Rural Isaan

[rickthailand]

Hi guys/girls,

I have been living in Nong Khai for the last 4 years. I have been to many rural villages and love it and know i would like to live in a village. now my question is what are you guys experiences living in a rural village alone as a farang? I know most people live together with their thai gf/wifes/boyfriends but is it ok to live there as a farang alone? The language is no problem and the land owning thing also not just very curious on how the everyday experiences are if you are there without a partner. I hope that i will settle somewhere in a village soon as I think it is a life style suited for me.

Please let me know what you think about this subject.Also if you obvious dont have a thai partner how would you determin where in isaan you would want to live as there are so many places with different things to offer!!

By the way I just joined thai visa and I find it an amazing source of information and a great way of finding out things.

thanks everyone

rick

[turnpike]

Hi guys/girls,

I have been living in Nong Khai for the last 4 years. I have been to many rural villages and love it and know i would like to live in a village. now my question is what are you guys experiences living in a rural village alone as a farang? I know most people live together with their thai gf/wifes/boyfriends but is it ok to live there as a farang alone? The language is no problem and the land owning thing also not just very curious on how the everyday experiences are if you are there without a partner. I hope that i will settle somewhere in a village soon as I think it is a life style suited for me.

Please let me know what you think about this subject.Also if you obvious dont have a thai partner how would you determin where in isaan you would want to live as there are so many places with different things to offer!!

By the way I just joined thai visa and I find it an amazing source of information and a great way of finding out things.

thanks everyone

rick

hey rick,

i'm no expert on this subject, but i have a feeling that 99.9% of us living in rural isaan have a partner of some sort, so i don't expect you'll get a whole pile of responses from people who live here on their own.

not saying it can't be done, and the fact you say language is no problem likely means you are somewhat fluent in thai, so that would make things easier.

seeing as i have a wife here, i don't feel qualified to answer your question. but if you lived in nong khai for 4 years on your own, i don't imagine the transition to a small village would be a big one. might be a bit of an adventure, actually. (you sound like you may be a writer planning to write a book...if you aren't, maybe you should consider it. )

anyhoo, best of luck. let us know how it turns out.

rgds,

tp

[dee123]

....i don't think living alone is an option in rural issan......might be ok in a big metropolis but experience tells me that everyone is co-dependent,...(well it was where I lived),...and if you kept "yourself to yourself" it would certainly be regarded as an unfriendly sgn by the Thai's....allthough saying that,....things are bound to change(unfortuneately).....you would soon find yourself in a situation where you would need a bit of help from the local plumber/electrician....or similar ..and along they will come with friendly manner and a poss'e of helpers,...then before you know it you have an extended family,....

Edited December 11, 2008 by dee123

[dee123]

...example .......Those above 40 here on Thaivisa will know that in the old days (UK).....your Granny's house was just near your Cousin's house and also nearby was your Uncle and Aunt,....ect ect.......everybody knew everybody,..everyone had their role in local society butcher ,banker cleaner ect and as a kid you could walk and roam where you like ,..well Issan was and probably is still like that,.....allthough these past 4/5 years I have returned to spend my time in UK ,....and only visit on holiday.....but have fond memories of the friends I made there....

Edited December 11, 2008 by dee123

[torrenova]

I lived alone in Pattaya for some time but even with the missus in Buriram I know that I need a bigger city.

In the missus' mother's village, there are a couple of westerners but there is nowhere to go really for a beer or something to eat. People go to each other's houses though there is one place to get a bite to eat. You have to go to bed at about 8pm though as everyone else does and the TV is crap (no UBC in her house).

If you want solitude then ok but I don't imagine you'll strike up much conversation and nothing of any interest or deep meaning. If you want something more, you'll have to be in a bigger place.

As for the living alone thing, then the smaller a place the less interaction and as such, you rely on a partner more. Without that I suspect it would be a lonely existence.

[Svenn]

Hi guys/girls,

I have been living in Nong Khai for the last 4 years. I have been to many rural villages and love it and know i would like to live in a village. now my question is what are you guys experiences living in a rural village alone as a farang? I know most people live together with their thai gf/wifes/boyfriends but is it ok to live there as a farang alone? The language is no problem and the land owning thing also not just very curious on how the everyday experiences are if you are there without a partner. I hope that i will settle somewhere in a village soon as I think it is a life style suited for me.

