3 hours ago, bwpage3 said:

You have to admire all the posts that begin with "I plan on moving in 5 years" as if nothing will ever change?

 

Who knows what Thailand will be in 5 years or how they will manage to come out of the financial mess they are in due to the pandemic?

 

Any one want to guess on the baht rate 5 years from now?

 

In Isaan, they speak a different dialect of Thai. 

 

If you can manage NEVER speaking with anyone but your wife the rest of your life, you will be just fine.

 

As far as farming? Back-breaking work with no return ever. The system is set up so all the millers and middle men make the money while the farmers barely survive.

 

Try farming when it is 110f outside and there is no water to be found.

 

Not for you then ????

hey everybody be quiet! Issan Acres is on! 

 

 

15 hours ago, Surelynot said:

He will only need to put in 400,000 for a few months (2 or 3?) each year if he goes for a marriage extension.

Trouble is it's an unneeded worry.

As suggested before, put the B800000 in the bank and forget about it. Think of the B800000 like life insurance, so when you die your wife will have enough money to keep going.

(Mind you the way they spend money it might only last a short time. :). It's the thought that counts. ????)

11 hours ago, Lacessit said:

Thai roosters have no time sense, they are crowing at 2 am. I'm used to it.

We have a deranged rooster. Names 'Tong' or similar sounding to this deaf falang. They're all called 'Tong'. This ones called 'eeeee Tong' said in a harsh voice. 

So the Thai niece came over for a visit from a far of country just before the lockdown started. She got stuck here. So after a few months she complained about all the 'Tong' noise and all the chickens/Tongs were banished to one of the farms, except this little white chicken they couldn't catch. The chicken grew and was all alone (sob) so BIL got a rooster to keep it company. Now just the 2 of them wonder around the compound and this <deleted>****g or 'eeee Tong' crows all day and all night. 

Joys of living in Isaan.

12 hours ago, Lacessit said:

Thai roosters have no time sense, they are crowing at 2 am. I'm used to it

IMentioned it to my Thai Sister in Law 2 days ago. Asked <deleted> are 

with these chickens. Back home long long ago grandpa had chickens... cackle in the morning... these cackle seems like anytime...and night ..hmm maybe they are in competition with 

howling barking dogs..... we’re on the outskirts of the small village..

7 minutes ago, DJ54 said:

IMentioned it to my Thai Sister in Law 2 days ago. Asked <deleted> are 

with these chickens. Back home long long ago grandpa had chickens... cackle in the morning... these cackle seems like anytime...and night ..hmm maybe they are in competition with 

howling barking dogs..... we’re on the outskirts of the small village..

There are also the jingjoks, the big ones are quite loud and make a sound very similar to "f##k you". I respond in kind.

It seems that only 'townies' are answering this thread, and a sorry bunch they appear to be. 

"Bored" - means you don't have a Farang pub nearby where you can go get drunk, talk nonsense, eye the girls.

It also means that you don't see the work that is to be done on any property, either that or you are incapable or unwilling to get your hands dirty (only peasants do that).

We go to bed early, rise before dawn. If you can't do that then you won't fit in (you won't fit in anywhere if you aren't ready to integrate).

Morning run 8 K up to 20 K  5 times a week, breakfast made by my wife when I get back, take the kid to school, look after the dogs, see what needs doing in the garden, get the vegetables ready for midday meal. That's boring? There's enough going on in my head to entertain me and all of the above routine gets varied with time, in accordance with weather, newly acquired knowledge...and curiosity. 

Concrete driveway coming up soon, no labour will be employed, that'll stop me being bored.

By the way I do enjoy the occasional threads advising Thais how to farm, hilarious.

@cooked

 

You have to admit, rural village life is not for everybody!?

 

I couldnt do this if I could not entertain myself, economicle solid, a plan b, and also can cope to the heat, as well bugs in the rainseason. 
 

know what you are doing, and why you are doing it!

 

I do not see myself as old in A village, then I will be ready to move closer to a city with proper health care. 
 

My gym,  motorbike, and my dogs keeps me going, and also knowing Im not stuck here if deleted hits the fan.

I've been here in rural Udon Thani for 4 years, built a small house in 2016, the number 1 thing I have found is that you need to know and understand yourself more than anything.

I have a Thai girlfriend, been with her for 12 years, I don't want to get married, I don't want anymore children I am content with my lot.

I have everything I need here all within 25 km drive or ride, I sometimes do a 50 km round trip for a loaf of bread !, maybe crazy but up to me, I don't care.

The village I live in has another falang living here, been here years, he keeps himself to himself same as me, he lives 300 metres away and last time I spoke to him was months ago.

I am quite content with not having a meaningful conversation with anybody for days, weeks or months on end, it doesn't bother me. 

