Is There Anybody Out There?

[MJP]

As much as it is a delight to spend time with the ball and chain, one is expecting a slightly longer duration of stay this time in the lovely setting that is Pho Chai , due mainly to the collapsed wreckage that is the UK economy.

In order to avert the usual pattern of loneliness, decaying to total despair followed by a row with the old woman and a PB Air flight to Bangkok, does any one else of English tongue live in this area?

If so and if you want to come round for numerous ice cold ones, post away or PM me.

Many thanks.

[lampard10]

As much as it is a delight to spend time with the ball and chain, one is expecting a slightly longer duration of stay this time in the lovely setting that is Pho Chai , due mainly to the collapsed wreckage that is the UK economy.

In order to avert the usual pattern of loneliness, decaying to total despair followed by a row with the old woman and a PB Air flight to Bangkok, does any one else of English tongue live in this area?

If so and if you want to come round for numerous ice cold ones, post away or PM me.

Many thanks.

There are dozens, maybe hundreds in the area, not everyone reads the forum though. I believe a watering hole & meeting place is "The White Elephant" in Roi Et town. Not to be confused with the 'White Elephent' on my site in Surin Town.

[citizen33]

As much as it is a delight to spend time with the ball and chain, one is expecting a slightly longer duration of stay this time in the lovely setting that is Pho Chai , due mainly to the collapsed wreckage that is the UK economy.

In order to avert the usual pattern of loneliness, decaying to total despair followed by a row with the old woman and a PB Air flight to Bangkok, does any one else of English tongue live in this area?

If so and if you want to come round for numerous ice cold ones, post away or PM me.

Many thanks.

There are dozens, maybe hundreds in the area, not everyone reads the forum though. I believe a watering hole & meeting place is "The White Elephant" in Roi Et town. Not to be confused with the 'White Elephent' on my site in Surin Town.

Yes, that is correct. I only do my shopping in Roi Et (if I go to Makro) but from the Roi Et City hotel you cross the bridge over the canal and the White Elephant is slightly to the right and opposite.

[MJP]

Thanks chaps,

I've set the lot up now in a village near Pho Chai. Can get lonely there, only downside.

[JanAndersLarsson]

There are nobody out there. But we are a couple of guys in Napho Buriram. One swede, one austrian and next month we will have a guy from Switzerland too who will stay during the winter (he speeks only italian and raeto-romanian but it could be a nice experiance for an englishspeaker).

If you are not in too much of a hurry when you go to Korat you are very welcome.

[MJP]

There are nobody out there. But we are a couple of guys in Napho Buriram. One swede, one austrian and next month we will have a guy from Switzerland too who will stay during the winter (he speeks only italian and raeto-romanian but it could be a nice experiance for an englishspeaker).

If you are not in too much of a hurry when you go to Korat you are very welcome.

Thanks Jan,

I'm coming down to Korat soon to look at a motorbike (if I can get the wife to let me have one).

[JanAndersLarsson]

I guess you want to buy a big one .

[MJP]

I guess you want to buy a big one .

Yamaha 1200 V-Max

[JanAndersLarsson]

I understand that you have to ask for permission

[MJP]

I understand that you have to ask for permission

[wontok]

I'm not there yet, but I will be soon ..... moving with the family to Roi Et at the end of the year.

Will PM you with a phone number once I've got one - happy to meet for a beer (by the lake?) some time.

Cheers

Wontok

[farangconnection]

due mainly to the collapsed wreckage that is the UK economy.

Unfortunately the collapsing World economies coupled with the strength of the Thai Baht, makes it expensive for some of my poor old pensioners to live here as well. In fact one customer that used to drink in my pub on everyday with a 'Y' in it has cut down to everyday with an 'S' in it.

[Totster]

OP,

I've sent you a PM, we're not too far apart, and I never mind drinking ice cold ones

Totster

[Vegemite]

As much as it is a delight to spend time with the ball and chain, one is expecting a slightly longer duration of stay this time in the lovely setting that is Pho Chai , due mainly to the collapsed wreckage that is the UK economy.

In order to avert the usual pattern of loneliness, decaying to total despair followed by a row with the old woman and a PB Air flight to Bangkok, does any one else of English tongue live in this area?

If so and if you want to come round for numerous ice cold ones, post away or PM me.

Many thanks.

