Expats In The Sticks - Explain Why?

[thehelmsman]

First I want to begin by saying buying some land was my initial idea, I love real estate and the thought of buying land in the country was neat as hell. Built a nice solid house, had a baby. The whole shebang. I'm still working so only stay a few months at a time. The novelty has worn off and the thought of spending my non working years there is absolutely out of the question. I've worked too hard all my life to settle for watching the rice grow.

 

I can't be the only one who has come to this conclusion. Do you stay because you truly love the place or because you can't afford to relocate??????

[starky]

+1 Absolutely agree

The novelty does wear off. Im a city kid at heart and I do enjoy the serenity of living in the "jungle". I work offshore so only stay 6 months a year but as much as I love my wife,  kids,  house and dogs...I would struggle if I had to live there everyday. Also I am far enough away from Udon that travelling there more than a couple times a week would be taxing. The reason I stay (although the novelty hasnt completely worn off) is that my wife being very traditional feels that overwhelming debt and obligation to "take care" and thus never be to far from her family. We have discussed moving to town but at this stage, why push the issue? Shes happy and I am happy. My biggest problem is trying to convince my wife that buying land in the jungle is fairly pointless. I dont want my kids hanging around when im old. I want them to see the world and despite what she may think you can never convince me that all those paddies out in the jungle will be worth "big money" one day.

[HampiK]

For myself, I like the cities....

But I have a friend, which could afford to stay in a nice condo in the city.. but he prefer to stay in a rice fields somewhere in isaan...

He enjoy the silence. I don't know if he still like it in about 10 years.. but for now he is perfect happy there....

 

But I guess.. there are also a lot, they stay in the sticks, because their girlfriend is from there......

[chrisinth]

Courses for horses (or vice versa if you wish) I suppose. I do see your point about novelty wearing off; I used to see too many expats who started 'living the dream' by building on family land in the boonies only to become overwhelmed by boredom when they realize the dream didn't pan out as expected. In most cases (that I have seen) it turned out to be an expensive dream and they now have to sleep in the bed they have made for themselves.

 

That said, I also know people here that love the solitude and keep themselves in touch by travelling around Thailand to break the routine. Personally, I have chosen to live slightly off the beaten track, (as far as expat communities go) living up here in Phitsanulok. There are enough expats here to have their own little cliques but not enough to get annoying by believing they are still living in their own home countries because of high numbers of foreigners. We have the usual Big-C's, Lotus's & Makro's, also have Central as well.

 

Truth be told, I could live anywhere as I have been away from home on other shores all my adult life, but am happy where I am at present. That is 17 years up here now, not expecting to make any moves soon..........................

[billd766]

I have been living in rural Khampaeng Phet for 12 years now with my wife and son on 15 rai. I have lived and worked in 38 countries in my working life, in cities, towns, villages, airfields in the back of beyond and my choice is to live here. My wife is from Bangkok and she had land here before I met her so she was not a country girl.

 

I am surrounded by hills and the Mae Wong national park is just the other side of the fence though the entrance is about 2 km up the road. I have plenty of space, good neighbours, Thai friends not far away, farang friends a bit further.

 

I watch the sun and moon rise and set and breathe fresh air 99% of the time. My internet connection is OK and hopefully will improve when the fibre optic cables arrive.

 

I am not living in a small box along with other small boxes stacked on top of each other. The kids have plenty of room to play without disturbing anybody and they dont need to play beside the roads.

 

The road up to KPP is pretty good, there are few if any traffic jams and little or no pollution. The people are friendly and do have genuine smiles. There are 3 fresh markets a week plus the normal daily one.

 

The downside is that most years the local government water supply stops for anywhere between 2 and 6 months depending on the drought and rains. To get to the nearest BigC or Makro I have to go to KPP 65 km away.

 

My son goes to KPP for schooling and leaves about 5.45 am and gets back around 6 pm. He is 12 now and when he is 18 he will leave for tech college or university and will live elsewhere for work as there isn't anything for him here. We will both miss him but we can always go to see him and this will always be his home.

 

Having said that back in the UK I left school at 15 and joined the RAF as a boy so there is not much difference there.

 

My wife and I love it here but it is not a life for everyone.

