Isaan Lifestyle

[midas]

I have been staying in Isaan during Christmas and New Year and it has been

fascinating to watch the lifestyles of the country people in Thailand.

I don’t know if what I have seen is representative of N.E. Thailand as a whole but

I don’t believe Thai’s in this part of the country have any concept of the word

“ privacy ”- at least during daylight hours because all manners of people seem to

just wander into the home without any announcement.

It just seems to be a never ending stream of people.

You can be in a room alone when someone just wanders in looking to borrow

something or wanting some information.

I found it a bit overwhelming because I enjoy my private time.

I am curious to know if the many farangs that live in this part of Thailand experience

this and if it took them a long time to get used to this style of living?

[samuibeachcomber]

par for the course,but more often than not they are relatives,and in these villages they are all inter related,aunts uncles,cousins etc. like it used to be in th west in villages a 100 years ago or so.there is no peace!

[ronthompson]

I really did not want people roaming all over my home and i stopped it, just explained to by wife it was not the American way We have a down stairs and outside kitchen which they visit but the up stairs, 4 steps is traffic free, it works well for me.

[samuibeachcomber]

I really did not want people roaming all over my home and i stopped it, just explained to by wife it was not the American way We have a down stairs and outside kitchen which they visit but the up stairs, 4 steps is traffic free, it works well for me.

fair enough,thats what you might call "ground rules" pun intended.

[Thaddeus]

This used to irritate the hel_l out of me, but I managed to get it to stop also.

I asked my wife if she could ask the in-laws to knock on the door and wait instead of just bursting in and I got the usual 'it's the Thai way" speech..... I reminded her of a few days earlier when we were sharing a very intimate moment on the sofa while the little one was at school and I asked her how everyone would feel if they just walked in on us making the beast with two backs.

Never happened again.

(Hi Baz...... )

Edited January 2, 2009 by Thaddeus

[pnustedt]

I got a dog and taught it to bark at anyone who approaches our gate. No-one comes in uninvited.

[midas]

I also find people in this part beyond curious - they are downright

nosey - I dont like it at all and I dont think i could ever get used to it

[bergen]

My wife happens to enjoy her privacy as well......................

No one enters our secluded house area without an appointment

and our 7 dogs make sure this rule is followed........................

[warni]

In a small village you have no chance for privacy unless you have a castle with a huge wall and a closed gate, yes and perhaps a dog.

My experience is that people almost neighbors or nearby relatives often just want to see how the farang is doing.

What are you cocking,what are you eating/drinking.What is growing in the garden.They are very nosy,so I would too. but I can live with this, because my first floor is a declared non go area.

[midas]

But they have no curiosity or interest whatsoever in what is happening in the rest of the world

When the news comes on television even in Thai and starts discussing international issues they

immediately disperse

I do feel if they spent less time worrying about what other people are doing they

could expand their own horizons a bit ..............as you can tell

i am quite irritated by this environment and I could NEVER live in these surroundings

Edited January 3, 2009 by midas

[neverdie]

In a small village you have no chance for privacy unless you have a castle with a huge wall and a closed gate, yes and perhaps a dog.

My experience is that people almost neighbors or nearby relatives often just want to see how the farang is doing.

What are you cocking,what are you eating/drinking.What is growing in the garden.They are very nosy,so I would too. but I can live with this, because my first floor is a declared non go area.

I take this was a typo & you meant cooking, if not you are certainly living in a very strange village if people come into your home to see what you are cocking

[pab]

I have been staying in Isaan during Christmas and New Year and it has been

fascinating to watch the lifestyles of the country people in Thailand.

I don’t know if what I have seen is representative of N.E. Thailand as a whole but

I don’t believe Thai’s in this part of the country have any concept of the word

“ privacy ”- at least during daylight hours because all manners of people seem to

just wander into the home without any announcement.

It just seems to be a never ending stream of people.

You can be in a room alone when someone just wanders in looking to borrow

something or wanting some information.

I found it a bit overwhelming because I enjoy my private time.

I am curious to know if the many farangs that live in this part of Thailand experience

this and if it took them a long time to get used to this style of living?

My wife also likes her privacy and like one of the other posters we have made it very clear that upstairs is out of bounds to all.

However, just recently we also installed a remote controlled front gate system which along with 2 very fast growing rottie/german shepherd cross dogs, has seemed to have completely eradicated the problem even from the downstairs area.

[midas]

So everyone so far has experienced the same.

I dont see the attraction one bit of living in Isaan because you certainly

dont come to live here to " get away from it all ".

Having people wandering into your home when they want to pester you

is stressful because you cant relax.

I would much rather be tucked away in a secure condo in a city

where you can choose when you feel like communicating - not

having to jump to these peoples tunes

[Dave the Dude]

So everyone so far has experienced the same.

I dont see the attraction one bit of living in Isaan because you certainly

dont come to live here to " get away from it all ".

Having people wandering into your home when they want to pester you

is stressful because you cant relax.

I would much rather be tucked away in a secure condo in a city

where you can choose when you feel like communicating - not

having to jump to these peoples tunes

Hi

I disagree, after living in the country for a few years with early morning animal noises/village ham radio announcements/occasional party boom-boxes 24/7, I wouldn't move into one of those Ferang ghetto cell blocks in a city.

Like it has been said previously, you must start as you mean to go on and people respect my privacy in the village and are still considered as friends (Thai). Sure some aspects wind you up, but I am just a guest passing through. Live and Let Live.

As me 'ol dad used to say " Yer makes yer bed, now lie in it"

Dave

[Chaimai]

So everyone so far has experienced the same.

I dont see the attraction one bit of living in Isaan because you certainly

dont come to live here to " get away from it all ".

Having people wandering into your home when they want to pester you

is stressful because you cant relax.

