Wonder if present farang Issan residents are mostly city slickers

[krisb]

Jeez Wayned isn't mucking around I see wow!

Curious, for the outlay of all that equipment vs employing local labour, how does it balance out?

[Rdrokit]

Well I was not brought up on a farm but was brought up in a rural part of Florida 50 years ago as it is not rural anymore. I do not like big cities such as Bangkok but like to live near a big city, in this case Korat, in case I need medical treatment as I am old and never know when I will need major medical assistance. So now I live about 20 minutes outside of Korat for about 7 years and the suburbs are becoming the city. We have 5 rai in the village we bought 10 years ago and may move there in the future as the "city" expands. When we bought the land there was only one mini mart in the village. It now has a dozen mini marts, 7/11s and a mini Tesco. Pretty soon the village will be a city.

[MeMock]

from far nth east kimberley West Aust ..The Last Frontier .... wild west !! Isaan is a resort compared to back on the farm in Oz

It's a small word indeed. I agree about the wild west as I too am from there. Raised on a farm not too far from Kununurra. Where exact were you?

[swissie]

Most Farangs living in the sticks have "Family-Ties". That's nice.

Without this, on their own, they would cry out "what am I doing in such a place" and hop on the the next bus back to BKK.

The Farang developing into a Farmer is based on the thinking that the land that surrounds the big house must be put to good use to eventually bring back some of the capital outlays associated with the cost of the big house.

City slicker or not.

Farang will eventually realize that (unless on a very big scale), farming doesn't pay. Especially not in Thailand. This may be the reason that at least 1 family member works as a hotel-receptionist in Pattaya.

And that's the way it is and will not change in the near future. No offense.

Cheers

.

On the question of scale, I have to agree with you. I have been around agriculture all my life and, size matters! What characterizes most isaan farms is they are small, and tend to be subsistence farming. Thats the real error many make. Wifey say's buy a few rai of rice paddy and we're in clover, so to speak, won't cut it. If as a farang 'if' you could but several hundred rai of land and farm commercially you might make it pay, but even then it tough.

It's part of that culture gap I think. For a Thai just being able to provide enough rice to sustain the family for a year, with a little cash left over is good enough, for a farang it's just not a profit generating business to sustain the lifestyle you probably want

Agreed. Basically reflects my comment. But these days, a "little cash leftover" every year will not be sufficient for the i-phone generation in Thailand. Perfectly allright for grandpa and grandma, but not for their (today's) grandchildren.

Modern times have reached the shores of Thailand.

Cheers.

[SilverBeast]

Jeez Wayned isn't mucking around I see wow!

Curious, for the outlay of all that equipment vs employing local labour, how does it balance out?

The equipment pays. I've run some numbers with production here and production there and I think one of the key changes coming to Thailand is a move to mechanized farming. In Canada it takes a handful of guys to farm several sections which could be from like 5-15 square miles. In Thailand its currently taking thousands to farm the same area. If you had those Canadians splitting up their profit a thousand ways they'd all be broke too. This will be a big shift if it comes to Thailand also as people leave the farms for work in the cities.

Mechanized equipment might be hugely expensive but it definitely pays...

[krisb]

Jeez Wayned isn't mucking around I see wow!

Curious, for the outlay of all that equipment vs employing local labour, how does it balance out?

The equipment pays. I've run some numbers with production here and production there and I think one of the key changes coming to Thailand is a move to mechanized farming. In Canada it takes a handful of guys to farm several sections which could be from like 5-15 square miles. In Thailand its currently taking thousands to farm the same area. If you had those Canadians splitting up their profit a thousand ways they'd all be broke too. This will be a big shift if it comes to Thailand also as people leave the farms for work in the cities.

Mechanized equipment might be hugely expensive but it definitely pays...

There's a fairly big difference in what a Canadian farm worker earns compared to a Thai though.

One thing I notice is farm work is all so many have out in certain locations. Without farms to work on, I'm not sure what they would do. It supports lots of families.

[nev]

Jeez Wayned isn't mucking around I see wow!

Curious, for the outlay of all that equipment vs employing local labour, how does it balance out?

The equipment pays. I've run some numbers with production here and production there and I think one of the key changes coming to Thailand is a move to mechanized farming. In Canada it takes a handful of guys to farm several sections which could be from like 5-15 square miles. In Thailand its currently taking thousands to farm the same area. If you had those Canadians splitting up their profit a thousand ways they'd all be broke too. This will be a big shift if it comes to Thailand also as people leave the farms for work in the cities.

Mechanized equipment might be hugely expensive but it definitely pays...

