Do You Live In A Thai Village Full Time

[macb]

LOL

That is great. My wife would kill me if I tried to put that in the kitchen.

Mike in Seattle

WEll i wanted something to day it does live outside though!!! I could buy a nice plush wooden one.

Hey you got your baby yet ???? we still waiting

[oceanrover]

Hey Macb,

Here are some pictures of the baby out in the snow today and my wife relaxing in my cluttered family room a few hours later in front of the fireplace.

Mike in Seattle

[macb]

Hey Macb,

Here are some pictures of the baby out in the snow today and my wife relaxing in my cluttered family room a few hours later in front of the fireplace.

Mike in Seattle

Great pics thanks snow what is that white stuff

[macb]

A friend of mine from the next village found this link:

Maybe you know the guy or the village the site was last up-dated a year ago but intersting insight as well

http://www.isanvillage.com/The%20Village.htm

[glenbat]

great couple of pics of the elders macb, amazing that your father in law looks as good as your average 40 something over here and grandpa still managed to get out and about at 80-ish...

80's a ripe old age to reach over here as you must know

[macb]

great couple of pics of the elders macb, amazing that your father in law looks as good as your average 40 something over here and grandpa still managed to get out and about at 80-ish...

80's a ripe old age to reach over here as you must know

I was pleased with the shot of grandpapa because he did not know I was taking it:

But I questioned his age and asked for his I>D card and discovered he is actually 90 yrs old

[Jahil]

thanks a lot for opening this topic.

It is so refershing compare compared to the mass of stupid comments we can read on other forums.

all of you describe the life i am waiting for since almost 14 years.

Me and my thai wife are living in Europe since 9 years and we are planning to come back to Thailand within 2-3 years. If I can geet rid of my business here.

We intend to build in a village also but we are thinking to keep a distance of +- 30' drive between the family and us. To keep some privacy.

Lets hope we move quick and we a life like all of you!

[RayBan]

Seeing the pictures of the snow recently posted by Oceanrover reminded me of a frame I took on Christmas morning when Sanan was cooking early morning breakfast (outside kitchen) for Dio prior to him going to school. She thought I was still in bed, but I managed to get this impromptu photograph of her working away at dawn (see below).

It says everything about how countryside Thai's depict their version of winter, a cool 18c maybe at that time, God knows how she would survive in a harsh western winter. I thought the pic a classic though for those maybe actually presently experiencing a western winter.........

[macb]

Seeing the pictures of the snow recently posted by Oceanrover reminded me of a frame I took on Christmas morning when Sanan was cooking early morning breakfast (outside kitchen) for Dio prior to him going to school. She thought I was still in bed, but I managed to get this impromptu photograph of her working away at dawn (see below).

It says everything about how countryside Thai's depict their version of winter, a cool 18c maybe at that time, God knows how she would survive in a harsh western winter. I thought the pic a classic though for those maybe actually presently experiencing a western winter.........

That's a good one Ray I promise not to pull Sanan's leg when I see her

[jay-uk]

For any market lovers I've posted a video of my last trip to Ubon on youtube:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GtK1e_E4w0M

All the best.

Jay

[macb]

thanks a lot for opening this topic.

It is so refershing compare compared to the mass of stupid comments we can read on other forums.

all of you describe the life i am waiting for since almost 14 years.

Me and my thai wife are living in Europe since 9 years and we are planning to come back to Thailand within 2-3 years. If I can geet rid of my business here.

We intend to build in a village also but we are thinking to keep a distance of +- 30' drive between the family and us. To keep some privacy.

Lets hope we move quick and we a life like all of you!

Thanks for your comments you are more than welcome and as you say thanks to all those folks who have helped to make this a very popular Topic I am sure that it will not die as more people read it and ,

welcum to you and your wife to our Shangrila called LOS

[billd766]

I was just coming back home after dropping my son off at school when I almost ran into a herd of about 30 cows walking down the main street of the local village, blocking the traffic both ways and being controlled? for want of a better term by a guy on a motorbike.

[bina]

correct terminology: herded by the cowherder (the harley cowboy!)

[TBWG]

Hi All

Whilst we are on about our 4 legged friends i'll just add my contribution!

Well my 90 days is up so it's visa renewal time. I've only seen a few thousand temples, so it's about time I had another fix, so its off to Cambodia for a couple of days to see Angkor Wat!

