Village Broadcast Towers

[SimonD]

Hello All,

My GF's family live in south-western Surin province (Kok Khlang village in Panhom Dong Ruk district) and her fathers' house has a narrow steel tower, just taller than his two-storey house, right outside. Three loudspeakers are mounted on the top giving all-round coverage. I've asked her what this is for and she tells me it's for giving information to the nearby houses. She implied that her father is the village headman but I'm not convinced about that. He seems less wealthy than some of his nearest neighbours. I don't know if it is the only such tower in the village, which is quite large and sprawling, and I haven't walked around the whole place but it's the only one I can remember seeing.

As part of her strategy to get me to agree to eventually move to her village, she tells me that there are "Many farang live near village". Is anybody here familiar with Kok Khlang? I'd like to know a bit more about the place and this tower and her fathers' status puzzles me. Does anyone know the truth about this tower and it's significance and purpose? Do all villages have them?

Thanks in advance,

Simon

Edited November 22, 2011 by SimonD

[Jezz]

The first thing I'd say is, if you understand so very little about village life, how can you even consider moving to one? Next thing I'd say is, if your GF is using any kind of ploys - beware. The precise answer to the question about loud speaker towers is, almost every village has them dotted round the area. The claim her father is headman, and there are 'many falangs' around would raise caution in my mind.

[Totster]

I've asked her what this is for and she tells me it's for giving information to the nearby houses. She implied that her father is the village headman but I'm not convinced about that

Is he the one who makes the announcements ? If so, then he is most probably the Poo Yai Baan, or could be the Or Bor Tor.

The PYB does not always look the richest person in the village, in fact if he is the PYB then he is possibly in a lot of debt, as it is not cheap to be elected.

totster

[MrRed]

Yes all or mostly all have them and at 6am believe me you can hear them for miles,luckily you will not have to listen too loudly there will probably be a few other tannoys hidden about the village too

The head man does not have to be the richest gay in the village.

Please if all you are worried about when moving to the village is the tannoy tower then you are in for a rude awakening in more ways than the obvious one

Chok dee!

[MrRed]

DP

Edited November 22, 2011 by MrRed

[Fookhaht]

The head man does not have to be the richest gay in the village.

Nor does he have to be straight. Thailand is very lenient about these sorts of things.

[elwood]

Yes all or mostly all have them and at 6am believe me you can hear them for miles,luckily you will not have to listen too loudly there will probably be a few other tannoys hidden about the village too

The head man does not have to be the richest gay in the village.

Please if all you are worried about when moving to the village is the tannoy tower then you are in for a rude awakening in more ways than the obvious one

Chok dee!

That's right - and he doesn't have to be gay either

Our head man does such a good job dealing with problems that he is often approached by outsiders to help handle problems with authorities; poor devil works extremely long hours and is as poor as a church mouse.

As for worrying about the tannoy(s), he's also going to get a hell of a shock when the chickens start up at all hours of the day and night!

[elwood]

The head man does not have to be the richest gay in the village.

Nor does he have to be straight. Thailand is very lenient about these sorts of things.

A thousand curses - beaten by two minutes by that dastardly Fookhaht!

[SimonD]

Thanks for the speedy replies!:jap:

"The first thing I'd say is, if you understand so very little about village life, how can you even consider moving to one?"

Good question but you've got to start somewhere. After all, I'd never lived in Thailand before I tried it (and fell in love with it). How can one learn about village life without living there? Anyway, that is what she wants me to do so I'm just asking a few questions should the prospect arise. If it turns out I don't like it, I can always move... I get on ok with the Thais. It has been the farangs who I had the problems with, especially in Pattaya. Never met so many guys claiming to have been in the SAS!

I have lived in various parts of Thailand ever since I met her early 2007, with brief spells back in the UK. I have been to her village several times and know the family to a limited extent. I have a city background (London) but am pretty adaptable. I'm not terrible keen on living IN the village (no peace or quiet I imagine) but she wants to be within easy reach of mama and papa. Prasat is the nearest town and I want to talk to her about living there as a compromise to start with and see how it goes. There is no 'ploy' on her part I can see. She is no spring chicken and has two boys (15 and 10) she works very hard to put through school. All she has ever asked me for is a small contribution to their bus fares and books - peanuts.

