Daily Day Diary For Issan

[llso]

Fingers crossed think we will be cutting 10 Rai today, I really hope it does not rain as it is overcast.

Plus it means party later drink some beer, not that an excuse is needed to drink and have party. More up-dates soon

Hey Macb,

I asked my wife how many bags of rice you get from a Rai and she has no idea. How many bags are you averaging? I am just wanting to know the ROI from land purchased for the family to grow rice. I of course can't calculate the labor involved with planting nad harvesting beyond the harvester rental, but I can at least sound like I know what I am talking about when the time comes.

Thanks

Mike in Seattle

Some where on TV I did a resume in another topic about costings etc: As fpr average per Rai give me a couple of days as we got rained off and cut not complete.

As for prices locally its been 500 bht per sack but in Surin my sister-in-law got 650 bht per sack thats not bad price

I believe the last time I figured it out and this is in Lower Buriram. We were getting around 400-500 Kg. per Rai. And you are absolutely right they have no clue about how much they get or anybusiness sense. Years ago Mama asked for quite a bit more to plant the rice , we usually chip in and get a %. I asked why Mama needed more this year. Turns out she had rented some paddyland from the schoolteacher in the village and he got 25% of the yield. So, I was trying to figure out

with some business sense how much is invested and what is the return. They don'y have a clue it is just what everyone has been doing for centuries. I even suggested perhaps it was cheaper to just buy rice. Then I realized it drives the village economy. So what I decided was to buy some fertilizer to increase the yield, those tropical soiuls are haeavily leached and ver poor. A little fertilizer goes a long way. Now this has become a regular paractice that we buy some fertilizer poee every year. just like when I wanted to get a concrete truck when building our house and the reaction was swift against it. Then I realized it would put 5 or 6 guys out of work carrying sand and gravel and mixing it by hand. I actually figured it out and the cost between the guys mixing by hand and buying the raw materials, (sand,gravel,cement) was about the same as getting the truck but at least the money stayed in the village. Something to think about .

One year the wife got into the business of loaning people money against their rice harvest , mostly family. Then when we were up there one time we had to drive alla round picking up rice from all her creditors. She made out alright but I had to pay for the truck to go around and collect, and in some places we had to bring our own rice sacks. You should have seen my wife and her sister checking the quality of the rice.

LL

[macb]

Well I think we will give our 13 Rai to my sister in law to grow next year and she can give us a percentage of the yield, I have a lot of time for this sister and her hubby and family they are great, but poor, but when she knows I am going to take her kids out they are spotless and happy to see me.

A smile and a Sawadee goes a long way with me.

I did not finance mother-in-laws rice this year because I am always out of pocket I told my wife you must get your sisters and brothers to help as well financially, and they did.

I have my own daughter being born soon and have to think about this as well, my wife is very good though at yak yaking her family telling them we cannot pay for everything. Bless her

[oceanrover]

I believe the last time I figured it out and this is in Lower Buriram. We were getting around 400-500 Kg. per Rai. And you are absolutely right they have no clue about how much they get or anybusiness sense. Years ago Mama asked for quite a bit more to plant the rice , we usually chip in and get a %. I asked why Mama needed more this year. Turns out she had rented some paddyland from the schoolteacher in the village and he got 25% of the yield. So, I was trying to figure out

with some business sense how much is invested and what is the return. They don'y have a clue it is just what everyone has been doing for centuries. I even suggested perhaps it was cheaper to just buy rice. Then I realized it drives the village economy. So what I decided was to buy some fertilizer to increase the yield, those tropical soiuls are haeavily leached and ver poor. A little fertilizer goes a long way. Now this has become a regular paractice that we buy some fertilizer poee every year. just like when I wanted to get a concrete truck when building our house and the reaction was swift against it. Then I realized it would put 5 or 6 guys out of work carrying sand and gravel and mixing it by hand. I actually figured it out and the cost between the guys mixing by hand and buying the raw materials, (sand,gravel,cement) was about the same as getting the truck but at least the money stayed in the village. Something to think about .

One year the wife got into the business of loaning people money against their rice harvest , mostly family. Then when we were up there one time we had to drive alla round picking up rice from all her creditors. She made out alright but I had to pay for the truck to go around and collect, and in some places we had to bring our own rice sacks. You should have seen my wife and her sister checking the quality of the rice.

LL

Hey LL,

I have also spoken with my wife about keeping the money in the village so we keep everyone as happy as possible. I have no issues with helping the locals as long as the quality is there. I friend of mine ran into a similar issue in Vietnam when he was building his house. The locals actually told his wife that they would make his life there harder if he sought labor elsewhere to build their new house before he even thought about it. He brought in a General Contractor with the skills to show the locals what to do and it worked out fine. The project took a little longer but it is done. This actually made him a big man about town since many of the locals now had better construction skills so they could get more work and more money so the respect was earned. Some of the locals even come by now and again and ask if they can show a prospective client some of the previous work. It is always to remember that this is not our country and TIT so we need to do our best not to cause any conflict that was not there before.

