed King Gees ????????
Now don’t come back without two cases of Leo ????????

I thing you said before you were in Darwin. 

 

Keep us up to date with any progress please.

[HighPriority]

On 9/21/2020 at 7:23 PM, bluesofa said:

 

 

We went to Nong Khai for a weekend with a group of friends (just before Covid). They all drove in three vehicles, apart from me. I cycled there and back (59km each way). It's accepted now.

I think my Thai family were a little surprised the first time we went out in the BIL’s dual cab ute (I think there was 6 adults and 6-7 kids ????) I jumped in the back with the kids.

They are pretty accepting of what I want to do and how.

They are simple village folk and my wife has I think, done well in explaining how farang are different.

 

[Lacessit]

5 minutes ago, owl sees all said:

I'm gonna try the tinned coffee as you say Lacessit. But 15 baht!!?? And then there is the microwave costs. I must point out that 3 in 1 is only about 4 baht.

 

I don't really like going into the business side of the kitchen (to the left). Firstly the ceiling is only 1-78 metres high and I'm 1-88. So I'm constantly stooping. And secondly, I had four sisters, and later, four daughters, and they would tell me "This is not the garden shed. Not the place for your experiments Owl. Get out!" Although I have to fix things, like the sink tiles.

 

I'm with you on the frogs. I have eaten them, along with snake and dog, but I'm more fussy now as I'm getting older. The other stuff; 'kaow pat goong, pad siew gai, pad pat ruam, chicken biryani and mussuman' might as well be in double dutch. I keep it simple; lots of leaves and fruit. Like nature intended.

 

Of course when you are in special forces, protecting the people from the baddies, you have to learn to eat just about anything.

My apologies, Owl. I thought you were reasonably proficient in Thai. Or is it only spoken word, a la Henry Rollins?

Kaow pat goong is rice with beans and shelled shrimp with an egg stirred in, teerak eats the heads. Pad siew gai is large flat noodles with chicken and cauliflower. Pad pat ruam, as per the attached photo, is stir fried vegetables, which I normally have with sai ua, northern Thai spicy sausage. Excellent for bowel movement, if that is not TMI.

4 baht eh? I did not realize I was living the high life.

I confess I have never been in any armed forces, apart from cadets in college. I guess that makes me unusual among TV posters.

[FarFlungFalang]

6 hours ago, owl sees all said:

I want to state categorically:

 

I feel fine.

Well fine then!Have it your way.I'm more like James..."I feeeeeeeeel good."

[owl sees all]

15 minutes ago, Lacessit said:

My apologies, Owl. I thought you were reasonably proficient in Thai. Or is it only spoken word, a la Henry Rollins?

Kaow pat goong is rice with beans and shelled shrimp with an egg stirred in, teerak eats the heads. Pad siew gai is large flat noodles with chicken and cauliflower. Pad pat ruam, as per the attached photo, is stir fried vegetables, which I normally have with sai ua, northern Thai spicy sausage. Excellent for bowel movement, if that is not TMI.

4 baht eh? I did not realize I was living the high life.

I confess I have never been in any armed forces, apart from cadets in college. I guess that makes me unusual among TV posters.

I get along just fine with my 20 or so words. Always thought that not learning Thai would be of benefit to the Thais I meet as they would have to attempt some English.

 

Many of the posters on TVF have been in special forces. Virtually all the Americans. Lots of tales to tell; the jungle, in the desert, airplane crashes, urban warfare etc. A couple of my American friends were here during the war. They liked it and came back later.

 

That food does look good Lacessit. Mine should be along shortly.

[FarFlungFalang]

53 minutes ago, HighPriority said:

FFF ????

Fair effort, well done ????????
Darwin, NT.

Woolybutts.

Not West Coast ????

the shirt is my corporate livery and yes indeed King Gees ????????
Now don’t come back without two cases of Leo ????????

I thought I recognised the power poles but couldn't place them.Only went to Darwin a couple of times installing science and technology exhibitions in the Museum and used to have a few coldies at the Yacht Club(?) or is it the ski club?Just checked and it's the ski club.We had a great time in Darwin drank way to much as we usually did on those trips.

[samsensam]

5 minutes ago, owl sees all said:

I get along just fine with my 20 or so words. Always thought that not learning Thai would be of benefit to the Thais I meet as they would have to attempt some English.

 

Many of the posters on TVF have been in special forces. Virtually all the Americans. Lots of tales to tell; the jungle, in the desert, airplane crashes, urban warfare etc. A couple of my American friends were here during the war. They liked it and came back later.

 

That food does look good Lacessit. Mine should be along shortly.

 

Always thought that not learning Thai would be of benefit to the Thais I meet as they would have to attempt some English.

