Living in Isaan ... Traditional, Old Fashioned ... or stuck in the Past?

[David48]

Just read a story about an Isaan 'Virgin' being married off for a decent SinSot.

But that matters naught ... just a conversation starter.

Living in Isaan seems an interesting place.

Isaan ... Traditional, Old Fashioned ... or stuck in the Past?

Story to share?

Something that you saw or heard of that made you think ... ... <deleted> ... only in Thailand Isaan ...

.

[transam]

All girls are virgins...........Common knowledge chap, where ever in our/your world.....

Isaan is Isaan, you like it or hate it, a mixture of past and present. I could show you stuff in Isaan that would show you your age...........

[David48]

trans ... one day ... I think you will.

Every one has a story (or two to tell).

Me thinks you have more then your fair share ...

[willyumiii]

All girls are virgins...........Common knowledge chap, where ever in our/your world.....

Isaan is Isaan, you like it or hate it, a mixture of past and present. I could show you stuff in Isaan that would show you your age...........

Unquestionable virgins.

I have heard of one who got pregnant and was still a virgin! ( non Thai )

And millions of superstitious people believe her!

555!

[Costas2008]

I think I've visited Isaan, once or twice before in my life and I remember observing some things about the people living there.

First have to admit didn't find any virgins as Mr Trans has........ in his dreams....... but I observed the kindness and welcoming of the people towards me ( except that neighbour that accused me of stealing her Papayia).

I observed also that they have no idea how to serve people in the restaurants and also hand the change to the wrong person.

I observed the way they are driving and adopted that way myself so I don't feel out of place.

I observed the spicy food they eat and as I tried it gave me a burning ring ( don't remember who else had that problem)

Also observed the farangs living with their much younger wives than them and treating them.......I wouldn't say like servants........but not as real wives at least.

Also observed the farangs being miserable gits and not even say hello to you.

I don't remember exactly where that occurred but when it comes to my mind I'll tell you.

I observed Isaan girls walking in a funny way (who opened that thread?) like ducks.

I observed that workmen never come to you when you ask them (still waiting for somebody to come and build my hen house)

But the most important observation was the Mai Ben Rai.

They live, walk, talk, eat and always Mai Ben Rai is their first and only priority..........

But again who am I to have an opinion about Isaan?

Only been there once or twice.........................

[willyumiii]

It is a mixed bag.

Most older people I know are very traditional and old fashion.

Good people with good values.

Unfortunately, most of the young are doing their best to leap into the future ( present ) and become as modern, capitalistic and "westernized"as fast as they can.

Big money, new cars, new houses,and the best technology money can buy have become the new standard for them.

And very willing to break with tradition to get what they want.

[transam]

I think I've visited Isaan, once or twice before in my life and I remember observing some things about the people living there.

First have to admit didn't find any virgins as Mr Trans has........ in his dreams....... but I observed the kindness and welcoming of the people towards me ( except that neighbour that accused me of stealing her Papayia).

I observed also that they have no idea how to serve people in the restaurants and also hand the change to the wrong person.

I observed the way they are driving and adopted that way myself so I don't feel out of place.

Also observed the farangs living with their much younger wives than them and treating them.......I wouldn't say like servants........but not as real wives at least.

Also observed the farangs being miserable gits and not even say hello to you.

I don't remember exactly where that occurred but when it comes to my mind I'll tell you.

I observed Isaan girls walking in a funny way (who opened that thread?) like ducks.

I observed that workmen never come to you when you ask them (still waiting for somebody to come and build my hen house)

But the most important observation was the Mai Ben Rai.

They live, walk, talk, eat and always Mai Ben Rai is their first and only priority..........

But again who am I to have an opinion about Isaan?

Only been there once or twice.........................

A learning curve mon ami..............

[SantiSuk]

Maybe you took some wrong directions and didn't make it across the border into Isaan Costas. That or they were humouring you by talking Thai.