Thai land is split up into small holdings so using mechanized equipment does not pay as the cost of transport between the different farms is costly, we have 200 rai but split up all over the place, the biggest is 68 rai smallest 5 rai.

[SilverBeast]

The difference is based on their ability to produce. A Canadian farmer using equipment produces way way more then a Thai can using their manual labor.

Farm work might be all they have out there but that sounds like Prairie Provinces in Canada 80 years ago. Things change and those people will go find work in the cities. It'll be a big change indeed.

This problem will take a long longer to solve. As time goes one people will be buying up Rai closer together and being able to turn them into more efficient bigger plots of land that can be mechanically farmed. This will definitely take a longer time to solve though for sure.

[BillH52]

Love our very rural village; quiet, simple, hard working locals. We do some financing and encourage family farming. I have never been fond of living in large cities; lived in various rural areas of the U.S., but not directly involved in farming or ranching.

[klikster]

Quite a number of folks with small holdings don't rely completely on income from their crops. Most of the tradesmen working on our house in Umphur Muang KK have small rice farms. During the early rains a few months back, every one of them took 1-2 weeks off to plant.

Most live 20+ km outside KK. Most grow rice for their own use, then sell any extra.

Crews working on building projects "truck pool" to work. When you stop to consider, a 20-30km commute can get most/many to a construction site in some direction.

[nev]

Quite a number of folks with small holdings don't rely completely on income from their crops. Most of the tradesmen working on our house in Umphur Muang KK have small rice farms. During the early rains a few months back, every one of them took 1-2 weeks off to plant.

Most live 20+ km outside KK. Most grow rice for their own use, then sell any extra.

Crews working on building projects "truck pool" to work. When you stop to consider, a 20-30km commute can get most/many to a construction site in some direction.

Agree most families only farm to do rice once a year and not to sell but to keep the sticky rice for eat during the year.

[AnotherOneAmerican]

Yes, I was a bit surprised at the nonsense of many of the answers on that thread. It sort of developed into a Thai bashing thread without coming out into the daylight as such. I should think that relatively few TV members actually live on a farm even in Isaan and that even fewer have a farming background.

I have a 5 rai farm, well corrugated iron hut on stilts, there's not enough money in the world to make me live there!

If I ran out of money in CM, I would rather jump off a balcony than live there.

[khwaibah]

Yes, I was a bit surprised at the nonsense of many of the answers on that thread. It sort of developed into a Thai bashing thread without coming out into the daylight as such. I should think that relatively few TV members actually live on a farm even in Isaan and that even fewer have a farming background.

I have a 5 rai farm, well corrugated iron hut on stilts, there's not enough money in the world to make me live there!

If I ran out of money in CM, I would rather jump off a balcony than live there.

Can recommend some excellent contractors to build that balcony.

[GinBoy2]

Yes, I was a bit surprised at the nonsense of many of the answers on that thread. It sort of developed into a Thai bashing thread without coming out into the daylight as such. I should think that relatively few TV members actually live on a farm even in Isaan and that even fewer have a farming background.

I have a 5 rai farm, well corrugated iron hut on stilts, there's not enough money in the world to make me live there!

If I ran out of money in CM, I would rather jump off a balcony than live there.

There seems to be some confusion from many on here about where people want to live, versus how they want to live.

I love living in Isaan, I like rural life, looking out from by backyard on rice fields to me is idyllic. Now, do I live like the people who work on those fields, Hell No. My house and living conditions here aren't so much different than my life back in San Diego, except a helluva lot cheaper.

So this stereotype of the farang, marooned miles from anywhere living in abject Hell on a farm in deepest darkest Isaan is something that has me scratching my head. Kinda urban myth

[thehelmsman]

I grew up in central ca. on a dairy so living in the country in Thailand isn't a shock, actually it's not bad here but I must say that when I stop going to sea and stay full time I'll be looking to live somewhere with more enjoyable annemities and also better schooling for baby. I feel like I worked to hard to settle for watching the rice grow. I want to be able to spend a day at the beach everyday, go to a gym with a sauna, go to the movies with english spoken.................

[AnotherOneAmerican]

I love living in Isaan, I like rural life, looking out from by backyard on rice fields to me is idyllic. Now, do I live like the people who work on those fields, Hell No. My house and living conditions here aren't so much different than my life back in San Diego, except a helluva lot cheaper.

So this stereotype of the farang, marooned miles from anywhere living in abject Hell on a farm in deepest darkest Isaan is something that has me scratching my head. Kinda urban myth

Unfortunately I'm not white & my farm isn't in Issan, so I can't fit into your stereotype.