A quick trawl of the net soon finds suitable accommodation..."The Dead Fish Tower Hotel" It advertises that they don't serve Dog, Cat, Rat or worm!! (by worm I think they mean snake, you would need an awful lot of worms to make a casserole) I also assume that by serve they mean cook rather than excluding them as clientele but then I did not see any in the bar during my stay.

Whatever, it sounds my kind of establishment. A word of warning though for any possible future guests should you like drinking that cold, draught Angkor beer to the point of falling over, give the crocodile pit a wide berth as it could spoil your evening should you finish up in it.

I won't bore you with my tour of Angkor Wat, sufficient to say that after one day I am suffering from temple overload and decide that next day a cruise around Siem Reap is in order to see if I can annoy any of those Japanese and Korean tour parties that are swarming around the place. Unfortunately they won't rise to the bait and close ranks to any outsiders...spoilsports!

So bugger the expense i'll blow 2 dollars and hire a mountain bike for the day and explore the area. Well if you thought Thai drivers were bad they are mere novices compared to the Cambodians, allied to the fact that in theory they drive on the wrong side of the road i.e. the right. Although in practice this is pretty academic as they just go where ever they ###### well please.

Anyway an hour or two's cycling around with the odd glass of beer is a pleasant enough way to spend one's time. But back to my arrival at the airport, I am met by the hotels executive tuk tuk and whilst in the course of driving back see the odd motorcycle being used as a means of getting pigs to market, it occurs to me that this would make an amusing photo opportunity.

So I decide to go and stand on the street corner for half an hour in the hope that a motorcycling pig will put in an appearance. Well standing on a street corner for any length of time in Siem Reap (or anywhere for that matter) is asking for trouble, dozens of kids trying to flog you all sorts of things you don't need plus dubious individuals asking me if I like flower, how did they know I like gardening, h'mm maybe I'm missing the point? Well no pigs put in an appearance.

So I am now cruising around the town on the bike when I see a pigmobile approaching in the opposite direction, throwing caution to the wind I now resort to some Cambodian driving tactics and set off in hot pursuit, if I say so myself I would have done credit to some New York car chase as I cut through the traffic at ever increasing speed and narrowed the gap. Using my multi tasking skills I managed too get said camera out, fire it up and get in a few quick shots all whilst peddling as fast as my legs would go, mission accomplished and pretty good results considering the circumstances, now a few beers as a reward!!

That was the easy bit now I have to attach them to this post

Hope the boss lady does not read this as she has been threatening to put the stabilisers back on my sit up and beg bike to stop me showing off in front of the locals and it might just be he excuse she has been waiting for!!!

God I love Thailand

TBWG

[macb]

Hi All

Whilst we are on about our 4 legged friends i'll just add my contribution!

Well my 90 days is up so it's visa renewal time. I've only seen a few thousand temples, so it's about time I had another fix, so its off to Cambodia for a couple of days to see Angkor Wat!

A quick trawl of the net soon finds suitable accommodation..."The Dead Fish Tower Hotel" It advertises that they don't serve Dog, Cat, Rat or worm!! (by worm I think they mean snake, you would need an awful lot of worms to make a casserole) I also assume that by serve they mean cook rather than excluding them as clientele but then I did not see any in the bar during my stay.

Whatever, it sounds my kind of establishment. A word of warning though for any possible future guests should you like drinking that cold, draught Angkor beer to the point of falling over, give the crocodile pit a wide berth as it could spoil your evening should you finish up in it.

I won't bore you with my tour of Angkor Wat, sufficient to say that after one day I am suffering from temple overload and decide that next day a cruise around Siem Reap is in order to see if I can annoy any of those Japanese and Korean tour parties that are swarming around the place. Unfortunately they won't rise to the bait and close ranks to any outsiders...spoilsports!

So bugger the expense i'll blow 2 dollars and hire a mountain bike for the day and explore the area. Well if you thought Thai drivers were bad they are mere novices compared to the Cambodians, allied to the fact that in theory they drive on the wrong side of the road i.e. the right. Although in practice this is pretty academic as they just go where ever they ###### well please.

Anyway an hour or two's cycling around with the odd glass of beer is a pleasant enough way to spend one's time. But back to my arrival at the airport, I am met by the hotels executive tuk tuk and whilst in the course of driving back see the odd motorcycle being used as a means of getting pigs to market, it occurs to me that this would make an amusing photo opportunity.

So I decide to go and stand on the street corner for half an hour in the hope that a motorcycling pig will put in an appearance. Well standing on a street corner for any length of time in Siem Reap (or anywhere for that matter) is asking for trouble, dozens of kids trying to flog you all sorts of things you don't need plus dubious individuals asking me if I like flower, how did they know I like gardening, h'mm maybe I'm missing the point? Well no pigs put in an appearance.

