Does anybody live in a place where "Old Thailand" still exists? eg. no internet,

[bobmac10]

I live in a small town in the North. I've seen such radical changes in the past 40 years, from buffalo carts to pickups. everyone walking to riding motorbikes, children helping their parents at home instead of playing in the internet cafes, and money the new god, the wat is a place to go to pray for money.

I know it's a worldwide phenomenon, but I remember how I was charmed by the country folk and their simple but happy lives here.

I wonder if such towns still exist in isolated places?

[slipperylobster]

Some small towns in Mae Hong Son Province. You have to get away from Mueang Mae Hong Son and head for the hills. The wife owns a resort in town, and we go there often. That area is supposedly the place where people are "happiest" in Thailand.

I suppose not connecting to TV would be a positive thing. As for myself...reading all the negativity makes me feel like I am riding on the clouds. (My life here is good !)

I do wish I could have been here forty years ago....I am kind of jealous that you had that experience.

Edited January 9, 2016 by slipperylobster

[TerryLH]

"...children helping their parents at home instead of playing in the internet cafes..."

Is that a bad thing, or a typo?

[bobmac10]

"...children helping their parents at home instead of playing in the internet cafes..."

Is that a bad thing, or a typo?

No, I don't think it's a good thing.

I've been to the internet cafes and seen the games they are playing on line, very violent and they seem to spend hours and hours there.

Mum and dad at home working, it used to be children at home helping out with the chores.

[bobmac10]

"...children helping their parents at home instead of playing in the internet cafes..."

Is that a bad thing, or a typo?

Er... sorry yes it's a typo

[Somtamnication]

Live with my mother in law. She is as backwards as you can get while still walking and farting.

[simon43]

I wonder if such towns still exist in isolated places?

Yes, about 1Km from Phuket International Airport...

- Lousy or non-existent internet (not enough ToT cable in the street, tall rubber trees block long-range wifi service)

- No city water pipes (dig your own well)

- No city sewerage pipes (install your own septic tanks)

- Minimal, unstable electricity supply (provide your own back-up generator)

- No cable TV system (install your own satellite big dish system)

Now if I were living in the back of beyond, I'd maybe expect such a lack of facilities. But within walking distance of Thailand's second-busiest airport??

[luke000]

I dont think that people living with no internet connection will be able to respond to this thread

[Dancealot]

I dont think that people living with no internet connection will be able to respond to this thread

Haha, I figured that as well. But it's about the idea from the OP which is pretty nice. It's so easy to be happy when you live with less and less. I kind of live like that after I threw away most of my material possessions and live in a village community. Can't stop the coming of the internet though.

[i claudius]

I dont think that people living with no internet connection will be able to respond to this thread

Didnt my carrier pigeon arrive with the messages ?

[kannot]

I wonder if such towns still exist in isolated places?

Yes, about 1Km from Phuket International Airport...

- Lousy or non-existent internet (not enough ToT cable in the street, tall rubber trees block long-range wifi service)

- No city water pipes (dig your own well)

- No city sewerage pipes (install your own septic tanks)

- Minimal, unstable electricity supply (provide your own back-up generator)

- No cable TV system (install your own satellite big dish system)

Now if I were living in the back of beyond, I'd maybe expect such a lack of facilities. But within walking distance of Thailand's second-busiest airport??

u have an airport???? oh my gawdddddddd the luxury............all others almost normal outside of bkk

[sipi]

Wonchumpu is quite this time of the year, except for the internet cafe, tak taks and motorbikes.

[mogandave]

Thank the left...

[bobmac10]

I was hoping to hear from those who know or have been to places in Thailand perhaps near where they live.

there a a couple of small towns within a 30 minute drive from here where it's still very quiet, no major road passes through, the pace is very slow there.

I really wanted to get into discussing the Thais themselves and the way they are.

It seems to me that modern Thais are losing their culture so quickly it will be gone in another generation.

i liked the old traditions, for example each house had a jar of water with a ladle out the front which was filled every morning for people passing by to have a drink.

Each evening, everyone would go out and walk around the village visiting friends, just dropping in without phoning first.

