23 minutes ago, Burma Bill said:

Yes indeed. I lived in the western extremities of Khon Kaen Province near Chumphae and Phu Wiang. Between the two were the mountains of the Phu Wiang National Park. Also in the region was the Ubonrat Lake (reservoir and dam) which had lakeside resorts including Pattaya 2. Photos of Phu Wiang National Park and Ubonrat Lake.

 

 

Wow! Location is everything.

2 hours ago, bignok said:

Melbourne is expensive with bad weather.

Melbournes not that cold but it is a long winter. Melbourne Australia. Think the others are talking Florida. Hot there. 

Just visited a couple of moo barns (housing estates) where your neighbour is about 3 mters away ????

 

Nah, give me a farm in Isaan, with occasional interruptions, open roads most of the day, trouble free cycling, and quiet mostly interspaced with birdsong 

 

And a decent sized town 20 minutes away

On 5/30/2023 at 10:19 AM, Rimbuman said:

Nice photograph!

That was a stock photo - this is one I actually took somewhere around 1993

 

On 5/30/2023 at 2:24 PM, Gecko123 said:

My "eureka" moment came when I realized that whenever I considered relocating somewhere else, the goal was always to recreate the same lifestyle which I enjoy here in Thailand, i.e. quiet country living in a village which offered a sense of community.

As I fully moved to Isaan Pattaya became for me like a shock of my past.

All these warm hearted and helpful people asking for nothing but a meal, standing in the kitchen together and after sitting all together and yek yek with lots of laughing...

In the background a crowing rooster, some hens, a few birds singing and a barking frog in the lake..

 

Countryside:

I asked at the immigration for a work permit helping my wife on the farm. 

The answer was, no Sir, you can help your wife but not outside your farm.

Look, you are married and need to help your wife like all husband do, she cannot do alone.. 

But not outside the Farm, then you need work permit... 

 

Pattaya:

...after got trouble for no work permit, helping my wife in the garden... 

It was Friday, 20.000 Baht or Prison till Monday.. 

I felt locked in a golden cage... 

 

(Just one example why I changed to the better - in my oppinion)

 

1 hour ago, Reginald Prewster said:

As I fully moved to Isaan Pattaya became for me like a shock of my past.

All these warm hearted and helpful people asking for nothing but a meal, standing in the kitchen together and after sitting all together and yek yek with lots of laughing...

In the background a crowing rooster, some hens, a few birds singing and a barking frog in the lake..

 

Countryside:

I asked at the immigration for a work permit helping my wife on the farm. 

The answer was, no Sir, you can help your wife but not outside your farm.

Look, you are married and need to help your wife like all husband do, she cannot do alone.. 

But not outside the Farm, then you need work permit... 

 

Pattaya:

...after got trouble for no work permit, helping my wife in the garden... 

It was Friday, 20.000 Baht or Prison till Monday.. 

I felt locked in a golden cage... 

 

(Just one example why I changed to the better - in my oppinion)

Thanks for your info. The scaremongers always try to worry you about this. There is such a concept as assisting your wife in her business. It is perfectly natural and reasonable.  

On 5/30/2023 at 12:51 PM, Hummin said:

It is a decent life ????

 

How woulld you know? 

Your post count is typically high for jungle boys. It's fair to say your not hiking through the jungle everyday but more craving conversation with your own people . It's a lonely existance 

3 minutes ago, whereyougo said:

Your post count is typically high for jungle boys. It's fair to say your not hiking through the jungle everyday but more craving conversation with your own people . It's a lonely existance 

I wish you did know more about me and the life I had and the life I have now, but if that is your image of me, I couldnt care less. 

 

We all create our own illusions, and some like to think others do not have a life at all. Could it be a mirror effect? 

 

For me, living in any Tourist destination is not anything I want, but I do visit on holidays, or passing by on one of my motorbikes quite often.

 

Have a good day sir

Very hot today

15 minutes ago, bignok said:

Very hot today

About 13c this morning ????

 

Nice and chill actually 

26 minutes ago, Hummin said:

About 13c this morning ????

 

Nice and chill actually 

Feels like 40 now

Couldn't agree more.

 

Issan, can't wait until I get out of here. 

1 hour ago, Sticky Rice Balls said:

but is it a dry heat???  ????

Humid. 

On 5/27/2023 at 6:56 PM, jerrymahoney said:

I have lived at or near both the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans California (Pt. Reyes) and Florida (Melbourne).

