Probably A Dumb Question From A Newbie

[Docno]

Thai girlfriend's family are rice farmers in Amnat Charoen. When I saw their farm for the first time, I was pretty impressed with its size (but what do I know?... city boy all my life). She tells me its 35 rai, which is as meaningless to me as acres or hectares would be. But I was surprised when she told me that the family doesn't sell any of the rice. It's all for extended family consumption. The parents instead make their money buying corn, peanuts in an Ubon market and selling them in smaller country markets. But it's all very small scale and 'casual', with correspondingly small margins. And of course, the farm only produces one crop of rice per year. Is this 'setup' typical? Is 35 rai really that small (or do Thai families really consume that much rice?!) Yeah, I'm ignorant as hell about this stuff. Just trying to understand the 'business model' better. Thanks in advance.

[QED]

35 rai = a little less than 14 acres.

Avge yield per acre in Thailand = 1.2 tons

That's about 17 tons of rice per year, I think maybe she is not telling you the full story....

[ozzydom]

Well considering most Thai families live off 3 rai and less,they must be either an extremely big family or big eaters.

Sounds more like a "see how poor we are" routine,which comes just before they put their hand in your pocket.

[garrfeild]

It is probably right that they can only grow one crop a year. Unless there is a good irigation setup. Then they could grow more than one crop even if it's not all rice. But that's a lot of rai for one family, generally each family try to grow enough rice to keep them going the whole year. So the idea that it is all for extended family is a bit odd. The rice harvest is just beginning, after drying (if it is paddy rice) it will then be stored or sold, so you might see if she is being honest.

The fact that they buy corn and peanuts for re sale, suggests they aren't doing too badly! not many farmers have time to grow crops and sell other produce at the same time.

If it is field rice which is not immersed in water it's growing life, then it will be ready for sale almost straight away. As for there being a business model, there isn't one. most farmers borrow money for chemicals and fertiliser before the growing season begins, and have to pay that back after harvest. least ways thats how it is here in the village where we live.

If they don't have a harvest they have to go looking for a job to cover the next few months.

[garrfeild]

deleted double post

Edited November 11, 2011 by garrfeild

[Livinginexile]

Are they farming the whole land? 35 rai is a lot of farm land in Thai standards.

You need to find out exactly how much is under cultivation.

As is usual in this country you will probably find out all the facts very slowly, more than likely they are probably only telling you about 10% of the truth.

They are probably lining you up for a big hit!

Be carefull my friend, before you make any financial decisions find out all the facts and under NO circumstances agree to bankroll any future crops or build your/their country estate with your funds!

Be very carefull.

Edited November 11, 2011 by Livinginexile

[andycrosby]

Nothing more to be said here please step in Mod and end this post

[Livinginexile]

Nothing more to be said here please step in Mod and end this post

Why?

[ludditeman]

My gf farm is 5 rai, it produces a lot of rice, 3 crops a year.

Most farms with irrigation can produce 3 crops a year.

I agree with everyone else, 35 rai of rice would feed a lot of people.

Her brother grows corn, one crop of 10 rai produced a profit of 100kbht last year.

Edited November 11, 2011 by ludditeman

[Docno]

Thanks for all the replies so far. I just asked her again to make sure I got the numbers right, and she said that it's 25 rai. [No, I didn't say I posted a question here ] But she says that they let 5 rai 'rest' every year. So that's 20 rai planted. Took the photo below a couple of months back. They have maybe 2-3 fields of this size (bounded by the 'ridges' in the distance), but my memory is fuzzy.

We've known each other for over a year and she's been good about money so far. I set her up in her own beauty shop (with living area of course), which cost me less than one month's rent for my miniature apartment in Singapore. She bought mostly second-hand equipment and painted the place herself; she also showed me all of the receipts. And she hasn't hit me up for serious cash beyond that. [i've known other Thai women, so I know how the game can be played]. So I'm not really thinking about a possible 'set-up' here, but more wondering how 'family economics' work in rural Thailand. If I understand her on this, the rice is distributed to grandparents, uncles/aunts' families, etc. Nothing sold to mills/market etc. That's what I was surprised about.

Thanks again

[ludditeman]

....... I set her up in her own beauty shop (with living area of course), which cost me less than one month's rent for my miniature apartment in Singapore. She bought mostly second-hand equipment and painted the place herself; she also showed me all of the receipts. And she hasn't hit me up for serious cash beyond that. [i've known other Thai women, so I know how the game can be played]. So I'm not really thinking about a possible 'set-up' here, but more wondering how 'family economics' work in rural Thailand. If I understand her on this, the rice is distributed to grandparents, uncles/aunts' families, etc. Nothing sold to mills/market etc. That's what I was surprised about.

Blimey!

Beauty shop, hair salon, coffee shop, etc.

Traditional Thai 'fronts' for naughty girls that like to pretend to be respectable.

Shop is only open when one of the five "sponsors" is in town, one born every minute.

I'm sure your girl is different.

