Number of drinkers in northern region highest in Thailand

[spidermike007]

There is nothing to do upcountry than drinking ? BS !! If they would do an effort to get a laptop and an internet connection (with satellite you can get it in the bush bush) then they have things to do for 24 hours !

That is so lame !!! Up country has mountains, rivers, long stretches of scenery (try Loei) plenty of shopping. Laos is nearby...and darn good people. It is everything Pattaya is not. That why we love it. Some of us enjoy the quiet family life and outdoor work. We have long outgrown the need to sit in a bar with sad lonely men who stare at 18 year old girls. Pity you more. Just because we do not have high balconies ....we still would not be so lonesome and sad as to jump off them. Good people here.....not anything you would know about.

Point well taken. When I have been up north, I have run into some very kind and sincere people.

SPIDERMIKE you said at the beginning of this thread:

Quote//

Every foreigner i know, who lives in the provinces drinks alot. I think it is about boredom. There is nothing to do. Especially in the villages. No stimulation. They all get drunk or drink alot. How very boring in itself, if you ask me.//

Make your mind up there's a good chap, or just stay quiet if you have little or nothing to say.

Generalisations about the drinking habits of expats ANYWHERE is obviously a very pointless discussion. It is no different in the North to what we have all witnessed in the 'farang' centres all over SEAsia and beyond. For goodness sake get a grip people.

I enjoy a drink most evenings.... That is my choice. When I was younger I used to go out on the binge with my mates.... Regularly. Nothing wrong with any of that. I suspect those few against expats having a drink above have had bad experiences in their lives at some point. The OP is about Thai's and their alcoholism.... Poor bast:-:s.

So if you have nothing to add get back to your weekly meetings and stop talking drivel about those who choose a rural existence with their loving families!

Point well taken. Sorry to have caused offense. I was too general in my statement. What I really meant to say was that alot of the chaps I have met who live in the provinces, drink quite a bit. Nothing wrong with a drink or two. I did not mean the provinces are boring, as I find them quite charming. I meant drinking in excess, I find boring. That is all. Good fortune to you.

[habfan]

it has become a major problem

we used to live in the wifes village when I first moved the wife back to thailand. about 10 years ago. rented a small house. i liked it. i liked the feeling of being away from it all. but i wasnt there all the time.

there was a lot of drinking going on back then and I would join in fairly often but at the time I was in and out of thailand.

there was a lot of drunkeness, the odd accasion where you`d see blokes sleeping in the middle of the road or under a bush or staggering down the road with a bottle of low cow in hand. but it didnt seem overly excessive at the time.

eventually we moved to Udon. mainly because i wanted my child to have at least a half decent education. (the village school was rubbish)

these days things are out of control in the village. i don`t go back anymore but the wife continued to go back quite often with the kids.

she has pretty much stopped going mainly because of the kaos now in the village due to the excessive drinking and yah bah problem and then of course theirs the cards/gambling problems. i used to wonder how they managed to keep going for so long on the pop. sometimes partying for 3/4 days at a time. its not amazing stamina or a pint of M150. its the yah bah thats keeping them going.

shes says they have formed drinking gangs and basically spend there time bouncing around venues getting mashed, playing cards according to who has any money at the time.

kids are growing up now and wifee doesn`t want them exposed to it. i think she will go back at new year but only for a day or so. she avoids it now during songkran becasue its to dangerous.

I hate to sound over-dramatic but ya ba and lao khoa are destroying villages in the north.