Issan (burriram)

[macb]

Well its nice to see that the Topic is still running in my absence :

It looks like well i am certain I will not be living in Buriram anymore as you are aware of my domestic strife on another Topic:

But watch this space as I maybe now or in the future starting the same in Petchabun absolutely wonderful part of Thailand up here :

[Bicko]

After a long battle with TOT which was resolved by going to the engineering office by the railway station instead of the unhelpful lot out on the old ring road, I have had IPstar fitted. Its a big dish, at least 2 times bigger than the UBC one. That leads in to a reciever box in the house and either plug the Lan cable straight in or as of tomorrow, I am going to make the house wireless. I went for the middle package at 512mbs download speed and 256 upload. They told me not to get the slower one and were pushing hard on the faster one (1048 down, 512 up). Cost were 2400 installation fee and a monthly fee of 2200. The next one up is 2600 and the lower one i think was 1700. Now for the really strange part, IT WORKS and its fast. I have been told by a guy who uses the places in town that its quicker than theirs. I can download music, play poker online, use a webcam, skype etc. I am 25 kms out of town and have been using a TOT dial up for 3 years, thats why the excitement. A big recommend to anyone in the same situation. Well worth the money.

I have the lower IPSTAR package - 256 download. It is fine most of the time. However most days it is erratic early afternoon, and is on and off several times. I;m sure this will affect every package.

Please tell us how you are going to make it "wireless"

I have been using the top package for 3 years and it has seldom let me down. In fact the couple of times that it has played up were when the dish moved - once the kids climbed over the wall and swung on it. However IPStar were quick to respond and came out and fixed it and no charge. The technician comes from Korat but covers out as far as Si Sa Ket. The real cost is Bt2675 with tax. I don't use it now as much as i did when i was working and have thought about going down to middle level. Please let us know how you get on with the middle package. By the way turn it off if there is a very heavy thunder/lightning storm around or you could cook your computer and the server

Making your house wireless is very simple. Buy the wireless transmitter - usually a small box about 100mm square by 30mm thick with two short aerials sticking up like rabbits ears. Use the cable that you normally connect to your computer from the server box to connect into the wireless transmitter and put it in a central place in your house - preferably above top of door height. You may need to also buy 10 or 15 metres of cable. Turn on the WIFI switch on your computer. Late model computers will automatically search and connect. Hope this helps.

[Disting]

From the "big" computer shop in town near the bus station I got a D link wireless 108G access point router and 2 wireless 108G usb adapters as I have 2 desktops in the house and I want to link them both. Cost for that lot was 5500 baht. Allegedly the Lan from th IPstar box should plug straight in the router and the adapters will magically work and it will all be done by black magic. In the real world, I have set aside today to try and set it up. Will post how it goes and if the coverage is good enough etc etc.

[Iambabababor]

Turn on the WIFI switch on your computer. Late model computers will automatically search and connect. Hope this helps.

Where on earth do I find the WIFI switch?

[Disting]

Ok guys. Here we are 30 ish minutes later and both desktops are connected to the internet wirelessly. It involved loading the adaptor driver into both desktops, restart the machines, plug the usb adapters into the pcs, XP autodetects it, auto loads the software and they are then working. Then plug the IPstar lan cable into the router box, connect the power. Then get the pc to search for a network, which funnily enough, there arnt many of those around here, connect to it and it works.

Next plan is to set up a network so both computers can talk to each other and use 1 printer. Now that sounds like it can go wrong more easily.

