What Are The Positives Of Living In Isaan?

[zzaa09]

Just good living and good prices. Nice and quiet, easy to make friends.

I have mainly stuck to Surin and Korat areas, not sure about the rest of Isaan. Still want to have a look around. I know here in Surin there are a lot of westerners living in the district. Most of my friends are Thai though and a few westerners. Great fishing here too. I love trekking around the Temples in the area.

We love it here and invite anyone over for a BBQ (Thai style of course!).

I believe the Farang that you refer to in Surin are quite compact within Amphoe Muang.....where most reside. 'Tis a myth of the numbers that are living year-round in Surin Province.

[puchooay]

I believe the Farang that you refer to in Surin are quite compact within Amphoe Muang.....where most reside. 'Tis a myth of the numbers that are living year-round in Surin Province.

So let's think. No farang communities in Prasat, Lam Duan, Sangka, Sikhoraphum, Sanom. Even Bua Chet or Kap Cheung(to name a few districts).I thought there were. I must be seriously mistaken.

In actual fact the last figures released by Immigration show that there are over 1000 "farang" living in Surin on either retirement or marraige visas.

How many did the myth that you heard say?

Where abouts in Surin are you from!!??

[pgs]

3 days in Bangkok is enough. The slow paced lifestyle in our area is fine by me. Admittedly, Chiang Mai was my first preference, but here the only problem is access. Buses are infrequent (if they run at all), that aside, it's 500B to have someone drive us to town for shopping & back or collect us from the intercity bus (80km return).

It's peaceful other than for the speakers in the morning. By then I'm usually up anyway, so no issue. Market in the next village is pretty good. I think most people on 'our side' of the temple & a reasonable number on the other side know me - or at least which family I'm with.

Beer is cheap & plentiful. Food is good. People are nice.

Plenty of buffalo to talk to if I get bored. OK, they listen as much as TW, but don't interrupt as often. :-)

Some of the locals have varying English levels, and are often looking for an excuse to use it.

Really, though unless you bring your toys with you, the first few weeks can be difficult as you get use to not having all your 'stuff' where you can get to it. After a while you wonder why you even had it.

Village life doesn't suit everyone, just as city life doesn't. If you're still in planning stages, you should probably try staying a month or so in a few areas until you find what suits.

[zzaa09]

So let's think. No farang communities in Prasat, Lam Duan, Sangka, Sikhoraphum, Sanom. Even Bua Chet or Kap Cheung(to name a few districts).I thought there were. I must be seriously mistaken.

In actual fact the last figures released by Immigration show that there are over 1000 "farang" living in Surin on either retirement or marraige visas.

Wouldn't be best to have real exposure, experience, or observations than to rely on some imaginary officialdom? Even more interesting to note, is this ever-present apologist and defensive stand that some take in regards to "everything Farang" in a respected province. The presence of greater will be more destructive to the said locale, than not......contrary to believe that Farang are beneficial to the respective society.

[swissie]

I guess in all truth if i was a multi millionaire I would be living in a big villa in the Med, with my 50 foot yacht. Going sking in the Alps and parting with the rich and famous. Unfortunitly that is not the case. So my options are limited to either a peaceful easy life in an Issan village, or a 60 hour working week for another 10/15 years. afterwhich a dog food and baked bean pension while I wait to die.. No brainer for me, but most of my friends think I have lost my mind giving up te rat race etc just to have a happy content life. Jim

Right on Jim, right on ! Have read quite a few of your posts. We seem to have the same "Life-Philosophie". It's just good to know, that there is at least one "soul-mate" posting here. HeHe!

Cheers.

[jamescollister]

I guess in all truth if i was a multi millionaire I would be living in a big villa in the Med, with my 50 foot yacht. Going sking in the Alps and parting with the rich and famous. Unfortunitly that is not the case. So my options are limited to either a peaceful easy life in an Issan village, or a 60 hour working week for another 10/15 years. afterwhich a dog food and baked bean pension while I wait to die.. No brainer for me, but most of my friends think I have lost my mind giving up te rat race etc just to have a happy content life. Jim

Right on Jim, right on ! Have read quite a few of your posts. We seem to have the same "Life-Philosophie". It's just good to know, that there is at least one "soul-mate" posting here. HeHe!

Cheers.

