Hello all.

I am visiting Kalasin for the first time to meet my Thai girlfriends family.

She has just returned to bkk after spending time with me in England. The time has come for meet to meet her family. I've been invited to stay on the farm for 1 night.

I'm 28 my gf is 23.

I've got a couple of questions maybe you can help me with.

What can I take as a small gift for my girlfriend's mum? I just want something small to take for her, possibly something from the uk that she cannot cannot get in Thailand?

Also I'm expecting a cold shower, a hole in the ground for a toilet and a night sleeping on the floor. That's fine. It's the bugs I'm concerned about!!

I am planning in taking a massive mossize net, is this really essential?

Any tips would be much appreciated. General survival advice please!

We will be flying out to KK as per previously advised by good folk on this forum.

Thanks a lot all.

M

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'take as a small gift that she cant get in thailand???'

a credit card.

In our area of Kalasin, the mozzies have about 70 percent disappeared since about a month ago. It has been really hot and dry. Doesn't hurt to bring a net along just in case I suppose. Sometimes I like to sit out at night and do some star gazing, there's enough mosquitoes to be somewhat of a pain. For that, my wife found these lemon grass candles that smell much better and seem to be more effective than those noxious mosquitoe coils people burn and seem to do zero. The mosquitoes here laugh at mosquitoe coils and have feast on your feet. Ask your girlfriend about taklai (Thai for lemon grass) candles.

You shouldn't need to take a mozzie net - they will give you one if they've got any sense.

Most people use them.

Presents from the UK - well it's a lot of trouble, and usually the locals are not that worried. Money in the form of a 1000 baht note is usually a much more satisfying answer to them. You can always bring a couple of tins of Cadburys Roses chocolates, but keep them in a fridge! They'l be gone in two minutes though as everyone will take handfulls.

Only one night - why doesn't your girlfriend book you into a local resort? There's bound to be one nearby. Much more civilized.

I suggest mozzie cream of course, and make sure you have slip-on shoes as it's a pain taking your shoes on and off otherwise.

Please understand that as much as we are intrigued about them, and their way of life, their curiousity of our way of life is minimal. Just take them as they come, and be generous with food and drink.

Buy a rice cooker, also called Japanese motorbike. Always a great idea.

Don't bother with a gift , it won't mean anything. Just bung her a tenner ( 500bt ) for some food and she'll be over the moon.

Spray the bedroom with bug spray before you go to bed , you'll be fine. You're only staying one night so it'll be a novelty , you might even like it but i doubt it.

Don't bother with a gift , it won't mean anything. Just bung her a tenner ( 500bt ) for some food and she'll be over the moon.

Spray the bedroom with bug spray before you go to bed , you'll be fine. You're only staying one night so it'll be a novelty , you might even like it but i doubt it.

Don't forget to throw gf's boy friend out of your bed before you go to sleep.

Don't bother with a gift , it won't mean anything. Just bung her a tenner ( 500bt ) for some food and she'll be over the moon.

Spray the bedroom with bug spray before you go to bed , you'll be fine. You're only staying one night so it'll be a novelty , you might even like it but i doubt it.

Don't forget to throw gf's boy friend out of your bed before you go to sleep.

There's always one....and you're it.

A Snooopyyyyyyyyyyyyyy Scootaaaaaaaaaaaaa would do the trick.

Don't bother with a gift , it won't mean anything. Just bung her a tenner ( 500bt ) for some food and she'll be over the moon.

Spray the bedroom with bug spray before you go to bed , you'll be fine. You're only staying one night so it'll be a novelty , you might even like it but i doubt it.

Don't forget to throw gf's boy friend out of your bed before you go to sleep.

And do not forget, you marry the entire family, including the above mentioned boyfriend(s)

Don't bother with a gift , it won't mean anything. Just bung her a tenner ( 500bt ) for some food and she'll be over the moon.

Spray the bedroom with bug spray before you go to bed , you'll be fine. You're only staying one night so it'll be a novelty , you might even like it but i doubt it.

Don't forget to throw gf's boy friend out of your bed before you go to sleep.

And do not forget, you marry the entire family, including the above mentioned boyfriend(s)

but he doesn't have to have sex with them, as the gf already does. But they also live there and use the farang money. Haaar.!!

Just give your GF whatever money you were planning on spending and let her buy whatever she wants for the family.

As far as the mosquito net goes, if you got one then take it, you don't want to get there and find out the mosquito situation is bad and the family has no net.

I always stay in the local hotel. The heck with that country living.

Don't bother with a gift , it won't mean anything. Just bung her a tenner ( 500bt ) for some food and she'll be over the moon.

Spray the bedroom with bug spray before you go to bed , you'll be fine. You're only staying one night so it'll be a novelty , you might even like it but i doubt it.

Don't forget to throw gf's boy friend out of your bed before you go to sleep.

There's always one....and you're it.

Yes , but he does have a point. It's not unusual for Thai ladies to have secret boyfriends. Issan ladies probably the worst offenders. IMO .. If she's an ex brass it's probably nailed on some deadbeat lurks behind the scenes. If she's a ex bank clerk probably nothing to worry about.

First thing to do is go in the kitchen and have a look in the fridge, seems to be a common custom. If there is nothing you fancy take everyone out for a meal, always goes down well.

I'm in Kamalasai for Songkran - it's only a short drive from Kalasin. It's hot here and the mossies are a pain - I suggest simply buying some spray or lotion from 7-Eleven. Your night's sleep will be with or without the GF? Either way, I can't imagine the family would expose you to the elements!