[Gimbo]

After a long battle with TOT which was resolved by going to the engineering office by the railway station instead of the unhelpful lot out on the old ring road, I have had IPstar fitted. Its a big dish, at least 2 times bigger than the UBC one. That leads in to a reciever box in the house and either plug the Lan cable straight in or as of tomorrow, I am going to make the house wireless. I went for the middle package at 512mbs download speed and 256 upload. They told me not to get the slower one and were pushing hard on the faster one (1048 down, 512 up). Cost were 2400 installation fee and a monthly fee of 2200. The next one up is 2600 and the lower one i think was 1700. Now for the really strange part, IT WORKS and its fast. I have been told by a guy who uses the places in town that its quicker than theirs. I can download music, play poker online, use a webcam, skype etc. I am 25 kms out of town and have been using a TOT dial up for 3 years, thats why the excitement. A big recommend to anyone in the same situation. Well worth the money.

I got the same package abaout a week ago. And so far working as a charm. Ordered it at the ToT office in Satuek as that is the nearest ToT office from up here in Putthaisong. The stipulated a 15 day waiting time. And arrived exactly on the 15th day with all the kit and two guys to install it.

Now I have had to restart the "modem/ router" about once a day, as IP traffic simply stops. But once a day, compared to every 10-15 minutes when I was on GPRS trough my mobile phone is peanuts.

Anyway, I think there will be a problem once the rainy season starts again. But I'll take the gnashing of teeth over that when I come to that bridge.

[macb]

Well you good Buriram folks : It looks as if I will not be doing much on here now :

Having left the Province and living in Petchabun at the moment, it is wonderful up here and the people I have noticed are os much more gentle than the khmer people but that is my opinion, so in time I may start a Petchabun Topic watch this space

[ronthompson]

Yesterday I had occasion to be in Prasat for the afternoon and decided to spend the night, too much Leo and wine. We stay at the Leelawadee Resort and were very happy with our room. If u happen to be in the Prasat area and decide not to drive home James runs a cozy little place (04 453 2288). Beats driving home at night.

[Disting]

Regards the IPstar that I have just had installed. Can anyone confirm that this has unlimited download size. Another brand that I looked at had a limit on how much you could download. I dont recall seeing anything on the paperwork we filled out and nobody said anything about it.

[Bicko]

Regards the IPstar that I have just had installed. Can anyone confirm that this has unlimited download size. Another brand that I looked at had a limit on how much you could download. I dont recall seeing anything on the paperwork we filled out and nobody said anything about it.

Give them a call and ask. I have never had any restriction on the top package but don't know about the lower scale packages. My IPStar setup is through Loxinfo not TOT

[ronthompson]

Leelawadee resturant and resort

www.leelaprasat.com

Owner and cook is from Liverpool, nice guy named James

[ronthompson]

Regards the Upstart that I have just had installed. Can anyone confirm that this has unlimited download size. Another brand that I looked at had a limit on how much you could download. I dint recall seeing anything on the paperwork we filled out and nobody said anything about it.

Give them a call and ask. I have never had any restriction on the top package but don't know about the lower scale packages. My IPStar setup is through Lox info not TOT

I have had the low end IPstar for about 2 months now and it is very slow, i plan to up grade to mid level next week. If I must have unlimited download because i receive many large files. I am happy even with the system even with the slow speed

[Bicko]

Regards the Upstart that I have just had installed. Can anyone confirm that this has unlimited download size. Another brand that I looked at had a limit on how much you could download. I dint recall seeing anything on the paperwork we filled out and nobody said anything about it.

Give them a call and ask. I have never had any restriction on the top package but don't know about the lower scale packages. My IPStar setup is through Lox info not TOT

I have had the low end IPstar for about 2 months now and it is very slow, i plan to up grade to mid level next week. If I must have unlimited download because i receive many large files. I am happy even with the system even with the slow speed

Good on you Ron. I will be home in two weeks and look forward to catching up. Will give you a PM closer to the time.

[Disting]

Have just done what I should have done and done a search on IPStar on the computer forum. Apologies for being lazy and taking the easy option. All postings say no limit. However IPstar gets a lot of bad press. Personally on the 512/256 package i cant understand why. I had the UK radio playing all day today, am downloading a top gear episode using bittorent, taking a long time but who cares. It does all the things I need. Webcam, music downloads, online poker etc.