There are dozens, maybe hundreds in the area, not everyone reads the forum though. I believe a watering hole & meeting place is "The White Elephant" in Roi Et town. Not to be confused with the 'White Elephent' on my site in Surin Town.

White Elephant is the name that I have on the bussines card.

They have excellent food and it is a very comfortable place to have a drink or a game of pool.

It is run by a thai lady called Poo and husband Klaus.

Phone number on the card is 043-514778 mobile 01-0590060.

Address 59/2 Rommung Naimung Roi-Et.

I only visit Roi -Et once per year and didnt get there this year so the info is one year old.

For me, it is worth a trip to Roi Et just to eat at this place and the owners wouldnt know me from a bar of soap.

Know what you mean about Village life!

All the best.

[Sarge]

White Elephant is the name that I have on the bussines card.

They have excellent food and it is a very comfortable place to have a drink or a game of pool.

It is run by a thai lady called Poo and husband Klaus.

Phone number on the card is 043-514778 mobile 01-0590060.

Address 59/2 Rommung Naimung Roi-Et.

I only visit Roi -Et once per year and didnt get there this year so the info is one year old.

For me, it is worth a trip to Roi Et just to eat at this place and the owners wouldnt know me from a bar of soap.

Know what you mean about Village life!

All the best.

interesting, when I live in mahasarakham I make regular weekly shopping jaunts to 101, I'll make sure I stop there next time. How's the food?

[farangconnection]

They have excellent food

interesting, when I live in mahasarakham I make regular weekly shopping jaunts to 101, I'll make sure I stop there next time. How's the food?

Excellent

[Sarge]

yeah, I mean what type of foreign food they have on the menu? Klaus sounds like a German nick, so I suppose there'll be German and pan-european dishes + thai of course.

[MJP]

Many thanks to all those escapee's now AWOL from the terror of the west replying to this thread.

I think many farang from early middle age all the way up to OAP are probably now stationed in this area and it would be good to meet up.

[Vegemite]

interesting, when I live in mahasarakham I make regular weekly shopping jaunts to 101, I'll make sure I stop there next time. How's the food?

I thought 101 Pizza was good for a beer with a nice view of the lake. Last year I found the food O.K..

I thought that the farang owner/husand died last year. Is this place still running?

O.P. When I was in Roi-Et last year thhere was a small group of farang that met at 101 pizza every afternoon for a beer. Nice normal sort of blokes. It is on the other side of the lake from the city from memory, maybe someone here can clarify.

The food at White Elephant does have a German lean but they make the best meatballs on mashed potatoe that I have ever had.

We have a Thai friend that comes from Roi-Et and she told me recently that the farang population is getting close to 20% and that there are a couple of new bars and resturants in town now. Can anyone confirm this?

[jaiyenyen]

My wife and I visit Roi-et 3 or 4 times a year. her village is about 15mins outside the town.

We usually go to Roi-et for shopping so it's good to know about the White Elephant. She can leave me there while she empties her purse at the shops.

I think I remember driving past 101 Pizza, it's on the other side of the road from the lake if I remember correctly.

[MJP]

interesting, when I live in mahasarakham I make regular weekly shopping jaunts to 101, I'll make sure I stop there next time. How's the food?

I thought 101 Pizza was good for a beer with a nice view of the lake. Last year I found the food O.K..

I thought that the farang owner/husand died last year. Is this place still running?

O.P. When I was in Roi-Et last year thhere was a small group of farang that met at 101 pizza every afternoon for a beer. Nice normal sort of blokes. It is on the other side of the lake from the city from memory, maybe someone here can clarify.

The food at White Elephant does have a German lean but they make the best meatballs on mashed potatoe that I have ever had.

We have a Thai friend that comes from Roi-Et and she told me recently that the farang population is getting close to 20% and that there are a couple of new bars and resturants in town now. Can anyone confirm this?

I go into Roi-Et once or twice a week to satisfy the old woman's craving for useless tat.

20% is more like 0.0002% I would say. I've seen about 5 farang on my tormented travails through Tesco Lotus.

[syntoh]

The village Pho Chai is on the route Roi Et - Phonthong, right?

syntoh

[citizen33]

The village Pho Chai is on the route Roi Et - Phonthong, right?

syntoh

I sense a chance to revive an old but never resolved thread about another Western resident further along this route towards Phon Thong. Before reaching the town, there is a park with animals and exotic plants a couple of kilometers left off the main road run by a farang named David. I know this from a local questioned one day when I tried to visit and found the park gate locked. Has anybody ever been there? Is it worth a visit?

