Anybody In Seechompu

[peter991]

Hi there. I am 51 years of age and I am hoping to semi-retire to my Thai partner's Issan village of Seechompu. I am interested in buying a traditional Thai pole house, nothing fancy, with the goal of starting a shop/house supermarket.

If any farangs live in the village I would appreciate knowing the approximate cost of such a house.

Seechompu is about one hour from Khon Kaen.

Cheers

Peter

[budsc]

Don't have any info for you, but you might want to post on khonkaen.com, if you are talking north of kk, Kalasin(sp) area there are a couple of expats in that area,

good luck

bud and bung

[lopburi3]

Was in Si Chom Phu District, town of Dong Lan at the Tham Pha Phuang Wat for a Thamboon yesterday and they bought the 4 rai of land at base of mountain we were using for service/parking for 20,000 baht using part of our donations (farmer would have liked a little more when he noticed the group from Bangkok but he had already agreed).

This is a very poor region so house should not be very expensive. Good sticky rice right now and people seem to be very nice.

Believe one of the groups giving to temple yesterday was headed by a lady from Oz but she was not there so not sure if she lives in the area or not and as I live in Bangkok do not know who may live there.

[peter991]

Thanks for the info Lopburi3. My Thai partner is heading back to their village next month and will have a chat with Mum, who is really happy. I will be in Si Chom Phu in mid-February next year and keep a low profile while partner and Mum go house shopping.

[lopburi3]

Don't believe it will be possible to keep a low profile - word gets around fast in that kind of community - and they have discovered the cell phone. Good luck.

[SFOFarang]

peter991 -

My wife's family lives in a small village called Dong Lan about 20 minutes from Si Chomphu. I vist there a couple times a year and it is a beautiful area. The only downfall is I do not speak Thai which I need to learn and after 3-4 days I am bored to tears. Make sure to get a satellite dish and Internet access once you purchase your house in Si Chomphu. Si Chomphu is only a little over 1 hour from Khon Kaen so you can have access to books and reading material in English along with farang food if you so desire.

Best of luck - SFO Farang

[Brew]

have a look at http://www.duans-restaurant.com

it's a thai-german couple

they have also a small travel agency.

[peter991]

Thanks Brew. They also have a nice new Resort which my partner and I stayed at earlier this year. Here's the link: http://www.duans-travel.com/en/products/ho...010001003.shtml

Little chalets with western toilet and shower, TV and air-conditioning. Very clean and cheap too. A few kms down the road is their restaurant.

I have just booked 13 nights accommodation for my partner and myself early next year. I'll make sure I stock up on paperback books in Australia before I leave. Also bring my laptop and hope I can find a phone connection.

[muenwai2]

Peter,

Think very carefully. You're 51 and not getting younger. Living in a traditional Thai house may seem idyllic even if only whilst you sort out your supermarket, but be assured as a westerner it is not for you. Get real. Think of cooking, washing, cleaning, insects, air-con, privacy etc etc. Frankly you will not be living up to your partners expectations. SHE AND HER FAMILY WILL LOSE FACE and you will be viewed as a cheapskate. She may well be too polite to tell you that.

Purchase some land and have a western style house/bungalow constructed 3 bed/2bath in your area 800000-9000000baht, easy. A steal.

To purchase a traditonal house. Well the house would come free. The land that goes with it is what costs. For a farang maybe 200000 for 1 rai.

[peter991]

Thanks muenwai2: Partner is going to visit with parents 6 December and they will go house-hunting together. I take your point about lossing face and being cheap. Will see what happens by the middle of December and I will report back.

Thanks Peter

[mowlem]

I work in rural Khon Kaen, going to many village schools, in my job as a schools advisor.

You WILL have to build a new concrete house for yourself and your wife, and maybe another for the in laws. The nice houses in the villages are pointed out to me with the phrase, "She marry farang".

Befoe you actually commit money to the project, live there for a year. It sounds that you have no plans in how to fill your day, and I assure you, getting drunk and watching UBC will get very boring very quickly. Also the locals will know you are at home and may want to visit often (free food and beer)

Do you speak Thai? Do you get on with her parents, her siblings, the villagers? Rural Isaan looks pretty, but like anywhere, it has it's drawbacks. Maybe living in Khon Kaen, an hour away might be better.