But try turning up at the shop unannounced at a time when it should be open and you aren't supposed to be "in country".

Edited November 11, 2011 by ludditeman

[oldestswinger]

We grow about 17 rai of rice per year. One crop in the year. We split the rice 50:50 sticky and hom mali.

We do not sell any of the crop. It goes on feeding the extended family. Not sure how many people it is - my calculator only goes to 7 figures!

[AA1]

Docno.

No question about farming in Isaan is Dumb!!!

Almost all of us who 'farm' in Isaan started off like you and we learnt as we went along. I went to the top Agricultural College in England (many years ago!) and was ANYTHING that I learnt there of any use to me here - NO!! Virtually the only thing that I remember from the R.A.C. was made by the lecturer in Law who told us "If you want to farm and your father hasn't got a farm, then look for an elderly farmer who has NO sons and just one daughter. Don't worry what she looks like, just marry her!!". Pretty irrelevant but it amused me at the time or is it? Coming here many years later I ignored such advise like most of the rest of us farmers here. We found gorgeous wives out here and are developing our own farms, learning as we go AND from others who have been through the same curve. I suspect that VERY few of us had any agricultural experience before coming here.

This is one of the benefits of us Isaan Farmers gathering to meet and get to know other likeminded farmers and discuss & learn together through others experiences - over a pint or 2++, food, wandering round the hosts farm, etc. etc.!!

If you are around Issan the weekend of the 10th. December you would be very welcome to join us. Read about the next meeting on topic "Isaan, Farmers Idea Exchange - Meet-Up No. 2" or about the build up AND the 1st. gathering, with some photos on "Isaan, Farmers Idea Exchange".

Anyway Good luck.

AA1.

[Docno]

....... I set her up in her own beauty shop (with living area of course), which cost me less than one month's rent for my miniature apartment in Singapore. She bought mostly second-hand equipment and painted the place herself; she also showed me all of the receipts. And she hasn't hit me up for serious cash beyond that. [i've known other Thai women, so I know how the game can be played]. So I'm not really thinking about a possible 'set-up' here, but more wondering how 'family economics' work in rural Thailand. If I understand her on this, the rice is distributed to grandparents, uncles/aunts' families, etc. Nothing sold to mills/market etc. That's what I was surprised about.

Blimey!

Beauty shop, hair salon, coffee shop, etc.

Traditional Thai 'fronts' for naughty girls that like to pretend to be respectable.

Shop is only open when one of the five "sponsors" is in town, one born every minute.

I'm sure your girl is different.

But try turning up at the shop unannounced at a time when it should be open and you aren't supposed to be "in country".

Yeah, did that just before songkran, and she was indeed there. Don't worry, I know all the games and all the risks. (Thai lady who owns a restaurant in my building had 6 guys, all from Germany and Austria... juggled it beautifully until two of them met). Like I said, after 12 months, there has been no hit-up for cash beyond the initial cost of the shop set up, which was surprisingly cheap. [That said, one month of my bloody rent in Singapore would cover 2 years of her rent]. No guarantees, I know.... eyes wide open.

[Docno]

We grow about 17 rai of rice per year. One crop in the year. We split the rice 50:50 sticky and hom mali.

We do not sell any of the crop. It goes on feeding the extended family. Not sure how many people it is - my calculator only goes to 7 figures!

Sounds like about the same maths (but they grow all kao suay). One uncle bought a house that he can't afford (because he wants the kids to live in a 'real house'), so he gets handouts of rice... he'd be kicked to the curb where I'm from, but the gf's family just grumble and hand out help.

[Docno]

Docno.

No question about farming in Isaan is Dumb!!!

Almost all of us who 'farm' in Isaan started off like you and we learnt as we went along. I went to the top Agricultural College in England (many years ago!) and was ANYTHING that I learnt there of any use to me here - NO!! Virtually the only thing that I remember from the R.A.C. was made by the lecturer in Law who told us "If you want to farm and your father hasn't got a farm, then look for an elderly farmer who has NO sons and just one daughter. Don't worry what she looks like, just marry her!!". Pretty irrelevant but it amused me at the time or is it? Coming here many years later I ignored such advise like most of the rest of us farmers here. We found gorgeous wives out here and are developing our own farms, learning as we go AND from others who have been through the same curve. I suspect that VERY few of us had any agricultural experience before coming here.

This is one of the benefits of us Isaan Farmers gathering to meet and get to know other likeminded farmers and discuss & learn together through others experiences - over a pint or 2++, food, wandering round the hosts farm, etc. etc.!!

If you are around Issan the weekend of the 10th. December you would be very welcome to join us. Read about the next meeting on topic "Isaan, Farmers Idea Exchange - Meet-Up No. 2" or about the build up AND the 1st. gathering, with some photos on "Isaan, Farmers Idea Exchange".

Anyway Good luck.

AA1.

Thanks, to you and the rest... May be an interesting future ahead (with a few surprised along the way, I'm sure). I'll shut up now.