[MJP]

The village Pho Chai is on the route Roi Et - Phonthong, right?

syntoh

Yes, I'm about 1o mins from Pho Chai in a village called Khumpaoung.

Bizarrely a chap called Henry has just built a place next door to mine. Yet to meet him. Reckon on a big influx of farang into Issan now the West is down the toilet.

[surinmike]

try a trip down surinway.........we are over run with farangs not like the good old daze 15 years ago..you

will find all types hanging round the farang connection/bus stop area....the old bat will start to look good after a few days with our farang crowd

[MJP]

I'm not there yet, but I will be soon ..... moving with the family to Roi Et at the end of the year.

Will PM you with a phone number once I've got one - happy to meet for a beer (by the lake?) some time.

Cheers

Wontok

Cheers Wontok,

I reckon there's loads of us in that area. All sat in our little houses trying to get the BBC World Service for company.

No need because of the wonder that is the internet.

I'll PM you my email etc, got Blackberry which bizarrely works everywhere.

[rabidrabbit]

on one oh one pizza, had a burger there - bacon cheese. it was fantastic. the flavor of a real beef burger with wonderfully crisp bacon. mashed potatoes were nice too. the view over the lake is relaxing. looking forward to trying more menu items soon. white elephant is on the list too.

[laphanphon]

Hmmm, White Elephant..........following positive comments here ‘excellent’, figured we would give it a try. Even though passing a rather nice place that was crowded and noticed by the wife, hmm, next time. Ok, first mistake was ordering drinks, only water before checking out the menu. Which arrived, I believed already opened, as they were not opened at table side. But 2 bottles of water opened, not sure why, since we barely finished one, and it was pointed out, why open 2, as we probably wouldn’t drink the one if I’m not eating spicy. Which one didn’t even empty filling the glasses, plenty left in just the one, since too much ice about, half of which remained in bucket at departure. But that is standard operation for Thailand. So TIT. Don’t like the idea of open bottles arriving at table, makes me suspect as to their origin, though tasted fine, no chlorine taste.

The food, after looking over menu, I correctly figured, why bother, I can see this coming and since not extremely hungry, which was a good thing. I ordered fried rice/chicken, 60 baht, wife and little one ordered fried squid/garlic 90 baht, and a spicy pork soup, 80 baht, w/rice. Overall opinion, the worst Thai food I’ve ever recieved after 8 years, and at the portion size, of the actually meat involved and flavor, the most expensive. Don’t take my word for it, pictures speak volumes. As you see, the first pic of fried rice looks a little bit like just rice, so, investigate, and hmm, no veggies, and that is the chicken, all the chicken, in between the spoon, lemon and piece of cucumber, the rest was basically just rice.

Now the squid, again, picture before eating, my finger and a spoon for size comparison, this was 90 baht, a good number, as it contained about 90 % less squid that we were fortunate enough to eat the other day in Udon Thani, had the pleasure of bit different dish of squid, 2 whole pieces, that when touched, overflowed the tasty juice off the same size plate, for a mere 98 baht, i will follow up, with pic next time I eat there, if this isn‘t deleted as I suspect it will be. The amount of squid at White Elephant, amounted to maybe 2 spoons full, and lacked garlic or much flavor of, but lots of salt.

The spicy pork soup, is a stretch, broth would be a better description, wee bit of pork, ever less of anything else, enough said. When wife told me what it was and told me it is the same as a regular she orders at home, well, I just shook my head when I understood what it was suppose to be.

All I can say is a sad experience. Just shy of 300 baht wasted.

Apologies for pic quality, cell phone and lighting.

[Bryan in Isaan]

The village Pho Chai is on the route Roi Et - Phonthong, right?

syntoh

I sense a chance to revive an old but never resolved thread about another Western resident further along this route towards Phon Thong. Before reaching the town, there is a park with animals and exotic plants a couple of kilometers left off the main road run by a farang named David. I know this from a local questioned one day when I tried to visit and found the park gate locked. Has anybody ever been there? Is it worth a visit?

You mean Dave the Swiss guy from Phon Thong? He's a good chap and does have a few odd pets and animals.

[JanAndersLarsson]

No ! There are nobody here. We are celebrating the new year. I suggest you go on and do the same ! Have a good new year 2009 all of you !

Edited January 1, 2009 by JanAndersLarsson