So I am now cruising around the town on the bike when I see a pigmobile approaching in the opposite direction, throwing caution to the wind I now resort to some Cambodian driving tactics and set off in hot pursuit, if I say so myself I would have done credit to some New York car chase as I cut through the traffic at ever increasing speed and narrowed the gap. Using my multi tasking skills I managed too get said camera out, fire it up and get in a few quick shots all whilst peddling as fast as my legs would go, mission accomplished and pretty good results considering the circumstances, now a few beers as a reward!!

That was the easy bit now I have to attach them to this post

Hope the boss lady does not read this as she has been threatening to put the stabilisers back on my sit up and beg bike to stop me showing off in front of the locals and it might just be he excuse she has been waiting for!!!

God I love Thailand

TBWG

Great report mate

[macb]

Well as you guys no my wife is about to have our baby:

She has been and told me a story about a lass in the village who was also pregnant>

She went into Huairat Hospital to have her baby, because this is the 30 bht hospital they left her in labour for two days, she was unable to have the baby naturally and they could not perform

ceasarian there so they then sent her two Burriram who carried it out.

She is okay now but leaving her in labour for 2 days. What an eye opener.

[bina]

macb

often in labour for two days before decision is made, it is dependant on the health of the baby and mother if baby is ok, then mother just gets very tired and suffers, it is usually still better then a c section which is an invasive procedure (unless she already had one c section previously and then she should have been sectiond almost automatically)...

i know several women here (not thailand) in good hospitals that were in same situation up to 48 hours of labour, often intensive.

labour just means that: the womb has to work to open the cervix. the labour is counted in hours not days and goes in stages and the time u are in labour is very subjective to the woman who actually suffers this much, and to her partner if he doesnt understand what stage she is in in the labour. the medical team knows which stage of labour she really is in . the pain is not directly proportionate to the stage of labour.

if the baby was in a good state, then ok. if the baby was in stress, then medical negligence of course.

and if we would all remember the amount of pain we suffered during giving birth, we would never give birth again, and most of us do.... .

[glenbat]

Great report mate

Same same, had me rolling round the office laughing Loved the motorcycling pigs wonder what else people have seen being carried on a bike? Saw 5 up on a moped in patts in September, convinced myself it was a thai people carrier

[TBWG]

Great report mate

Same same, had me rolling round the office laughing Loved the motorcycling pigs wonder what else people have seen being carried on a bike? Saw 5 up on a moped in patts in September, convinced myself it was a thai people carrier

Hi

I once saw a lunatic wearing a turban, driving a motorcycle through a crowded New Dehli street with a sheet of corrugated iron lengthways across the saddle.

He seemed oblivious to the pandemonium he was causing as people and cows had to dive for cover to avoid being divided in two.

I think he had been watching too many Ben Hur movies.

TBWG

[Dave the Dude]

Great report mate

Same same, had me rolling round the office laughing Loved the motorcycling pigs wonder what else people have seen being carried on a bike? Saw 5 up on a moped in patts in September, convinced myself it was a thai people carrier

Hi

I once saw a lunatic wearing a turban, driving a motorcycle through a crowded New Dehli street with a sheet of corrugated iron lengthways across the saddle.

He seemed oblivious to the pandemonium he was causing as people and cows had to dive for cover to avoid being divided in two.

I think he had been watching too many Ben Hur movies.

TBWG

Hi all

I saw two guys on a bike carrying a 2 metre pane of glass. SCARY. Also seen king-size matress being transported on bike (NOT the same bike as above). Must have been a Thai version of an Airbag ????

Dave

[macb]

Great report mate

Same same, had me rolling round the office laughing Loved the motorcycling pigs wonder what else people have seen being carried on a bike? Saw 5 up on a moped in patts in September, convinced myself it was a thai people carrier

Hi

I once saw a lunatic wearing a turban, driving a motorcycle through a crowded New Dehli street with a sheet of corrugated iron lengthways across the saddle.

He seemed oblivious to the pandemonium he was causing as people and cows had to dive for cover to avoid being divided in two.

I think he had been watching too many Ben Hur movies.

TBWG

Maybe he had just left the hospital !!!!!!!