Please let me know what you think about this subject.Also if you obvious dont have a thai partner how would you determin where in isaan you would want to live as there are so many places with different things to offer!!

Hi Rick , that's actually a very interesting desire you have there! I'm just curious to know a little more about why you choose Isaan in the first place, and why you'd want to live alone- the stereotype obviously being for farangs that if you're older and living on retirement funds or something that don't require a job, and you're alone in Isaan, that you're just looking for a series of one-night stands type life or something. No problem with that I guess, so long as your partners know that's all your looking for. The other alternative, I've seen a few contemplative anthropologist type farangs that live alone in Isaan, some Buddhists too, that just prefer living alone and not have relationships.

I think you'd be ok having a house to yourself, but the villagers would expect interaction and friendliness of course, and it would probably take a year or more before kids stop following you around all the time and the old people stop staring. If I were to choose a place to live alone in Isaan, I'd want to pick a place that wasn't too flat and had some forest to explore- that combo will greatly narrow down your search... I just imagine that it would really suck seeing nothing but rice fields to the horizon, and not being able to hike anywhere. The Pha Taem area east of Ubon would be good- lots of little hills, cliffs, and dry open forest like the Outback...

Edited December 11, 2008 by Svenn

[dee123]

...yep sounds about right torrenova,......although if you have a business to occupy yor mind it can be great .....(i used to grow beanshoots,then catering with wfe),....but she wanted to earn in UK so our money went back to uk,....and it became awfully boring there.....bed 6/7 o'clock then you would hear everyone moving about 2 in the morning going to the bustling night market,...it's made me think,......if I wanted to get about without getting mauled by the local dogs it would mean by motorcycle or if I had any baggage knock up any neighbour (anytime night or day)..to get a tuk tuk ride..... Edited December 11, 2008 by dee123

[Dave the Dude]

I lived alone in Pattaya for some time but even with the missus in Buriram I know that I need a bigger city.

In the missus' mother's village, there are a couple of westerners but there is nowhere to go really for a beer or something to eat. People go to each other's houses though there is one place to get a bite to eat. You have to go to bed at about 8pm though as everyone else does and the TV is crap (no UBC in her house).

If you want solitude then ok but I don't imagine you'll strike up much conversation and nothing of any interest or deep meaning. If you want something more, you'll have to be in a bigger place.

As for the living alone thing, then the smaller a place the less interaction and as such, you rely on a partner more. Without that I suspect it would be a lonely existence.

A very sensible and balanced post

Dave

[rickthailand]

hi guys,

thanks for the reactions. I guess I am not looking to be a recluse. 90% of my friends here are thai and I am very aware of

the fact that i would have to interact with the local community. I am also NOT looking for one night stands. I have stayed in a village

for a few months with a friend and I loved it. I am just wondering if it would be a problem for the thai community. My work is web based

so as long as I have internet I can keep myself busy. As for the 2am noise going to the market that is proberly me

thanks again for the info and if anyone has experience with living alone in isaan please let me know.

rick

[Thaddeus]

i'm no expert on this subject, but i have a feeling that 99.9% of us living in rural isaan have a partner of some sort, so i don't expect you'll get a whole pile of responses.

Hello, I'm part of the 0.1%

I lived in a very rural village on my own for around a year or so, it was fun for a while, but it slowly drove me crazy, Firstly, no one speaks Thai, it's either Khmen or Lao or a strange combination of the three, and when you do manage to get them to speak Thai when you are around you find that the topics of conversation mainly center around food, have you eaten yet, what did you eat, what are you going to eat tonight etc etc etc ..... oh, and the price of rubber or rice ..... not very stimulating.

It can be done, but you need something to occupy yourself that doesn't involve any of the locals, and when you do need to interact with them, you need the patience of a saint...... and avoid Lao Khao

For the last six months I have been renting a house in the main town and I am now driving the locals crazy, I do all the normal things, walk to the market to buy fresh meat and fruit, chat a little bit, have a couple beers with the other ex-pats at night (that's expected) and maybe stop at a neighbours house on the way home for the last capong when invited to do so ..... and then go home alone...... I've lost count of the amount of times I have heard "I have a sister"

As I said before, living alone in a village can be done, but it isn't for everyone (my brother would have lasted around six hours) for me, living alone in the town is much easier and much more fun.