Thanks for the input.

Mike in Seattle (Snowing by the way)

[BKK90210]

Oceanrover Mike

I'm not far from you and got approx 3.5" on this first day! The light went off at 7:30pm and just came back at 8:00pm

[oceanrover]

Oceanrover Mike

I'm not far from you and got approx 3.5" on this first day! The light went off at 7:30pm and just came back at 8:00pm

Hey BKK90210,

Where are you located? I work in downtown and live in Des Moines. We have not lost power, but we had lightning and thunder while it was snowing. That was a first for me as you don't usually have them at the same time. It is not bad today, but I worked in Alaska for 8 eight years so I drive as one should in the snow as opposed to all the JackA@#s that fly by in SUVs thinking that they are safe and better drivers because they have SUVs.

Keep out of the slush.

Mike in Seattle.

[BKK90210]

At Dockside on Kitsap Lake in Bremerton, just google it you will see my subdivision. No lightening or thunder or even a ray of sunshine here all day yesterday and today…bummer.

The city road crew came pretty quickly last night around 11:00 pm for snow scraping before the morning commute and also today they have been working off&on every few hours interval all day even though we have had only 1” extra sofar. Nice to see my tax dollars hard at work .

My SUV is still asleep in the garage cause I’m working from home…he he .

Cheers…and keep safe. Oh we won again tonight....Go Seahawks!

BKK

Edited November 28, 2006 by BKK90210

[Thaicoon]

Our rice harvest was good again this year, last year got 300 bags, but some of these were due to interest on a loan, this year got 150 bags, our 30% share, so not bad, pay for a few nights on the town in Bangers, will keep them untill the price gos up, it makes a differance when you have a lot of rice,

[macb]

Our rice harvest was good again this year, last year got 300 bags, but some of these were due to interest on a loan, this year got 150 bags, our 30% share, so not bad, pay for a few nights on the town in Bangers, will keep them untill the price gos up, it makes a differance when you have a lot of rice,

We are doing the same keeping the bulk till the price goes up, in about another 9 days or so we will cut the brown rice (3 Rai) give 3 sacks to mother-in-law and the wife likes brown rice to eat. Sroed at the moment about 43 sacks.

Still got still another 22 to come in as interest on loans that puts us up to about 25 sacks (Without the brown volume)

Then wait for the price to rise.

[oceanrover]

Our rice harvest was good again this year, last year got 300 bags, but some of these were due to interest on a loan, this year got 150 bags, our 30% share, so not bad, pay for a few nights on the town in Bangers, will keep them untill the price gos up, it makes a differance when you have a lot of rice,

We are doing the same keeping the bulk till the price goes up, in about another 9 days or so we will cut the brown rice (3 Rai) give 3 sacks to mother-in-law and the wife likes brown rice to eat. Sroed at the moment about 43 sacks.

Still got still another 22 to come in as interest on loans that puts us up to about 25 sacks (Without the brown volume)

Then wait for the price to rise.

Macb,

Nice to see that there are Thais who like Brown Rice. My wife does not care for it regardless of how often I twist her arm to eat it. We even have two rice cookers, one for me and one for her. It will be nice to get Brown Rice on the cheap in the future. We currently get it for around $2 USD per Kilo here in Seattle. I wish that there was wold rice grown in some wet areas of Thailand, but I have yet to hear of it. It is so expensive here and mostly is grown in the upper Mid West of the US I think.

Later

Mike in Seattle with Studded Snow Tires installed

[macb]

Well last Sunday Mervyn and Nid arrived From Petchabun along with with Brin and Mott and Earl!!: In the Evening Andy and par came over from the next village, and Billy and his wife, then My Cousin Ron and Char arrived.

M wife had cooked a big pan of stew for the guys, and of course the Beer flowed and we all had a good old Natter, the ladies ate Thai Food . The next day we set off for khap Cheong as I had to stamp the old passport. Well I was sat next to this guy then suddenly he said your Mac aren't you it was Eddie11 from ThaiVisa what a small world. Well in our party was Mervyn Nid Bee and me also Earl.

We then went to the Border mkt, having bought this and that we headed for FC Surin as you know from another post.

Well here are some pics from the get together at my house.

The last picture is my mate Mervyn and his lovely wife Nid (I have known Mervyn 22 yrs now great guy and friend)

[Lourens]

I'm in Buriram now and have been for the last week. It's good to be back again and getting into the groove of Thai life again. Already we went to Aranyapathet market, a bird sanctuary just outside of town and the FC in Surin and had lots of beers with old friends. I'm looking forward to meet more Thaivisa members soon and share another couple of beers. Unfortunately I don't have ready access to the internet at the moment and have to make do with a noisy shop by the night market. Hopefully this will change soon.

