Living In Issan

[khunandy]

Reading a topic on another website got me thinking about life in rural Issan

Things I like:

The wife..nuff said

The food...except Som Tam, I have just never developed a taste for it

The smell...farm village smell is nice, even the cowshit on the roads

The scenery...I am surrounded by beautiful scenery that never bores me

The people... always a smile ready, sometimes not genuine but it is there none the less

The mornings...I like watching the Iron Buffalos going to the fields past our house with a ready smile and wave from the people

The kids...All crammed into , and on top of, the school baht bus and laughing away.

The schoolgirls..Either shy or cheeky, there doesnt seem to be much inbetween

The wifes friends.... All nice people who help each other out at the drop of a hat and laugh up a storm when they are together

The wifes family..my family now..Hard working, sometimes hard drinking, honest people who havent put the bite on us so far

The noodle hut across the road... Gossip central where now I understand a bit of local lingo realise that a lot of the conversations are quite raunchy

The car...Independance is a wonderful thing

The cost... Village life is cheap when it needs to be but an occasional splurge doesnt cost a lot

The house... we built it, we love it and it should be home for many years to come

The mates..Fantastic when some mates drop in for a drink beer (or many), shooting the sh*t for a few hours (or many)

Family structure..my experience is that Thai family bonds are much stronger than ours.

Respect shown to elders..Always appreciate witnessing this..something we are sadly lacking in western society in my humble opinion

Things I dislike:

Thai time keeping..Try as I do I just cant get used to 1 hour turning into 3 hours, especially when it is you who is waiting

Loud speaker trucks... that is assault and battery, plain and simple

Laab Moo...when they leave organs and tubes in it

Eggs...when they leave a chicken in it

Drunken relatives... Never had a hassle but it is sooo hard when a drunken Thai decides that they want to practice English on you

Thai workers...Why do they think we dont have a clue and why do they think they always are right, even when it is so obvious they are wrong?

Plastic..Its terrible to see the plastic and rubbish just thrown out, not much in the village but in general, especially road sides

Face..I dont particularly like that whole concept

Anyway, the good outweighs the bad so I guess I will be hanging around for a while

Khun Andy

[prakhonchai nick]

Reading a topic on another website got me thinking about life in rural Issan

Things I like:

The wife..nuff said

The food...except Som Tam, I have just never developed a taste for it

The smell...farm village smell is nice, even the cowshit on the roads

The scenery...I am surrounded by beautiful scenery that never bores me

The people... always a smile ready, sometimes not genuine but it is there none the less

The mornings...I like watching the Iron Buffalos going to the fields past our house with a ready smile and wave from the people

The kids...All crammed into , and on top of, the school baht bus and laughing away.

The schoolgirls..Either shy or cheeky, there doesnt seem to be much inbetween

The wifes friends.... All nice people who help each other out at the drop of a hat and laugh up a storm when they are together

The wifes family..my family now..Hard working, sometimes hard drinking, honest people who havent put the bite on us so far

The noodle hut across the road... Gossip central where now I understand a bit of local lingo realise that a lot of the conversations are quite raunchy

The car...Independance is a wonderful thing

The cost... Village life is cheap when it needs to be but an occasional splurge doesnt cost a lot

The house... we built it, we love it and it should be home for many years to come

The mates..Fantastic when some mates drop in for a drink beer (or many), shooting the sh*t for a few hours (or many)

Family structure..my experience is that Thai family bonds are much stronger than ours.

Respect shown to elders..Always appreciate witnessing this..something we are sadly lacking in western society in my humble opinion

Things I dislike:

Thai time keeping..Try as I do I just cant get used to 1 hour turning into 3 hours, especially when it is you who is waiting

Loud speaker trucks... that is assault and battery, plain and simple

Laab Moo...when they leave organs and tubes in it

Eggs...when they leave a chicken in it

Drunken relatives... Never had a hassle but it is sooo hard when a drunken Thai decides that they want to practice English on you

Thai workers...Why do they think we dont have a clue and why do they think they always are right, even when it is so obvious they are wrong?

Plastic..Its terrible to see the plastic and rubbish just thrown out, not much in the village but in general, especially road sides

Face..I dont particularly like that whole concept

Anyway, the good outweighs the bad so I guess I will be hanging around for a while

Khun Andy

Interesting points very similar to my own. Will see if I can think up a few more -need to sleep on it.