You would typically hear 'bor pen yang' rather than 'mai pen rai' when in deepest isaan Remember that phrase next time you come to Isaan - it will get you a lots of smiles from gnarled old isaan ladies (and not so old/gnarled on occasions). Works all over Bangkok too

[Nuddy]

I love it in Issan

[willyumiii]

I think I've visited Isaan, once or twice before in my life and I remember observing some things about the people living there.

First have to admit didn't find any virgins as Mr Trans has........ in his dreams....... but I observed the kindness and welcoming of the people towards me ( except that neighbour that accused me of stealing her Papayia).

I observed also that they have no idea how to serve people in the restaurants and also hand the change to the wrong person.

I observed the way they are driving and adopted that way myself so I don't feel out of place.

I observed the spicy food they eat and as I tried it gave me a burning ring ( don't remember who else had that problem)

Also observed the farangs living with their much younger wives than them and treating them.......I wouldn't say like servants........but not as real wives at least.

Also observed the farangs being miserable gits and not even say hello to you.

I don't remember exactly where that occurred but when it comes to my mind I'll tell you.

I observed Isaan girls walking in a funny way (who opened that thread?) like ducks.

I observed that workmen never come to you when you ask them (still waiting for somebody to come and build my hen house)

But the most important observation was the Mai Ben Rai.

They live, walk, talk, eat and always Mai Ben Rai is their first and only priority..........

But again who am I to have an opinion about Isaan?

Only been there once or twice.........................

Questions:

You have only been here once or twice and you are "still waiting" for a guy to build your your hen house?

Long visits?

Why do you want a hen house here if you don't live here?

You have an Issan neighbor here who accuses you of stealing.

Do visitors have neighbors?

You didn't find any virgins on your visits?

I know more than a few young women saving "it" until they are married.

But they are not the type to have any contact with a farang they do not know.

You came here to check the level of sexual activity of our young women or..

You are an economy class sexpat hoping to cut out the middle man and catch our desperate young women before they have no choice but to move south and work for some mamasan?

And no, we don't talk much to farangs we do not know.....many can't be trusted.

Your story has as many holes as swiss cheese and it is hard to believe any of it.

I find Issan to be almost a different country with a different culture from any part of Thailand south of us.

For me that part of Thailand is like an amusement park.

A place to take guests from back home for a few laughs.

Come on Costas, come clean.

I've been reading your posts for a couple of years and didn't expect any thing like this from you!

But Hey!

Mai Pen Rai! 555

[dutchisaan]

I think I've visited Isaan, once or twice before in my life and I remember observing some things about the people living there.

First have to admit didn't find any virgins as Mr Trans has........ in his dreams....... but I observed the kindness and welcoming of the people towards me ( except that neighbour that accused me of stealing her Papayia).

I observed also that they have no idea how to serve people in the restaurants and also hand the change to the wrong person.

I observed the way they are driving and adopted that way myself so I don't feel out of place.

I observed the spicy food they eat and as I tried it gave me a burning ring ( don't remember who else had that problem)

Also observed the farangs living with their much younger wives than them and treating them.......I wouldn't say like servants........but not as real wives at least.

Also observed the farangs being miserable gits and not even say hello to you.

I don't remember exactly where that occurred but when it comes to my mind I'll tell you.

I observed Isaan girls walking in a funny way (who opened that thread?) like ducks.

I observed that workmen never come to you when you ask them (still waiting for somebody to come and build my hen house)

But the most important observation was the Mai Ben Rai.

They live, walk, talk, eat and always Mai Ben Rai is their first and only priority..........

But again who am I to have an opinion about Isaan?

Only been there once or twice.........................

Questions:

You have only been here once or twice and you are "still waiting" for a guy to build your your hen house?

Long visits?

Why do you want a hen house here if you don't live here?

You have an Issan neighbor here who accuses you of stealing.

Do visitors have neighbors?

You didn't find any virgins on your visits?

I know more than a few young women saving "it" until they are married.

But they are not the type to have any contact with a farang they do not know.