[villagefarang]

You are probably going to have a hard time finding Thais who live like they did 40 years ago. Some minority groups living in very remote mountainous terrain come close but even they have scooters, phones and satellite TV for the most part. It is hard to hold back the passage of time and keep people in a primitive state. I have been here for 40 years and while I enjoyed the early days I am still very happy living in Thailand, even with all the changes.

[55Jay]

I'm not disagreeing or trying to be overly critical of your nostalgic point of view, but I wonder if the folks who had little choice but to scrape out an existence in the prescribed, subsistence lifestyle, would think it was charming and happy.

The current PM seems to think so, and he's doing his level best to return that happiness to The People.

[cooked]

My wife's mother died and the step mother was as bad as any in a fairy tale, she got beaten everyday and had to bring water in a jar from the temple, about a kilometre away. She was pulled out of school after two years and sent to look after a kid a long way from home at the age of 9. She learnt silk weaving, as well as all the associated skills necessary. 'Harder than planting rice'. She then came home, her mother continued to be bad until she died, which was the only occasion my wife ever heard her say thank you.

Her husband died early when she had three kids and she was left with 8 rai to plant with rice, by hand, walking behind a buffalo, harvesting by hand. Second husband drank all her money, divorce. Sister dies in childbirth, she takes on the boy. Kids coming home from school, no food, they go to catch frogs, rats or whatever else is to be had.She then taught herself to read and write Thai and speaks and writes English better than most school teachers. She's great and much respected. (except by young kids that look at her traditional dress and shoes).

So we are talking about the good old days, right? They were the good old days because we were 40 or 50 years younger. Disease, hunger, people literally working themselves to death, little music or dance...

come on.

[CharlieH]

Yes !, Just like that in this village, but I aint saying where it is because I want to keep it that way.

Village life here starts at 4 a.m. and everyone is asleep by 8 pm. (barring funerals and weddings).

[bobmac10]

My wife's mother died and the step mother was as bad as any in a fairy tale, she got beaten everyday and had to bring water in a jar from the temple, about a kilometre away. She was pulled out of school after two years and sent to look after a kid a long way from home at the age of 9. She learnt silk weaving, as well as all the associated skills necessary. 'Harder than planting rice'. She then came home, her mother continued to be bad until she died, which was the only occasion my wife ever heard her say thank you.

Her husband died early when she had three kids and she was left with 8 rai to plant with rice, by hand, walking behind a buffalo, harvesting by hand. Second husband drank all her money, divorce. Sister dies in childbirth, she takes on the boy. Kids coming home from school, no food, they go to catch frogs, rats or whatever else is to be had.She then taught herself to read and write Thai and speaks and writes English better than most school teachers. She's great and much respected. (except by young kids that look at her traditional dress and shoes).

So we are talking about the good old days, right? They were the good old days because we were 40 or 50 years younger. Disease, hunger, people literally working themselves to death, little music or dance...

come on.

Well it's a sad tale but not everyone had a life like that.

My wife and her family all rice farmers, never much money but plenty to eat.

Social life was very good, lots of festivals at the wat, I remember the lam wong evenings where the local boys would buy tickets to dance with their favourite girl under the gaze of the family, the girls would shorten their sarongs to show a bit of leg, very innocent and charming.

No-one was upwardly mobile, everyone was the same i.e. farmers getting by but extremely happy. I never saw a happier bunch, they would sit around evenings talking and laughing for hours.

I guess I'm saying that despite the improvements in the income of most people, they work longer hours, don't socialise as much, borrow money to buy things and then have to work harder to repay them.

Children are nowhere as respectful as they used to be, that is the one thing that has really changed.

Anyway, as you say, those days are gone in most of Thailand, but I was just wondering if there were places where the modern lifestyle had yet to arrive.

[mogandave]

My wife's mother died and the step mother was as bad as any in a fairy tale, she got beaten everyday and had to bring water in a jar from the temple, about a kilometre away. She was pulled out of school after two years and sent to look after a kid a long way from home at the age of 9. She learnt silk weaving, as well as all the associated skills necessary. 'Harder than planting rice'. She then came home, her mother continued to be bad until she died, which was the only occasion my wife ever heard her say thank you.

