Monthly Income

[jrc1]

I recently returned home after a month holiday in Thailand. On a previous visit I had met a girl who worked in Bangkok but originally came from Roi Et. This time I decided to accompany her on a trip to her village, firstly to experience life in the village and also to meet her parents. As a Farang I was made welcome and enjoyed my stay there.

I was intrigued by the fact that everyone in the village didn't seem to have regular work, my girls father went fishing and walked the Water Buffalo, the mother just seemed to clean up and cook and the Sister sewed cloths which were picked up every couple of days and taken to Bangkok to be sold, for this she got paid the princely sum of 10 Baht per article.

As there is no social welfare system in Thailand, could any of the people out there shed any light on what the average income of a family is in the villages of the Isaan region and how is this achieved.

Regards

John

[ray23]

Wow! John now you know why the Issan girls are in the big city, they supply the family with money. That is the Social Welfare system in this country. In return the grand parents raise the children, just as there grand parents raised them. I wouldn't get to critical of it, it has worked for a lot of years. Famalies here take care of Famalies. Now that being said don't think your going to escape this tradition, you are expected to help. That my friend is why you are such a prized catch.

Every farrang in the poor area's are viewed this way and every farrang has the hardest time understanding it, including me. the end result here of taking care of the family, is not what we set out to do it life. But that cute little Issan girl, thats exactly what she thinks. If your lucky you can achieve a balance.

Papa walking the buffalo, he worked hard all his life for the time to come where he would not have to support the family, his retirement is walking the buffalo. He is happy don't bother him.

I for one would never be happy doing what he is doing that, simply because my goals were much higher then his in the first place.

The lady working for ten baht per garment, that's probably the going rate. Remember Thia famalies live a lot differently then you and I. Even paying rent they make it on 4k a month in Issan. Sure they want more, if you could increase your income wouldn't you want it?

By the way this family thing that you see here is not exclusive of Thailand it is in most of the Asian world, Dont fret over it it is thier system and supplies thier needs. Sometime I wish my home country still had these same values. America did I at one point, I'm 59 and have six brothers the one next to me is 14 years older then I. I remember as a child everyone of my brothers at some point came home with thier famalies. They needed help and they got it. We all over the years gave money to our parents. Today famalies are so splintered in America that your on your own and thats that.

So maybe taking care of your own isn't such a bad idea.

I would suggest taking the time to try to understand what you are seeing here, so many want to just question it. There really is nothing to question it works for them and that is what truly matters. My guess is that if Papa had a 100K a month coming in, he would still walk that buffalo

[bina]

hi ray,

that has got to be one of the best posts on that sort of thing i ve seen on tv... no snooty comments, just acceptance and explanation.....

and yes, he would still take the buffalo out to pasture... its relaxing, productive, and it really grows on you ... ( i speak as a farmer whose aim in life is to reach the age where i can just sit and watch my buffalo (or goats) in pasture and let others worry about every thing else....

the familys make it on little also due to the fact that IF they own land, they grow their own food plus produce to sell, have chickens etc, fish, etc... its hand to mouth living day to day... except for major emergencies.... it is hard, and not as idylic as it seems but its not the same as abject poverty in the big cities..... this goes for subsistence farming and family life any where in the world....

[Gary A]

Some time back the wife was lamenting that some poor old man lost his job. The buffalo that he took care of had died and the old man didn't know what he was going to do. I was confused and asked her how the old man got paid for walking the buffalo since the buffalo did no work and made no money for the family. He didn't get paid but he lived in the small house above the buffalo pen and ate with the owners every day. I was still confused and asked her why the old man could no longer stay there and eat with the family. I got the "How stupid are you look". She explained that the man's job was to take care of the buffalo and that the buffalo was now dead. Please don't ask me if I now understand. I still do NOT understand. Such is life in Isaan.

[Morden]

These stories reflect the nature of life and community in our part of Isaan, too. I could add other anecdotes but what has struck me in particular about these amazing people is that they a happy. There's always a smile and a wave. They are not so ignorant of the world that they don't know they are materially very poor but they are still happy. I've seen millionaires in the West who never will be happy and don't have a clue who to trust as a friend.

I'm old enough to just about remember the remnants of the 'family culture' in the UK. You know, the days when family groups all lived within a few streets of one another. It would still survive if 'welfare' was not now in the hands of the State. Governments now decide how to care for the elderly, not their families. I come from a culture that my children will never know but it has been a joy to see it thriving in Isaan.

[Vegemite]

My wifes Aunty raises and feeds silk worms and then makes silk.

The wife says that the silk is worth good money.

So, I asked the wife: why doesnt your Aunty grow more silk worms and make more silk and earn more money, as she is very poor and doesnt do a lot during the day?

" Because it is a lot of work darling"

They can sit under their houses all day and do almost nothing except eat and rest and talk.

But they are the most lovable people that I have ever met

[bergen]

This reminds me of a story........ Short version (I maybe read on TV first)

Man sitting near his boat half asleep!

Farang came by and asked what he was doing.

Man said he was a fisherman, but having a break!

Farang say: why not work more, and make more money, than U can buy more boats and get rich! Man say - why I have to work more and get rich?

Farang : Than you can have people work for you, and you can sit on the beach and relax!!!!!!!

Man say: Buit this I do already!

Cheers

[Martin]

Coming to terms with the fact that these 'poor', 'uneducated', 'simple' people live (and die) happily and unstressed, in contrast to the unhappiness and stress of the 'rich', 'educated', 'sophisticated' people of the cities has been, to me, the best part of settling in Isaan.

For umteen generations, my forebears were peasant farmers in Britain.

It is only the last two generations before mine that have been industrial workers and 'townies'.

So perhaps it shouldn't surprise me that I feel that I have "come home".

In answer to the OP about 'monthly income', I suppose the answer is that, each month, the family has enough to eat, their shelter, and a bit to spare. Just like people in the cities, East or West, try to achieve.

The difference is, though, that the peasant family are completely secure. No worries about being made redundant. Or the mortgage rate going up.

It is lovely to see it.

In the longer term, I wouldn't be surprised to see some counterflow from the cities.

It is only one straw in the wind, but I recently met a partner in a London IT firm.

His firm gets their routine programming work done by a group in Siberia. Which is fine, except when they need to speak with the Siberians, because somebody has to get up very early in the morning in London.

He had come on holiday to Isaan, with his Isaan wife. And suddenly realised that he was in the same time zone as the Siberians, and could talk with them and transmit the results to London later in the day.

So he was organising with his partners for him to be in Isaan on a working-holiday all the time.

He reckoned that getting London earnings, with Isaan prices, sunshine, and no stress, was like hitting the jackpot.

[blue eyes]

What is that.... I'm sorry did I miss something.Did you say welcome to Issan?

[Thaipwriter]

nice thread!

Some might say that because you have been taken to the village to see her parents that the relationship between you and her is progressing in her eyes, possibly even towards marriage

Good luck!