You came here to check the level of sexual activity of our young women or..

You are an economy class sexpat hoping to cut out the middle man and catch our desperate young women before they have no choice but to move south and work for some mamasan?

And no, we don't talk much to farangs we do not know.....many can't be trusted.

Your story has as many holes as swiss cheese and it is hard to believe any of it.

I find Issan to be almost a different country with a different culture from any part of Thailand south of us.

For me that part of Thailand is like an amusement park.

A place to take guests from back home for a few laughs.

Come on Costas, come clean.

I've been reading your posts for a couple of years and didn't expect any thing like this from you!

But Hey!

Mai Pen Rai! 555

You read Costas post for a few years? And you still don't understand a joke?

I think you better find a other amusement park, maby one you understand!

Sent from my iPad using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

[Costas2008]

I think I've visited Isaan, once or twice before in my life and I remember observing some things about the people living there.

First have to admit didn't find any virgins as Mr Trans has........ in his dreams....... but I observed the kindness and welcoming of the people towards me ( except that neighbour that accused me of stealing her Papayia).

I observed also that they have no idea how to serve people in the restaurants and also hand the change to the wrong person.

I observed the way they are driving and adopted that way myself so I don't feel out of place.

I observed the spicy food they eat and as I tried it gave me a burning ring ( don't remember who else had that problem)

Also observed the farangs living with their much younger wives than them and treating them.......I wouldn't say like servants........but not as real wives at least.

Also observed the farangs being miserable gits and not even say hello to you.

I don't remember exactly where that occurred but when it comes to my mind I'll tell you.

I observed Isaan girls walking in a funny way (who opened that thread?) like ducks.

I observed that workmen never come to you when you ask them (still waiting for somebody to come and build my hen house)

But the most important observation was the Mai Ben Rai.

They live, walk, talk, eat and always Mai Ben Rai is their first and only priority..........

But again who am I to have an opinion about Isaan?

Only been there once or twice.........................

Questions:

You have only been here once or twice and you are "still waiting" for a guy to build your your hen house?

Long visits?

Why do you want a hen house here if you don't live here?

You have an Issan neighbor here who accuses you of stealing.

Do visitors have neighbors?

You didn't find any virgins on your visits?

I know more than a few young women saving "it" until they are married.

But they are not the type to have any contact with a farang they do not know.

You came here to check the level of sexual activity of our young women or..

You are an economy class sexpat hoping to cut out the middle man and catch our desperate young women before they have no choice but to move south and work for some mamasan?

And no, we don't talk much to farangs we do not know.....many can't be trusted.

Your story has as many holes as swiss cheese and it is hard to believe any of it.

I find Issan to be almost a different country with a different culture from any part of Thailand south of us.

For me that part of Thailand is like an amusement park.

A place to take guests from back home for a few laughs.

Come on Costas, come clean.

I've been reading your posts for a couple of years and didn't expect any thing like this from you!

But Hey!

Mai Pen Rai! 555

"I've been reading your posts for a couple of years and didn't expect any thing like this from you!"

Impossible.......although I joint TVF in 2008, I started posting in December 2013.

January 2014 I had 48 posts.

And because I don't want you confused and distressed......I live in Isaan, near Khon Kaen for the past 7 years.

I don't think you are reading my posts properly, otherwise you would know..........

So you better believe my Swiss Cheese....... it's real..............

[cooked]

Oh dear, what a confusing thread. Isaan : they speak 'Isaan' Cambodian and Thai. Many cannot read or write. Drive a few kilometres off the main road in your Bangkok pampered SUV and you will find the roots of Isaan. Grandparents looking after grandchildren, hard workers , lazy alcoholics, a society as far removed from Pattaya etc as you can imagine . But it is functioning. The dishonest guys are not welcome. Some weird Farangs here though.

sent from phone using bih thumbs

[SunsetT]

All girls are virgins...........Common knowledge chap, where ever in our/your world.....

Isaan is Isaan, you like it or hate it, a mixture of past and present. I could show you stuff in Isaan that would show you your age...........

