Do you like being the only farang in your area?

[neverdie]

Those pesky farangs.....must be hard for them when they bump into each other, I mean they all look the same and they must get confused when that happens ?

[Mosha]

OP, I love being the only farang in the village.

Feel like a novelty here, wais all over, smiles from everybody.

My only problem is, can't approach the sexy girls, as everybody knows the farang and will immediately go to my wife.

But I'm working on that.......there are other villages around.........

You would be surprised how far your fame/infamy spreads. I'd be noted in at least 6 local villages and 3 towns.

[neverdie]

OP, I love being the only farang in the village.

Feel like a novelty here, wais all over, smiles from everybody.

My only problem is, can't approach the sexy girls, as everybody knows the farang and will immediately go to my wife.

But I'm working on that.......there are other villages around.........

You would be surprised how far your fame/infamy spreads. I'd be noted in at least 6 local villages and 3 towns.

When he arrives into town there's a sudden scurry of tiny little feet as they line up to see what specialty the Greek milking lord Costas brings......meanwhile Mrs Costas prepares for another relaxing nite at home in front of the TV & marvels at the fact that Mr Costas somehow left the house again without his favourite TGAU.

[96tehtarp]

OP, I love being the only farang in the village.

Feel like a novelty here, wais all over, smiles from everybody.

My only problem is, can't approach the sexy girls, as everybody knows the farang and will immediately go to my wife.

But I'm working on that.......there are other villages around.........

You would be surprised how far your fame/infamy spreads. I'd be noted in at least 6 local villages and 3 towns.

I rekon it wouldn't be safe for me to try it anywhere in the same province where I live.

[Stargeezr]

I am the only Farang living in my own home in Canada. There are 7 people in

my house and I listen to them talk Thai every day.

I wish I was in Thailand and living near some other Farangs, so I could enjoy myself

when I am out of my home. I know that I would not enjoy myself too much, by living

in Thailand somewhere with only 1 or 2 other Farangs around. I do enjoy myself very much when

I stay in Hua Hin, or Cha AM, I have never gotten tired of talking with other expats

when I am out and about. Even seeing the other tourists in the night markets is

a pleasant distraction.

I guess I am what you could call a City person.

Stargeezer

[Katipo]

I spend most of my time in a town with about 100 other foreigners, most of whom are teachers, others are retirees, and a smaller number work in other professions. I enjoy having people of similar culture and background to talk to. I fear my brain would turn to mush if I had to resort to topics of local interest 24/7.

I also enjoy the send of community one can share with a smaller compared with say Bangkok or other larger centres.

[MeMock]

I don't live in the village full time anymore, about two months of the year. Nearest foreigner is 4 villages away. I love being the only whitey there. I know that one day, way in the future, there will be more and I just hope that they are decent people otherwise the pressure to socialise with someone I would not give the time of day to normally would be really annoying.

[ignis]

Some big advantages being the only farang in an area... easy to get deliveries,services, easy for people to find me as everyone knows where the farang lives. few years ago another couple of farangs moved to the area a few Villages away.

[nanapong]

Being isolated in those villages living among people who have absolutely nothing in common with yourself is a very strange choice of life for a Westerner. The complete inability to have any intellectual conversation must be torture after a while. Most of the guys i,ve met on my rare excursions tend to be pretty miserable souls but of course they won't admit it. Many lured by young wives and conned into building a house for the whole family to treat as their own ( well it's not yours anyhow ). Some live with the inlaws but all are doing something they'd never even consider back home so why now. There mere sight of a new farang in the village lights up their eyes with excitement but it's only for a few days until they're gone and it's back to the normal drudgery of life. Personally i think you must be a little crazy or just complete mugs. Yes , i know you're all going to tell me how different it is for you and how wrong i am but i still don't believe you.

[Tanna]

Pardon my ignorance !!

But what is a Badger Milker and TGAU ???

I'm new to Thai Visa and enjoy the humor and diversity of opinion.

[Dr Robert]

I live about as remotely as it is possible to live in Thailand on a small farm near a very small village surrounded by rice and rubber trees.The "roads" are uneven potholes filled with yellow mud in the wet season and turn to dry dustbowls for the rest of the year. The native fauna and flora is spectacular, unique and mesmerising. The people are friendly but wary. The kids are delightful. I dodge chickens, dogs, cows water buffalo and drunk motor cyclists every day on my treks through the countryside.

My nearest town is Sawan Daeng Din a mere 28 kilometres or 45 minute drive away (about 100 km south of Udon Thani).

