Hi Jim I live about 50kms South of Buri ram ,I've been here since April 04 ,and as you rightly say many Thai's appear to fritter their money away on non essentials , many here only work at planting and harvesting time and appear to have a lot of time on their hands ,time were they could be doing other things ,this is why I said earlier ,I am sure with the right approach their lives could Improve ,nice to hear that Rubbers going up too, many have give up on Rice ,and now on the higher ground thousands of rubber saplings have taken rices place ,Jans Aunt has 15 Rai chock full of 18 month old trees ,but she's a grafter and is down there almost every day doing something or other ,shame her bone idle husband is not the same way inclined ,theres a Dutch guy about 15 kms from me who comes in our local who's got 25 rai of 2 year old trees so he's confident enough in rubbers future ,I suppose its the same old adage you only get out what you put in innit