 

I don't need to be near (as some insist on calling it ) the Thai Ocean.

 

A minimum 25 meter salt water pool does it for me.

Lucky man to live in Point Reyes, beautiful part of the world.

 

I was a pauper and lived in Santa Rosa, couldn't afford the Marin stratosphere let alone the national seashore

On 5/31/2023 at 6:34 AM, jerrymahoney said:

That was a stock photo - this is one I actually took somewhere around 1993

was the sky actually green back then?

 

On 5/28/2023 at 10:09 AM, bignok said:

Nong Khai has potential but its not there. It needs a Central Mall. It needs some more temples. Some better hotels.

Undeveloped is charming. Why do so many people want Thai towns to be just like towns in the west, plus extra temples of course. 

17 minutes ago, sidneybear said:

Undeveloped is charming. Why do so many people want Thai towns to be just like towns in the west, plus extra temples of course. 

Khon Kaen has a Central Mall. It is nothing like the west.

22 hours ago, Hummin said:

I wish you did know more about me and the life I had and the life I have now, but if that is your image of me, I couldnt care less. 

 

We all create our own illusions, and some like to think others do not have a life at all. Could it be a mirror effect? 

 

For me, living in any Tourist destination is not anything I want, but I do visit on holidays, or passing by on one of my motorbikes quite often.

 

Have a good day sir

Fair enough 

5 hours ago, save the frogs said:

was the sky actually green back then?

 

Old film camera negatives converted to CD-ROM about 15  years ago.

3 hours ago, sidneybear said:

Undeveloped is charming. Why do so many people want Thai towns to be just like towns in the west, plus extra temples of course. 

Quite right, those people who want malls etc might as well stay in farangland 

3 hours ago, sidneybear said:

Undeveloped is charming. Why do so many people want Thai towns to be just like towns in the west, plus extra temples of course. 

Rubbish!

 

I can’t think of any Thai town that resembles anywhere I have been in the west.

18 minutes ago, scubascuba3 said:

Quite right, those people who want malls etc might as well stay in farangland 

Where do you live?

15 minutes ago, hotandsticky said:

Rubbish!

 

I can’t think of any Thai town that resembles anywhere I have been in the west.

Patong and Chaweng are close. 

4 minutes ago, bignok said:

Patong and Chaweng are close. 

To what/where?

On 5/28/2023 at 7:09 AM, bignok said:

Nong Khai has potential but its not there. It needs a Central Mall. It needs some more temples.

Do you really need more ... ????

... or was that sarcasm 

35 minutes ago, hotandsticky said:

To what/where?

They look like cheesy western beach areas.

48 minutes ago, bignok said:

Where do you live?

Pattaya but I'd be happy without all the shopping malls

2 minutes ago, scubascuba3 said:

Pattaya but I'd be happy without all the shopping malls

Full of bars, restaurants, malls, entertainment, cinemas, shops, fuel stations. Very much like the west.

3 minutes ago, bignok said:

Full of bars, restaurants, malls, entertainment, cinemas, shops, fuel stations. Very much like the west.

Thats why we loved Ao Nang when we first discovered the destination, nothing, not even in Krabi there was anything of branded malls or coffe shops, just how it was, very Thai style. Now completely ruined among every other tourist destination. 

 

I remember we first got internet connection at Tonsai  Beach Ao Nang, how things started to change slowly, and when smart phones arrived, the social structure had dramatically changed among those who lived there permanent or on long stays. 

 

Now I have one last destination that havent changed much the last 15 years, and hope it never change at all.

 

As well the last paradises down sout west, but people stay away because of the tense situation between muslim fractions and army, but still nice places and very friendly locals as well food. The Islands is ruined as everything else down there to. 

4 minutes ago, Hummin said:

Thats why we loved Ao Nang when we first discovered the destination, nothing, not even in Krabi there was anything of branded malls or coffe shops, just how it was, very Thai style. Now completely ruined among every other tourist destination. 

 

I remember we first got internet connection at Tonsai  Beach Ao Nang, how things started to change slowly, and when smart phones arrived, the social structure had dramatically changed among those who lived there permanent or on long stays. 

 

Now I have one last destination that havent changed much the last 15 years, and hope it never change at all.

 

As well the last paradises down sout west, but people stay away because of the tense situation between muslim fractions and army, but still nice places and very friendly locals as well food. The Islands is ruined as everything else down there to. 

NST is very Thai. Lanta and Ao Nang ruined. Phattalung is like Thailand 40 years ago.