I see the ocassional european at the day markets, but they tend to be as happy in their "isolation" as am I.

Despite this distance from so called civilization, I feel removed from the troubles of the world, closer to the things that really matter-the sun and the sky and the weather and the seasons and real, joyful emotional relationship with family. I am a walking cliche who seemed to have stepped out of 1960's pop music extolling the joys of earth and air and water, independence and freedom.

And I have never been happier.

[Utley]

I like and dislike it. I like it because people are very friendly to my face. I do not like it because behind my back they make up stories about the farang and gossip a lot.

If they are talking about you behind your back, how do you know about it?

I too live in a small village. IMHO, people who gossip are small minded (yes I know there are a lot of them) and not worth fretting over. Its the warm smiles and small, friendly gestures of kindness that I focus on. Over time, after you have earned their respect and the "farang novelty" has worn off, most of the gossiping will go away; most but certainly not all. Some people's minds are just too small.

Or you could learn to speak Thai and turn around and catch them in the act!

[ignis]

Some people have lived there whole life in isolated houses or in those isolated villages...... I am sure that a City person would maybe go mad, for others it is just normal and little different than living in Europe....... for me would not have moved here 11 years ago if there was not possible to live out in the sticks,

Edit: where in a City could I have 11 house dogs [last 2 born 11.8.2014 and will be sold at around 45 days] and over 100 Koi Fish and a garden ?

Edited August 26, 2014 by ignis

[Utley]

The complete inability to have any intellectual conversation must be torture after a while.

It helps if you play golf once or twice a week with other expat friends from the surrounding area. For me, that actually makes the isolation bearable if not enjoyable.

[thehelmsman]

Being isolated in those villages living among people who have absolutely nothing in common with yourself is a very strange choice of life for a Westerner. The complete inability to have any intellectual conversation must be torture after a while. Most of the guys i,ve met on my rare excursions tend to be pretty miserable souls but of course they won't admit it. Many lured by young wives and conned into building a house for the whole family to treat as their own ( well it's not yours anyhow ). Some live with the inlaws but all are doing something they'd never even consider back home so why now. There mere sight of a new farang in the village lights up their eyes with excitement but it's only for a few days until they're gone and it's back to the normal drudgery of life. Personally i think you must be a little crazy or just complete mugs. Yes , i know you're all going to tell me how different it is for you and how wrong i am but i still don't believe you.

Sorry that things didn't work out for you, but you really have to let your bitter feelings go. You'll be much happier for it.

[Joey J]

I live about as remotely as it is possible to live in Thailand on a small farm near a very small village surrounded by rice and rubber trees.The "roads" are uneven potholes filled with yellow mud in the wet season and turn to dry dustbowls for the rest of the year. The native fauna and flora is spectacular, unique and mesmerising. The people are friendly but wary. The kids are delightful. I dodge chickens, dogs, cows water buffalo and drunk motor cyclists every day on my treks through the countryside.

My nearest town is Sawan Daeng Din a mere 28 kilometres or 45 minute drive away (about 100 km south of Udon Thani).

I see the ocassional european at the day markets, but they tend to be as happy in their "isolation" as am I.

Despite this distance from so called civilization, I feel removed from the troubles of the world, closer to the things that really matter-the sun and the sky and the weather and the seasons and real, joyful emotional relationship with family. I am a walking cliche who seemed to have stepped out of 1960's pop music extolling the joys of earth and air and water, independence and freedom.

And I have never been happier.

[Joey J]

Dr Robert

Great post, so nice to hear someone so happy in their heart.

[Rimmer]

One inflammatory and reported post has been removed

[Soutpeel]

Pardon my ignorance !!

But what is a Badger Milker and TGAU ???

I'm new to Thai Visa and enjoy the humor and diversity of opinion.

A badger milker is exactly that... one who milks a badger, its an ancient technique which originated in Greece and hand milked badgers provide some of the best milk to make cheese.

as far as we are aware, there is only one expert living Thailand, who can carry out this technique and he happens to be a member of TV... Costas is his name, so please direct any questions to him.

as regards the TGAU, if you dont know already what a TGAU is, then maybe you dont need to know, but if you wish to purchase one, local manufactured TGAU's are availible via a TV member called "Tony" but dont tell him I told you...

