27 minutes ago, fredwiggy said:

There's no way in telling how a place is unless you spend a few months in it. Visiting a bar, noodle shop and a 7-11 isn't going to give you a complete picture on the town's scene, or what it has to offer. I live 30 kilos from a main town in Sisaket province, and have been there hundreds of times (literally), and still don't know near all the places to eat or visit, and even my ex, who has lived around here for 43 years, minus a few stints in a few other towns to work, didn't know of a couple of restaurants and places I asked her about in this town. Every town in Thailand has much the same things. A Tesco, or a Big C, Makro, movie theater, hundreds of noodle shops, coffee shops, Farang bars and restaurants, 7-11's and Temples.  I've been to quite a few of the larger towns and they all appear the same. Thais like to have what they need close by, and all follow suit, as the culture dictates, along with their needs as Thais. Villages of course all look the same, and have the same things. A few noodle shops, a coffee shop or two, a Wat, public hall, a school,a preschool (or at the Wat), and rice fields. Ubon has the same as Bueng Kan, Nong Khai, Roi Et, Mukdahan,Sisaket, Khon Kaen, etc with a few variables. As far as girls, they all had pretty, not so pretty, and grandmas. And maniacs driving up to 5 on a scooter without helmets.

I get what you're saying but in most cases I have a good idea of what to expect.  As for Ubon, I was wrong and I'm cool with that.  Still not Eden but not a bad place to spend a week or two exploring.  I like Sisaket much more and try to stay there if I have more time to kill.

 

I love the outdoors and where I live now on the Mekhong is beautiful.  Bought a Kayaak last week and slingshot to discourage all the cats and dogs from invading our home.  Interesting couple years here.  Just have to think outside the box to find happiness.

4 hours ago, recom273 said:

Who is going to let him know?

 

Actually, the poster is kind of looking in the wrong direction - Issan is kind of OK, the people are a bit uneducated, lazy, the local food is kind of inedible at times - but the locals are friendly enough, its nice, quiet, convenient.

 

It's the Deep South! Hell, I moved there for work, moved house lock, stock and .. and just regretted it. I was stuck for 12 years. Apart from one guy at work, I never spoke to a westerner, never even saw a westerner for months on end, the local people were so stubborn and rude, even to other Thais. You would walk into a shop and everyone would hide, it doesn't stop raining, its so far away from Bangkok, we would go to KL, its closer. In the end we embraced it, the food is a redeeming feature. We tried to buy land, all we could find was expensive parcels of land that no one wanted, wasted a year looking.

Many of the folks I have met in Issan, work very hard, put in long hours and are the opposite of lazy. 

2 hours ago, transam said:

You mixed with dodgy farangy's, I am surprised........

No he said to avoid them

2 hours ago, fredwiggy said:

saying she wanted to be near her family, who she really doesn't care for much anyway

Where did you two meet?

1 hour ago, Chivas said:

I had reason to stay in Issan for 2 whole months out of choice. No Pattaya no Bangkok in late 2011

Buriram and Lantanmanchai

 

I consider myself easy going (some will disagree lol) but always fit in easily wherever I am and adapt.... Give me the Sun and lotion and an internet connection and I'm a pig in paradise

 

At 60 days hard up against the Tourist Visa I was going completely dollally up there seriously

 

It was actually the end of the marriage (yes there were other reasons) but go up there out of choice to live alone (or even with a Thai) and 98% you will go completely mad.

 

Period

"but go up there out of choice to live alone (or even with a Thai) and 98% you will go completely mad."

I have often wondered how an expat with a sane mind could live up there. Something must be off to be able to tolerate the boredom and lifestyle of the locals.

21 minutes ago, Goat said:

Where did you two meet?

Bueng Kan. She worked at the hotel I stayed at

I think if you do it solo the locals turn not as friendly. My guess is at best they ignore you.

 

Making friends with Thais while living there stag would be very difficult.

5 minutes ago, JimTripper said:

I think if you do it solo the locals turn not as friendly. My guess is at best they ignore you.

 

Making friends with Thais while living there stag would be very difficult.

Most know I treated my ex very well, and know she was the problem. Her mom told my girlfriend her daughter made a mistake, so you know it got passed around locally. Most are okay with me ere, as I'm the only foreigner in the village. Some have killed my dogs, but they have also killed my ex's family's dogs and other neighbors so I'm sure it is just one disturbed farmer that doesn't like dogs in his cassava. Her cousin lives about 200 meters away and they are fine with me. He's here now letting his buffalo eat my tall grass. My daughter is one of only two half farangs in the village. the other's dad died, was the husband of my ex's cousin. They all smile as they pass my house, and some kids steal my fruit, even though I asked them to ask first. No problems here with the locals.