As for the broadcasts, yes it is her papa who makes them so I guess it's true he is the headman/Poo Yai Baan?

[Totster]

As for the broadcasts, yes it is her papa who makes them so I guess it's true he is the headman/Poo Yai Baan?

Yup !

totster

[Jezz]

Thanks for the speedy replies!:jap:

"The first thing I'd say is, if you understand so very little about village life, how can you even consider moving to one?"

Good question but you've got to start somewhere. After all, I'd never lived in Thailand before I tried it (and fell in love with it). How can one learn about village life without living there? Anyway, that is what she wants me to do so I'm just asking a few questions should the prospect arise. If it turns out I don't like it, I can always move... I get on ok with the Thais. It has been the farangs who I had the problems with, especially in Pattaya. Never met so many guys claiming to have been in the SAS!

I have lived in various parts of Thailand ever since I met her early 2007, with brief spells back in the UK. I have been to her village several times and know the family to a limited extent. I have a city background (London) but am pretty adaptable. I'm not terrible keen on living IN the village (no peace or quiet I imagine) but she wants to be within easy reach of mama and papa. Prasat is the nearest town and I want to talk to her about living there as a compromise to start with and see how it goes. There is no 'ploy' on her part I can see. She is no spring chicken and has two boys (15 and 10) she works very hard to put through school. All she has ever asked me for is a small contribution to their bus fares and books - peanuts.

As for the broadcasts, yes it is her papa who makes them so I guess it's true he is the headman/Poo Yai Baan?

Now you're painting a clearer picture. Why not test the water? If you're in a position to swap and change, move around, then you'll be able to take your time. I've lived in an Isaan village for three years. I think a lot depends on preferences, age, financial situation etc. I'm retired on a modest pension, always preferred the country life and feel quite settled up here - just as well 'cos I'd be hard pressed at my time of life to beat it or change it!

[MrRed]

Thanks for the speedy replies!:jap:

"The first thing I'd say is, if you understand so very little about village life, how can you even consider moving to one?"

Good question but you've got to start somewhere. After all, I'd never lived in Thailand before I tried it (and fell in love with it). How can one learn about village life without living there? Anyway, that is what she wants me to do so I'm just asking a few questions should the prospect arise. If it turns out I don't like it, I can always move... I get on ok with the Thais. It has been the farangs who I had the problems with, especially in Pattaya. Never met so many guys claiming to have been in the SAS!

I have lived in various parts of Thailand ever since I met her early 2007, with brief spells back in the UK. I have been to her village several times and know the family to a limited extent. I have a city background (London) but am pretty adaptable. I'm not terrible keen on living IN the village (no peace or quiet I imagine) but she wants to be within easy reach of mama and papa. Prasat is the nearest town and I want to talk to her about living there as a compromise to start with and see how it goes. There is no 'ploy' on her part I can see. She is no spring chicken and has two boys (15 and 10) she works very hard to put through school. All she has ever asked me for is a small contribution to their bus fares and books - peanuts.

As for the broadcasts, yes it is her papa who makes them so I guess it's true he is the headman/Poo Yai Baan?

I know this one only to well....luckily the Thais you meet in the village will have probably been snipers too in there laos filled dreams so you wont feel to much out of place

[Totster]

I think it all depends on where you start off living in Thailand. If you start off by living in Bangkok, Pattaya or a large town/city, then it's a hard move into Isaan or 'village life'.