I would much rather be tucked away in a secure condo in a city

where you can choose when you feel like communicating - not

having to jump to these peoples tunes

I also disagree.

It is, of course, horses for courses. If you don't like it - change it. Go get your condo.

[khunandy]

Like a few others here the first top storey of the house is out of bounds to uninvited visitors. It only took a few words from my wife to sort this out when the house was built. She too likes her quiet time.

[ray23]

Not living anywhere near the sweeties village should stop that.

First question everyhwere how much money does he give you and the sweety is more then happy tell them may even inflate it a bit. Heaven forbid if another farrang moves into the village then we going to play whivh farrang gives more and the race is on.

It's not Issan it;s the sweeties village I have nevre laid downa rule and does not happen in my house.

Haven't cvounted the rivers but the closest realtive lives in Bangkok, the other direction Chaing Rai.

Three rivers or 160 Klms pretty good rule

[citizen33]

I don't know if I'm just plain unpopular, but I never really had much trouble regarding unwanted visitors. I suppose that when we lived in an old house right in the village centre, people did drop in unannounced. But since we moved to a house on the edge about 5 years ago, with a wall and dog, villagers generally ring the bell on the gate or at least knock on the front door. Middle-class work colleagues who sometimes pay me a visit will usually telephone first and invariably make themselves known at the front gate, just as visitors in the West would. Certainly I've never had anybody just wander in and come upstairs, where I'm often working on the computer or watching a DVD. Of course, those in the small inner family circle do wander around but they don't usually bother me if I'm doing something. I asked my wife if dropping in as described in the OP is really the Thai way, and she said not generally. She suggested that the problem may be villagers who want to see what the Westerner is up to, who however can be easily dissuaded by a word from the wife that you are busy. She says that in our village people do usually knock on doors even with Thai friends. I'm sure somebody will raise doubts about the typicality of my village, which may be more affluent than most, but that is my experience.

[ray23]

There is no doubt they are interested how the allien creature lives. I sneeze and someone will blow their nose in the village. Just life

but no I have never had anyone just walk into my home unannounced any where I have lived here.

The wifes friends don't use the door bell cause it gets the dogs barking like crazy. They just stand at the front gate and yell her name. I she is not here I simply go tell them she is not home and what she is doing. It's done.

So the answer to your question is no that is not normal to Issan.

Very common here for people to say what are yuo eating, where are yuo going. I donlt think they really care just a form of a friendly greeting.

Sounds like your just visiing at the moment, if yuo decide to live here a suggested have a chat with your sweetheart. Let her handle it and there should be very few problem in the futire.

[loong]

I find that only immediate relatives wander in unnannounced. Others stand at the roadside and shout. Of course as in other posts, the dog helps.

What really amazed me was the first time more distant relatives or friends visited. They will open doors to the bedrooms, cupboards and refrigerator just being nosey. I don't like this intrusion, but it doesn't happen too often.

I have had to physically remove a drunken man from our house on 2 separate occasions in the last year or so. They had wandered in on the scrounge.

[Gary A]

It's difficult to make changes if the ground rules were not set up before hand. I live in my wife's house upcountry. Before we made the move, she understood that I am a crotchety old farang and that I don't like unexpected company. I explained to her that even though it is her house, it is my castle and I need my privacy. I told her that it is indeed her house but if I had no privacy, I'd be headed back to the farang ghetto with or without her.

[Rdrokit]

We live 35km from the relatives so they always call ahead to make sure we are home before coming over. None of my neighbors just wander in. They always ring the bell first. Guess I live in a nice neighborhood.

[Geekfreaklover]

I know hindsight is 20/20, but the answer to the problem is to avoid living in an Isaan villiage near your wives family and extended family If this kind of behaviour (folks coming into the house all day) is not appreciated . If you like the lifestyle, then fine. Live with it.

I live in Issan. My gfs parents are from Bangkok. We live here out of chioce, and the only time we have unexpected guests (once in a blue moon) they are appreciated, as they are close friends and usually bring gifts.

You shouldn't have to buy 7 dogs and electronic gates to have a bit of privicy. If you speak Thai tell the visitors that you would appreciate a phone call before they come over.. If you don't speak Thai then tell the Mrs you don't want people coming through the house all day and night. If the people keep coming through the house then think long and hard about your relationship and where her interests lie.

Edited January 4, 2009 by Geekfreaklover

[pab]

I know hindsight is 20/20, but the answer to the problem is to avoid living in an Isaan villiage near your wives family and extended family If this kind of behaviour (folks coming into the house all day) is not appreciated . If you like the lifestyle, then fine. Live with it.

I live in Issan. My gfs parents are from Bangkok. We live here out of chioce, and the only time we have unexpected guests (once in a blue moon) they are appreciated, as they are close friends and usually bring gifts.

You shouldn't have to buy 7 dogs and electronic gates to have a bit of privicy. If you speak Thai tell the visitors that you would appreciate a phone call before they come over.. If you don't speak Thai then tell the Mrs you don't want people coming through the house all day and night. If the people keep coming through the house then think long and hard about your relationship and where her interests lie.

As the guy who posted with the remote control gate and a couple of dogs please also understand that we have a great relationship with the people in our village and go out of our way to work with them, help them and to make sure we are not perceived as wanting to isolate ourselves off from village life. In fact, we have erected a bamboo hut just outside our front gate that is a very popular meeting place and safe from our dogs. However, with the 2 large dogs, being the only farang in our village and with my wife's aunties and uncles being such a bloody nosey lot (even wanting to open every bag on our return from a shopping trip to Tesco), we just wanted some "space" for us and our 2 daughters. We love living here and have many happy and enjoyable times and much prefer this way of life to our previous Bangkok condo lifestyle - so this issue is a very minor one and in no way detracts from having a great life in an Isaan village.