[prakhonchai nick]

Hello, I'm part of the 0.1%

It can be done, but you need something to occupy yourself that doesn't involve any of the locals,

Thad - you seem to have overlooked recent forays in Surin to break the monotony!

Still haven't seen you in the Shamrock (or anywhere else recently for that matter!). A good night expected tonight in the Shamrock.

A further private visit to Surin for a group from the Shamrock is planned for January - please feel free to join

[Goyave]

... My work is web based

so as long as I have internet I can keep myself busy. ...

So, be careful and check first what are your options for Internet access in the chosen village. You might have only an expensive and unreliable (especially during the rainy season) solution such as iPSTAR or a very slow one (GPRS/Edge). Alas, CAT CDMA-EVDO rev.A is not available in many remote areas...

I could be happy in a small village provided that I have a decent and reliable Internet connection (and a good vehicle).

[Gary A]

I'm quite content living in a small village, BUT, if not for my wife, I'd be headed back to a farang ghetto. I do enjoy my own company but not all the time. I'm also not used to cooking, cleaning and washing my own clothes. No way could I live alone in a small village.

ADDED - We live about 50 kilometers south of Loei city and CAT EV-DO just became available. It's not super fast but it is much better than anything I have ever had before. Ipstar really stinks. EDGE was better but pretty slow too.

Here is my current EV-DO speed;

Last Result:

Download Speed: 1049 kbps (131.1 KB/sec transfer rate)

Upload Speed: 237 kbps (29.6 KB/sec transfer rate)

Latency: 412 ms

Friday, December 12, 2008 12:42:39

I am quite happy with it so far.

Edited December 12, 2008 by Gary A

[simon43]

I'm sure it can be done - and very satisfactorily. But you need to speak Thai, or Issan/Lao or Khmer, depending where you are.

Rural folks are probably not going to be able to discuss academic, linguistic or business topics with you. But if you have an interest in Thai culture, and are an approachable sort of person, then I see no reason why you cannot live happily alone.

Over the past few years I've moved aound Thailand, staying also in Nong Khai and some villages right in the north-east of Issan. I got on extremely well with all the local people that I met! The limiting factor for me at that time was that my Thai partner did not appreciate that I wanted to chat with the monks or ask questions about Thai culture with the village women.

I long for the opportunity to live alone and interact with the local villagers without the constraint of a Thai wife/GF (I mean culturally interact, not sexually!)

But you do need to be the type of person who is happy with their own company, who has the self-control not to turn to drink and women, and who has some sort of hobby that can be entertained alone. (Think flying kites(!) or amateur radio). I do the latter, and for a partner it is the most boring, tedious type of hobby as I 'dah-dah-dit-dit-dit' with my morse-code key...

It probably also helps if you are eccentric and can hold intelligent conversations with yourself, preferably out-loud.

Simon

[Thaddeus]

Hello, I'm part of the 0.1%

It can be done, but you need something to occupy yourself that doesn't involve any of the locals,

Thad - you seem to have overlooked recent forays in Surin to break the monotony!

Still haven't seen you in the Shamrock (or anywhere else recently for that matter!). A good night expected tonight in the Shamrock.

A further private visit to Surin for a group from the Shamrock is planned for January - please feel free to join

Haven't overlooked anything mate, still have the scars

The reason I don't venture into Prakhonchai is quite simple, I flatly refuse to drink and drive these days, plus one new place has opened here recently that is run by a Danish guy and his wife (Kel and Noi) he is a baker by trade and makes the finest bread I have tasted in Thailand (excellent cheese burgers too, he'd do well in Chang Mai) and Bar Deang has been taken over by Wolfie (Wolfgang) the quality of food there has improved drastically (the cooking oil get's changed more than once a year and most of the produce is supplied by Gary from Prasat)

Basically, pretty much everything I need now is within walking distance.

Give me a nod about January closer to the day though.

[Dave the Dude]

Hello, I'm part of the 0.1%

It can be done, but you need something to occupy yourself that doesn't involve any of the locals,

Thad - you seem to have overlooked recent forays in Surin to break the monotony!

Still haven't seen you in the Shamrock (or anywhere else recently for that matter!). A good night expected tonight in the Shamrock.