[macb]

macb

often in labour for two days before decision is made, it is dependant on the health of the baby and mother if baby is ok, then mother just gets very tired and suffers, it is usually still better then a c section which is an invasive procedure (unless she already had one c section previously and then she should have been sectiond almost automatically)...

i know several women here (not thailand) in good hospitals that were in same situation up to 48 hours of labour, often intensive.

labour just means that: the womb has to work to open the cervix. the labour is counted in hours not days and goes in stages and the time u are in labour is very subjective to the woman who actually suffers this much, and to her partner if he doesnt understand what stage she is in in the labour. the medical team knows which stage of labour she really is in . the pain is not directly proportionate to the stage of labour.

if the baby was in a good state, then ok. if the baby was in stress, then medical negligence of course.

and if we would all remember the amount of pain we suffered during giving birth, we would never give birth again, and most of us do.... .

This is my latest update from my Burriram Topic your coments please

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/index.php?s=...t&p=1102982

[macb]

Well I wonder how many of you folks living here full time do the following:

Every morning the monk/monks (phra) leave our local temple doing there alms and walk past the houses colllecting rice etc for them to eat at the Temple:

Normally the wife takes rice to the gate and gives cooked rice sometimes other food as well to the Monk.

However sometimes I do this as well specially as the wife is in her particular state.

How many other Farangs do this. (I often say to the wife I bet I am the only Farang that does this) I dont mind at all

[phibunmike]

Well I wonder how many of you folks living here full time do the following:

Every morning the monk/monks (phra) leave our local temple doing there alms and walk past the houses colllecting rice etc for them to eat at the Temple:

Normally the wife takes rice to the gate and gives cooked rice sometimes other food as well to the Monk.

However sometimes I do this as well specially as the wife is in her particular state.

How many other Farangs do this. (I often say to the wife I bet I am the only Farang that does this) I dont mind at all

Well I have done it on odd occasions, but the monks don't come up our little road, so it's only when we are staying somewhere else. I certainly don't mind, on the contrary, it starts my day off with a glow .

One time I saw them doing alms round and had no food to give, so just put some money in their bowls - they gave me a very thoughtful blessing before going on their way. (Well, I didn't undertand, but I like to think it was a thoughtful blessing).

Cheers,

Mike

[macb]

Cheers Mike

I dont mind either we get the same onk come round normally we have a rapour with my little Thai and khmer:

Normally its put 3 scoops in the bowl, but lately his rice bowl is nearly empty so the other day I kept scooping to 5 scoops and we both laughed a mutual understanding, then he gives good luck blessing i dont know what he says either, but its alwys the same cos I memorised some phrases. And as he leaves he puts his thumb up bless him.

I said to the wife why dont we take a sack of rice to the Wat, she informed me that head monk does not let them cook so they go collectings each morning Alms.

[phibunmike]

Cheers Mike

I dont mind either we get the same onk come round normally we have a rapour with my little Thai and khmer:

Normally its put 3 scoops in the bowl, but lately his rice bowl is nearly empty so the other day I kept scooping to 5 scoops and we both laughed a mutual understanding, then he gives good luck blessing i dont know what he says either, but its alwys the same cos I memorised some phrases. And as he leaves he puts his thumb up bless him.

I said to the wife why dont we take a sack of rice to the Wat, she informed me that head monk does not let them cook so they go collectings each morning Alms.

Yes, mustn't give too much either or it deprives others of the opportunity to earn merit

[S3Iraq]

Hello to all...

I have enjoyed reading the posts on this thread (especially those of TBWG) for those of us that live out in the sticks, his comments will probably spark numerous memories of similar circumstances we've experienced, they account for most of the giggling I've been doing for the past couple of days whilst crouched over the computer... I'm sure my wife thinks I'm checking out dwarf bondage sites or something...

I live about 30km NE of Khon Kaen and have done for the past couple of years. I made a conscious decision when I came here that I would make a real effort to slip in under the radar and not upset the status quo too much (...you in the back... control your laughter...), this is a very rural and poor part of Khon Kaen province, so this meant living as my wifes family lived, eating what they ate, sleeping where they slept, etc, you get the picture... It's not for everyone, I know a lot of guys who will visit their girlfriend/wifes village, take one look at the very basic standard of living, stay for an uncomfortable 60 mins feeling incredibly self conscious at the amount of attention they receive and then scarper to the nearest 5 star hotel for the rest of the visit. I can understand the reasons for that type of reaction, but I think its a little short sighted...

