Living in non Farang areas

[hhfarang]

I brought up this question on another thread but since it is of a different topic I thought I would start a new thread.

Hua Hin has changed enough over the last five years that my wife and I are thinking of taking up residence elsewhere.

I know a lot of you posters on this forum used to live in Hua Hin, Bangkok, Samui, Phuket, Pattaya, Chiang Mai, or other towns that had a reasonable farang population, and then chose to move to a more rural Thai area, probably your wife's home town/village.

I'm interested in knowing how you feel about the move now. Do you regret it? Are you bored out of your mind? How do the locals feel about you? Have you been a victim of crime as you may be perceived to be the rich farang?... stuff like that...

Thanks!

[Predator]

Used to live in HH a couple of years ago - great place but there are only so many times a week you can play golf/cut the grass/eat out at lunch time.

Might come back to see old friends at some point but afraid would not consider returning on a permanent basis.

Did have a vacation in Phuket earlier this year and found it scenic and a bit more vibrant than HH.


Why is there only one monopolies commission?

[Cowtown Comedy]

I enjoyed visiting my GF's family but I'm not interested in living in close proximity to them.

[hhfarang]

My wife's family are generally nicer folks than my own so that is not a worry for me. I would just like to know about the non-family aspects of living in the "provinces".

Is it less safe (doubt it with the recent crime here). How do people find the adjustment in general?

[PeteC]

Let me give you a little bit HH. I've never lived in a small village long term, but I have for several weeks at a time. Not in Issan but outside of Chachengsao. Nevertheless, it could have been a small village anywhere.

I was the only farang there, no western restaurants or food, only Thai TV 5 channels, no hot water, in fact had to take scoop showers out of a big Thai water pot. Most frequent passerby's were water buffalo and pigs.

I actually found it very relaxing and refreshing. Learned more spoken Thai while there than anywhere else. Slept like a baby awakened by the roosters every morning.

Only entertainment was playing snooker with the locals in the evening at the one and only bar with a pool table.

Everyone was very friendly and called me President Clinton as apparently they thought I looked like him. I never felt in any danger at all day or night, and in fact I think the mentality towards farangs in the small villages is much more friendly than in the tourist/farang resident centres.

The down side: You better like to read and have a good supply or source of reading material, or try your hand at writing a book. Nowadays you can get UBC everywhere so that will be a plus. Also, there is the internet that I didnt have then. You may find yourself drinking more. You will definitely need getaways to a city somewhere just for a change in atmosphere.

If you're the type though that really enjoys getting involved in community activities, your previous business and life experience could do a lot for the local folks. If you can get deeply involved in a village project or charity, I think you'll find the people will embrace you strongly.

I would suggest that before you pull the plug and pull up roots in HH, you try the village life for a minimum of 2 months straight. That should give you the answer about yourself. Pete

[hhfarang]

Thanks Pete,

That's the kind of informative response I was looking for. I'm sure I couldn't live in my wife's village. The town in Issan where we would settle is twenty minutes away from the village and has a few foreigners as well as a few rich Thais living there in nice homes with all the conveniences on lots fronting a beatiful section of the Mekong river. Although I know what you're talking about (cold water showers by dumping a bowl of collected rainwater over your head) from my mother-in-law's home, I don't think I would be going that feral.

I was more interested in your comments about how the locals treated you, and thought of you, which seems to be very good.

I don't think I could possibly drink more than I do here, so I would actually hope to find an interest to help me cut back.

Thanks again for your response... any others that would like to describe the experience?

[IHF]

depends on how local you want to become, I know plenty of Thai people who have never been to bkk.

you cant live the simple life in HH or other towns, and one thing is, more rural you go, more fresher and cheaper things get.

[splitlid]

Hi pete, i lived outside of chachoengsao for 3 years, where about were you?

[sandman67]

Allo Pete

like a couple of posters above ive done a couple of weeks living in the village where Ms S is from. Whilst it was a very laid back and relaxing time I just couldnt ever see myself slotting in there as Id get too bored and drink myself to death....I also sodding hate cockerels. As said above villagers embrace you when you respect them back, and I love the kids playing about and walks across the rice paddies....but hell it gets way too quiet after a week or two.

Here in HH I live in a Thai neighbourhood. Theres no farangs except me in the set of sois I live in. Its as laid back as the village...we even have herds of cows wandering by....I like it but thank god the chaos and ex pats are a 10 minute drive away....I miss speaking english I guess, and my thai is basic so developed conversation is out.

horses for courses I suppose....read Randy's blog...its a good insight on village living.