Unquestionable virgins.

I have heard of one who got pregnant and was still a virgin! ( non Thai )

And millions of superstitious people believe her!

555!

Was she a Jewish Palestinian named Mary? If not 'Hallelujah!', its the 2nd Coming!

[willyumiii]

I think I've visited Isaan, once or twice before in my life and I remember observing some things about the people living there.

First have to admit didn't find any virgins as Mr Trans has........ in his dreams....... but I observed the kindness and welcoming of the people towards me ( except that neighbour that accused me of stealing her Papayia).

I observed also that they have no idea how to serve people in the restaurants and also hand the change to the wrong person.

I observed the way they are driving and adopted that way myself so I don't feel out of place.

I observed the spicy food they eat and as I tried it gave me a burning ring ( don't remember who else had that problem)

Also observed the farangs living with their much younger wives than them and treating them.......I wouldn't say like servants........but not as real wives at least.

Also observed the farangs being miserable gits and not even say hello to you.

I don't remember exactly where that occurred but when it comes to my mind I'll tell you.

I observed Isaan girls walking in a funny way (who opened that thread?) like ducks.

I observed that workmen never come to you when you ask them (still waiting for somebody to come and build my hen house)

But the most important observation was the Mai Ben Rai.

They live, walk, talk, eat and always Mai Ben Rai is their first and only priority..........

But again who am I to have an opinion about Isaan?

Only been there once or twice.........................

Questions:

You have only been here once or twice and you are "still waiting" for a guy to build your your hen house?

Long visits?

Why do you want a hen house here if you don't live here?

You have an Issan neighbor here who accuses you of stealing.

Do visitors have neighbors?

You didn't find any virgins on your visits?

I know more than a few young women saving "it" until they are married.

But they are not the type to have any contact with a farang they do not know.

You came here to check the level of sexual activity of our young women or..

You are an economy class sexpat hoping to cut out the middle man and catch our desperate young women before they have no choice but to move south and work for some mamasan?

And no, we don't talk much to farangs we do not know.....many can't be trusted.

Your story has as many holes as swiss cheese and it is hard to believe any of it.

I find Issan to be almost a different country with a different culture from any part of Thailand south of us.

For me that part of Thailand is like an amusement park.

A place to take guests from back home for a few laughs.

Come on Costas, come clean.

I've been reading your posts for a couple of years and didn't expect any thing like this from you!

But Hey!

Mai Pen Rai! 555

"I've been reading your posts for a couple of years and didn't expect any thing like this from you!"

Impossible.......although I joint TVF in 2008, I started posting in December 2013.

January 2014 I had 48 posts.

And because I don't want you confused and distressed......I live in Isaan, near Khon Kaen for the past 7 years.

I don't think you are reading my posts properly, otherwise you would know..........

So you better believe my Swiss Cheese....... it's real..............

Good Enough.

You bit, hook line and sinker.

I caught a Greek with Swiss cheese as bait.

I was finally able to lay it on a little thicker than you!

All in god fun Costas.

I do enjoy your posts and your humor.

What kind of cheese do Greeks make?

[David48]

Meanwhile ... back at the OP!

Living in Isaan seems an interesting place.

Isaan ... Traditional, Old Fashioned ... or stuck in the Past?

Story to share?

Something that you saw or heard of that made you think ... ... <deleted>, only in Thailand Isaan.

.

[cooked]

Not many of us have enough experience to 'compare Isaan with Thailand'. I know that I look upon obligatory trips to Bangkok and Chonburi with trepidation.

[SlyAnimal]

The bigger the city, the more "modern" and "Westernised" it is, or so I've usually found, and the reverse is also true.

So Bangkok or the tourist cities often feel like just another big city, but with an "Asian" theme to it. Khon Kaen or Korat feel similar, but less so, Sarakham or RoiEt seem like going to a small western city 20 years ago, albeit with a Thai theme, going to an Amphur town feels like 30 years ago, but with a touch of Isaan mixed in, and going to a Moo Baan sometimes seems like going back by 50 years, and that's when you know you're definitely in Isaan, not Thailand.