Her husband died early when she had three kids and she was left with 8 rai to plant with rice, by hand, walking behind a buffalo, harvesting by hand. Second husband drank all her money, divorce. Sister dies in childbirth, she takes on the boy. Kids coming home from school, no food, they go to catch frogs, rats or whatever else is to be had.She then taught herself to read and write Thai and speaks and writes English better than most school teachers. She's great and much respected. (except by young kids that look at her traditional dress and shoes).

So we are talking about the good old days, right? They were the good old days because we were 40 or 50 years younger. Disease, hunger, people literally working themselves to death, little music or dance...

come on.

Children are nowhere as respectful as they used to be...

Nor are parents... Edited January 10, 2016 by mogandave

[pgrahmm]

If there is - without internet ..... You will never get an answer here...

Better work on the tom-toms & smoke signals - Carrier pidgeons forums...

[pgrahmm]

You are probably going to have a hard time finding Thais who live like they did 40 years ago. Some minority groups living in very remote mountainous terrain come close but even they have scooters, phones and satellite TV for the most part. It is hard to hold back the passage of time and keep people in a primitive state. I have been here for 40 years and while I enjoyed the early days I am still very happy living in Thailand, even with all the changes.

Even if the villagers couldn't afford smart phones and such - just check with the nearest monks for the latest tech updates.....

[cooked]

My wife's mother died and the step mother was as bad as any in a fairy tale, she got beaten everyday and had to bring water in a jar from the temple, about a kilometre away. She was pulled out of school after two years and sent to look after a kid a long way from home at the age of 9. She learnt silk weaving, as well as all the associated skills necessary. 'Harder than planting rice'. She then came home, her mother continued to be bad until she died, which was the only occasion my wife ever heard her say thank you.

Her husband died early when she had three kids and she was left with 8 rai to plant with rice, by hand, walking behind a buffalo, harvesting by hand. Second husband drank all her money, divorce. Sister dies in childbirth, she takes on the boy. Kids coming home from school, no food, they go to catch frogs, rats or whatever else is to be had.She then taught herself to read and write Thai and speaks and writes English better than most school teachers. She's great and much respected. (except by young kids that look at her traditional dress and shoes).

So we are talking about the good old days, right? They were the good old days because we were 40 or 50 years younger. Disease, hunger, people literally working themselves to death, little music or dance...

come on.

Well it's a sad tale but not everyone had a life like that.

My wife and her family all rice farmers, never much money but plenty to eat.

Social life was very good, lots of festivals at the wat, I remember the lam wong evenings where the local boys would buy tickets to dance with their favourite girl under the gaze of the family, the girls would shorten their sarongs to show a bit of leg, very innocent and charming.

No-one was upwardly mobile, everyone was the same i.e. farmers getting by but extremely happy. I never saw a happier bunch, they would sit around evenings talking and laughing for hours.

I guess I'm saying that despite the improvements in the income of most people, they work longer hours, don't socialise as much, borrow money to buy things and then have to work harder to repay them.

Children are nowhere as respectful as they used to be, that is the one thing that has really changed.

Anyway, as you say, those days are gone in most of Thailand, but I was just wondering if there were places where the modern lifestyle had yet to arrive.

My point wasn't to post a 'sad story'. I, as well as a couple of other guys here, am / are trying to explain that what you thought you saw through rose coloured glasses when you were young was only a part of the story. I would say that most people in 'my' village are reasonably happy, we have some black sheep, but in general life is ok. The kids are respectful, the ladies demure and attractive, they no longer have to go cut sugar cane for ฿200.- a day which, despite the fact that they now earn in a naughty fashion, has to be better. Nobody goes hungry, my wife tells me that they work less hours than 40 years ago thanks to the machinery.

There was a lot of malaria as well as other untreated diseases in those days, incest was common, dietary insufficiencies had their consequences, village justice was harsh. Working conditions not far from slavery were common. It's not all about dancing and eating.

We no longer have village festivals but district festivals, the odd funeral or marriage livens things up.

I do believe that you only saw the good side, you have to live in these villages for years to get to know what is really going on.

[bobmac10]

My wife's mother died and the step mother was as bad as any in a fairy tale, she got beaten everyday and had to bring water in a jar from the temple, about a kilometre away. She was pulled out of school after two years and sent to look after a kid a long way from home at the age of 9. She learnt silk weaving, as well as all the associated skills necessary. 'Harder than planting rice'. She then came home, her mother continued to be bad until she died, which was the only occasion my wife ever heard her say thank you.