[Thaicoon]

Well guys, anyone for the job ?, now poor old Mac has gone from Buriram, who is going to run this Buriram forum any takers.

[macb]

Well I will miss this Buriram Topic I see its hit 40.000 views now:

I will have to keep my beady eye on it from time to time make sure your not slacking on here :

All you guys that I know and have met don't lose touch okay you a great bunch

[Bicko]

Well I will miss this Buriram Topic I see its hit 40.000 views now:

I will have to keep my beady eye on it from time to time make sure your not slacking on here :

All you guys that I know and have met don't lose touch okay you a great bunch

No worries on that score Mac. Sawai and i drive through Petchabun pretty often when heading up north. We usually stay at the "something" hill resort on the left coming into town from the south.

Will let you know next time we are coming through and we can have a coldie or two

[Lourens]

GOOD MORNING BURIRAMIANS...

And a very good morning to you too. Buriramians sounds good but how about shortening it to just Buries. Or Boories. Or Boers!

[Thaicoon]

GOOD MORNING BURIRAMIANS...

And a very good morning to you too. Buriramians sounds good but how about shortening it to just Buries. Or Boories. Or Boers!

How you doing lourens, are you back home or still in the middle east,

[ronthompson]

I have a short story I would like to share concerning my Issan family. One of my sister-in-laws is an unmarried, very attractive,35 y/o mother of a 3y/o girl, the father is a Thai. The family is all Khmer and a friend of the family told an unmarried Thai man who lives close to Bangkok what a great daughter was in our village. She really is a wonderful lady, I would take her. Anyway he drives to the village with one of his sisters to look her and us over.

We all sit around looking, me included, each other over. My wife and I were the only English speaking people, the Thais could not speak Khmer and every one except me spoke Thai. I found out latter my family was asking did he work, did he have children and how much money did he have. The same questions I have heard so many times that the Thais wanted to know about us Forangs. I smiled at the events, shooks my head and really did enjoy the evening.

Wake up guys they ask the same questions about Thai boy friends.

They did like each other, he seems to me to be a regular sort of guy has a small steel pipe shop and never married.

Two weeks latter my wife wanted to go to Bangkok with three sisters and 2 children for a couple of days to visit family and to check out the new boy friends family. I decided to stay home and fish.

When they arrived it was another big family event his 5 brothers, 3 sister, mother and aunt & uncles all wanted to know everything about the new girl friend. I was told his cousin's forang husband was there as well. She passed his family's questioning and he will be back to the village to discuss the money with the Mother. I asked my mother in law what she wanted she responded 100,000 baht and 5 baht of gold would be a good price. Every one in the family is afraid she will ask for that amount. Seems to me that since I am the oldest male in the family I should get something as well.

True story

[Iambabababor]

I asked my mother in law what she wanted she responded 100,000 baht and 5 baht of gold would be a good price. Every one in the family is afraid she will ask for that amount. Seems to me that since I am the oldest male in the family I should get something as well.

True story

A 35 year old Thai woman with a child finding a decent man that wants her, and Mother wants to fuc_k it all up by demanding 100,000bt and another 65,000bt gold. In another post you say "My mother in law is really a nice lady and I truly enjoy her". Think again Ron! She's no better than most of the Isan mothers! Let the daughter have her freedom, without the burden of a horrendous debt

[ronthompson]

I asked my mother in law what she wanted she responded 100,000 baht and 5 baht of gold would be a good price. Every one in the family is afraid she will ask for that amount. Seems to me that since I am the oldest male in the family I should get something as well.

True story

A 35 year old Thai woman with a child finding a decent man that wants her, and Mother wants to fuc_k_k it all up by demanding 100,BTU and another 65,BTU gold. In another post you say "My mother in law is really a nice lady and I truly enjoy her". Think again Ron! She's no better than most of the Issan mothers! Let the daughter have her freedom, without the burden of a horrendous debt

She is a nice lady and know that he will not give her any thing close to that, he does not have that much. It is what she would like to have, Did u ever buy a lottery ticket? We all wish for the impossible, we all dream the impossible dream. I told the story pointing out the discussion that goes on be it Thai or Forang. I am certain the daughter will do as she wants.