The further back you go, the more traditional things are, the more "Thai" they feel, until they eventually go the whole hog and feel like Isaan. Isaan to me is definitely very traditional, with their own cultural values, but many of those cultural values are the same as what we had in Western society 30 or 50 years ago. A Western bride used to "Traditionally" be a virgin on her wedding day, people didn't "Live in Sin" and everyone knew most of their neighbours, much the same as in Isaan (Well "we" probably don't know all the neighbours, due to language barriers, but our wives do lol).

[SantiSuk]

Only 50 years Sly Animal?

Don't remember in my yoof the levels of superstition anything like what you get in an Isaan village.

That reminds me - I must ask why a plastic food box lid with some food on it has been placed on my pristine grass under a tree in our garden for the last couple of months; makes the garden there look untidy. My wife knows enough about my outbursts of hilarity to brush such stuff of with a 'you wouldn't understand'!

I have no doubt that there is a ghost in that tree.

[Toknarok]

I really don't think that the Issan people are very much different to Westerners when it comes to superstition.How many Westerners believe that there is a bloke in the sky whose existence cannot be proven, who had a son born of a virgin, was killed and he rose from the dead, as well as walking on water, performing impossible tasks and all the rest of the nonsense that has been going on for over two thousand years.

My attitude towards Issan superstitions with their belief in ghosts and animism is the same as towards belief in god(s). Let them get on with it, it has never affected me in any real way. If my wife want's a spirit house in our garden so be it, is that any different to going to a building with a cross on top every Sunday? Of course it isn't and remember that animism is probably older than Christianity. Judaism and Islam combined.

[SantiSuk]

A very good point Toknarok.

[if I believed in gods I would feel suitably chastened, but I think we are fellow agnostics!]

[cooked]

A very good point Toknarok.

[if I believed in gods I would feel suitably chastened, but I think we are fellow agnostics!]

Writing that 'animism is PROBABLY older than Christianity' means that Toknarok is not the go to guy when it comes to religious questions.

sent from phone using bih thumbs

[Toknarok]

A very good point Toknarok.

[if I believed in gods I would feel suitably chastened, but I think we are fellow agnostics!]

Writing that 'animism is PROBABLY older than Christianity' means that Toknarok is not the go to guy when it comes to religious questions.

sent from phone using bih thumbs

OK I concede your point Animism is DEFINITELY older than all modern religions put together, it may well be 300,000 years old See Wiki https://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20100504123321AAFU0qC

[GinBoy2]

Isaan ... Traditional, Old Fashioned ... or stuck in the Past?

Alright, I'll bite give my 2 cents on this.

Religions/Beliefs well I'm well and truly on the each to their own side, all of them require that you suspend disbelief, so the fact that many people in Isaan do have an intense belief in spirits is as unfathomable to me as aspects of Hinduism, Christianity, Islam or any of them. But it's their tradition and I kinda get a kick out of it.

Traditional, I'm not exactly sure what that refers to. If you mean the no sex before marriage kinda stuff, well if it exists I certainly haven't encountered it, although as I'm sure a few of the more esteemed posters will correct me, it still exists. If you are referring to traditional lifestyles, that absolutely still exists outside of the major cities. Go into ant Isaan village and you will see traditional houses, rice paddies which I'm sure existed hundreds of years ago.

Stuck in the past, again depends what you mean. A lot of Lao are 'stuck in the past' so to speak, simply due to a lack of resources (money) to move forward.

Now everything is a matter of choices based on resources. If were alluding to do we all live like the natives? Well thats an individual choice. Personally, I don't, in point of fact I don't think my lifestyle is much different than I had in San Diego....with the caveats; the water can get switched off for days, electric supply can be variable, and don't even get me going on Internet reliability.