13 minutes ago, JimTripper said:

I think if you do it solo the locals turn not as friendly. My guess is at best they ignore you.

 

Making friends with Thais while living there stag would be very difficult.

I can see your point. Following your girl to her home village in Isaan and leading nice life with her family sounds ok.

 

 But hasn't the "party life" gone down a little? 10-15 years ago there were plenty of girls around Pullman hotel in KK. More quiet on my last visit. Udon "farlang street" was OK on my last visit which was a while ago.

 

 

36 minutes ago, WhatMeWorry said:

I have often wondered how an expat with a sane mind could live up there. Something must be off to be able to tolerate the boredom and lifestyle of the locals.

With easily accessible movies and music and all sorts of content online, you're not limited to the geographical area you live. You don't need to hang out with the locals 24/7 . 

 

You better get along with the woman you're with ... or that will drive you mad. 

 

The Eagles wrote a song about constantly chasing excitement ... Life in The Fast Lane  ... surely make you lose your mind.

 

After a certain age, a quiet tranquil life and just having access to a bit of nature is good. 

 

 

 

 

 

57 minutes ago, Goat said:

No he said to avoid them

How would he know they were dodgy if he hadn't been with them, now I know his degree is not in English, but he should take more time putting his nonsense together, you could also try doing that too..............????

1 hour ago, spidermike007 said:

Many of the folks I have met in Issan, work very hard, put in long hours and are the opposite of lazy. 

Yes, there are a lot of nice people here, hard working, salt of the earth people, awesome - great fun to be around, everyone has accepted my wife and I into the community - but there are one hell of a lot of lazy people here too. We have had problems finding general workers, building labour, easy work - the first thing is how much you are paying and then they aren't interested in a days work, they want "Job 'n knock". It's not just the fussy westerner, business owners find it difficult to find reliable staff. I have two husband and wife teams rendering my house at the moment, they say working with your wife is the only reliable way to ensure you get a full days work done.

5 hours ago, transam said:

Spot on....????

You're in a great location. Haven't been in a long time but remember it well. People fishing around the lake and some lakeside eateries. Pretty good location. Ubol is a nice place to live, especially your part.  

1 hour ago, fredwiggy said:

Most know I treated my ex very well, and know she was the problem. Her mom told my girlfriend her daughter made a mistake, so you know it got passed around locally. Most are okay with me ere, as I'm the only foreigner in the village. Some have killed my dogs, but they have also killed my ex's family's dogs and other neighbors so I'm sure it is just one disturbed farmer that doesn't like dogs in his cassava. Her cousin lives about 200 meters away and they are fine with me. He's here now letting his buffalo eat my tall grass. My daughter is one of only two half farangs in the village. the other's dad died, was the husband of my ex's cousin. They all smile as they pass my house, and some kids steal my fruit, even though I asked them to ask first. No problems here with the locals.

With relatives living all over that’s not living stag.

 

Stag means you arrived alone and don’t know anybody. Your meeting people cold turkey and it does not involve paying for anything or supporting anybody financially.

8 minutes ago, GarryP said:

You're in a great location. Haven't been in a long time but remember it well. People fishing around the lake and some lakeside eateries. Pretty good location. Ubol is a nice place to live, especially your part.  

Indeed, but sadly they are doing a lot of work dredging and improving the lake, has been a slow job, hopefully they get their finger out, but at least the water is back in it......????

56 minutes ago, JimTripper said:

With relatives living all over that’s not living stag.

 

Stag means you arrived alone and don’t know anybody. Your meeting people cold turkey and it does not involve paying for anything or supporting anybody financially.

Just her mom, aunt and a couple cousins, all but one can't speak English, so it's still all alone.

4 hours ago, WhatMeWorry said:

"but go up there out of choice to live alone (or even with a Thai) and 98% you will go completely mad."

I have often wondered how an expat with a sane mind could live up there. Something must be off to be able to tolerate the boredom and lifestyle of the locals.

Living in a big city is fun until it just becomes a routine.  Having fun with beautiful women is intoxicating and the nightlife is exhilarating.  It just became less fun as the years passed and became manic at times. Always chasing the next high becomes harder and harder.    I was able to reach incredible highs only to be left trying to reach them again.  Issan forces me to see the beaty in my surroundings without seeking the rush of a new exciting outcome that I did in big cities in Thailand.  Thailand is a powerful drug and Issan is my in-country plush rehab facility that I may never leave.

20 hours ago, Celsius said:

Because Isaan is the only province in Thailand that allows Farangs to own land.

Isaarn is an area of land not a province. So, if that was sarcasm I missed it.

 

I chose to live in Isaarn, Kalasin to be precise, I was formerly in Pattaya with a good business. I sold due to ill health from which I have recovered.

 

I have been in Kalasin now for nigh on 16 years.