And my farm house doesn't have windows, just a empty space at the back looking out onto the mosquito filled jungle.

I know, I know, you're gonna say, "it can't be that bad", so here is a photo of my farmhouse.

Front Back Inside

Edited August 29, 2014 by AnotherOneAmerican

[GinBoy2]

I love living in Isaan, I like rural life, looking out from by backyard on rice fields to me is idyllic. Now, do I live like the people who work on those fields, Hell No. My house and living conditions here aren't so much different than my life back in San Diego, except a helluva lot cheaper.

So this stereotype of the farang, marooned miles from anywhere living in abject Hell on a farm in deepest darkest Isaan is something that has me scratching my head. Kinda urban myth

Unfortunately I'm not white & my farm isn't in Issan, so I can't fit into your stereotype.

And my farm house doesn't have windows, just a empty space at the back looking out onto the mosquito filled jungle.

I know, I know, you're gonna say, "it can't be that bad", so here is a photo of my farmhouse.

Front DSCF1062.JPG Back DSCF1078.JPG Inside DSCF1066.JPG

I think you just proved my point, which maybe I made badly before.

I think for a lot of people on here they make the leap (excuse the pun after your 'balcony' comment) that if you chose to live in Isaan you absolutely are condemning yourself to live in something resembling, your rather spacious and well ventilated farmhouse! LOL

[DILLIGAD]

I do not miss the early morn "rollcall" from the chickens/dogs/poo Yai baan and out of work drunk bums on a 50cc noisy Wave.

Some Farangs live spartan lives in villages through necessity with no Farang food/ no alcohol/ no job/ no car and tell the world they love it. Others live the life they choose and good luck to them.

[NeverSure]

I'm not really sure that the premise of the question is correct. City vs Rural. Very few places in Isaan are that far away from a large city, so the idea that you can be marooned in some rice field that requires trekking 10 days to the nearest mall doesn't really cut it.

What I do think however is the people who tend to do best in isaan are the one's who often tend to be loners, be it city loners or rural loners. This isn't Jomstenski, Phuket or Bangkok, you're not going to walk into town and find bars thronging with farangs. Which seems to suggest to those who do live in those places that everyone here is depressed and condemned to a life, in what for them, would be a living Hell. It's just many of us don't have that need to be 'amongst our own' all the time.

There are absolutely the folks who build a house here, sight unseen, buy a rice farm (foolishly thinking it will support them), move here and feel like slashing their wrists within a couple of months. But then again every time I'm forced to go visit my sister in law in Pattaya I see a whole lot more miserable looking farangs propping up a bar 24x7...drowning their sorrows for all those failed bars/restaurants/massage parlors/jet ski rentals/motorbike rentals...I could go on, that they thought were going to make them billionaires LOL

Spot on. Although my longest stretch in Isaan was one month, I saw enough to decide if I'd try living there. Note the "try."

I grew up on a very large wheat and cattle ranch in the Western USA. We were quite a ways from the nearest real town and had no close neighbors due to the size of ranches. We knew our neighbors well and helped each other out so I don't mean "close" in that way.

Everyone is different. Some guys grew up on a ranch and couldn't wait to go to college and get a job in the big city. Others wanted to stay on the ranch, build a house and marry their childhood sweetheart from down the road.

The one's who liked the ranch best and wanted to stay there were essentially loners. They were happy doing their own thing and riding the fences or sleeping in a line shack was no problem.

That's the question I'd ask myself before I tried. Do I need a lot of people around me socializing all the time, or am I happy all by myself working in my garden or reading a book?

[pgs]

Country born & raised, live in Sydney now for work convenience.

Thai village life is not an issue - it's not that different to how I had the first 20-25 years.

Never had a problem in the village there.

[pgs]

I love living in Isaan, I like rural life, looking out from by backyard on rice fields to me is idyllic. Now, do I live like the people who work on those fields, Hell No. My house and living conditions here aren't so much different than my life back in San Diego, except a helluva lot cheaper.

So this stereotype of the farang, marooned miles from anywhere living in abject Hell on a farm in deepest darkest Isaan is something that has me scratching my head. Kinda urban myth

Unfortunately I'm not white & my farm isn't in Issan, so I can't fit into your stereotype.

And my farm house doesn't have windows, just a empty space at the back looking out onto the mosquito filled jungle.

I know, I know, you're gonna say, "it can't be that bad", so here is a photo of my farmhouse.

Front DSCF1062.JPG Back DSCF1078.JPG Inside DSCF1066.JPG

Might be a tad breezy at times, but if it suits your needs it doesn't really matter what others think of it.