[macb]

I'm in Buriram now and have been for the last week. It's good to be back again and getting into the groove of Thai life again. Already we went to Aranyapathet market, a bird sanctuary just outside of town and the FC in Surin and had lots of beers with old friends. I'm looking forward to meet more Thaivisa members soon and share another couple of beers. Unfortunately I don't have ready access to the internet at the moment and have to make do with a noisy shop by the night market. Hopefully this will change soon.

you me and TBWG got to have a meet then BBQ or lunch at Bamboo with our ladies

[Lourens]

You name the time and date and we will be there. I am planning on going to Koh Chang from Sunday for a few days and should be back again by Wednesday or Thursday next week. You have my mobile number Mac. Give me a call.

[phibunmike]

And you are absolutely right they have no clue about how much they get or anybusiness sense.

My experience too. When I asked how many bags per rai, I was told "some years good, some years not so good". So how many in a good year ? How many in a bad year ? Answer: "Sometimes not so many". What is the average ? "It varies...".

If memory serves well (and that is a big IF) we got 56 sacks off 8 rai last year. Does that sound right ?

This year I let the in-laws farm it, as it didn't seem worthwhile. They don't give a percentage, just supply us with the rice we need. I am happy as long as I have rice growing around the house, as I love the colour.

[macb]

And you are absolutely right they have no clue about how much they get or anybusiness sense.

My experience too. When I asked how many bags per rai, I was told "some years good, some years not so good". So how many in a good year ? How many in a bad year ? Answer: "Sometimes not so many". What is the average ? "It varies...".

If memory serves well (and that is a big IF) we got 56 sacks off 8 rai last year. Does that sound right ?

This year I let the in-laws farm it, as it didn't seem worthwhile. They don't give a percentage, just supply us with the rice we need. I am happy as long as I have rice growing around the house, as I love the colour.

WEll those figures your quoting that equates to 7 bags per Ria thats good I averaged 4 per Rai this year and we used top grade Fertilizer.

[TBWG]

you me and TBWG got to have a meet then BBQ or lunch at Bamboo with our ladies

Hi Macb

Sounds like a good idea, very busy at the moment so need a bit of lead time!

By the way whereabouts are you in Huairat in relation to say the railway station?

TBWG

[macb]

you me and TBWG got to have a meet then BBQ or lunch at Bamboo with our ladies

Hi Macb

Sounds like a good idea, very busy at the moment so need a bit of lead time!

By the way whereabouts are you in Huairat in relation to say the railway station?

TBWG

Well we are the other side of the Railway Station, if you know where folks park there m/c then walk across the line to the platform?

From this side its straight down the road with the r/s behind you past the Burriram turn where the rice store is on the junction at the big school on the left turn left at this junction, continue for about 6 clicks and you come to a small garage turn left here on a concrete road follow this to the temple turn right onto gravel road follow this into the village turning left at the first junction.We are at the bottom

Now you really lost haha

I will PM my mobile number your welcome to visit, maybe your wife/partner knows our address send on pm

[macb]

Well a new fishing Venue opened yesterday Between Burriram and Huairat on the main road:

Went with the wife and a couple of local Farang mates we had a pleasant afternoon, its 100 bht to fish all day and a rod is 30 bht, but I got my own yesterday the beer was 40 bht per bottle.

Observation I think they oponed a little prematurely the fish are small and some of the bigger fish introduced are dying, some of the fishing shelters roofs are actually to low and there is no seating, but this may improve as they make more improvements, makes for a pleasant change seeings I am new to the fishing game. I forgot my camera but next time will take some pics

[macb]

Well yesterday I tried fishing in the bore near our house: (Bearing in mind I got 'L' when it comes to fishing)

Could see the fish feeding on the top but I didnt have a float so after no success it was into town know I got a couple of floats, they didnt like the bread I got from the Tackle shop then we tried pork tht dint work, then we tried squid I got one bite but the fish one, so will try the float system next

[Lourens]

There should be a fishing forum somewhere

I'm in Koh Chang now and find it difficult to get used to all the farrang traffic around the place. And the things they do . . . .

It's a nice break though but I won't mind getting back to good ol' Isaan again soon.

[macb]

There should be a fishing forum somewhere

I'm in Koh Chang now and find it difficult to get used to all the farrang traffic around the place. And the things they do . . . .

It's a nice break though but I won't mind getting back to good ol' Isaan again soon.

