New York Times Feature Isaan

[SweatySock]

3 bedroomed bungalow, 2 bathrooms inside plus toilet outside, inside and outside kitchens = 1.5m.

Perimeter wall plus front gate and back gate = 500k

All done 6 years ago, dread to think what it would cost to do it all today.

[isanbirder]

3 bedroomed bungalow, 2 bathrooms inside plus toilet outside, inside and outside kitchens = 1.5m.

Perimeter wall plus front gate and back gate = 500k

All done 6 years ago, dread to think what it would cost to do it all today.

It's not what it costs that matters so much as what you get for it. Life satisfaction and peace of mind? Or a state of boredom where all you do is wait for the next farang to call and share a beer with you? You'll find both kinds in Isan (but hopefully on this thread only the first).

And by the way, I like my in-laws too.. Dear old-fashioned things, ten years younger than I am.

[Jezz]

3 bedroomed bungalow, 2 bathrooms inside plus toilet outside, inside and outside kitchens = 1.5m.

Perimeter wall plus front gate and back gate = 500k

All done 6 years ago, dread to think what it would cost to do it all today.

It's not what it costs that matters so much as what you get for it. Life satisfaction and peace of mind? Or a state of boredom where all you do is wait for the next farang to call and share a beer with you? You'll find both kinds in Isan (but hopefully on this thread only the first).

And by the way, I like my in-laws too.. Dear old-fashioned things, ten years younger than I am.

Good observation. Going back to the newspaper description of the farang houses (Sturdy walls) Some farangs make their homes like fortresses. Some who do admit it's to keep uninvited guests out. Others go further by stating things like, “It's my life, I don't want all the locals prying around.” I remember visiting a farang some years ago. It took ten minutes waiting after ringing the 'phone on his electronic gate and announcing who I was before he'd called off three or four vicious dogs protecting the large, barren and dusty grounds the other side of a high wall with jagged broken glass embedded on top. The actual meeting consisted of being invited to sit outside with some iced water for refreshment. The conversation was minimal and centred on how proud he was to have such a big house. We never met again - not surprisingly. Also not surprisingly his missus hopped it.

Thankfully many guys with beautiful homes don't hide inside their domain, rather they immerse themselves in a degree of local activity. If you choose to live here, what pleasure can there possibly be in refusing to even try to integrate?

[SweatySock]

3 bedroomed bungalow, 2 bathrooms inside plus toilet outside, inside and outside kitchens = 1.5m.

Perimeter wall plus front gate and back gate = 500k

All done 6 years ago, dread to think what it would cost to do it all today.

It's not what it costs that matters so much as what you get for it. Life satisfaction and peace of mind? Or a state of boredom where all you do is wait for the next farang to call and share a beer with you? You'll find both kinds in Isan (but hopefully on this thread only the first).

And by the way, I like my in-laws too.. Dear old-fashioned things, ten years younger than I am.

Peace and quiet by the bucket loads but I do welcome all (well nearly all) visitors. The reason I put the wall up was basically to keep the dogs and chickens out plus I wanted to plant a bit of grass to have something resembling a lawn so that the kids could have a relatively safe play area.

Boredom - never, I teach at the local school 5 days a week and spend the weekends in the village normally. I don't believe in this - I only want foreigners as visitors - in fact some foreigners round where I live I would rather didn't visit.

[Issangeorge]

I didn't want a wall at all, but my wife insisted on it. I must admit it does keep the dogs and chickens out. The cats are a different matter. Anyone have a suggestion of how to keep them out, our dog is useless in that respect.

[GarryP]

I didn't want a wall at all, but my wife insisted on it. I must admit it does keep the dogs and chickens out. The cats are a different matter. Anyone have a suggestion of how to keep them out, our dog is useless in that respect.

Tiger pee. But then your dog won't leave the house either.

[ubonrthai]

This from a new book called "Thailand at Random"