Here is another reason. In the street the dogs are barking and the children are playing in the cool of the day. I am sitting on the porch with a cold beer, watching the sun set over the coconut and bannana trees. On the big table the women are sitting eating and talking. The father in=law is sleeping on a bench with an empty coke bottle as a pillow and Bob Dylan is playing on the CD. Tomorrow I will sleep late and do it all again. Jim

[transam]

I guess in all truth if i was a multi millionaire I would be living in a big villa in the Med, with my 50 foot yacht. Going sking in the Alps and parting with the rich and famous. Unfortunitly that is not the case. So my options are limited to either a peaceful easy life in an Issan village, or a 60 hour working week for another 10/15 years. afterwhich a dog food and baked bean pension while I wait to die.. No brainer for me, but most of my friends think I have lost my mind giving up te rat race etc just to have a happy content life. Jim

Right on Jim, right on ! Have read quite a few of your posts. We seem to have the same "Life-Philosophie". It's just good to know, that there is at least one "soul-mate" posting here. HeHe!

Cheers.

You are not alone.

[robbo1]

Don't live there, holiday there as often as I can with the wife just love the layed back lifestyle and the LEO beer.

[zzaa09]

Don't live there, holiday there as often as I can with the wife just love the layed back lifestyle and the LEO beer.

An outsider's perspective is always true.

[chuckd]

The best way I can respond is with this personal, almost true, story.

A few days ago, my wife asked me in the morning what I was going to do that day.

I said, "Nothing."

She said, "You did that yesterday."

I responded, "I didn't finish."

[klikster]

The best way I can respond is with this personal, almost true, story.

A few days ago, my wife asked me in the morning what I was going to do that day.

I said, "Nothing."

She said, "You did that yesterday."

I responded, "I didn't finish."

Brilliant!

[jamescollister]

Here is one of the downsides of village life. Today is a Buddha celibration of more significance than the last 10. My attendance with the 2 kids is necessary or all manner of evil and misfortune will follow in the coming year. To keep the peace and garrentee my sirvival we all set off for the 10 min walk to the local Wat ,bearing fruits, rice and things.

At the Wat I sit, ever the smiling idiot while the wife does the business. Foodstuffs handed over she gets a bit of paper with gobblty gook written on it. The monk explains the meaning. All will be well and good things will happen.

Have spent most of my life wearing boots and never really adapted to the sandal set. So on our walk home I manage to fine a piece of rusty steal on the road and puncture my foot. After a few well chosen words and sticking a piece of tissue in the sandal to try and stop the blood flow. I say to the wife, you better go back and try another Monk as this will lead to tetanus, blood poisoning and death within the week. She doesn't see the funny side.

After the slow hubble home I set down to have a well deserved coffee and a packet of smokes, when the boom boom starts. I know from previous occasions that they have set up a sound system that would do a heavy metal concert proud. Then the god awful Issan folk music starts and will not stop until the sun comes up tomorrow.

Then I sit and await the inevitable parade, lead by a pickup truck with loudspeakers blaring out more god awful Issan folk music. Followed by a bevy of young pretty girls dancing. Following the girls are the Lao Kow brigade of drunks. Now I like a drink myself, but whatever is in Lao Kow it makes every drunk think I am their long lost brother and they all want to shake hands and drape themselves all over me. There would be no complaints if it were the girls mine you.

This will continue through the night, my choices are limited, to lock myself in the bedroom with a set of head phones or go in search of some scotch whiskey and get wasted like the rest. I will leave you to decide whch option I will take. Jim

[onionluke]

Any body done the bless the new hoose celebration ? A bit of an al nighter each time but I just sit out the back by the bonfire with some hooch and wait for the dawn . I do like the way all folks chip in with the labour and cooking and cleaning the kit from the temple . The upside for me is we don't need to do it again . I love life in Issan.

[isanbirder]

Then I sit and await the inevitable parade, lead by a pickup truck with loudspeakers blaring out more god awful Issan folk music. Followed by a bevy of young pretty girls dancing. Following the girls are the Lao Kow brigade of drunks. Now I like a drink myself, but whatever is in Lao Kow it makes every drunk think I am their long lost brother and they all want to shake hands and drape themselves all over me. There would be no complaints if it were the girls mine you.

This will continue through the night, my choices are limited, to lock myself in the bedroom with a set of head phones or go in search of some scotch whiskey and get wasted like the rest. I will leave you to decide whch option I will take. Jim

Little though I like drunks, I'd rather they were friendly drunks than aggressive drunks! And on the whole, Isan drunks are friendly. Chiangmai drunks are usually dead to the world (I thought one was dead once....).