Her husband died early when she had three kids and she was left with 8 rai to plant with rice, by hand, walking behind a buffalo, harvesting by hand. Second husband drank all her money, divorce. Sister dies in childbirth, she takes on the boy. Kids coming home from school, no food, they go to catch frogs, rats or whatever else is to be had.She then taught herself to read and write Thai and speaks and writes English better than most school teachers. She's great and much respected. (except by young kids that look at her traditional dress and shoes).

So we are talking about the good old days, right? They were the good old days because we were 40 or 50 years younger. Disease, hunger, people literally working themselves to death, little music or dance...

come on.

Well it's a sad tale but not everyone had a life like that.

My wife and her family all rice farmers, never much money but plenty to eat.

Social life was very good, lots of festivals at the wat, I remember the lam wong evenings where the local boys would buy tickets to dance with their favourite girl under the gaze of the family, the girls would shorten their sarongs to show a bit of leg, very innocent and charming.

No-one was upwardly mobile, everyone was the same i.e. farmers getting by but extremely happy. I never saw a happier bunch, they would sit around evenings talking and laughing for hours.

I guess I'm saying that despite the improvements in the income of most people, they work longer hours, don't socialise as much, borrow money to buy things and then have to work harder to repay them.

Children are nowhere as respectful as they used to be, that is the one thing that has really changed.

Anyway, as you say, those days are gone in most of Thailand, but I was just wondering if there were places where the modern lifestyle had yet to arrive.

My point wasn't to post a 'sad story'. I, as well as a couple of other guys here, am / are trying to explain that what you thought you saw through rose coloured glasses when you were young was only a part of the story. I would say that most people in 'my' village are reasonably happy, we have some black sheep, but in general life is ok. The kids are respectful, the ladies demure and attractive, they no longer have to go cut sugar cane for ฿200.- a day which, despite the fact that they now earn in a naughty fashion, has to be better. Nobody goes hungry, my wife tells me that they work less hours than 40 years ago thanks to the machinery.

There was a lot of malaria as well as other untreated diseases in those days, incest was common, dietary insufficiencies had their consequences, village justice was harsh. Working conditions not far from slavery were common. It's not all about dancing and eating.

We no longer have village festivals but district festivals, the odd funeral or marriage livens things up.

I do believe that you only saw the good side, you have to live in these villages for years to get to know what is really going on.

I get the impression you are trying to tell me I need to take off my rose coloured glasses?

I've been here same house same street 39 years.

Do I qualify?

Drugs are now commonplace, young people getting hooked on ya ice.

Two bars have opened locally, on a weekend full of young people off their heads on what, I don't know, maybe drugs certainly alcohol.

This is all new.

People putting their farms in hock to buy a Hilux and then losing them.

These are all new phenomena.

Yes medical care is better, but have to queue for hours to see a young intern who just hands out pills like they are candy.

Pluses and minuses.

[cooked]

My wife's mother died and the step mother was as bad as any in a fairy tale, she got beaten everyday and had to bring water in a jar from the temple, about a kilometre away. She was pulled out of school after two years and sent to look after a kid a long way from home at the age of 9. She learnt silk weaving, as well as all the associated skills necessary. 'Harder than planting rice'. She then came home, her mother continued to be bad until she died, which was the only occasion my wife ever heard her say thank you.

Her husband died early when she had three kids and she was left with 8 rai to plant with rice, by hand, walking behind a buffalo, harvesting by hand. Second husband drank all her money, divorce. Sister dies in childbirth, she takes on the boy. Kids coming home from school, no food, they go to catch frogs, rats or whatever else is to be had.She then taught herself to read and write Thai and speaks and writes English better than most school teachers. She's great and much respected. (except by young kids that look at her traditional dress and shoes).

So we are talking about the good old days, right? They were the good old days because we were 40 or 50 years younger. Disease, hunger, people literally working themselves to death, little music or dance...

come on.

Well it's a sad tale but not everyone had a life like that.

My wife and her family all rice farmers, never much money but plenty to eat.