 

Yes, I settled here due to Thai family reasons but I love it. It's not the ridiculous dreamland of boozing and bar stools of tourist areas  and nobody claims to be anything they are not not.

21 hours ago, spidermike007 said:

My guess is that at least 80% of the time it is the woman making the choice. I like Issan and many people from Issan. I am with one. She is wonderful and so is her entire family. But, three days up there is my limit. 

Do I get a medal for fir 21 days living like a village person.  Luckily weed could get delivered in 2 days  

21 hours ago, Goat said:

Yes Bob, you have asked the right person having sampled over 100 there over the years.

 

If you like the quiet, polite, beautiful pale skin types you can not go past Nongkai as Big Nok recomended. 

Probably my favorites from Issan though you do get better in the northern region, specifically CM, CR and Lampang if white and polite is your thing.

 

In Mukdahan and Sakon Nakon you will find that dog is on the menu. I dont know if it is related but those girls from there have the smoothest silkiest skin in all of Thailand. Often interbred a few generations back with the Vietnamese which also might explain both the taste for dog and the silky skin. Black dog is favored for its taste.

 

Central Issan have many friendly beautiful girls, more of a Latte type skin tone, a little bow legged from working on the rice fields which also gives them pert behinds with almost a rubbery texture. 

 

Southern Isaan have the least attractive girls in my opinion, Burirum, Sisaket and Surin, very dark and with more Khmer mixed in so their facial features are not as good. But what they lack in looks they more than make up for in sexual appetite for Farangs. You will find a higher proportion of these girls in Pattaya Bars than from anywhere else. Dont be surprised if you are walking down the street and one pops out of nowhere and applies the squirrel grip to you. 

 

Ubon borders Cambodia but also Laos so you get more of a mixed bag of looks in Ubon. Many stunners there happy to meet someone like Bob.

 

Korat also gives you a bit of a mix as they have a large population of Central Thais that have crossbred with the Issan people. Some stunners.

 

Good luck Bob, not that you will need it in Issan. Take a stick, you will need it to fight them off.

Good  part of a chapter for a book. 

20 hours ago, bignok said:

Too dark

Does that mean your bucket list is narrow banded? 

20 hours ago, bob smith said:

where can I find these goddesses?

 

I will be more than happy to worship their pretty feet...

Cute feet might not be on the menu often.   Let's take a poll! 

Issan wife its a no here. 

After working 20 years in Bangkok and 15 years in Pattaya I retired to Nong Khai some five years ago - what a fantastic ride; lovely people, compact city with competent and customer-friendly governmental and private business people. Fancy shopping is off the cards but 30 minutes away is Vientiane (visa free for me) and 50 minutes away is Udon with whatever you fancy.

In the sticks of Isan; well I am not too sure about that but a small provincial functioning city, anytime. 

22 hours ago, bob smith said:

I'm thinking of taking a tour around Isaan soon.

 

any recommendations? 

 

I would definitely like to sample the local brass whilst I am there.

 

 

Buriram, Surin, Korat and especially Udon Thani. Others surely as well. 

21 hours ago, transam said:

There are those on here that will always run down Isaan, spouting the same ol' cr@p, when in fact, they actually live there....????

 

 

 

For me it is great people run down Issaan, that means there are less foreigners 

I know a few expats that chose to retire in Isaan because they prefer a smaller place that doesn't have all the chaos, noise etc than larger conurbations further South.

I have met a few over the years that liked Issan more than anyone else, usually because it was a bit quieter than Bangkok. One lived in Nong Khai and had his own little guesthouse and the other lived just north of Khorat. But like the OP says, usually they are following some woman there and stay on for those reasons and not because of Issan itself. 

2 hours ago, Sydebolle said:

After working 20 years in Bangkok and 15 years in Pattaya I retired to Nong Khai some five years ago - what a fantastic ride; lovely people, compact city with competent and customer-friendly governmental and private business people. Fancy shopping is off the cards but 30 minutes away is Vientiane (visa free for me) and 50 minutes away is Udon with whatever you fancy.

In the sticks of Isan; well I am not too sure about that but a small provincial functioning city, anytime. 

Spot on

18 hours ago, fredwiggy said:

Bueng Kan. She worked at the hotel I stayed at

Which hotel? 

2 hours ago, Sydebolle said:

After working 20 years in Bangkok and 15 years in Pattaya I retired to Nong Khai some five years ago - what a fantastic ride; lovely people, compact city with competent and customer-friendly governmental and private business people. Fancy shopping is off the cards but 30 minutes away is Vientiane (visa free for me) and 50 minutes away is Udon with whatever you fancy.

In the sticks of Isan; well I am not too sure about that but a small provincial functioning city, anytime. 

Visa free?  2000 baht in Chong Mek which is pricey for weekend trips.