It can be something of a shock to the system for guys who have never visited countries where the standard of living is more basic, but by not testing the water, you are missing out on so much (no tongue in cheek at all). Remember your wife lived like this all her life, and dont you want to get to know her family? Thai family units, although occasionally a little bizarre to behold, are for the most part incredibly close and caring , I may just have been lucky, but living as a family member and refusing to be pampered has not only increased my understanding of Thai people, but also been a source of non stop entertainment for them and anybody else who stops by... all in the best possible taste of course... drinking rainwater stored in the couple of large clay pots outside under the drainpipe, eating som tam, snake, lizard, frogs, the little shrimp and fish from the rice paddies, and every insect I'm offered are all on the menu for me...

Dont get me wrong, I'm not going to don a loin cloth and start rampaging through the village on the back of a water buffalo after necking 10 bottles of thai whisky just to show I can be as nuts as some of the locals can be... there is method to my madness... I look after my wife and family, they want for nothing, but they dont ask the earth of me either... I have lived this way for two years, and although I have planned from the off to build a house, not one person, my wife, any of her family or locals, have asked me for a single thing... I'm sure they all think I havent a pot to piss in... I'm not retired and am not exactly rolling in money, but I have saved enough to build a small, well built house (there's another issue...and another thread I think), nothing ostentatious that dwarfs the shacks in the area, but something comfortable.... I will of course add a farang only room with UBC, Alpine Surround Sound entertainment system, comfy chair, IP Star...(no ADSL in this area... I even had to pay for the telephone company to run additional wire 2km from the nearest feed just to get dial up... keeping that quiet was quite a job, but we managed)... I'll disguise it, the entrance will be through a simple termite nibbled room, replete with hammock and mosquito coil, but a sliding wall will reveal my luxurious pad...I'm not completely mad... I just wanted to sit on the sidelines, watch, look, listen and say nowt for enough time to consider whether this was a good place to build said house... I think arriving in your wifes village where you know nobody, and then shortly thereafter, building the biggest house in the village, not out of any desire to rub the locals nose in it, but just because you can, and why not when its as cheap as chips... is a bad idea... you dont know anybody, whether you will enjoy living in the area, if the locals are completely barking mad...etc, etc... producing money like a demented ATM also has the unwelcome side effect of attracting every relation (and numerous locals) for miles around, with stories or collapsed roofs, grandmother run over by rampaging cow and numerous 'fantastic' business ideas (is anybody else aware that a concrete mixer purchased in Thailand comes without a motor...?), oh and not to forget the numerous requests for cars...All these have happened to friends of mine and I've read posts in this thread relating to similar experiences. I didnt want to have to go through that, so I avoided it by being a little more modest in the way I lived and spent my money....

The guy who runs the little store and who miraculously manages to cough up a Bangkok Post for me daily from Khon Kaen still greets me with utter amazement every day, as if I've got a sunflower growing out of my arse and its the first time he's ever seen me we've been going through this for 2 years now... one day its going to dawn on him that its the same guy every day...I'm sure... There are issues that irritate me on a daily basis, but none are related to my wife or family... I absolutely love it here and would heartily recommend it to anybody, I'm not suggested life shouldnt be comfortable, but take your time and see if life in this part of the world suits you before you jump in with both feet.

Once again, I've enjoyed this thread of posts, and may post again, especially on issues related to this area and maybe a few words of advice for issues related to getting a Thai drivers license up here...I dont do the bar scene in Khon Kaen, but if anybody else lives within 50k North of Khon Kaen, say hello...

Rgds, John.

[macb]

Hello to all...

I have enjoyed reading the posts on this thread (especially those of TBWG) for those of us that live out in the sticks, his comments will probably spark numerous memories of similar circumstances we've experienced, they account for most of the giggling I've been doing for the past couple of days whilst crouched over the computer... I'm sure my wife thinks I'm checking out dwarf bondage sites or something...

I live about 30km NE of Khon Kaen and have done for the past couple of years. I made a conscious decision when I came here that I would make a real effort to slip in under the radar and not upset the status quo too much (...you in the back... control your laughter...), this is a very rural and poor part of Khon Kaen province, so this meant living as my wifes family lived, eating what they ate, sleeping where they slept, etc, you get the picture... It's not for everyone, I know a lot of guys who will visit their girlfriend/wifes village, take one look at the very basic standard of living, stay for an uncomfortable 60 mins feeling incredibly self conscious at the amount of attention they receive and then scarper to the nearest 5 star hotel for the rest of the visit. I can understand the reasons for that type of reaction, but I think its a little short sighted...