I See you are from Perth. The UK variety? If so you will be pleased to hear I I shall be downing a few Bells tonight. The HO of my long time employer was next door!

Edited December 31, 2007 by prakhonchai nick

[khunandy]

Interesting points very similar to my own. Will see if I can think up a few more -need to sleep on it.

I See you are from Perth. The UK variety? If so you will be pleased to hear I I shall be downing a few Bells tonight. The HO of my long time employer was next door!

No mate, the West Australian variety, enjoy your Bells and happy New Year

[Lite Beer]

Lots of plus points already mentioned.

Plus sitting outside the local mini mart in the evening dring a couple of large Leos at 27 Baht each. Who needs a bar?

Biggest minus is the 6am village Tanoy system blasting out music and the village news. Even worse when you get 3 different moos blasting out at the same time.

Would not live anywhere else though (Immigration permiting)

[khunandy]

Plus sitting outside the local mini mart in the evening dring a couple of large Leos at 27 Baht each. Who needs a bar?

True, after 3 Leos those concrete benches start to get comfortable and there is plenty to watch and comment on as the World goes about it's business.

[nidge]

I love everything about Issan other than the Thai workers. I get really stresses out when i am having work done on the house and have to watch constantly to prevent their version of "artistic license"

Never heard the 6am tannoy in Issan but heard it in Bangkok too many times.

Anything else i didn't like when i first moved here was soon forgotten. Too many good points to worry about the bad ones.

An other good point is that nearly all the miserable moaners on this forum do not reside in Issan so i don't have to meet them

[Totster]

Never had a hassle but it is sooo hard when a drunken Thai decides that they want to practice English on you

The trick is to repay the favour... !

totster

[ronthompson]

Your thought are very similar to mine, I find Village life perfect and when asked "How do you spend your time"? I find it easy to reply I do what I want when I want and with people I enjoy being with.

I hope u do not mind if I send your views to some friends in the States.

[corkscrew]

That is really very nice. And you are a lucky man to have so many good feelings about where you live and who you live with. And your wife is very lucky to have you.

[khunandy]

Your thought are very similar to mine, I find Village life perfect and when asked "How do you spend your time"? I find it easy to reply I do what I want when I want and with people I enjoy being with.

I hope u do not mind if I send your views to some friends in the States.

Not at all ronthompson, I just thought of another thing I like. I like to see kids playing outside and getting down and dirty. It reminds me of the easy, care free life when I was a kid. Not like the electronic, sanitised, fast food lifestyle that appears to be the norm in western countries now. I like seeing them on crappy old bikes heading down to the river for fishing and mischief.

I love seeing the little girls getting their makeup applied by the women and dressing in traditional clothes before a school dance.

I dont think I have the rose tinted glasses on today but at the end of the year for some reason I am in a mood for just thinking about all the good things about living in Thailand, especially in a village

[nidge]

I dont think I have the rose tinted glasses on today but at the end of the year for some reason I am in a mood for just thinking about all the good things about living in Thailand, especially in a village

"Rose tinted glasses" is a phrase i often see in ThaiVisa. I think it is most often used by people who have never been too Issan or who do not understand how different it is there compared with the big cities. Apart from the odd "glitch" life for an expat is really perfect up country and i would not trade it for anything.

[toptuan]

Agree with the OP's list and it's the over-weighing positives that keep me here, too.

Missing positive: Dont' have a family, but the Thai friends I have here are as close as brothers and sisters. Been here 5 years, and feel like I have many "families" (without having to support them! ) I do give out a lot of loans, but 99% are paid back--better rate than the home country.

Missing negative: Also, don't have the village loudspeakers. By luck, ended up with a duplex about 1 km from the village center, and all is peace and quiet. For example, I worked until 6 a.m. this morning, then slept 6am to 1pm. That's how quiet it is. (Mental note: If I ever built or bought here, I'd engineer that luck by choosing a place just about the same distance from the village.)

[Lite Beer]

An other good point is that nearly all the miserable moaners on this forum do not reside in Issan so i don't have to meet them

Can't think of a better reason to live here.

[yorkman]

An other good point is that nearly all the miserable moaners on this forum do not reside in Issan so i don't have to meet them

Can't think of a better reason to live here.