A further private visit to Surin for a group from the Shamrock is planned for January - please feel free to join

Hi Nick

Let us know when you are planning to lurk around Surin, I will then arrange for a 24hr pass from 'er in doors'

Dave

[coventry]

have you eaten yet

If you check Thaddeus you will find that "have you eaten yet" was the greeting before 'Sawat Dee'. Obviously you associate with people that think of the old ways. Not a critism just a point. So when Thais speak to you in a non stimulating way they are actually being polite in the old fashioned way. Edited December 13, 2008 by coventry

[Thaddeus]

have you eaten yet

If you check Thaddeus you will find that "have you eaten yet" was the greeting before 'Sawat Dee'. Obviously you associate with people that think of the old ways. Not a critism just a point. So when Thais speak to you in a non stimulating way they are actually being polite in the old fashioned way.

Didn't I say that I lived on my own in a village environment for around twelve months..... the locals and I used to spend all day swapping mobile numbers, talking about the stock market, forex and tax liabilities........ of course I was associating with people of the old ways.

Have you ever tried it? .... living in a remote village all on your ownsome that is.

Edited December 13, 2008 by Thaddeus

[prakhonchai nick]

Hi Nick

Let us know when you are planning to lurk around Surin, I will then arrange for a 24hr pass from 'er in doors'

Dave

Provisionally mid January. Our passes are being sought on the basis it is an Indian Food night!

[Macx]

It can be done if you have the right mindset.

I haven't lived in a small village, but I've lived in very a small town where I rarely saw another foreigner and didn't speak English for months at a time. I've also stayed in a few villages, but only for a few weeks at a time on Thai friends' invitations.

If most of your friends are Thai, it should be easy. Make your desire know and you'll probably get more invitations and introductions into village life than you want. Don't move truckloads of stuff into a village hut all at once and freak out the locals. Come for visits, get tipsy with the locals at weddings/funerals, drop a word about wanting to rent a house (and don't be leering at the their daughters and sisters).

It's certainly an experience.

Even though I came as a single guy and left as a single guy, I really enjoyed my time there (including the boring bits).

I did find that I went to the bright lights of big cities once a month to get my fill of pizza, wine, movies, and supplies.

The one problem I did have was that once one of the nice local gals took a shining to me (we were platonic friends), I couldn't approach any of her acquaintances. The whole tiny town seemed to accept that she had put a stamp on me.

But, it's an experience. Like another poster mentioned, if you have spent a few years in Nong Khai, a move out to one of the close by villages wouldn't be a huge leap.

Have fun and report back

[rickthailand]

thanks macx sounds like good advise and again all thanks for sharing your experiences/opinions

[PaddyThai]

I lived in a village between Chiang Mai and Mae Hong Son for about 6 months. I was a volunteer English teacher living in a school house.

In theory I was alone, in reality the local kids came around regularly to chat or ask me to play football etc. The local women took a shine to me and it soon became apparent that this was causing conflict and jealousy. I would just as happily chat with the female single teachers as the local village teens.

If I didn't go to Chiang Mai to meet other volunteers once in awhile I would have gone mad.

I also lived in Samud Songkram, a medium size town on the sea. Had a very enjoyable year. Made loads of Thai friends. I was in my late 20s so again many friends were beautiful women which again created it's own problems.

I don't see how Rick could live in a village alone without some of the local women deciding to try to develop a relationship with him. They may be motivated by need for financial security, a curiosity about foreigners a desire to have a mate who does not drink or screw around as the locals may do.

[bigstupid]

Hi..I'm Pakchong people.Korat City.Good way for you seeks someone better.

Hi guys/girls,

I have been living in Nong Khai for the last 4 years. I have been to many rural villages and love it and know i would like to live in a village. now my question is what are you guys experiences living in a rural village alone as a farang? I know most people live together with their thai gf/wifes/boyfriends but is it ok to live there as a farang alone? The language is no problem and the land owning thing also not just very curious on how the everyday experiences are if you are there without a partner. I hope that i will settle somewhere in a village soon as I think it is a life style suited for me.

Please let me know what you think about this subject.Also if you obvious dont have a thai partner how would you determin where in isaan you would want to live as there are so many places with different things to offer!!