It can be something of a shock to the system for guys who have never visited countries where the standard of living is more basic, but by not testing the water, you are missing out on so much (no tongue in cheek at all). Remember your wife lived like this all her life, and dont you want to get to know her family? Thai family units, although occasionally a little bizarre to behold, are for the most part incredibly close and caring , I may just have been lucky, but living as a family member and refusing to be pampered has not only increased my understanding of Thai people, but also been a source of non stop entertainment for them and anybody else who stops by... all in the best possible taste of course... drinking rainwater stored in the couple of large clay pots outside under the drainpipe, eating som tam, snake, lizard, frogs, the little shrimp and fish from the rice paddies, and every insect I'm offered are all on the menu for me...

Dont get me wrong, I'm not going to don a loin cloth and start rampaging through the village on the back of a water buffalo after necking 10 bottles of thai whisky just to show I can be as nuts as some of the locals can be... there is method to my madness... I look after my wife and family, they want for nothing, but they dont ask the earth of me either... I have lived this way for two years, and although I have planned from the off to build a house, not one person, my wife, any of her family or locals, have asked me for a single thing... I'm sure they all think I havent a pot to piss in... I'm not retired and am not exactly rolling in money, but I have saved enough to build a small, well built house (there's another issue...and another thread I think), nothing ostentatious that dwarfs the shacks in the area, but something comfortable.... I will of course add a farang only room with UBC, Alpine Surround Sound entertainment system, comfy chair, IP Star...(no ADSL in this area... I even had to pay for the telephone company to run additional wire 2km from the nearest feed just to get dial up... keeping that quiet was quite a job, but we managed)... I'll disguise it, the entrance will be through a simple termite nibbled room, replete with hammock and mosquito coil, but a sliding wall will reveal my luxurious pad...I'm not completely mad... I just wanted to sit on the sidelines, watch, look, listen and say nowt for enough time to consider whether this was a good place to build said house... I think arriving in your wifes village where you know nobody, and then shortly thereafter, building the biggest house in the village, not out of any desire to rub the locals nose in it, but just because you can, and why not when its as cheap as chips... is a bad idea... you dont know anybody, whether you will enjoy living in the area, if the locals are completely barking mad...etc, etc... producing money like a demented ATM also has the unwelcome side effect of attracting every relation (and numerous locals) for miles around, with stories or collapsed roofs, grandmother run over by rampaging cow and numerous 'fantastic' business ideas (is anybody else aware that a concrete mixer purchased in Thailand comes without a motor...?), oh and not to forget the numerous requests for cars...All these have happened to friends of mine and I've read posts in this thread relating to similar experiences. I didnt want to have to go through that, so I avoided it by being a little more modest in the way I lived and spent my money....

The guy who runs the little store and who miraculously manages to cough up a Bangkok Post for me daily from Khon Kaen still greets me with utter amazement every day, as if I've got a sunflower growing out of my arse and its the first time he's ever seen me we've been going through this for 2 years now... one day its going to dawn on him that its the same guy every day...I'm sure... There are issues that irritate me on a daily basis, but none are related to my wife or family... I absolutely love it here and would heartily recommend it to anybody, I'm not suggested life shouldnt be comfortable, but take your time and see if life in this part of the world suits you before you jump in with both feet.

Once again, I've enjoyed this thread of posts, and may post again, especially on issues related to this area and maybe a few words of advice for issues related to getting a Thai drivers license up here...I dont do the bar scene in Khon Kaen, but if anybody else lives within 50k North of Khon Kaen, say hello...

Rgds, John.

Great wonderful input thats why we are hitting about the 16000 mark: This is exactly why I started it to give Newbies or wannabies an insight, its like and everybody's Blog.

When I first visited the village I stayed in the in-laws-house sleeping upstairs: the mother-in-law had prepared a bed on thew floor for us with a mosquito net etc:

The Bathroom and thai toilet took some getting used to but wow what a culture.

Yes my wife and I built our house, but we also built a new kitchen for the school last year, which was good status building for the wifes family.

Our house is only 5 minutes walk from the family if that. There are two sisters houses on the farm complex and mama and papa's house. So we take care of mama papa grandfather two nieces with regards food and medication and trips out sometimes and I pay there Electric and my wife deals with money for her mama.