Social life was very good, lots of festivals at the wat, I remember the lam wong evenings where the local boys would buy tickets to dance with their favourite girl under the gaze of the family, the girls would shorten their sarongs to show a bit of leg, very innocent and charming.

No-one was upwardly mobile, everyone was the same i.e. farmers getting by but extremely happy. I never saw a happier bunch, they would sit around evenings talking and laughing for hours.

I guess I'm saying that despite the improvements in the income of most people, they work longer hours, don't socialise as much, borrow money to buy things and then have to work harder to repay them.

Children are nowhere as respectful as they used to be, that is the one thing that has really changed.

Anyway, as you say, those days are gone in most of Thailand, but I was just wondering if there were places where the modern lifestyle had yet to arrive.

My point wasn't to post a 'sad story'. I, as well as a couple of other guys here, am / are trying to explain that what you thought you saw through rose coloured glasses when you were young was only a part of the story. I would say that most people in 'my' village are reasonably happy, we have some black sheep, but in general life is ok. The kids are respectful, the ladies demure and attractive, they no longer have to go cut sugar cane for ฿200.- a day which, despite the fact that they now earn in a naughty fashion, has to be better. Nobody goes hungry, my wife tells me that they work less hours than 40 years ago thanks to the machinery.

There was a lot of malaria as well as other untreated diseases in those days, incest was common, dietary insufficiencies had their consequences, village justice was harsh. Working conditions not far from slavery were common. It's not all about dancing and eating.

We no longer have village festivals but district festivals, the odd funeral or marriage livens things up.

I do believe that you only saw the good side, you have to live in these villages for years to get to know what is really going on.

I get the impression you are trying to tell me I need to take off my rose coloured glasses?

I've been here same house same street 39 years.

Do I qualify?

Drugs are now commonplace, young people getting hooked on ya ice.

Two bars have opened locally, on a weekend full of young people off their heads on what, I don't know, maybe drugs certainly alcohol.

This is all new.

People putting their farms in hock to buy a Hilux and then losing them.

These are all new phenomena.

Yes medical care is better, but have to queue for hours to see a young intern who just hands out pills like they are candy.

Pluses and minuses.

Ok, everything was better 40 years ago. So it was, we were 40 years younger. Stop complaining about change, I believe even Plato did that.

You see only positive things from the past, you only see the negative things around us now.

Nostalgia.

[bobmac10]

Hey Fried, why don't you stop telling me what to do and argue the issues? A casual observer might say your posts are full of bias about an earlier era in Thailand.

I didn't ask for your criticism on my post, I asked if anyone lived in a place in Thailand where the modern life hasn''t arrived yet.

I would genuinely like to hear from posters who live in small towns where old ways are still common.

I think you may have confused the subject slightly.

[sipi]

We have a large ceramic pot of water out the front with a lid and a ladle, so do the neighbors. But I'm not saying where that is either.

[elliss]

I dont think that people living with no internet connection will be able to respond to this thread

Didnt my carrier pigeon arrive with the messages ?

unfortunately , shot in transit , by an unidentified missile ,

from North Korea.

[lovelomsak]

I donot know about others but i am finding it hard also to find the old ways. It seems to me that Thai people are embarassed about their old ways.My wife's family appears to try and forget or leave old Thailand behind them. They all want to be cosmopolitan.When I show an interest in village life as my wife knew when she was growing up,no one wants to share what happened back then.or maintain that way of life.

When i first came one village would have one small black and white TV ran on car batteries.Now cannot find a village without wifi.

25 or 30 years ago they wanted to stop hillside tribes from being mobile and crossing borders as they always did. So now they are forced to live in villages permanantly and go to school and work at new jobs. Cannot even find a real hillside tribe now never mind the old thailand with thai ways.

The closest I can come is where I live . Our neighbours old village families and retain most of their customs,but their children are a different breed.The new ones are selfish,self centered,demanding,disrespectful,undisciplined,and lazy.

I apologize for wandering off topic and being of no assistance in your search,but I am fairly sure what you are looking for is gone.I too seek it but it evades me.

[Sheriff84]

Its not thailand but in laos and as remote as you can get

http://www.sbs.com.au/ondemand/video/592108099653/where-the-wild-men-are-laos