 

haha that's one of the best excuses i've heard for not learning thai, it's good for thais' english. how about if you learnt thai you'd be able to communicate with the local people, it would remove the frustrations of not being understood, it would enable you to know what's going on without having information filtered through your wife, you'd be able to sort stuff out without relying on your wife/others, it would give you so much more independence... and you'd be able to help thais with their english because you could explain about to them about english in their own language?!

 

how would you feel if french/spanish/german people came to england and said they're not going to speak english because it would be good for english people to speak french/spanish/german? ????

[owl sees all]

7 minutes ago, samsensam said:

 

Always thought that not learning Thai would be of benefit to the Thais I meet as they would have to attempt some English.

 

haha that's one of the best excuses i've heard for not learning thai, it's good for thais' english. how about if you learnt thai you'd be able to communicate with the local people, it would remove the frustrations of not being understood, it would enable you to know what's going on without having information filtered through your wife, you'd be able to sort stuff out without relying on your wife/others, it would give you so much more independence... and you'd be able to help thais with their english because you could explain about to them about english in their own language?!

 

how would you feel if french/spanish/german people came to england and said they're not going to speak english because it would be good for english people to speak french/spanish/german? ????

Of course you are right Samsensam. When you put it the way you have, I'd be silly not to learn Thai. But I can multiply, and do other sums in Thai.

 

I'm gonna learn one new word every day from now on.

Edited September 22, 2020 by owl sees all

[Lacessit]

21 minutes ago, owl sees all said:

I get along just fine with my 20 or so words. Always thought that not learning Thai would be of benefit to the Thais I meet as they would have to attempt some English.

 

Many of the posters on TVF have been in special forces. Virtually all the Americans. Lots of tales to tell; the jungle, in the desert, airplane crashes, urban warfare etc. A couple of my American friends were here during the war. They liked it and came back later.

 

That food does look good Lacessit. Mine should be along shortly.

I thought it was more accurate to say most of the posters claim to be in special forces.

 

I've found it useful to learn Thai, even though I started very late in life. Not fluent, but most Thais understand me. Being able to ask where the toilet is, and understand the directions, can be very important when the need for said facility is pressing.

[FarFlungFalang]

13 minutes ago, samsensam said:

 

Always thought that not learning Thai would be of benefit to the Thais I meet as they would have to attempt some English.

 

haha that's one of the best excuses i've heard for not learning thai, it's good for thais' english. how about if you learnt thai you'd be able to communicate with the local people, it would remove the frustrations of not being understood, it would enable you to know what's going on without having information filtered through your wife, you'd be able to sort stuff out without relying on your wife/others, it would give you so much more independence... and you'd be able to help thais with their english because you could explain about to them about english in their own language?!

 

how would you feel if french/spanish/german people came to england and said they're not going to speak english because it would be good for english people to speak french/spanish/german? ????

If I learnt Thai I wouldn't need the wife.....wait for it...nah nothing,I though something might come to mind but no.I actually learnt to read and write Thai but have very little vocab and lack of practice means little progress but it does help with learning to speak it but people around here speak Lao so again little progress. 

[owl sees all]

4 minutes ago, Lacessit said:

I thought it was more accurate to say most of the posters claim to be in special forces.

 

I've found it useful to learn Thai, even though I started very late in life. Not fluent, but most Thais understand me. Being able to ask where the toilet is, and understand the directions, can be very important when the need for said facility is pressing.

Some of the Americans that I've spoken to since arriving in Thailand sound very convincing, and they get great military pensions. Much better than mine. A guy I spoke to last year was a 'Chief' in the US military, and he got 90k baht a month.

 

Toilets! I know where all the free toilets in Ban Dung are. I don't go into bars, and always use the same two restaurants. Not that I like the furnishings or anything like that; I simply trust the food will not do me an injustice.

 

Udon can be a challenge. I'll never go to BKK again. Well perhaps the airport.

 

 

[chickenslegs]

23 minutes ago, owl sees all said:

I'm gonna learn one new word every day from now on.

I've tried that.

By the time I get to day #10 I've forgotten the word I learned on day #1, and so it goes on.

But I can remember lots of words and phrases from the French classes that I hated in my childhood and have never used since.

[FarFlungFalang]

31 minutes ago, samsensam said:

 

Always thought that not learning Thai would be of benefit to the Thais I meet as they would have to attempt some English.

 

haha that's one of the best excuses i've heard for not learning thai, it's good for thais' english. how about if you learnt thai you'd be able to communicate with the local people, it would remove the frustrations of not being understood, it would enable you to know what's going on without having information filtered through your wife, you'd be able to sort stuff out without relying on your wife/others, it would give you so much more independence... and you'd be able to help thais with their english because you could explain about to them about english in their own language?!