[elliss]

Udon , has a major pollution problem ,

more traffic , massive urban developments ,apartment blocks, condos , new shopping outlets , etc.

and too many foreigners / farlangs .

However , that said, it is ok for a Short Time .

[EmptyHead]

Wifey told me an awful story last night about a child who drowned at school in our village. The parents marched over there and demaned 700k. All the teachers chipped in to pay.

Speaking of downries, i am going to a wedding. Wifey's cousin. Quite attractive, despite having had a child. She's getting about 120k sinsod. It could be a pretty good business: Get married, get paid, get divorced. Get married, get paid, get divorced. Over and over again.

100k is apparently the minumin in our village.

But i do love the morning beer (laokao) and larb moo with raw green veggies.

People are pretty nice in general.

And i definately love the fact glamour and fashion is (almost) non-existent (I despise that sort of thing)

[David48]

Wifey told me an awful story last night about a child who drowned at school in our village. The parents marched over there and demaned 700k. All the teachers chipped in to pay.

Speaking of downries, i am going to a wedding. Wifey's cousin. Quite attractive, despite having had a child. She's getting about 120k sinsod. It could be a pretty good business: Get married, get paid, get divorced. Get married, get paid, get divorced. Over and over again.

100k is apparently the minumin in our village.

But i do love the morning beer (laokao) and larb moo with raw green veggies.

People are pretty nice in general.

And i definately love the fact glamour and fashion is (almost) non-existent (I despise that sort of thing)

Shhhhh ... I've been told officially on Thai Visa that Thais don't pay SinSots and that a woman with a child or a divorced woman doesn't qualify.

Shhhhh ...

[willyumiii]

Wifey told me an awful story last night about a child who drowned at school in our village. The parents marched over there and demaned 700k. All the teachers chipped in to pay.

Speaking of downries, i am going to a wedding. Wifey's cousin. Quite attractive, despite having had a child. She's getting about 120k sinsod. It could be a pretty good business: Get married, get paid, get divorced. Get married, get paid, get divorced. Over and over again.

100k is apparently the minumin in our village.

But i do love the morning beer (laokao) and larb moo with raw green veggies.

People are pretty nice in general.

And i definately love the fact glamour and fashion is (almost) non-existent (I despise that sort of thing)

Quite attractive, despite having had a child.

​Since when is a woman who has had a child unattractive?

That "morning beer" must blur his vision!

[Ombra]

I agree with what Willyumii said about the good values of the older generation in Isaan. I have justdiscovered that my wife and a group of her friends are collecting money to buy things to send to

soldiers serving in the southern provinces. It seems that the post office will deliver packages to certain military addresses free of charge. It is the type of good-hearted gesture which seems to be

common here.

[Toknarok]

Wifey told me an awful story last night about a child who drowned at school in our village. The parents marched over there and demaned 700k. All the teachers chipped in to pay.

Speaking of downries, i am going to a wedding. Wifey's cousin. Quite attractive, despite having had a child. She's getting about 120k sinsod. It could be a pretty good business: Get married, get paid, get divorced. Get married, get paid, get divorced. Over and over again.

100k is apparently the minumin in our village.

But i do love the morning beer (laokao) and larb moo with raw green veggies.

People are pretty nice in general.

And i definately love the fact glamour and fashion is (almost) non-existent (I despise that sort of thing)

I doubt that the parents of the drowned child would have been compensated if it wasn't for the fact that it was a Government institution and perhaps the poor child should have been under supervision. In the rear of my premises I have a large pond, during the hot season the village kids used to regularly swim in it. One day a neighbours daughter, aged about 14 broke all the unwritten rules and went for a dip on her own. somehow she drowned, poor girl. I was overseas at the time and didn't hear about it until a few months later when I came to visit.

There was never any suggestion of compensation, despite the fact that the pond was owned by the wife of a farang. Perhaps the only 'good' thing that came out of it (if you can call it that) is that the pond is now considered to be haunted and the kids no longer use it as a swimming pool.

Edited by SlyAnimal - Fixed quote