I started in the village and could not live anywhere else, but then I like the quiet life and have no problem being alone so to speak. Obviously there are downsides, like lack of decent internet just to name one.. but it's an easy price to pay (not that I'm above complaining about it lol)

Totster

[SimonD]

Thanks for the feedback, just the sort of info I've been looking for. A bit about me:

Age 50. Lived and worked in SW London (the green bit near Richmond Park) all my adult life until a heart attack in 2005 at age 44 stopped me in my tracks. Doctor said to carry on doing what I was doing (London bus inspector - very stressful but well paid) would result in an early death. Not only that but I found I could not tolerate the cold anymore as my circulation was pretty poor after the heart attack.

Time to take stock. Didn't fancy dying just then. A friend was going to Thailand (well, not Thailand, Pattaya) and I tagged along.

I met my GF in a beer bar in Jomtien as she found Pattaya too noisy and chaotic. We hit it off straight away and when I went back in June 2007 she left the bar and we set up home on the 'Darkside'. There were a few issues between us but as we lived together quite happily and grew fonder of each other. A number of things happened to rock or cement our relationship but I won't go into them here. You get that sort of thing in all relationships, especially cross-cultural ones.

A spell up in Chiang Mai followed (I liked it, she didn't), back to Pattaya then a spell in Trat (nice and peaceful little town) which we both liked but by now she was yearning to live near her family. Back to Pattaya for the last time before I came back to UK to finalise selling up here. Got some inheritance money in the bank and my house in London is worth a fair bit so money is not a concern. As I get older I realise that I prefer the quiet life. I've got nothing against chickens and the only thing that would worry me about the tower is if it fell on me!

I get on well with her father and feel sorry for him. He's worked hard all his life and now has a few health problems that make working the fields very difficult. He's only about 54 but looks so much older. Her mama is an alcoholic who has been in and out of hospital ever since I've know her and my GF gets very angry with her mother. A younger, married sister and younger, married brother with their children complete the inner family. They have never asked me for money. My GF has her own 'house' on a quiet soi on the outskirts of the village. Behind and to one side are paddy fields and woods. She tells me that this is her land and where we would build our house. The more I think about it, the more I am tempted.

Simon

[bergen]

The head man does not have to be the richest gay in the village.

Nor does he have to be straight. Thailand is very lenient about these sorts of things.

[elwood]

Thanks for the feedback, just the sort of info I've been looking for. A bit about me:

Age 50. Lived and worked in SW London (the green bit near Richmond Park) all my adult life until a heart attack in 2005 at age 44 stopped me in my tracks. Doctor said to carry on doing what I was doing (London bus inspector - very stressful but well paid) would result in an early death. Not only that but I found I could not tolerate the cold anymore as my circulation was pretty poor after the heart attack.

Time to take stock. Didn't fancy dying just then. A friend was going to Thailand (well, not Thailand, Pattaya) and I tagged along.

I met my GF in a beer bar in Jomtien as she found Pattaya too noisy and chaotic. We hit it off straight away and when I went back in June 2007 she left the bar and we set up home on the 'Darkside'. There were a few issues between us but as we lived together quite happily and grew fonder of each other. A number of things happened to rock or cement our relationship but I won't go into them here. You get that sort of thing in all relationships, especially cross-cultural ones.

A spell up in Chiang Mai followed (I liked it, she didn't), back to Pattaya then a spell in Trat (nice and peaceful little town) which we both liked but by now she was yearning to live near her family. Back to Pattaya for the last time before I came back to UK to finalise selling up here. Got some inheritance money in the bank and my house in London is worth a fair bit so money is not a concern. As I get older I realise that I prefer the quiet life. I've got nothing against chickens and the only thing that would worry me about the tower is if it fell on me!

I get on well with her father and feel sorry for him. He's worked hard all his life and now has a few health problems that make working the fields very difficult. He's only about 54 but looks so much older. Her mama is an alcoholic who has been in and out of hospital ever since I've know her and my GF gets very angry with her mother. A younger, married sister and younger, married brother with their children complete the inner family. They have never asked me for money. My GF has her own 'house' on a quiet soi on the outskirts of the village. Behind and to one side are paddy fields and woods. She tells me that this is her land and where we would build our house. The more I think about it, the more I am tempted.