The internet, which is very good, keeps me connected to the world, I speak to my family back in the UK regularly and survive on a 90% western diet.

If I get bored I build something, building materials are cheap, I've built a water pump shed, a shed with an outside seating/bar area, a carport and just finished concreting a large area of my from garden, never laid a brick in my life previously.

The village is my girlfriend home village full of the scandals, problems and noisiness of any Thai village but what happens outside my wall has nothing to do with me, any problems outside stay outside.

I have invested time and money in this life but if it all ended tomorrow for any reason, I could walk away knowing what I have spent I would have spent living anywhere in the world.

 

OP .. I’ve live in Isaan just on the outskirts of small village 5 years coming January. As others suggested rent for 6 months or longer

to make sure you both can adjust enough to enjoy.

 

Fortunately we’re 3/4 km from the village center and don’t hear 

the loud music much, If Heat is a concern plan your adventure 

So your here when it’s hot. Now up in NE daytime @ 30 c which

nice in my opinion. 

 

We must of got lucky when we built our house done a little esrlier

than schedule and right on budget. The guy who owns the business 

Spoke very little English. If i had any questions or comments he had me write it down and next morning have an answer in English 

Same if he had a question or comments. 

 

His crew was here every day 08:00 to @ 17:00. He wasn’t here 

One day that he had to go to Udon Thani to order and pick up 

material. Very professional no drinking alcohol during work hours. 

 

I mentioned no drinking because we had a parameter block fence

built a different group of guys 1/2 work 1/2 drink...

 

Hooe whatever you decide all goes well...

3 minutes ago, Adiudon said:

 

I have everything I need here all within 25 km drive or ride, I sometimes do a 50 km round trip for a loaf of bread !, maybe crazy but up to me, I don't care.

 

 

I have a roundtrip of 160 kom to closest city, and the city I like around 260 km roundtrip. Who says you are crazy ????

 

However I have everything I need right here right now, so not worried. It is my freedom to choose, and man, how good it feels to go on holiday to these boring beaches after a month up in the village ???? 

Suspect my career and job will go away next year, wife will keep working for a few years, then make the jump and at least move until I'm 65 then move back for awhile, maybe.

 

I stopped planning what I'm going to do in a couple of years. There are always things happening, and who knows if you still have your wife then?

 

Do not spend so much money. First, live with her in a rural area and see how that goes. You'll be the outsider there. 

 

 Plenty of FB friends have passed away; they all had plans. 

Think long and hard about it always remember you are a 3rd class citizen here in Thailand you can learn to speak Thai but all these people up in Sticky rice land can speak Issan so that will really confuse you.

Im sure you have heard the saying all farangs are a walking ATM believe me thats what you will be.

I think many of us could give you loads of stories.

I knew a guy who was thinking similar to you it turned into a complete disaster he built a nice house for him and his wife or so he thought, the whole family just took over no privacy what so ever, this guy was still working the usual 1 month on 1 month off he would come back from work and the house would be trashed, he also did the farming bit thinking he was helping the family, they just took everything until there was no business left thinking he would just keep throwing money at it.

His so called brothers in laws were going to the shops getting a couple of beers and saying Farang pay he used to come to a big bill for all the beers they had.

2 years he had enough and left, 

8 minutes ago, ChipButty said:

Think long and hard about it always remember you are a 3rd class citizen here in Thailand you can learn to speak Thai but all these people up in Sticky rice land can speak Issan so that will really confuse you.

Im sure you have heard the saying all farangs are a walking ATM believe me thats what you will be.

I think many of us could give you loads of stories.

I knew a guy who was thinking similar to you it turned into a complete disaster he built a nice house for him and his wife or so he thought, the whole family just took over no privacy what so ever, this guy was still working the usual 1 month on 1 month off he would come back from work and the house would be trashed, he also did the farming bit thinking he was helping the family, they just took everything until there was no business left thinking he would just keep throwing money at it.

His so called brothers in laws were going to the shops getting a couple of beers and saying Farang pay he used to come to a big bill for all the beers they had.

2 years he had enough and left, 

I do not think this is the norm, but yes you hear stories like this all the time. 

 

I have her parents working with us 4 days a week, and then long weekend where they do their things on their land or home. If my gf need to see them, she go there. It is okay to set limits and not get used by them, but also help them is of course part of it. So I give them work and free fruit and vegetables, and if they sell something on the marked, they come back with the money as they should do. 

 

Warning signs is trouble in the family, drinking, yaba, gambling, and family conflicts with uncles and aunties as cousins, sister and brothers. I have heard stories, but not seen examples myself. Maybe been lucky.

 

know you gf and her friends, as family, and be aware of you will marrying the whole family for good and bad. 