Ohhhh agreed again, but if there were not all the miserable moaners in BKK or Pattaya and the various tourist areas, how dull this board would be

May they try a visit to the real Thailand as a New Year resolution

[Gimbo]

An other good point is that nearly all the miserable moaners on this forum do not reside in Issan so i don't have to meet them

Can't think of a better reason to live here.

Ohhhh agreed again, but if there were not all the miserable moaners in BKK or Pattaya and the various tourist areas, how dull this board would be

May they try a visit to the real Thailand as a New Year resolution

Are you insane. On their first look at a real hong nam, they will run screaming back to their condo's and live in maids, then they will post here what a horrible place this is.

But to get on topic. I simply love being in a place where nobody is at all concerned with what I do or not do all day. Negative....as the others, the noise levels early in the morning. On the other hand, it helps me get up in the morning. Always been a late in bed, late up person. Here I get a nights sleep, and get up and have full day to do whatver I want, or not do anything at all if I so please

[Joe Walshe]

Good topic.

POSITIVES

Helping out with the farm.

Reading book in hammock under tree and then falling asleep.

Cycling along tracks from village to village and stopping for a chat with locals.

Meeting local school kids for a chat (My name is.. etc.).

Fishing in our pond.

barbecuing fish on farm.

Having wifes friends and relatives over to eat. Always much laughter and suspect food.

The balmy evenings.

DISLIKES

The noise in village - we move to farm to sleep.

Occasional boredom- used to active life.

Intelligent conversation - not suggesting Thais are stupid or that I'm an intellectual. Language limits conversation.

Bus to Bkk. Too cold. Loud VDOs to wake me up.

The dislikes are minor and can be overcome.

all in all good place to be. To each his own but I believe those of us who have chosen to live (retire) to Isarn have got it good.

[track61]

Great posts and I agree with all of them. I had some doubts when I moved up here but now must say, I love village life, village folks, and village environment. Thanks for starting this thread as it confirms that I am neither nuts or the only western that loves it here.

[jayenram]

Excellent thread. To me the OP and the replies indicate how different life is here (in Isaan) to that in Pattaya/Bangkok/etc. And the quality of the people who have made their homes here.

[Cheeky Farang]

Life in an Issan village is great, the fresh air, as I write the cool wind is blowing, and the noise level is next to nothing just the odd motorbike and of course the "rock-a-dooole-roo" every now and then form those idiotic roosters. I also love the way that each and every village cares for their own little community. Their own built in security is great, I for one have never ever felt unsecured at ant time night or day, well once when a cobra decided to come in the house and watch TV with us. After a quick call for help from the locals and a lot of Thai antics the serpent was soon dispatched and in a cooking pot.

Anyway, back to our village security. Below is an extract from my blog, it's a true tale, with my humorous slant on things, hope it makes you smile.

Residents of our picturesque little village in “No-Where-<deleted>-A-Buri” have recently been shocked and outraged to find themselves the victims of a series of horrific vandalism.

Our apparently idyllic rural setting maybe several hundred kilometres away from the lean mean streets of Bangkok, but on one fateful morning last week that was cold comfort indeed to find purposeful destruction had found its way to our tiny little village. The local inhabitants woke from their blissful rural drunken slumber only too find part of their harmonious utopia irrevocably smashed apart.

After the Poo-Yai-Baan (village head) had strapped on his flip-flops to go out to milk his pigs, he soon knew something was terribly terribly wrong, something bad had occurred that caused him to summon the villagers. He bellowed over the loud speaker demanding our community of farmers, drunkards, half-wits, in-breds and all to be shaken from their sleepy hangovers, and as soon as they got dressed with the compulsory woolly-hat that keeps their skulls cool in the 30+ degree heat they were all to gather at the local temple.

That’s when they heard the news that many of them had secretly been dreading for years. The villages only telephone box had been sabotaged, he recited the people who did this were monsters and clearly have no respect for village life. He filled the gathering with dread; enough dread that some of them even forgot to pick their nose for a nano-second. He continued filling their honest agrarian ears with tales of woo and criminality as if the world was coming to an end, he then insisted that everyone must now contribute to the telephone box repair fund. Through this appeal he managed to raise enough money to pay for counselling for those villagers most severely mentally affected by not be able to spend their three baht on their daily phone call. The rest of the money raised paid to get the phone box operable, and of course 20 cases of beer that were to be the centre piece of the party held at his house later that day.