[GinBoy2]

I'm not really sure that the premise of the question is correct. City vs Rural. Very few places in Isaan are that far away from a large city, so the idea that you can be marooned in some rice field that requires trekking 10 days to the nearest mall doesn't really cut it.

What I do think however is the people who tend to do best in isaan are the one's who often tend to be loners, be it city loners or rural loners. This isn't Jomstenski, Phuket or Bangkok, you're not going to walk into town and find bars thronging with farangs. Which seems to suggest to those who do live in those places that everyone here is depressed and condemned to a life, in what for them, would be a living Hell. It's just many of us don't have that need to be 'amongst our own' all the time.

There are absolutely the folks who build a house here, sight unseen, buy a rice farm (foolishly thinking it will support them), move here and feel like slashing their wrists within a couple of months. But then again every time I'm forced to go visit my sister in law in Pattaya I see a whole lot more miserable looking farangs propping up a bar 24x7...drowning their sorrows for all those failed bars/restaurants/massage parlors/jet ski rentals/motorbike rentals...I could go on, that they thought were going to make them billionaires LOL

Spot on. Although my longest stretch in Isaan was one month, I saw enough to decide if I'd try living there. Note the "try."

I grew up on a very large wheat and cattle ranch in the Western USA. We were quite a ways from the nearest real town and had no close neighbors due to the size of ranches. We knew our neighbors well and helped each other out so I don't mean "close" in that way.

Everyone is different. Some guys grew up on a ranch and couldn't wait to go to college and get a job in the big city. Others wanted to stay on the ranch, build a house and marry their childhood sweetheart from down the road.

The one's who liked the ranch best and wanted to stay there were essentially loners. They were happy doing their own thing and riding the fences or sleeping in a line shack was no problem.

That's the question I'd ask myself before I tried. Do I need a lot of people around me socializing all the time, or am I happy all by myself working in my garden or reading a book?

Exactly right. I was born and raised in California's central valley. I was a little odd since I was the only child in a Mexican American home, you know the stereotype, Mexicans have 15 kids, breed like rabbit's, etc etc

I was always happy in my own skin and with being alone, and even when I did go to college and ultimately live in cities, it wasn't because I craved some desire for human contact, just work.

As I have said before in this thread, my lifestyle here isn't much different what I left in San Diego. As an English friend who was visiting recently commented; "did you re-construct your San Diego place here?". The answer was an unapologetic Yes

I read, watch TV, go to the gym everything I did before, so the move here for me was easy

[Jip99]

I do not miss the early morn "rollcall" from the chickens/dogs/poo Yai baan and out of work drunk bums on a 50cc noisy Wave.

Some Farangs live spartan lives in villages through necessity with no Farang food/ no alcohol/ no job/ no car and tell the world they love it. Others live the life they choose and good luck to them.

The life we choose to live is often (but not always) dictated by the money we have available. Or, to put it another way, many people's choice is limited by their resources. We all know people residing here on 10,000 Baht per month, 20k pm, 30k pm etc and the decision as to where they live has not been theirs.

I couldn't live in OneAmerican's farm shack either and whilst I would not want to jump off his Chiang Mai balcony I may consider robbing a bank first rather than live in a mosquito infested rice store!

I made (or rather the missus made) the positive decision to live in the middle of a rice field. Almost 2 years on I have absolutely no regrets - despite my initial reservations about whether I would be suited to such a life. Once we got the electricity supply sorted out, found an internet solution, subscribed to CTH and True - and got a smart TV all was right with the world. Yes, we get occasional power cuts and yes, we are constantly battling ants and various other forms of wildlife that resided in the area before we arrived.

Paradise? - certainly not in the true sense of the word and the sea (which I love) is 400km away. But, I have a level of contentment that I do not recall experiencing in my previous 50 odd years (apart from a Brazilian girl in a bar in Spain - but that is a different story ).

Will that contentment last? Who can tell - but for now I am satisfied with that contentment and will enjoy it for as long as I can. I suspect that the biggest factor will be my current relationship. If that continues to stand up to the test of time then I have little need to change anything in my life.

[GinBoy2]

Paradise? - certainly not in the true sense of the word and the sea (which I love) is 400km away. But, I have a level of contentment that I do not recall experiencing in my previous 50 odd years (apart from a Brazilian girl in a bar in Spain - but that is a different story ).

Well I'm up for hearing a tad more about this. You can't tease us like this?

Cruel & Unusual Punishment if you ask me....come on fess up the details, pictures hehehe