Spent 7 yrs part time in Isaan, not super Isaan as it was only 20 km to mall and Makro, but still as mentioned before the family simply takes over. I'm a lucky one who didn't spend all my money on house. I figured I had really worked too hard all my life to end up there for my retirement. We moved 600 km south, daughter has a good school, I have the beach 1 min away. 30 minutes away from sin city, a few pubs locally, 7-11 is 20 sec away. No way jose would I move back, I bought another house here. 

3 hours ago, carlyai said:

Trouble is it's an unneeded worry.

As suggested before, put the B800000 in the bank and forget about it. Think of the B800000 like life insurance, so when you die your wife will have enough money to keep going.

(Mind you the way they spend money it might only last a short time. :). It's the thought that counts. ????)

Planning on dying penniless......timing is everything....555

9 hours ago, Tagged said:

You have to admit, rural village life is not for everybody!?

Your absolutely right...   

There is some very good advice posted on this thread if the OP wants to sift it out from all the "noise".  I personally have been coming here for over 20 years and lived here permanently for the last 4 years and rarely am bored there is always something to do.

To keep busy I have dogs, cats, chickens and a garden to look after. Then there is the yard to try and manage especially the weeds. There are a couple of other guys close that speak English if I really need to chat with someone other than the Missus.  To me life in Isaan is good.

 

22 hours ago, bwpage3 said:

You have to admire all the posts that begin with "I plan on moving in 5 years" as if nothing will ever change?

 

Who knows what Thailand will be in 5 years or how they will manage to come out of the financial mess they are in due to the pandemic?

 

Any one want to guess on the baht rate 5 years from now?

 

In Isaan, they speak a different dialect of Thai. 

 

If you can manage NEVER speaking with anyone but your wife the rest of your life, you will be just fine.

 

As far as farming? Back-breaking work with no return ever. The system is set up so all the millers and middle men make the money while the farmers barely survive.

 

Try farming when it is 110f outside and there is no water to be found.

I moved here permanently back in 97 after the crash  in to a   very rural area, it was very much like it was  before the crash ,like it is now, farming is carrying on  same as before the pandemic ,in fact we just sold some cattle and done very nicely thank you, not a good year on the arable side.

So I have been told minimum  price of rice this year is 15000 baht/ton ,not a bad price ,government is helping out ,so the middle men will not be making all the money .

I can go weeks some time without speaking any English ,just speak Thai all day ,so the op needs to lean some Thai /Lao  so, look in to some proper structured courses /lessons , it does open up the world for you ,some will say that is BS ,look at this way, do you what to drag the wife /family member out with you when you  want to by a bag of 3-inch nails or what ever? for ever .

As for working  out in 110f without any water ,you deserve to have problems, all Thai 's when working out side will have water with them ,and this frang most certainly does.

Only thing I agree on is the Baht rate who know s what it will be then. 

9 hours ago, kickstart said:

So I have been told minimum  price of rice this year is 15000 baht/ton ,not a bad price ,government is helping out ,so the middle men will not be making all the money .

 

Rumor on you quote.???? All rice mills that I passed on a 115 km drive it was a heck of alot of them..11 baht kilo by me up to 13 baht kilo an that is for #1 rice which you are not going to get. BTW this was on the 214 highway straight up the heart of Surin.

 

10 hours ago, kickstart said:

 

I can go weeks some time without speaking any English ,just speak Thai all day ,so the op needs to lean some Thai /Lao  so, look in to some proper structured courses /lessons , it does open up the world for you ,some will say that is BS ,look at this way, do you what to drag the wife /family member out with you when you  want to by a bag of 3-inch nails or what ever? for ever .

 

I'm afraid that after learning some Thai back home the shock of realising that nobody in the village, including family, spoke Thai normally, was problematic. I learnt French, German and Swiss German as well as some Portuguese pretty easily, but Thai has me stumped. I can read most of it but my pronunciation is <deleted> and my vocabulary about 1000 words (+ numbers), mostly to do with farming and my sport, running. So even reading a word doesn't necessarily mean I know what it means.

Ditto, I see a Farang or two in BigC once a week, use very little English apart from with my wife and granddaughter. I spent the last 10 years of my working life without employees so have no problem with this.

On 11/5/2020 at 4:44 PM, Brunolem said:

First, you need to be the lonesome type... I can stay for months without talking once to a farang... no problem. 

 

Join the  club, but  Ill add talking to anyone really.

23 minutes ago, cooked said:

I spent the last 10 years of my working life without employees so have no problem with this.

To stay sane I prefer not to learn Isan, I understand some thai, but that is not more than just basic to get trough the day, and of course alot of misunderstandings and confusion.

The language will always be a problem I learn't to speak Thai pretty quick in the early days I did go to school and I used to write down 5 words a day mainly things we do everyday I did work them days, I picked up on the accents how they say Walve not Valve.

I never let them know how much Thai I could understand I've caught them out a few times slagging me off thinking I dont understand.