Within the week the telephone box was repaired, ironically; no sooner had the last grisly event been forgotten from the memories of our country folk the twisted hand of fate was to deal yet another cruel blow. Again, an almost identical act taking place in our rustic community just days later. This time however there were witnesses, a young "coupled-couple" who just happen to be brothers but hopefully after the operation will become husband and wife; stated whilst out walking their hen, claim to have seen a "magic chariot" (car) speed past the in the early evening hours. They recalled with such vigor the car was bedeck with laughing teenagers who had the pronounced qualities such as, unshaven faces, and remnants of shampoo foam fashionably styling their unkempt hair.

The local police officer, Constable Somchai Whodontgivesafcuk has refused to speculate on the identities of the perpetrators, saying only that all leads are being looked into and that comprehensive steps "could" be taken to protect the village from similar attacks in future if the funding was enough for him too have yet another Mia Noi. Despite his assurances, no one has yet claimed responsibility for the atrocities nor has anyone been made to re-inact the crime. So with the culprits still at large our little village now has an appearance of a village under siege with vigilante groups of machete wielding idiots regularly patrolling the village, we can also proudly boast of an armed militia of highly trained half-wits & in-breds have set up a 26 hour a day observation post by the telephone box.

Amidst this climate of fear and outrage, the local head monk who's is aptly named Iama Thievinggit and the highly respected Abbot called Gaymaiasrse Issore have asked for calm and urging members of our local community not too take the law into their own hands, but if they catch the culprits to bring them to the temple for a good roasting so as they can feel the wrath of his rod!!!!.

Now a tale to be told, I love the fact the villagers guard this telephone box with the precision of a military junta, and do you know why? In our little village there are only two telephones, one is the public box and the other is in my house. So if you hear that a Fat Falang contributed to the Village Public Telephone repair fund, I am sure you can understand why.

Later

CF

See my blog here on TV for more such going on's with my added slant on life in a Issan village.

[pgs]

I'd also be in agreeance with the list. I'm aware of a few other westerners in our ampur, but in 5 years I've seen only one - whom wasn't interested in chatting. No matter, although the levels of English the family & friends have can make conversation frustraing / humourous / interesting, it's enough to get by with.

Dislikes:

unreliability of the local bus service - which may or may not run/stop.

ICE IN BEER!!!

Likes:

Lass with the shop across the road has learnt to keep beer in the fridge for me

Time spent at a local school (not working, just chatting).

Community involvment

Not being ripped off at the shops / markets (my price is Thai price or sometimes better)

I'm in no way a 'party person', but have enjoyed the ones in the village.

"Joe Walshe: Having wifes friends and relatives over to eat. Always much laughter and suspect food."

I guess there's nothing wrong with a little cannibalism - just try not to be caught. If too many disappear, it may start looking a bit suss...

[bergen]

Well written khunandy!

Happy New Year to all you lucky people living in Isaan/Los,...eh... and that includes me

[khunandy]

Life in an Issan village is great, the fresh air, as I write the cool wind is blowing, and the noise level is next to nothing just the odd motorbike and of course the "rock-a-dooole-roo" every now and then form those idiotic roosters. I also love the way that each and every village cares for their own little community. Their own built in security is great, I for one have never ever felt unsecured at ant time night or day, well once when a cobra decided to come in the house and watch TV with us. After a quick call for help from the locals and a lot of Thai antics the serpent was soon dispatched and in a cooking pot.

Anyway, back to our village security. Below is an extract from my blog, it's a true tale, with my humorous slant on things, hope it makes you smile.

I read Cheeky Farangs stories a few years ago and had a great laugh, I particularly liked the "Death in the village" (I think it was called). Black humour at its best. I recommend reading the blogs. You are a good writer Cheeky.

[prakhonchai nick]

Further to my original post, have come up with the following additions to those given by Khun Andy

Likes

Hearing the birds sing all day

Being able to buy newly laid eggs (chicken or duck) in my soi

Being able to buy fresh live fish

Seeing the village women sitting in the middle of the soi every afternoon gossiping about all and sundry (as long as it isn't me)

Dislikes

Seeing the villagers spend every disposable baht twice a month on the lottery (usually the underground one) and rarely if ever winning.

