Is A Country Home Realistic?

[The Coder]

I've lived in Bangkok for some time and now wish to rent a house in the countryside in the north for a few years (anywhere is ok, I'd even go Isaan). From my limited research, there seems a void in the market. Houses tend to be sandwiched together with nothing in the way of land. I on the other hand want MANY undeveloped rai between me and the next neighbor. I was born and raised a country boy and it would be great to have some privacy plus peace and quiet again. Is this realistic to find or am I wasting my time? I just don't know how to go forward and find a "baan nawk" so to speak. While I am open to wide price range, I just want a nice place I can take care of on my own rather than a gigantic mansion with swimming pool, guest house, yada yada yada.

[wolf5370]

Rent? May be hard to find a place.

Are you willing to build, or buy a big house with a pool and lands?

The latter may be more difficult - and certainly expensive.

The former, is easy enough. The land can be bought - I have 30 Rai in north/central LOS for example. Must be carefull that it is above the water table and does not flood - is good enough to build on - as it is expensive to raise the ground level. Also, that the land is deeded etc. As this is a second home, I suspect you already know the legalities involved.

Local builders and a good architect can then set about building you house, pool and landscaping. It will still cost, but is possible.

You may attract some unwanted attension however. Local police may become interested in everything - "Allo, allo allo, is this fence post illegal timber, that's a 5k fine that is", etc. May also be target for theives if you stand out too much.

[Johpa]

Unless you have strong family connections in a Thai village I would not advise moving into an isolated rural homestead. Such a home occupied by a foreigner would be simply too attractive to the local thieves. It is a wonderfully romantic idea but it is also a wonderfully seubeu idea too, naive in the extreme.

[The Coder]

I have been in country long enough to agree security is a huge problem in this case; both to posessions and my own life. But I think there are security steps that can be taken to make it still worth a shot.

To clarify, I do NOT want a gigantic house/pool. While renting would be ideal to test the waters, I am open to building. But I think building comes with new challenges like availability of proper utilities.

Just to tell you where I am coming from, if I can't get some privacy and away from all the noises, I just don't see the advantage of moving out of Bangkok. Better air I guess. Traffic is not a problem in my case; use the sky train to get around.

Any other ideas & thoughts are welcome!

[Ajarn]

I have a number of farang aquaintences who've settled in the boonies, and none have ever expressed any real problems with thieves or local cops. Just the opposite, in fact. Most feel that their neighbors are much more friendly and helpfull than when they were living in the city...

Of course, there are plenty of thieves, and worse, in Thailand, so taking basic precautions is always prudent, and the impression you make can help you, or possibly hurt you. Farangs do stick out like a sore thumb, but no more than they do in any other Thai neighborhood. It mostly comes down to individuals, rather than location, in my experience. But I don't think I'd want to live in an isolated home near the Burma border without my own army

[Norman d'Plume]

Had to sell our second "country" home because we were robbed blind. 2 Meter electric fence inside 2 meter wall and a pair of Rottweilers did not keep the theives out.

Average of two robberies a month over a six month period and we had enough.

Were told the major culprit was the man who sold the property to us. A heavily druggy local mafia figure, nobody dared to do anything against him.....

[Nam Kao]

Norman

What area were you in?

My area seems clean, only had one theft, A thai man sent his 12 y/o son over

to steal from my house and luckily a brother in law caught him in the act and

gave him a very severe beating and nothing since then.

I think the key is to live like you are poor. These nice falang houses are magnets

for thieves. Our 5K$ house even though modest sticks out like a sore thumb when

90% of the neighbors still live in tree forts like you had when you were a kid.

regards

nam

[chanchao]

I think when Thai people build a big fancy house, they ALSO shell out on having people around 24/7. At least some maids, but most likely also a gardener/driver/caretaker and such. Part of this is convenience, part of it status (having lots of servants) and part of it is obviously security!

I think when building really big & fancy then it would be wise to go the same route. I know plenty of foreigners who live in seriously big houses in seriously out of the way small villages... Wife's not always from there either. (Mostly not, actually)

Cheers,

Chanchao

[astral]

Unless you have strong family connections in a Thai village

Also visit the headman of the village and the local police station and make friends.

With their support you will not have a problem.