 

how would you feel if french/spanish/german people came to england and said they're not going to speak english because it would be good for english people to speak french/spanish/german? ????

If I learnt Thai I wouldn't need the wife.....wait for it...nah nothing,I though something might come to mind but no.I actually learnt to read and write Thai but have very little vocab and lack of practice means little progress but it does help with learning to speak it but people around here speak Lao so again little progress. We've just had 4 blackouts in 1/2 an hour and three of them just as I'm about to hit submit after writing a post I had just finished writing this one saying we've had 3 blackouts with 2 coming as I'm about to hit submit but we just had number four.

[owl sees all]

12 minutes ago, chickenslegs said:

I've tried that.

By the time I get to day #10 I've forgotten the word I learned on day #1, and so it goes on.

But I can remember lots of words and phrases from the French classes that I hated in my childhood and have never used since.

I'm gonna give it a go. I'll report on progress.

[HighPriority]

1 hour ago, FarFlungFalang said:

I thought I recognised the power poles but couldn't place them.Only went to Darwin a couple of times installing science and technology exhibitions in the Museum and used to have a few coldies at the Yacht Club(?) or is it the ski club?Just checked and it's the ski club.We had a great time in Darwin drank way to much as we usually did on those trips.

Hospitality is Darwin’s strength and weakness.

You were connected to one of the southern museums ?

[HighPriority]

33 minutes ago, owl sees all said:

I'm gonna give it a go. I'll report on progress.

In Thai owl ! ????????????

 

ps

My tank volume is 275,000 Lt.

[Lacessit]

1 hour ago, chickenslegs said:

I've tried that.

By the time I get to day #10 I've forgotten the word I learned on day #1, and so it goes on.

But I can remember lots of words and phrases from the French classes that I hated in my childhood and have never used since.

It's much easier to learn a language when you are young than when you are old. I learned Latin, French and German with ease as a schoolkid.

Our brains are like a glass being filled with knowledge. Plenty of room when we we are young, not much room left when we are old. Persistence is the only viable strategy left.

I reinforce my Thai by only using Thai when I speak to my GF. She responds in English, or starts a conversation in Thai. We sometimes have some fairly hilarious misunderstandings.

I confess. I learn Thai swearwords from her, and she learns English ones from me. I have a bit of an edge, as the longer ones are difficult for her. They are mainly used when we play pa som sip, the Thai national card game.

[faraday]

8 hours ago, owl sees all said:

A guy I spoke to last year was a 'Chief' in the US military, and he got 90k baht a month

Yes, that's what he said. It seems as if every time I meet a farang, they have an amazing life story which they just have to tell you...

A guy I met in Udon who 'had a body shop business in the UK, didn't need to work'. A £10million business as well.... doubtful. Still, Lloyd George knew my father ...

Never mind.

 

Rains not appeared since Sunday night, & yesterday was cloudy until lunchtime. 

Finding it quite difficult to get whole fresh chicken here in NBL, which is annoying, as I enjoy making a good soup. 

 

Think I need to see an Opthalmologist, the vision in my left eye is a little cloudy/unclear, & lenses don't correct it.

That'll mean a trip to Udon on Sunday. 

 

Right, gonna take my son out....????

[Fat is a type of crazy]

10 hours ago, Lacessit said:

My apologies, Owl. I thought you were reasonably proficient in Thai. Or is it only spoken word, a la Henry Rollins?

Kaow pat goong is rice with beans and shelled shrimp with an egg stirred in, teerak eats the heads. Pad siew gai is large flat noodles with chicken and cauliflower. Pad pat ruam, as per the attached photo, is stir fried vegetables, which I normally have with sai ua, northern Thai spicy sausage. Excellent for bowel movement, if that is not TMI.

4 baht eh? I did not realize I was living the high life.

I confess I have never been in any armed forces, apart from cadets in college. I guess that makes me unusual among TV posters.

 

For me  the irony of Thai food is that the stuff our wives make us tastes good but, in my case, the food they eat themselves is something else.

My ex would prefer her fried salty fish that would  stink up the kitchen, cooking tiny crabs with no meat  in some black sauce, funny soups with some herbs that would make me gag. Some of it was nice but most not to my taste.

The she’d cook  a big fish for me that looks like it came from a restaurant.

 

 

[Will27]

11 hours ago, owl sees all said:

I'm gonna try the tinned coffee as you say Lacessit. But 15 baht!!?? And then there is the microwave costs. I must point out that 3 in 1 is only about 4 baht.

 

If you like 3 in 1, try the Vietnamese brand G7.

 

They have a few types but I really enjoy the Strong x 2.

They also make a decent espresso.

 

 

Edited September 23, 2020 by Will27