[isanbirder]

The positives of life in Isan? Well, I'm a positive, James is undoubtedly a positive... and zzaa09, where else could one find one like him?

Edited March 27, 2011 by isanbirder

[zzaa09]

The positives of life in Isan? Well, I'm a positive, James is undoubtedly a positive... and zzaa09, where else could one find one like him?

We're hard to come by, Birdy!:jap:

[elwood]

Any body done the bless the new hoose celebration ? A bit of an al nighter each time but I just sit out the back by the bonfire with some hooch and wait for the dawn . I do like the way all folks chip in with the labour and cooking and cleaning the kit from the temple . The upside for me is we don't need to do it again . I love life in Issan.

I've only had a house blessing once, hopefully that's it. But it was a fun occasion, and I too am always impressed by the way people in the village pitch in to share the work load; whether for blessings, weddings, funerals, whatever.

The night before the big event, I awoke around 3 am, heard voices, and saw a couple of dozen people, all ages, outside my sister-in-law's house working so hard to get things ready for our blessing. It seemed that only the special ones - me because I am a farang who couldn't be expected to know just what the hell to do anyway, and the father-in-law because of age and seniority - didn't lift a finger to help!

Unlike one of the earlier posters, I actually like Thai folk music - but not the damned volume!

Elwood

[onionluke]

Any body done the bless the new hoose celebration ? A bit of an al nighter each time but I just sit out the back by the bonfire with some hooch and wait for the dawn . I do like the way all folks chip in with the labour and cooking and cleaning the kit from the temple . The upside for me is we don't need to do it again . I love life in Issan.

I've only had a house blessing once, hopefully that's it. But it was a fun occasion, and I too am always impressed by the way people in the village pitch in to share the work load; whether for blessings, weddings, funerals, whatever.

The night before the big event, I awoke around 3 am, heard voices, and saw a couple of dozen people, all ages, outside my sister-in-law's house working so hard to get things ready for our blessing. It seemed that only the special ones - me because I am a farang who couldn't be expected to know just what the hell to do anyway, and the father-in-law because of age and seniority - didn't lift a finger to help!

Unlike one of the earlier posters, I actually like Thai folk music - but not the damned volume!

Elwood

We have had it three times but the first one was the busiest where the elders married me and my dearest . We were all woven together with the string , a very happy day .

On another note I had a few whisky sessions with an old boy , now sadly deceased, from round the soi and he was a marvel on the khaen . He on the pipes and his old buddy doing the mouth music thing . We drank and played and I was reminded that some things are the same and ye can't beat whisky and pipe music !

[Lite Beer]

Sitting outside the village shop with a few Leo's and a bucket of ice in the evening and being waved to by the truck loads of workers returning home. (I think they are waving)

[jamescollister]

Here is one of the downsides of village life. Today is a Buddha celibration of more significance than the last 10. My attendance with the 2 kids is necessary or all manner of evil and misfortune will follow in the coming year. To keep the peace and garrentee my sirvival we all set off for the 10 min walk to the local Wat ,bearing fruits, rice and things.

At the Wat I sit, ever the smiling idiot while the wife does the business. Foodstuffs handed over she gets a bit of paper with gobblty gook written on it. The monk explains the meaning. All will be well and good things will happen.

Have spent most of my life wearing boots and never really adapted to the sandal set. So on our walk home I manage to fine a piece of rusty steal on the road and puncture my foot. After a few well chosen words and sticking a piece of tissue in the sandal to try and stop the blood flow. I say to the wife, you better go back and try another Monk as this will lead to tetanus, blood poisoning and death within the week. She doesn't see the funny side.

After the slow hubble home I set down to have a well deserved coffee and a packet of smokes, when the boom boom starts. I know from previous occasions that they have set up a sound system that would do a heavy metal concert proud. Then the god awful Issan folk music starts and will not stop until the sun comes up tomorrow.

Then I sit and await the inevitable parade, lead by a pickup truck with loudspeakers blaring out more god awful Issan folk music. Followed by a bevy of young pretty girls dancing. Following the girls are the Lao Kow brigade of drunks. Now I like a drink myself, but whatever is in Lao Kow it makes every drunk think I am their long lost brother and they all want to shake hands and drape themselves all over me. There would be no complaints if it were the girls mine you.

This will continue through the night, my choices are limited, to lock myself in the bedroom with a set of head phones or go in search of some scotch whiskey and get wasted like the rest. I will leave you to decide whch option I will take. Jim

Came to at about 10 this morning, the wife asks if I want breakfast. A good sign that I did nothing more than a smiling idiot farang is allowed to do, no crazy drunken dancing in the street, no falling of chairs or girl groping.