[Sena Dave]

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Being isolated in those villages living among people who have absolutely nothing in common with yourself is a very strange choice of life for a Westerner. The complete inability to have any intellectual conversation must be torture after a while. Most of the guys i,ve met on my rare excursions tend to be pretty miserable souls but of course they won't admit it. Many lured by young wives and conned into building a house for the whole family to treat as their own ( well it's not yours anyhow ). Some live with the inlaws but all are doing something they'd never even consider back home so why now. There mere sight of a new farang in the village lights up their eyes with excitement but it's only for a few days until they're gone and it's back to the normal drudgery of life. Personally i think you must be a little crazy or just complete mugs. Yes , i know you're all going to tell me how different it is for you and how wrong i am but i still don't believe you.

To be honest with you I find the expat crowd in resorts and BKK , not very intellectually stimulating at all. When I go to BKK or Naklua (I lived there before) I go with my family and meet up with a couple of old Friends. I find if I get chatting to someone in a pub the conversation is all about , how the price of bar fines and "Short times" has gone up and how this bloke got knocked by a Thai bird or that bloke has had a stroke or a heart attack. Pretty grim actually. I like living in the sticks . I suppose I don't need to be surrounded by Farangs , if I felt that way then I would never have left the UK

[malt25]

OP, I love being the only farang in the village.

Feel like a novelty here, wais all over, smiles from everybody.

My only problem is, can't approach the sexy girls, as everybody knows the farang and will immediately go to my wife.

But I'm working on that.......there are other villages around.........

Not a happy marriage then ?

[Soutpeel]

OP, I love being the only farang in the village.

Feel like a novelty here, wais all over, smiles from everybody.

My only problem is, can't approach the sexy girls, as everybody knows the farang and will immediately go to my wife.

But I'm working on that.......there are other villages around.........

Not a happy marriage then ?

I think Costas is in a happy marrige, he just likes his badgers more thats all...

[Mikeyfromoz]

&nbsp;

OP, I love being the only farang in the village.

Feel like a novelty here, wais all over, smiles from everybody.

My only problem is, can't approach the sexy girls, as everybody knows the farang and will immediately go to my wife.

But I'm working on that.......there are other villages around.........

&nbsp;

make a choice man.... if you love your wife, then stop looking elsewhere... if you don't love her, then set her free so that a good man can love her... stop being greedy...!!! :-(

Edited August 26, 2014 by Mikeyfromoz

[Mikeyfromoz]

I have spent 2 years in Thailand being the only farang in the small village.... it is nice mostly, but very lonely at times, even though I am married to a wonderful Thai woman, I am still the odd one out and am often left out of many things because (mostly) I don't drink or gamble or screw around, so I have absolutely nothing in common with Thai men and Thai women don't seem to want a man hanging around while they natter on...!

My wife does attend to me regularly, but occasionally her family take precedence over me... and that's fine... I just have very few people who I can sit and have a good old D&M conversation with...!

[KhnomKhnom]

Yes. I have no desire to mingle with folks I moved away from in the West.

[balford]

My wife and I are living in a village on the outskirts of Lampang and I enjoy the lifestyle, the people and the quietness. My nature is to be a bit of a loner so that suits me.

Everyone knows me, I speak passable Thai and we have friends here. I ride a bicycle around the village and rice paddies twice a day and have gotten to know most people here - there have been no problems in the eight years since we moved in.

I am the only farang here but I can always make contact with a couple of great ex-RAAF mates in Chiangmai - only 92 Km, an email or a phone call away.

Bob A. Relaxed in Lampang

[Toscano]

It is no problem for me . Actually I'm not the only Farang in my large village , but I rarely see any others . Farangs are a very mixed bag in Thailand and I'm choosey who my friends are .

I have a friend from New Zealand , whose wife farms , not too far away , we regularly have long chats on Skype . I do spend too much time at my computer , my wife is a school head teacher and is out all day , so I have a continuous correspondence with family and friends around the world by E Mail .

[muffy]

^{I am the only farang in Bangkok , and I like it .}

[ggt]

While living in E. Pattaya...it was nice to have other English speaking foreigners as neighbors...could carry on a conversation about economics...politics...and religion in a meaningful manner...dinners and drinks together...was good for bonding...I personally would not care to be the only farang in a village...seems like it would be better to have a few English speaking friends...

[Sena Dave]

While living in E. Pattaya...it was nice to have other English speaking foreigners as neighbors...could carry on a conversation about economics...politics...and religion in a meaningful manner...dinners and drinks together...was good for bonding...I personally would not care to be the only farang in a village...seems like it would be better to have a few English speaking friends...