[Iambabababor]

I dont think its about being nice..its very normal for thai mothers/fathers to ask for the "sin sot" thing its part of the thai culture and has been like these for years .. as an evidence u can see thai celebreties (that we all agree they have lots of money..right?)that merry to wealthy thai husband and gets HUGE "sin sot" as a respect for culture and to the wife;s family.

It is indeed a normal cultural thing, but also quite despicable! Outside of Isan, the money is normally returned, but here in Isan most mothers insist on keeping it. 160,000bt is a massive amount of money for most normal Thai people, and most men end up borrowing it only to repay over many years +huge interest. During this repayment period what quality of life do the newly-weds have? Some cannot pay it, and the relationship flounders before the marriage.

To insist on this amount for a middle aged woman (at least Thais consider 35 middle aged) who has already had a child is not only immoral, but indicates that the mother has no consideration for her daughters future happiness but is just a typical Thai money grabber!

If this is the sister in law that Ron has been funding, then he is surely entitled to a cut and I would hope he would have the decency to return it.

Also don't forget that Ron has only recently married, so I bet the old mother screwed him too, and surely is not in need of further vast sums of money.

[MISTERBONK]

you challenge thai culture and sure you do not understand thai culture if you talk like this.

Its not the same as in our countries. its just NOT.

YOU RIGHT-

its immoral

its selfish

careless.

we can say many things about this ritual/mentality they have but then again...its their mentality and we cant change it.

About ron situation I cant say and I dont think its belong to the argument at all..

I tend to agree with Babababor, and it would seem you do to. Actually I think most of us do understand Thai culture. We mostly agree its crazy and we also realise that we cannot change it. But it doesn't do any harm talking about it, and if in the case of sinsot we can dissuade some gullible farang from paying it, haven't we accomplished something?

[Lourens]

GOOD MORNING BURIRAMIANS...

And a very good morning to you too. Buriramians sounds good but how about shortening it to just Buries. Or Boories. Or Boers!

How you doing lourens, are you back home or still in the middle east,

I'm in sunny Riyadh enjoying a beer free environment to give my liver a rest. And this will be the situation until at least next year Febuary or there abouts.

[Disting]

When I got married in Issan, I paid 200k, with the understanding that half would be returned without anyone knowing. This gave more face to my mother in law and kept it to a reasonable level for us. And yes, the half was returned.

[ronthompson]

I have been married over 2 years, I gave her a gold bracelet once and a gold ring i do not remember the cost and it does not matter. I did not give any one money when I married nor was I asked for money.

I gave my sister in law money each because when I was in Bangkok she cooked for my step son, a 1,000 baht really is not that much and I will do with my money as I want.

The point of my little story was so far over your head that u could not understand it, for that I am sorry.

Seems that some Forangs are of the opinion that Issan people and in particular the Khmer are at the lower end of society in Thailand. I do believe that the Forangs in this country are divided into levels as well and we each find our own level.

[Bpraim1]

Same here Ron, When the subject of sin sod came up the only thing said was take care of my daughter, keep your money for your new family. I was never told a price, as people are not for sale they told me!

Is a bit sick how families can put a price on someone. I know it is tradition, but I guess I married into a new trend family.

I also married a Issan Girl from Srisaket province. Only three year we have been married and have never once questioned having done it.

Guess I found one of the different ones, maybe she will change into one of the Pattaya-Patpong Issan girls most Farangs like to judge others by.

There are good Issan girls out there, just get out of the local watering hole and find one.

[paulsmithson]

It does seem unusual for any man to pay sin sod for second hand goods!

[Bpraim1]

My Wife was innocent before I met her. As far as this matter goes, No bar girl here.