So I am happy and so is everbody else I think:

You will enjoy this Forum John and you get good information on everything here welcum aboard

[martaway]

Macb, I live in a small village 22kms. from the nearest town 6 of which is down a dirt road, and 80 kms. from a city. I usually get up around 7:30am shower and then go downstairs to eat with the family. My family consists of my Thai wife, her Mother, her younger brother and his wife and two daughters, a 5 year old and a five month old, her youngest brother, her 11-year-old grand niece and her 34-year-old cousin with her 12-year-old daughter. Yes we have a big family and I am the main means of support, but I don't mind at all. None of the brothers or cousin are lazy or drunks. It is more like having my own servants than supporting a lazy family. I have a big house and by Thai standards we are not crowded at all. I have my own big bedroom with my wife and can go there for some privacy if needed, which it never is. After eating I usually settle into my hammock and read, I love to read and this passes my time very effectively. I read books off my PDA that I download from the Internet, I also read the Bangkok Post every day and do its crossword and saduku. Most days I go out to the rice farm to check it out and am out there every day during planting and harvesting for most of the day, although I don't do any actual work, I have a hammock there as well. I usually go to town about every two to three days to check my e-mail and read the forums and get my Bangkok Post and take my wife to the market. Since my wife does not drive I spend a lot of time as her driver. We usually eat dinner around 7pm earlier in the winter and I go to bed around 8-9pm and usually read myself to sleep shortly there after. I know it sounds like a very boring life, but I quite enjoy it. Every Tuesday I meet a group of Falangs in the town for dinner and quite often get together with an Aussie mate of mine at other times during the week. Also about every two to three weeks we go to the closest city to shop at Tesco and eat by the Mekong River. I retired 3 years ago and decided I really did not want to do anything after retirement. However I recently became interested in teaching English as a second language. This summer I took a course and I am now looking for a job, but it has to be in my area so I can live at home or at least easily commute on weekends. If any body knows of a job in the south west corner of Kalasin, north east corner of Roi-et or west end of Mukdahan, please let me know. Issangeorge.

where do you download your books from ? what website?

[S3Iraq]

Thanks Macb,

Local kids not included, we have quite a menagerie on the go here, couple of dogs (one of whom just turned up one day and figured he'd stay and is actually quite endearing) numerous hens (which multiply faster than my mother in law can cook the ###### things) half a dozen cockrells, about 20+ ducks which conduct clearing patrols around the house at about 04:30 just prior to the next door neighbours wife, who has a rather irritating habit of battling for crowing rights with the local avian population by revving up her karaoke machine at about 05:30 (although she does have a very pleasant voice and it seems to be quite acceptable to everybody else, I have been known to utter the occasional expletive as I hear the speaker whine into life...)... 3 cows, which I bought because my father in law fancies himself as a bit of a herdsman, not sure he knows one end from the other to be honest, but a little livestock is not a bad investment, and it keeps him happy... numerous rats, actually not sure if theyre rats or mice, but theyre just par for the course in this neck of the woods and besides, grandfather likes to chase them...it always amazes me how he catches the ###### things, no trap in sight, and he'll just wander in holding it by the tail looking very pleased with himself... sorry I digress... to get to the point, having seen your photograph, what I am really looking forward to, once I've built my little house... is the possibility of getting a good dog that can live within the walled enclosure, not have to battle other animals (because nothing else will live within the walled enclosure...!), who I can train, take running with me, and who will hopefully act as a deterrent to any little oik with their eyes on my IP or UBC Dish... So, where did you get your German Shepherds from? were they bred locally, and if so any chance of contact info... if not, any chance of your pair (presuming they are sexually compatable) having a litter....? They are the first pictures of German Shepherds I have seen in Thailand and although I'm not quite ready to buy yet, it would be nice to have contact info tucked away, all my enquires so far have been met with puzzled looks and hysterical reactions...actually.... everything I ask for receives that response... maybe I should change my hairdo....

Rgds, John.

Hello to all...

I have enjoyed reading the posts on this thread (especially those of TBWG) for those of us that live out in the sticks, his comments will probably spark numerous memories of similar circumstances we've experienced, they account for most of the giggling I've been doing for the past couple of days whilst crouched over the computer... I'm sure my wife thinks I'm checking out dwarf bondage sites or something...

I live about 30km NE of Khon Kaen and have done for the past couple of years. I made a conscious decision when I came here that I would make a real effort to slip in under the radar and not upset the status quo too much (...you in the back... control your laughter...), this is a very rural and poor part of Khon Kaen province, so this meant living as my wifes family lived, eating what they ate, sleeping where they slept, etc, you get the picture... It's not for everyone, I know a lot of guys who will visit their girlfriend/wifes village, take one look at the very basic standard of living, stay for an uncomfortable 60 mins feeling incredibly self conscious at the amount of attention they receive and then scarper to the nearest 5 star hotel for the rest of the visit. I can understand the reasons for that type of reaction, but I think its a little short sighted...