[chiang mai]

Agreed with Bill, it's not for anyone. And like him I've lived in large cities around the world, I just reached a stage in my life where I appreciate the calm, the beauty and tranquillity of semi rural Thailand and after two years I now wish I'd bought even further out. Half of the reason why is not about things that I like but instead is about not being around the things I don't like, traffic jams, air that's polluted with exhaust fumes, tourists, late night bar noise etc etc. Another part of the picture is being closer to nature, watching the fireflies in the garden at night, birds of all types, and being around people who are not so affected by tourism and all the city has to offer.

[jimmyyy]

I could easily afford a nice place in Bangkok or Pattaya, but I prefer just outside of Khon Kaen.  I grew up in a small town, and prefer small town living.  We live in a very nice new house, Khon Kaen is just down the road if I have a need to visit.  A few days in Bangkok or Pattaya is all I can bear.  To many damn people.  

[mcfish]

There is no wrong or right in this thread it's just preference. But even at 90 I would still prefer to hassle bar girls in pattaya than watch grass grow but of course that's just me

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[billd766]

48 minutes ago, jimmyyy said:

I could easily afford a nice place in Bangkok or Pattaya, but I prefer just outside of Khon Kaen.  I grew up in a small town, and prefer small town living.  We live in a very nice new house, Khon Kaen is just down the road if I have a need to visit.  A few days in Bangkok or Pattaya is all I can bear.  To many damn people.  

 

The last time I was in BKK was in April of this year. Wherever I went there was shoulder to shoulder people.

I was staying with my BIL at Bang Bo off the Bang Na/Trat highway It took me 15 minutes on a Saturday morning to get to Sukhumvit road and another 30 minutes to get down to the BigC at On Nut BTS.

 

I wanted to buy some food stuff that I cant get out here. Even the BTS was packed solid.

 

I had lunch at the Bus Stop on soi Nana, visited Foodland and Villa and bought a few bits and pieces, got back on the BTS to get the pickup at BigC and it still took ages to get out to the Bang Na/Trat highway to go back to the BIL place.

 

I used to live in BKK in the mid 1990s and again from 2001 to 2004 and I didnt like it that much then, but now I just cant stand the place. I saw more farangs in that one day than I do in 3 months up here.

[transam]

We are all different....

[Kwasaki]

" Explain Why " 

Simple really,  my choice, my preference, countryside & jungle as opposed to a concrete jungle.

 

Never understood people who like living in cities but Ok that's their choice. 

[JLCrab]

As i used to say when living in rural Florida long before living in rural Thailand:

 

If you didn't bring it, it ain't there.

[williamgeorgeallen]

just did 6 months in nang rong, esan while my condo was being finished in pattaya. was actually quite surprised how good it was. lots of markets and fairs and great value. was a bit hot over the summer and i know it is a bit cold over the winter. prefer jomtien of course but it is not so bad once you meet some other expats if you can find some decent ones.

[bark]

2 hours ago, mcfish said:

There is no wrong or right in this thread it's just preference. But even at 90 I would still prefer to hassle bar girls in pattaya than watch grass grow but of course that's just me

Sent from my SC-01D using Tapatalk
 

Yes Thai Bar girls will keep you young. You 90 yrs, and the girl 25 yrs. Perfect.

[Jeffrey346]

I have lived here in Khon Kaen [ in the city ] for 10 years. Over the years, traffic has increased considerably. 

We have 10 rai about 40k outside of town and really wouldn't mind building a comfortable home and living there.

My issue is a heart condition. I haven't had any emergencies, but if I needed care, it's at least an hour to hospital in town. That's what is keeping me here in town..

[dotpoom]

Not complicated....there are "country" people ....and there are "city folk"...in this world,... and neither would voluntary swap for love nor money.

[Katipo]

I would say most foreigners who live in the sticks don't really do it out of choice, but rather because their wife/gf wants to be near her family, and you need her if you want to have a place to call your 'own'.

[Kwasaki]

4 minutes ago, Katipo said:

I would say most foreigners who live in the sticks don't really do it out of choice, but rather because their wife/gf wants to be near her family, and you need her if you want to have a place to call your 'own'.

 

Most !!    come on only ones without many brain cells or no self respect.

[mcfish]

6 minutes ago, Katipo said:

I would say most!  foreigners who live in the sticks don't really do it out of choice, but ratThailand because their wife/gf wants to be near her family, and you need her if you want to have a place to call your 'own'.

 

Yep you nailed it. Being a country boy back home surrounded by your own people's is light years away from being one in thaI land where you may as well well be on Mars

[DSJPC]

you don't speak Thai, do you???