By the way I just joined thai visa and I find it an amazing source of information and a great way of finding out things.

thanks everyone

rick

hey rick,

i'm no expert on this subject, but i have a feeling that 99.9% of us living in rural isaan have a partner of some sort, so i don't expect you'll get a whole pile of responses from people who live here on their own.

not saying it can't be done, and the fact you say language is no problem likely means you are somewhat fluent in thai, so that would make things easier.

seeing as i have a wife here, i don't feel qualified to answer your question. but if you lived in nong khai for 4 years on your own, i don't imagine the transition to a small village would be a big one. might be a bit of an adventure, actually. (you sound like you may be a writer planning to write a book...if you aren't, maybe you should consider it. )

anyhoo, best of luck. let us know how it turns out.

rgds,

tp

[Geekfreaklover]

If, rick, you are planning to rent a house in Isaan then go for it by all means. After a few months you will realise that for the same amount of money you could rent somewhere in Chaing Mai or just outside Bangkok, where the locals are easier to get along with.

The majority of Farang people living in Isaan are NOT living here through choice. It's simply where there girlfriends/boyfriends/wife/husbands are from.

I do have some friends that live a singular life in Isaan, and I have also led a Singular life in rural Isaan. I wouldn't recommend it. The GOSSIP the STARING the IGNORANCE and RACISM will start to affect you after a while.

[wensiensheng]

If I can make a suggestion, why not pick a village that is fairly close (10-20km) from a town like Udon or Ubon? You will still get all the characteristics of a small village (everybody knowing each other and their business etc) but also have some of the benefits of civilisation, like internet access. In addition, if you want to go to town once a week to interact with some ferang, you can do so very easily.

I'm not sure if you feel there is a need to be in a village that is pretty much cut off, but I find my wife's home village is a very small rural community (85 houses), yet only 12 km from Udon.

I quite like it...for a few months a year.

[jackspratt]

If, rick, you are planning to rent a house in Isaan then go for it by all means. After a few months you will realise that for the same amount of money you could rent somewhere in Chaing Mai or just outside Bangkok, where the locals are easier to get along with.

The majority of Farang people living in Isaan are NOT living here through choice. It's simply where there girlfriends/boyfriends/wife/husbands are from.

I do have some friends that live a singular life in Isaan, and I have also led a Singular life in rural Isaan. I wouldn't recommend it. The GOSSIP the STARING the IGNORANCE and RACISM will start to affect you after a while.

We all have different experiences I guess, but where I am living (by choice, and not alone, for nearly 2 years) I am not aware of any other farang who is not here of their own choosing.

Funnily enough, I haven't noticed the gossiping (except amongst the farangs), staring or racism. And ignorance can be found in many places.

[Geekfreaklover]

If, rick, you are planning to rent a house in Isaan then go for it by all means. After a few months you will realise that for the same amount of money you could rent somewhere in Chaing Mai or just outside Bangkok, where the locals are easier to get along with.

The majority of Farang people living in Isaan are NOT living here through choice. It's simply where there girlfriends/boyfriends/wife/husbands are from.

I do have some friends that live a singular life in Isaan, and I have also led a Singular life in rural Isaan. I wouldn't recommend it. The GOSSIP the STARING the IGNORANCE and RACISM will start to affect you after a while.

We all have different experiences I guess, but where I am living (by choice, and not alone, for nearly 2 years) I am not aware of any other farang who is not here of their own choosing.

Funnily enough, I haven't noticed the gossiping (except amongst the farangs), staring or racism. And ignorance can be found in many places.

Thanks for the post.

Which part of Isaan are you currently stayng?

[jackspratt]

About 80km from Udon.

[Geekfreaklover]

Not been there yet. I very much want to go to Loei, but that is a trip for another time.

I've lived in Surin, Burriram and now Khorat province.

Back on subject, there is an element of gossiping and racism in rural Thailand. If you don't notice it, it suggests that you can not speak the local language, which I guess is a Thai/Lao combo where you are? ....

To say that Farangs gossip more than Isaan Thai's is just nonsense.

Do you have any idea what is going on around you?

[Chaimai]

I also speak as one who has chosen to live in Isaan.

My Thai is limited so I accept that I will not know everything that is going on around me. However, in 3 years of coming to Thailand I simply decided that Isaan was a better place for me to be domiciled than Pattaya or Bangkok - I can visit those places when the mood takes me.

In the meantime I am content with a slightly more sedate lifestyle in Isaan.