Gift-wise, take some gold if you can afford it (a necklace would be a good choice) otherwise get something which clearly shows that it's from England/UK !! Hope this helps.

Put yourself on a daily dose of vitamin B and the mozzies will find your blood most unappetising. This works!

Give the mother a little money 1 or 2 thousand bahts,they prefer money than gifts,especially if they are poor,definately have a mosquito net,and make sure you have toilet paper as many Thai homes in farming or poor areas use water,also have some mosquito repelent as the mozzie will bite you like crazy at night when outside,and only drink bottle water.

Agree with some of the other posts. If you have a net, bring it. They should have them. Also, money is generally better than any present. Give it to your gf (not all of what you wanted to spend, but a large chunk) and then she can go around buying people the things she wants and yeah, they will love it (and so will she). They should have beds, by the way. I have stayed in rural Isaan many, many moons and never had anything less than a mat to sleep on, which was still comfortable. It's highly likely they will carve out their best room for you and if they don't, well.....

Anyway, everything is more basic, but it isn't the middle of the Congo or something, come on, people.

Moxie nets can be got locally but I'd recommend getting a decent moxie spray before you go.

Just get her something from the souvenir shop in the airport as they will probably expect you to pay for all the food and drink at the forthcoming village welcome party.

Go with the flow and I hope you have a great time

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Ignore the idiots making comments who know nothing about real Isaan culture and it's people. Just be happy, polite and yourself. Take one of those presentation baskets of "Brand(s)" and pay for a BBQ and some beers for the family meal. You might also pick up some badminton rackets and a football; the kids in the moo baan will love it and have you out playing all day.

Enjoy, Kalasin is an awesome place to chill out.

Put yourself on a daily dose of vitamin B and the mozzies will find your blood most unappetising. This works!

No, it doesn't work. Google it.

I always arrive with groceries when I visit the family including beer. I've taken to staying in a nearby hotel but try staying there once anyway.

It's your first time there. Relax, enjoy and show them who you are. If you need something basic like a mosquito net, buy it there. Don't get influenced by things you don't feel comfortable with. Stay strong and like kennypowers said, stay yourself.

Don't plan too much, if you want to buy a gift for mum, buy it there. And remember, mum's dont need gifts, they need security.

As another poster mentioned, Vitamin B works extraordinarily well. During a time spent in a costal tropical area of Mexico I literally saw mosquitoes, one after the other, approach me and then back off, wouldn't touch me. Make sure you get real vitamin b not some cheap counterfeit placebo. I was also eating a clove of garlic with the vitamins. Being that you're English you probably aren't much of a fan of garlic, but I found that it helps. Personally, I avoid the heavy chemical mosquitoe repellents you can buy, god knows what that stuff will do to you. If the mozzies are bad, also just staying inside at night as much as possible is probably the best deterent unless the house you're staying at has gaping spaces between the floorboards and walls and door jams. Then you go to your mosquitoe net. Never have to use them myself and I live out here.

I'm in Kamalasai for Songkran - it's only a short drive from Kalasin. It's hot here and the mossies are a pain - I suggest simply buying some spray or lotion from 7-Eleven. Your night's sleep will be with or without the GF? Either way, I can't imagine the family would expose you to the elements!

Gift-wise, take some gold if you can afford it (a necklace would be a good choice) otherwise get something which clearly shows that it's from England/UK !! Hope this helps.

something ,like a good pork sausage

OP,

You can ignore most of the posts here.. my suggestion is most items are available locally so you need not bring anything from the UK (if you must get a football jersey). You are also under no obligation to stay at the family home and you will find there are thai "resorts" all around and you could stay there while sleeping (with A/C).

Concerning gifts.. there is usually many small things the family needs that can be purchased as gifts by your girlfriend and yourself (and will be the most appreciated).

Most of all.. enjoy your stay you will most likely be the bell of the ball and will be introducing yourself to a shitload of relatives.

Kurt

That 1 night will inevitably be a real eye opener for you regards their standard of living , you will feel guilty and want to put your hand in your pocket to make their lives a little easier such as buying them 1 aircon unit wich will be about £300 and also a hot shower as it does and did get very cold this last cool season . so for 500 nicker you my friend will be the billy <deleted> and you will feel good about yourself at the same time . I am in Kamalasai 15 mins from Kalasin and have been here 6 mnths on this visit . Its a great place and its Real Thailand .

DON'T BRING ANYTHING FROM THE UK......DO NOT GIVE ANY GIFT.....NEVER NEVER NEVER GIVE MONEY TO ANY FAMILY MEMBER ESPECIALLY YOUR GF....

BUT

I AM SURE YOU WON'T TAKE THIS ADVISE

SO

ONCE YOU GIVE....YOU WILL ALWAYS BE EXPECTED TO GIVE MORE AND BIGGER AND BETTER....MORE MORE MORE MORE

ARE YOU SMELLIN' ME YET?

GOOD LUCK SUCKER

Can you report back to us after 3 months...Happy Kalasin landing

Funny how so many posters are assuming the family is really poor. There are a lot of comfortable and well-off families in Kalasin, particularly in and around the square mile of the city; in fact it's the most urbanised province. And even if they are an average income or poor family, why assume they are going to dig his pockets at every opportunity? Don't judge others by your misfortune. Your life experience of others is a reflection of yourself; if you've attracted bad people in Thailand then you'll most likely attract them everywhere you go.

Short visit ! Certainly not long enough to truly learn something about life outside of tourist-hubs.

Nevermind, OP will not qualify for a retirement visa just yet.

Cheers