After 3 cups of coffee and a shower I almost felt human, so limped of to the corner shop for a coke. On my way my booze sudden brain seemed to be registering that something was amiss. Few women about, then I saw big bad boy sound system still hooked up in the centre of the village.

When I got home asked the wife why the loud speakers had not moved on to the next village for there turn. The reply sent a shiver down my spine ,there is still Buddha blessing to do and food to be given . When the monks have finished today the music will start again and did I need another bottle of Master Blend. Now I do like a drink, but looking at the dead bottle of MB on the table almost sent me to the toilet to talk to god on the white telephone. Just beer thank you darling. Jim

[isanbirder]

Sitting outside the village shop with a few Leo's and a bucket of ice in the evening and being waved to by the truck loads of workers returning home. (I think they are waving)

Good idea (my partner runs the village shop).

[zzaa09]

Sitting outside the village shop with a few Leo's and a bucket of ice in the evening and being waved to by the truck loads of workers returning home. (I think they are waving)

Simple pleasures, yes? Sometimes the most seemingly mundane activities are just what the doctor ordered. Cheers!

[sawatdeeyesitsme]

Only been living in Isaan for around 4 months, but am loving it.

I'm pretty young (28) so generally you'd probably expect to find me in one of the bigger centres but it's soo nice and relaxed here. Although I am admittedly in Sarakham which has a huge student population, but regardless, it's awesome.

Some of the big reasons I'm enjoying it (Compared to how I would envision living in another area):

Lack of Farang - Forces interaction with the locals, who in general are really genuine good hearted people. As a result, it helps to improve your Thai a lot too, since you're sorta forced to learn a bit more than you would otherwise.

Respect - In general, since farang are reasonably scarce here, I think we're probably treated with a bit more respect than we might get in Pattaya etc. Also since they know we're not tourists, they don't try to rip us off so much, they realise the value of repeat business.

Teaching small town - Having students from my school see me in the 7/11 and giving me a "Hello Ajarn Bri AN!!" and give me a high five is pretty cool buzz feeling. Don't think I'd ever randomly see my students in one of the bigger cities.

Lower cost of living - In general this just makes things a little more relaxed

Som Tum - It's ment to be an Isaan thing, I'm sure you can get it elsewhere in Thailand, but I don't know if it'd be as good or as easily accessable. Either way, Som Tum Thai is definitely one of my favourite Thai dishes!!

That's my 2c anyway

28 years old living in Issan.

I'd imagine you never sleep alone .

LOL - You'd be surprised! Last semester I worked with a very handsome 23 year old British guy at my school here in Isaan. Did he manage to get any girls into bed? Did he hell. All the girls in the village were playing respectability card and acting very coy. However, if he had wanted a ladyboy he would've been a very happy boy.

I've been in Isaan for about 18months now and love it. I love the sense of community here in the village, which was something I didn't have growing up in the UK. I love how all of life's events become a party, everything must be celebrated. And I love the mor lam concerts

[55Jay]

Such an enjoyable (civil) thread on TV.

After 7 or so years of us working abroad and back and forth to the house in LOS (outside Korat area) for holidays, job has ended so we find ourselves dislocating and shipping everything over + the cat. For me, mentally preparing myself for a quieter life I've long read about here but was always a distant thing.

So, here we are and here we go, wife and I are closely aged in our early 40s, and LOS has always been the plan way out on the horizon but now slamming home 5x5 like a ton of bricks. Holy **** this is REAL! Thankfully everything in LOS is paid for over the years, so we enter our "new" life with no liabilities and we'll be fine financially with a few adjustments here and there. Business class flights are probably out for now.......

On our twice yearly holidays to LOS, always taken me a week to defrag and relax, but still always on the edge knowing we'll fly out back to work mode in a month. Last trip 6 months ago, the internet was switched off and since we don't live there full time, only basic Thai sattelite - think it's just the ASEAN channel with some English programming. Got a bit out of touch with the world, turned off the work blackberry roaming data so none of that inbound info. When I finally tune back in weeks later, found the US is still broke and still in Afghanistan, Israelis and Palestinians are still at each others' throats, there's been at least one natural disaster someplace and invariably, somebody has blown something or someone up somewhere. Was a bit like returning to Earth from the moon, although since we'll be living in permanently now, we'll get the farang sattelite package and good internet.

Pattaya or Issan?