It can be something of a shock to the system for guys who have never visited countries where the standard of living is more basic, but by not testing the water, you are missing out on so much (no tongue in cheek at all). Remember your wife lived like this all her life, and dont you want to get to know her family? Thai family units, although occasionally a little bizarre to behold, are for the most part incredibly close and caring , I may just have been lucky, but living as a family member and refusing to be pampered has not only increased my understanding of Thai people, but also been a source of non stop entertainment for them and anybody else who stops by... all in the best possible taste of course... drinking rainwater stored in the couple of large clay pots outside under the drainpipe, eating som tam, snake, lizard, frogs, the little shrimp and fish from the rice paddies, and every insect I'm offered are all on the menu for me...

Dont get me wrong, I'm not going to don a loin cloth and start rampaging through the village on the back of a water buffalo after necking 10 bottles of thai whisky just to show I can be as nuts as some of the locals can be... there is method to my madness... I look after my wife and family, they want for nothing, but they dont ask the earth of me either... I have lived this way for two years, and although I have planned from the off to build a house, not one person, my wife, any of her family or locals, have asked me for a single thing... I'm sure they all think I havent a pot to piss in... I'm not retired and am not exactly rolling in money, but I have saved enough to build a small, well built house (there's another issue...and another thread I think), nothing ostentatious that dwarfs the shacks in the area, but something comfortable.... I will of course add a farang only room with UBC, Alpine Surround Sound entertainment system, comfy chair, IP Star...(no ADSL in this area... I even had to pay for the telephone company to run additional wire 2km from the nearest feed just to get dial up... keeping that quiet was quite a job, but we managed)... I'll disguise it, the entrance will be through a simple termite nibbled room, replete with hammock and mosquito coil, but a sliding wall will reveal my luxurious pad...I'm not completely mad... I just wanted to sit on the sidelines, watch, look, listen and say nowt for enough time to consider whether this was a good place to build said house... I think arriving in your wifes village where you know nobody, and then shortly thereafter, building the biggest house in the village, not out of any desire to rub the locals nose in it, but just because you can, and why not when its as cheap as chips... is a bad idea... you dont know anybody, whether you will enjoy living in the area, if the locals are completely barking mad...etc, etc... producing money like a demented ATM also has the unwelcome side effect of attracting every relation (and numerous locals) for miles around, with stories or collapsed roofs, grandmother run over by rampaging cow and numerous 'fantastic' business ideas (is anybody else aware that a concrete mixer purchased in Thailand comes without a motor...?), oh and not to forget the numerous requests for cars...All these have happened to friends of mine and I've read posts in this thread relating to similar experiences. I didnt want to have to go through that, so I avoided it by being a little more modest in the way I lived and spent my money....

The guy who runs the little store and who miraculously manages to cough up a Bangkok Post for me daily from Khon Kaen still greets me with utter amazement every day, as if I've got a sunflower growing out of my arse and its the first time he's ever seen me we've been going through this for 2 years now... one day its going to dawn on him that its the same guy every day...I'm sure... There are issues that irritate me on a daily basis, but none are related to my wife or family... I absolutely love it here and would heartily recommend it to anybody, I'm not suggested life shouldnt be comfortable, but take your time and see if life in this part of the world suits you before you jump in with both feet.

Once again, I've enjoyed this thread of posts, and may post again, especially on issues related to this area and maybe a few words of advice for issues related to getting a Thai drivers license up here...I dont do the bar scene in Khon Kaen, but if anybody else lives within 50k North of Khon Kaen, say hello...

Rgds, John.

Great wonderful input thats why we are hitting about the 16000 mark: This is exactly why I started it to give Newbies or wannabies an insight, its like and everybody's Blog.

When I first visited the village I stayed in the in-laws-house sleeping upstairs: the mother-in-law had prepared a bed on thew floor for us with a mosquito net etc:

The Bathroom and thai toilet took some getting used to but wow what a culture.

Yes my wife and I built our house, but we also built a new kitchen for the school last year, which was good status building for the wifes family.

Our house is only 5 minutes walk from the family if that. There are two sisters houses on the farm complex and mama and papa's house. So we take care of mama papa grandfather two nieces with regards food and medication and trips out sometimes and I pay there Electric and my wife deals with money for her mama.

So I am happy and so is everbody else I think:

You will enjoy this Forum John and you get good information on everything here welcum aboard