The government village fund, which only puts the village people even further into debt, the money loaned being frittered away.

Young women who hide their beauty by wearing patungs each and every day.

Seeing some children going to school without shoes or a decent meal because their Grandmothers have spent all the money on the lottery and donations to the Wat.

Edited January 1, 2008 by prakhonchai nick

[corkscrew]

Life in an Issan village is great, the fresh air, as I write the cool wind is blowing, and the noise level is next to nothing just the odd motorbike and of course the "rock-a-dooole-roo" every now and then form those idiotic roosters. I also love the way that each and every village cares for their own little community. Their own built in security is great, I for one have never ever felt unsecured at ant time night or day, well once when a cobra decided to come in the house and watch TV with us. After a quick call for help from the locals and a lot of Thai antics the serpent was soon dispatched and in a cooking pot.

Anyway, back to our village security. Below is an extract from my blog, it's a true tale, with my humorous slant on things, hope it makes you smile.

Residents of our picturesque little village in “No-Where-<deleted>-A-Buri” have recently been shocked and outraged to find themselves the victims of a series of horrific vandalism.

Our apparently idyllic rural setting maybe several hundred kilometres away from the lean mean streets of Bangkok, but on one fateful morning last week that was cold comfort indeed to find purposeful destruction had found its way to our tiny little village. The local inhabitants woke from their blissful rural drunken slumber only too find part of their harmonious utopia irrevocably smashed apart.

After the Poo-Yai-Baan (village head) had strapped on his flip-flops to go out to milk his pigs, he soon knew something was terribly terribly wrong, something bad had occurred that caused him to summon the villagers. He bellowed over the loud speaker demanding our community of farmers, drunkards, half-wits, in-breds and all to be shaken from their sleepy hangovers, and as soon as they got dressed with the compulsory woolly-hat that keeps their skulls cool in the 30+ degree heat they were all to gather at the local temple.

That’s when they heard the news that many of them had secretly been dreading for years. The villages only telephone box had been sabotaged, he recited the people who did this were monsters and clearly have no respect for village life. He filled the gathering with dread; enough dread that some of them even forgot to pick their nose for a nano-second. He continued filling their honest agrarian ears with tales of woo and criminality as if the world was coming to an end, he then insisted that everyone must now contribute to the telephone box repair fund. Through this appeal he managed to raise enough money to pay for counselling for those villagers most severely mentally affected by not be able to spend their three baht on their daily phone call. The rest of the money raised paid to get the phone box operable, and of course 20 cases of beer that were to be the centre piece of the party held at his house later that day.

Within the week the telephone box was repaired, ironically; no sooner had the last grisly event been forgotten from the memories of our country folk the twisted hand of fate was to deal yet another cruel blow. Again, an almost identical act taking place in our rustic community just days later. This time however there were witnesses, a young "coupled-couple" who just happen to be brothers but hopefully after the operation will become husband and wife; stated whilst out walking their hen, claim to have seen a "magic chariot" (car) speed past the in the early evening hours. They recalled with such vigor the car was bedeck with laughing teenagers who had the pronounced qualities such as, unshaven faces, and remnants of shampoo foam fashionably styling their unkempt hair.

The local police officer, Constable Somchai Whodontgivesafcuk has refused to speculate on the identities of the perpetrators, saying only that all leads are being looked into and that comprehensive steps "could" be taken to protect the village from similar attacks in future if the funding was enough for him too have yet another Mia Noi. Despite his assurances, no one has yet claimed responsibility for the atrocities nor has anyone been made to re-inact the crime. So with the culprits still at large our little village now has an appearance of a village under siege with vigilante groups of machete wielding idiots regularly patrolling the village, we can also proudly boast of an armed militia of highly trained half-wits & in-breds have set up a 26 hour a day observation post by the telephone box.

Amidst this climate of fear and outrage, the local head monk who's is aptly named Iama Thievinggit and the highly respected Abbot called Gaymaiasrse Issore have asked for calm and urging members of our local community not too take the law into their own hands, but if they catch the culprits to bring them to the temple for a good roasting so as they can feel the wrath of his rod!!!!.