Our Pattaya friends drive up and visit us when we are in town, sometimes stay for a week, they love our place, fresh air, quieter, no neighbors living 1 meter away on each side, house rooves dam_n near touch each other so you always know what's for dinner next door. But say they wouldn't want to live up where we are all the time. They like the conveniences and broader selections found in Pattaya area even with what many associate as pitfalls living in or near the "Zoo".

I like Pattaya and when we are in country, we do drive down and visit the same folks who alternatively come up to visit us. A couple years ago we all went down to Walking St. and that was the first time for me since 1989. Once was enough and even though they live in Pattaya, they don't go there either, rather stay in E. Pattaya. I find The Dark Side to be like a fairly self-contained planet once you cross over Skmvt and go up the hill. I like it enough over there and the "city" conveniences. Ring up and have a pizza delivered in 20-30 mins, drinking water delivery truck comes by once a week, and if you are really lazy, the motorcy guy will bring some cold beers over.

Yeah, probably would spend more money on a monthly basis living down there because it's all so available where at our place, it's a bit more spread out, but the village has enough. Just put up a mini-Tesco in the last year which has pissed off the SMEs. Don't blame them really.

So, could this be a new "real" life for us at the house in Issan? Well, here we come anyway.

Hell, I'm starting to get used to the idea and have enjoyed reading Jim C and everyone's posts here.

Cheers,

J

[krisb]

Havnt read the whole thread but heres mine..

Cheaper, alot cheaper.

Friendlier.

Weathers not so smoggy and sticky I think.

Foods good.

Less tourists.

[WindyGale]

Firstly we should congratulate us all for not letting the thread deteriorate, as many others do unfortunately. Maybe us Isaan farangs are as friendly as our Isaan hosts?

I’ve lived here up in Namsom, west of Udon Thani for the last couple of years, albeit 2 weeks at a time every couple of months. So not a resident as such (too poor and too young!). But often enough to appreciate the finer things here. The good lady’s family are very welcoming, as are Thais I meet, more than you do in the cities, and are genuinely friendly and inquisitive. I’ve learned that internet for the Thais here isn’t really necessary as the local grapevine is much faster than any modern technology. No electric 24/7 required for this means of this communication either of course.

As an example for the OP, last year the electricity went off mid-afternoon after a large downpour, remaining off into the evening. We were heading to the big city of Udon Thani the next day anyway, so I suggested we went that evening as they would have electricity and we could enjoy ourselves and be comfortable. The good lady gave me a curious look and told me her Mum was cooking for us. Reluctantly I went with her only to find her Mum and Aunties cooking a small feast. Candles illuminated the front of the house where round 15 of us were sitting, drinking. Kids were playing with the dogs and no one but I seemed to notice the electric had gone off. Suffice to say I had a great evening and was humbled by the family’s ability to just get on with things and my embarrassment of thinking my small world was broken for the night.

There are around 30 farangs in the village, all of us peculiar in our own good way and we share a kinship of sorts too, must be something to do with living in Isaan?

There are a couple of other experiences I’ve had on here, search for 'Namsom' and enjoy.

[Pormax]

Like many of the posts here I love the quiet life of a Isaan village. Go down occassionally to Pattaya to change books and see a couple of friends, but 2 days is enough, can't wait to get back home. I don't drink so the bar socialising scene not a problem for me. A whole different culture to city life. I have my True Visions TV which I only watch for about 2 hours a day, unless there is football, then I have my internet and books, Have a large garden to look after and can always find things to do round the house if I feel so inclined.

Moving to Isaan is a culture shock, after living in Pattayafor 3 years, but in a very pleasant way. Getting to know how real Thais live and their traditions is at times fascinating and yet can be funny. To many it might seem a simple life but for me it is great and I endorse the majority of what has been said already by my fellow forum members. It is a great place to live. Some may not like it but I would say there are a lot more positives than negatives to living in a Isaan village, but again not for everyone.

[55Jay]

Not a before dawn type person generally but jet lag the first day or two has me up to behold sunrises like this at the house.

Edited December 15, 2012 by 55Jay

[cardholder]

Not a before dawn type person generally but jet lag the first day or two has me up to behold sunrises like this at the house.

Sunrise and sunset are two of the highlights of living in Isaan.

[DILLIGAD]

Not a before dawn type person generally but jet lag the first day or two has me up to behold sunrises like this at the house.

Sunrise and sunset are two of the highlights of living in Isaan.

I think the bits inbetween that are quite important too.