Simon

That's a nice post Simon, think you have the right approach towards settling down well in the rural life, even if maybe you will finally settle for a home a little way from the village. I've been married 21 years and never had any problems with the wife's family - in fact they treat me very well. Whenever there's a get-together the nieces and nephews always look after pawyai, make sure I'm comfortable and well supplied with food and drink. Seems like you have met up with a decent family too; despite the moaners here, I believe that most Thai families are OK.

I had a triple bypass after a heart attack 15 years ago, still ticking over, so there's a good lot of life still in you mate.And I don't like cold weather either - when we get the few days of really cold stuff I wear more warm clothes than the Thais, much to their amusement!

Good luck to you and yours.

[bergen]

Thanks for the feedback, just the sort of info I've been looking for. A bit about me:

Age 50. Lived and worked in SW London (the green bit near Richmond Park) all my adult life until a heart attack in 2005 at age 44 stopped me in my tracks. Doctor said to carry on doing what I was doing (London bus inspector - very stressful but well paid) would result in an early death. Not only that but I found I could not tolerate the cold anymore as my circulation was pretty poor after the heart attack.

Time to take stock. Didn't fancy dying just then. A friend was going to Thailand (well, not Thailand, Pattaya) and I tagged along.

I met my GF in a beer bar in Jomtien as she found Pattaya too noisy and chaotic. We hit it off straight away and when I went back in June 2007 she left the bar and we set up home on the 'Darkside'. There were a few issues between us but as we lived together quite happily and grew fonder of each other. A number of things happened to rock or cement our relationship but I won't go into them here. You get that sort of thing in all relationships, especially cross-cultural ones.

A spell up in Chiang Mai followed (I liked it, she didn't), back to Pattaya then a spell in Trat (nice and peaceful little town) which we both liked but by now she was yearning to live near her family. Back to Pattaya for the last time before I came back to UK to finalise selling up here. Got some inheritance money in the bank and my house in London is worth a fair bit so money is not a concern. As I get older I realise that I prefer the quiet life. I've got nothing against chickens and the only thing that would worry me about the tower is if it fell on me!

I get on well with her father and feel sorry for him. He's worked hard all his life and now has a few health problems that make working the fields very difficult. He's only about 54 but looks so much older. Her mama is an alcoholic who has been in and out of hospital ever since I've know her and my GF gets very angry with her mother. A younger, married sister and younger, married brother with their children complete the inner family. They have never asked me for money. My GF has her own 'house' on a quiet soi on the outskirts of the village. Behind and to one side are paddy fields and woods. She tells me that this is her land and where we would build our house. The more I think about it, the more I am tempted.

Simon

I think you're on the right track! Give it a try and best of luck.

Edited November 22, 2011 by bergen

[Gonsalviz]

The first thing I'd say is, if you understand so very little about village life, how can you even consider moving to one? Next thing I'd say is, if your GF is using any kind of ploys - beware. The precise answer to the question about loud speaker towers is, almost every village has them dotted round the area. The claim her father is headman, and there are 'many falangs' around would raise caution in my mind.

In my wife's village the 'headman' live next door to her parents. He is neither the richest or the poorest in the village. My wife's parents seem to be among the best off in the village and they are only farmers.

My wife also says there are a lot of farang 'around' but they are Swedes or German mostly and there are not very many. There is one Italian from Oz that lives in the village. He is quite overbearing. The locals call him 'Crazy Joe'. Not that it makes any difference whether there are farang around or not. I moved there to get away from those that wish to make Thailand into their own little country.

[Gonsalviz]

The OP's quote made me think of something.

'There were a few issues between us but as we lived together quite happily and grew fonder of each other. A number of things happened to rock or cement our relationship but I won't go into them here. You get that sort of thing in all relationships, especially cross-cultural ones.'

Early on in my relationship with my wife, I told her that in almost everything we are going to think differently (because of he cultural differences). All we need to do is to respect each other and take care of each other and it will be good. She took that to heart and still mentions it whenever we disagree. She will say "Just different thinking." We get along just fine.