[PeteC]

Hi pete, i lived outside of chachoengsao for 3 years, where about were you?

In a little burg named Hua Somrung off of 331. Pete

[splitlid]

hi pete, ok i lived in phanom sarakham, has grown alot since i was there but still a small town, people were very friendly, would ocassionally see another westerner, but they were few and far between, used to have to goto bangkok to get all my western food every 2 weeks. even fresh milk was difficult to get.

lovely time spent there, i still have many friends who sometimes come and visit me here in HH.

but had to get away a couple of times a month either to bkk or pattaya for a bit of action and life.

[Spitfire]

Well HHF,

I lived in my wife's village for 2 years to get a good idea of both sides of the coin and both have their pros and cons.

It's more of a case of what you want or want to understand.

A city is expensive, hassle full, you know the score. It has what you need and it's available all the time(pros and cons).

The village might aswell be another planet. Slow pace of life, cheap, not so many goods(you might want) around but has it's virtues(clean air,slow pace of life, genuine Thai experience etc). So, you need to think and plan carefully about it, but I'm glad I did it for 2 years.

You need a car or pickup in the village, for sure, if you want it to be an easy existance, Tesco Lotus might be 50 km away or something.

There are other things with the village that are tricky, like the tanoy announcements at 6am, the attachment to the temple, what the village/family might require your wife to do to 'do the right thing' and this is often/never not up for question(however silly it sounds to you) as you will be living from where she comes from, amazing how much they conform/be different/accomodate to these things when they go home compared to living with you in a cosmopoliton city where that's not applicable and anything goes.

It's quite a change. The family pressure is usually high to be a good Thai. However, you will see the sort of place many of these girls really come from and will learn much, even if you only live there for a year or so, many farangs never see this stuff or are willing to but it will make you wife happy that you're interested in learning.

IMO, farangs don't really understand their girls till they have lived where the girl comes from and the girl doesn't really understand you until she's gone to the west to see where you have come from. It's a good idea, at least for a while, nothing to lose, you might learn something, Hua Hin will still be there afterwards.

If you decide to live in the village then you need to consider what you will be doing, whatever that might be. From my experience, it's a good idea to have a possible list of activities(or draw one up when you get there), you need to have a hobby/interest/pastime etc or you may find that you have too much time on your hands, so the specter of boose hangs around and countless middle-aged Thai guys will want to drink with you to gain face.

Be prepared for many to be very interested in you as you will be a novelty for a while.

The best thing for me about living in the middle of nowhere for some time was that I leant so much about Thai traditional life and that was the world my wife came from, so I'm very glad I did that.

The city will still be there when you decide to go/experience anything else. It's all a journey of discovery. Many believe they know it all but have yet to stay where their wife comes from.

Just observations but it reminds me of how I thought 5 years ago.

Good luck, I'd do it for a while and did, very glad too, only more understanding can come from actions such as these and your wife will be happy you want to try.

You can always come back later. Nothing tried, nothing ventured so to speak and this place is an adventure. Can still get on HHAD wherever you are man.

[hhfarang]

Thanks Spitfire,

Another good point of view!

[Cowtown Comedy]

very informative Spitfire....

[kendo]

Hi HHF
Myself and my wife live in the U.K but we have built a house in a village in Surin we try to go there 3 times a year.
I do like the village life but the longest i have ever stayed there is just a month, i find everyone very friendly and offen join in a game of french bowls, they are allways trying to get me to play in the local football team, they think because i am a farang that i will be good at football, but that's not the case.
I must admit tho i am allways happy too come down to HH i think i do have some novalty factor in the village, i think if i was there all the time it would where off prity quick.

Things i would consider is the wet season in land at a village after it rains the countryside just comes alive millions of bugs, mosqutos, and all manor of other critters, some times i find it unbareable.
There are packs of wild dogs that run through the villages and even the locals run into safe areas.
The Pooyahbaan has PA speakers on the water tower at 5.00am he starts to play music and make annoncements for about an hour but the chances are that you will allready be a wake, Thai villagers just get wrecked on wisky and play music very loud with no regard for anyone else, this can go on for days and nights.
The cockerals start doing there thing about 2.00am way before dawn and you allways here the sound of dogs fighting frogs croking and the tukay lizards calling.
In our village is a large temple the monks offen start chanting at dawn, people think village life very peacefull, it not that peacefull in our village.

Kendo.