[chiang mai]

16 minutes ago, Katipo said:

I would say most foreigners who live in the sticks don't really do it out of choice, but rather because their wife/gf wants to be near her family, and you need her if you want to have a place to call your 'own'.

 

Is the same true of couples who live in any other country, they only live in the country because of blah blah blah!

 

The fact is that some people enjoy the country, others prefer the towns or city life. I regard myself as very fortunate in that I live in an area that all the city dwellers flock to see because of its natural beauty, especially at this time of year yet I am only 30 minutes away from Chiang Mai city and that entails, if I decide I want to visit.

[mcfish]

Are you talking to me? Why would I, I live in lower sukhumvit Bangkok an insist that every one speaks English which of course they do.

[catman20]

cos they thought it was a good idea at the time.

[saluandnai]

i'm from commuter belt of London uk, I came to live in Thailand age 47 after holidaying here fror 10 years, I lived in pattaya for 13 years, for the last 5 of those years I rode around Thailand on my motorbike  looking for somewhere to settle down as I know it wasn't going to be pattaya, I narrowed it down to the chiang mai, chiang rai, pai area, one trip I looked at 8 pieces of land n as soon as I rode onto the last one I knew it was for me, 2 rai all grass dotted with fruit trees , plots either side 20 rai each so i'm pretty secluded, I have built a house on it, have dogs n chickens etc , the people are helpful and friendy , I've  been back to pattaya 3 times in 18 months n only stayed one night, couldn't wait to get back, this is my choice not a financial one n I love it no more rip off pattaya, Bangkok for me . I live between mae rim and pai  surrounded by mountain yet have a makro 20 min away, not a bar to be seen.

 

Edited November 23, 2016 by saluandnai
extra info

[transam]

15 minutes ago, DSJPC said:

you don't speak Thai, do you???

No I don't, but my farang singing voice is well known here...

[JLCrab]

33 minutes ago, Katipo said:

I would say most foreigners who live in the sticks don't really do it out of choice, but rather because their wife/gf wants to be near her family, and you need her if you want to have a place to call your 'own'.

I made several extended trips to Khon Kaen to do skilled volunteer work with a large Thai Foundation. The girls came later.

[namoi]

I was born and bred in the bush, no interest in cities at all, the old saying is "you can take the boy out of the bush but not the bush out of the boy"

Edited November 23, 2016 by namoi

[gk10002000]

The Gentleman Farmer syndrome.  Quite common.  Hard to get the best of both worlds.

[Katipo]

20 minutes ago, chiang mai said:

 

Is the same true of couples who live in any other country, they only live in the country because of blah blah blah!

 

The fact is that some people enjoy the country, others prefer the towns or city life. I regard myself as very fortunate in that I live in an area that all the city dwellers flock to see because of its natural beauty, especially at this time of year yet I am only 30 minutes away from Chiang Mai city and that entails, if I decide I want to visit.

 

I am afraid I don't agree. Living in a rural area in your own (probably developed) country surrounded by people with the same culture and language is very different to moving to a small village in the middle of a semi-developed foreign land where you are likely to be one of the only, if not the only, person from your own part of the world. The people around you will almost certainly have a very different world view which will exacerbate your isolation. It is likely that they will have preconceived views of you, will never fully accept you as one of your own, even if you are fluent in the language. There are some who may find this lifestyle desirable, but for many their could be effects detrimental to their mental health. Humans for the most part are social beings, even those who would consider themselves isolationists. The vast majority of us require mental and emotional stimulation that can only come from healthy interaction with others. While it appears some of us here can spend inordinate amounts of time behond the keyboard, this is no substitute to face-to-face interaction with people to whom we can relate and feel valued.

[transam]

2 minutes ago, Katipo said:

 

I am afraid I don't agree. Living in a rural area in your own (probably developed) country surrounded by people with the same culture and language is very different to moving to a small village in the middle of a semi-developed foreign land where you are likely to be one of the only, if not the only, person from your own part of the world. The people around you will almost certainly have a very different world view which will exacerbate your isolation. It is likely that they will have preconceived views of you, will never fully accept you as one of your own, even if you are fluent in the language. There are some who may find this lifestyle desirable, but for many their could be effects detrimental to their mental health. Humans for the most part are social beings, even those who would consider themselves isolationists. The vast majority of us require mental and emotional stimulation that can only come from healthy interaction with others. While it appears some of us here can spend inordinate amounts of time behond the keyboard, this is no substitute to face-to-face interaction with people to whom we can relate and feel valued.

What a load of rollox................