So pleased you are enjoying yoursefl, well I have started a topic in the appropraite section on fishing, went bak to the bore yesterday and caught 2 wow well its amove in the rigiht direction

[khon kaen boy]

Hi MacB, what kind of fish are you going for ??, I have just returned to work about 4 days ago brrrr -7 DegC, but where I live in Khon Kaen is on a small lake which was closed from fishing for 11 months to restock, it opened about 1 week before I left and there was a lot of nice fish there

Pla Nin, Pla sawai, Pla tapien, Pla duk, Pla chon, Pla chin and Tap Tim, the biggest I managed was a 4 kilo pla sawai

Have just telephoned the wife and one of the guys has just landed a 7 kilo Pla Isok !!!!!

I think a separate fishing section would be a good idea for here so as to swap ideas, tricks, etc

KK boy

[ray23]

You can farm rice or

[ray23]

Or

Or

And of course farming

[ray23]

Did I mention the Motorcycles

and of course there is the vicious guard dog

Dailey diary I don't have time, Issan living very simply is what you want it to be.

The beuaty here is yuo make your life what you want it to be. There are only the two of us a three bedroom home, not much work here. we have the houskeeper because it is a rare ocassion, when we spend a day at home. Nothing to do and never enough time to get it done

Edited December 9, 2006 by ray23

[macb]

Hi MacB, what kind of fish are you going for ??, I have just returned to work about 4 days ago brrrr -7 DegC, but where I live in Khon Kaen is on a small lake which was closed from fishing for 11 months to restock, it opened about 1 week before I left and there was a lot of nice fish there

Pla Nin, Pla sawai, Pla tapien, Pla duk, Pla chon, Pla chin and Tap Tim, the biggest I managed was a 4 kilo pla sawai

Have just telephoned the wife and one of the guys has just landed a 7 kilo Pla Isok !!!!!

I think a separate fishing section would be a good idea for here so as to swap ideas, tricks, etc

KK boy

Well I have not got my head round the Thai names for the Fish as I am new to Fishing: But cat fish and the silver ones similiar to perch and what might look like mud Fish ?????????

I have started a fishing Topic in the Hobbies Section

[macb]

Hi MacB, what kind of fish are you going for ??, I have just returned to work about 4 days ago brrrr -7 DegC, but where I live in Khon Kaen is on a small lake which was closed from fishing for 11 months to restock, it opened about 1 week before I left and there was a lot of nice fish there

Pla Nin, Pla sawai, Pla tapien, Pla duk, Pla chon, Pla chin and Tap Tim, the biggest I managed was a 4 kilo pla sawai

Have just telephoned the wife and one of the guys has just landed a 7 kilo Pla Isok !!!!!

I think a separate fishing section would be a good idea for here so as to swap ideas, tricks, etc

KK boy

Search this link;

http://www.yellowpages.co.th/newyp/index.php

to many for me too look at for you

[macb]

Hi MacB, what kind of fish are you going for ??, I have just returned to work about 4 days ago brrrr -7 DegC, but where I live in Khon Kaen is on a small lake which was closed from fishing for 11 months to restock, it opened about 1 week before I left and there was a lot of nice fish there

Pla Nin, Pla sawai, Pla tapien, Pla duk, Pla chon, Pla chin and Tap Tim, the biggest I managed was a 4 kilo pla sawai

Have just telephoned the wife and one of the guys has just landed a 7 kilo Pla Isok !!!!!

I think a separate fishing section would be a good idea for here so as to swap ideas, tricks, etc

KK boy

Search this link;

http://www.yellowpages.co.th/newyp/index.php

to many for me too look at for you

THere is a private Hopital over the Railway line near a Nursery but I dont know the detail, also there is a good doctor for ladies near the Railway Station look at my Burriram Topic

Edited December 10, 2006 by macb

[macb]

Hi MacB, what kind of fish are you going for ??, I have just returned to work about 4 days ago brrrr -7 DegC, but where I live in Khon Kaen is on a small lake which was closed from fishing for 11 months to restock, it opened about 1 week before I left and there was a lot of nice fish there

Pla Nin, Pla sawai, Pla tapien, Pla duk, Pla chon, Pla chin and Tap Tim, the biggest I managed was a 4 kilo pla sawai

Have just telephoned the wife and one of the guys has just landed a 7 kilo Pla Isok !!!!!

I think a separate fishing section would be a good idea for here so as to swap ideas, tricks, etc

KK boy

Search this link;

http://www.yellowpages.co.th/newyp/index.php

to many for me too look at for you

THere is a private Hopital over the Railway line near a Nursery but I dont know the detail, also there is a good doctor for ladies near the Railway Station look at my Burriram Topic

I put a reply in here that was for another Topic sorry

[macb]

done me homework re the Thai names for the fish:

The bore fish are as follows Pla Maw Pla Douk Pla Shonn

And at the Fishing lake where I am going tomorrow they are Pla Nin