I live near Udon Thani, about 15 km northwest, in a rice farming village. We are thinking of buying about 50 rai of land for farming. I know nothing about farming, and I would be unable to do the physical work by myself. On the plus side, I expect not to be an absentee owner, and I am not a slow learner. In my area, it is all rice farms, but recently, I see some eucalyptus, a few sugar cane, and even a few rubber trees coming up. On the economics of agriculture, I understand that tenant-farmed rice land in my village yields about 3,500 baht per rai per year, and at the other end, a rai of producing rubber trees can generate about 20,000 baht per year for the owner. I am not yet calculating the Return on Investment, as that would depend on the price of the land, and in the case of rubber, on the cost of planting, length of the wait period, etc. I am expecting this endeavor to be part life style, and part income over and above the fixed income from the retirement plans.

Any and all comments and/or advice will be greatly appreciated.

read read read read read thru all the forum here, then come back and ask questions. we have lots and lots of threads about the same thing.........

I know nothing about farming, and I would be unable to do the physical work by myself

not quite sure why you would want to start a business you know nothing about an won't be able to work, thus family helping or employed worker, though still sharing profits if family working. one rai generating 20 k baht a year, less overhead doesn't sound worth the effort to me. lots of research and only invest what you can afford to lose. good luck...