Now a tale to be told, I love the fact the villagers guard this telephone box with the precision of a military junta, and do you know why? In our little village there are only two telephones, one is the public box and the other is in my house. So if you hear that a Fat Falang contributed to the Village Public Telephone repair fund, I am sure you can understand why.

Later

CF

See my blog here on TV for more such going on's with my added slant on life in a Issan village.

That was funny....I mean your version of it.

[AYJAYDEE]

Further to my original post, have come up with the following additions to those given by Khun Andy

Likes

Hearing the birds sing all day

Being able to buy newly laid eggs (chicken or duck) in my soi

Being able to buy fresh live fish

Seeing the village women sitting in the middle of the soi every afternoon gossiping about all and sundry (as long as it isn't me)

Dislikes

au contraire

young women in patooms are very beautiful!

Seeing the villagers spend every disposable baht twice a month on the lottery (usually the underground one) and rarely if ever winning.

The government village fund, which only puts the village people even further into debt, the money loaned being frittered away.

Young women who hide their beauty by wearing patungs each and every day.

Seeing some children going to school without shoes or a decent meal because their Grandmothers have spent all the money on the lottery and donations to the Wat.

[prakhonchai nick]

Dislikes

au contraire

young women in patooms are very beautiful!

Sadly not in my locality. Once married most unemployed village women "go to seed". Dirty stained patungs (patooms) and T shirts, unbrushed hair, slouch around most of the day. Slovenly best describes it. I will not allow my wife to dress similarly, and she has agreed with me that it is quite likely this is one of the causes for Thai men to leave their wives. They return home after weeks working away and that is what they find. Not the girl they courted and married.

Just my opinion,

[micksterbs]

Yep, I love Isaan too. Been here 18 months now and I wouldn't be anywhere else. Unfortunately, we do get the morning propaganda blast at 6.00 but TW's alarm goes-off around then anyway so no sweat. 3 big Changs for B100 from the end of the lane, the smell of cooking coming from the kitchen, the sound of the cows on their way home. You can keep BKK.

[Lite Beer]

Yep, I love Isaan too. Been here 18 months now and I wouldn't be anywhere else. Unfortunately, we do get the morning propaganda blast at 6.00 but TW's alarm goes-off around then anyway so no sweat. 3 big Changs for B100 from the end of the lane, the smell of cooking coming from the kitchen, the sound of the cows on their way home. You can keep BKK.

Yes, if only we could get rid of the 6.am racket. It would then be perfect. The providers of this awful noise do not seem to understand that when you get 2 or 3 different tanoy systems blasting out at the same time all you get is a racket. It is impossible to make out individual words or music.

My only problem living here in the village.

[chiliwasabi]

Great Thread! Having not reached retirement age and not working in an industry in which it would be possible for me to find work in Thailand I must make do with threads such as this to remind me why I love the place.

The 1-2 months a year my wife spend back in Thailand and the dream of us one day living there is what keep me going.

[billd766]

It is pretty much the same over in the central region away rom the big cities. We live out in the boonies 6 km from the village in a small moo baan where most people know each other and come planting or harvesting time we can always get some help as and when required.

We have been here full time for about 4 years and lived in Bangkok before that. BKK is very useful for many things such a farang food and good internet/TV connections but it is a terrible place to have to live.

All my wife's family live around the Bang Na area and they love coming up to the country for holidays. At the moment my mother in law is living with us in the small house which we built while my wife supervised the building of our bigger house. My father inlaw accused her of being a butterfly (at 62) so she came to live with us a couple of months ago. He came up with some of the family for the New Year and asker her to come back to help with her younger son (late 30's and on some medication) plus the 3 grandchildren cooking and cleaning etc and was surprised when she said no as she is quite happy here, chewing betel and playing cards with some of my wife's friends a couple of times a week.

I was over at a friends house Thursday night and got back yesterday morning and my wife is in Petchabun somewhere visiting our sons other "granny" and I found Mae was a bit breathless and she said that she was nuai. I called my wife (who has the pickup truck) and she got a fried to take her Mum to the local hospital where she is resting with a couple of tubes up her nose breathing oxygen.

She is in a small room with a/c if she wants it and the normal hospital facilities including unfortunately hospital food. We have o workers wife staying with her most of the time and we get real food sent in every day and the cost is 450 baht a night I think plus medical fees but she also has the 30 baht medical card which should pay for the medication.

Hope she gets better soon.