I cant sit and listen to them all day gives me headache, when you do understand them they are only talking rubbish all day.

Like I say to most people give it a trail run 3 months here 3 months there and only rent, personally I did look at other places as far up as Loei that was too remote, Udon Thanni nope, CM nope, I prefer down south being honest I wanted to be near the beaches thats where I am now even that 20 years ago was not easy we didn't have an ATM in the area, no 7/11 nor a bakery

57 minutes ago, Tagged said:

To stay sane I prefer not to learn Isan, I understand some thai, but that is not more than just basic to get trough the day, and of course alot of misunderstandings and confusion.

I did have a friend years ago who stopped learning Thai, This language is designed to keep you stupid 555

26 minutes ago, ChipButty said:

 

Like I say to most people give it a trail run 3 months here 3 months there

I spent decent time at their family house, upgraded the bathroom and their kitcen and our bedroom. Well worth money and time spent. No red flags, and I found out they was decent people, and the rest of the family to, and especially no big drama inside the family. The neighborhood and the village the same. Of course som yaba heads, gamblers next door keeps you awake once and awhile, the morning ritual with a shot of lao khao before work at the smal local shop, but non of her closest family drink anything anymore. So to keep investing for my future with my gf was an easy move especially after seing the helping their daughter out with the new land and not asking for money. I guess they invested in me as I did in them, and it pays off I think. But there is a but, if you feel it is only going one way, and you provide everything, just forget it, that feeling will not let go and will hunt you as long your relationship last. Been there done that, and got out of it early enough to take it as a good lesson learned. 

 

Our monthly basic  budget with electric, salery to parents, food, diesel and gas. 30 000,- cant beat that anywhere else. 

 

Of course insurance, travels and other things is kept outside. 

 

Living like this make the holidays alot better, and we have daily routines that keeps the life interesting and boring enough to feel releif to get off for a week or two. 

Warning! This is a boring post from a guy that has "done it".

 

In 2011 I decided to leave the "rat-race" behind and park my rear somewhere in rural Thailand.
Had plenty of Thailand experience from before, so I knew what was awaiting me. Spoke some basic Thai. Ended up in a village 3 hours N/W of BKK close to the Myanmar border. (ergo, not Isan).

- 3 things were clear to me from the beginning: I will pay any amount of money to get a first class internet connection. I will make sure that the "village-chief" becomes my friend. I will not have a Thai female as a live-in companion. (I will get my occasional "distractions" outside of my village).

 

The result: I spent 5 trouble-free, quiet and uneventful years in rural Thailand. My basic Thai enabled me to take part of village life (only if I wanted to, well understood). Always knowing that I will never be truly "one of them".
When it got too boring, I travelled around. A worrie-free life. Although the fact that I staunchly refused to have a Thai female live-in partner was always cause for much "puzzlement" among certain village beauties. Maybe that's the reason I had such a relaxing, peaceful time in rural Thailand.

 

Finally: Wanting to live in rural Thailand, one must accept how rural Thailand "works". Or (more importantly) NOT works. It's not about "I want to live my life" in rural Thailand, it's more like "I want to float thru my live" in rural Thailand from now on. Just like the Thais do.

 

Would I go back and do it all over again? Yes! As soon as Farangs are allowed access to some affordable National-Health-Care-Scheme. The prospect, of being thrown out of some expensive Private Health Insurance at the age of 70 has no appeal to me.

 

You were warned. A boring post. During my time in rural Thailand, I can't report any incidents like barroom-brawls, crazed women setting my bed on fire or having to engage the services of my village-chief friend to silence some over-enthusiastic 2 AM roosters.

 

To be sure, this 5 year very relaxed lifestyle has increased my life-expectancy by at least 3 weeks.
Cheers.

Quite a few threads these days from new members who sign up to post a thread, and sign out within minutes after that, to never return to the forum. Not?

On 11/5/2020 at 3:52 AM, bodga said:

I  would bank on none of that  happening, peaceful and quiet in the country is  not so peaceful, youll get weekly thud  thud  music  coming from miles around, the fish you wont make money on recently had someone come get ours and it was a  total waste of  time, I have them for pets, they are worth nothing. Itll be different alright, be prepared for the endless  gossip and BS about what youve been up to, any problems the finger  will  point at you......repeatedly

Sadly I would have to agree as Ive lived out in the sticks, not even in isaan, just a bit outside the city...(thud thud)

not much to do than gather up some lao kao and friends with your buddies and the one with a karaoke machine

 

Im sure the buffaloes are lining up as the gossip travels fast about a new farang coming to town.....aka teerak ????

On 11/5/2020 at 3:55 AM, BritManToo said:

Your misses clearly isn't interested in farming.

Isaan buffaloes eagerly waiting to hear back about the newest hustle........ ???? karaoke machines locked-loaded