Building a house in Isaan, for Dummies.

[sabang]

Basically, I''m loving it up here and long may it continue. Not to say there aren't frustrations- took me over two weeks to get my Ipstar connection working when I got back here, and you certainly can't just pop out for an impromptu meal of choice as was the case back in Pattaya- unless you're content with noodle soup that is, the one dish they do reliably in these parts. And, if your mentality is governed by the clock you'll struggle a bit- because the Locals mentality certainly isn't. But things get done.

For this farang, there are three 'Pillars' that I think my Isaan life would be sorely lacking in the absence of-

1- The wife- Translator, partner, buddy, money manager, cook, gopher- 'nuff said. I'm lucky to have a good one- and boy would the life be tougher up here without her support and care.



^ Funny hat though. Local food could best be described as between eclectic and hair raising. Guess the farangs meal- thats boiled pig guts on the left:-



Actually I eat pretty well- I'll try more local stuff than many a farang, but there are definite limits.

2- The Internet - My everyday link with the outside world really. Life here could best be described as a pleasant mundanity, interspersed with regular and welcome diversions. But for the day to day, thank goodness theres the Internet- even though the best I could do was Ipstar, which sure ain't great, neither is it cheap. I'd feel a bit isolated without it.

3- Family - I'm lucky to have a good family of in-laws, and that isn't always the case in Thailand. Mother in law, who lives with us, is an absolute gem. Then theres 'old Auntie' over the road and KK her son, the wife & kids. We're in and out of each others houses for eats, drinks and so on- KK and I both like a drink when he ain't busy working. 'Young Auntie' regularly pops out from the village- she loves western food, although to her that means burgers, sandwiches & hot dogs. Plenty of kids around too- not unusual for some to stay overnight. They're not the grasping type that expect farang to pay for everything, in fact they reciprocate with food & drinks too. I sure wouldn't be living here if they were a pain in the arse. And cousins working down south come up regularly- mrs sabs sister has recently completed a nice house in the village, her and hubby are longing to move back here. But not for a couple of years- Bangkok wages are paying off their house and car.

So those are the essential Pillars, for me. Then theres the weather, the fresh air and scenery, the friendly locals- and some surprising characters you meet, the drives in the country, markets, periodic forays into Ubon or maybe further afield, a few local farangs, and of course stuff to do around the house. We've got friends in neighbouring provinces- Thai & farang- and visits to them are on the agenda, sometimes we get visitors from further afield too- which I hope the completed Doghouse will further encourage.

Talking of characters, we met this charming old wrinkly at a bucolic shop not far from here, surrounded by forest- of course it sells beer, and I'm quite likely their first and only farang customer. He spoke to me in heavily accented English and, with some help from the wife, we had a chat- he used to load bombs for the USAF at the Ubon base during the Vietnam War, and hadn't seen a farang for years. Great old character- we dropped him back home after a couple of Lao Khao's:-



Life here isn't for everyone but I wouldn't describe it as boring, in fact it's very pleasant indeed- but those Pillars are important. We've opened a small Convenience shop too. Well, the 'shop' isn't there yet actually, but heres where it will be:-



^ The original half sized, half arsed 'carport' that irritated me so much when the bungalow was first built. We'll put down outdoor tiles and prolly a bit of a verandah. I think I'll put up a ramshackle 'lean-to' as well, under the tree in the front garden, so the yokels can sit and have a beer or a Lao khao. Or a chat.

But this is Isaan, and the absence of a shopfront didn't stop us from opening for trade.



Of course, the money is almost an afterthought- if it pulls more than two or three thousand baht a month profit I'll be surprised. But the locals are glad it's there- otherwise it's over three km's of dirt track to the nearest shop. Entirely the ladies idea of course, but I'm quite amused to have ended up a small shopkeeper in the sticks- no doubt my old stockbroker mates would be impressed too.

Our biggest seller to date- Lao Khao, by far.

[sabang]

Our first little veggie patch was put down next to the carport-



A couple of weeks later. thats Isaan rocket in the front, growing like a rocket. Not too hard to grow stuff here.



some more stuff planted here-



And some rice- while we were away Mil decided to put some down to keep busy. Anyway, chickens ate the fledgling seeds, cows many of the stalks, and we don't think we'll be seeing any rice from this years harvest -



We will need to put up some rickety fencing in due course, to protect our veges from bovine depredation. They want barbed wire, but I hate the idea- wood and bamboo for me.

Longer term farang projects are some western herbs like oregano & rosemary, tomatoes of course (can't beat home grown), I'll try my hand with some loose leaved lettuce varieties, and two or three avocado trees- but it will be a few years before they produce fruit, if ever.

We'll put down some gravel rock for a driveway too in due course. Personally, I'm not bothered about this- but my houseproud females are. It will be one of the last jobs done though-

[beazalbob69]

Damn Sabang I am envious of you!
I can only hope I can do something similar within the next 5 years or so.
I am not sure of your age but I am only 35 and not too wealthy.
My wife is here in the US with me and working her butt off to start the ball rolling!
We are both lucky to have good inlaws. I agree with you couldnt live in the village without them.
Great thread! Great pics! Keep it up!

[sabang]

^ I'm 49, not out. Dropped out of the rat race early, damn lucky to be able to after an expensive divorce, a financial crisis to weather, and various other crap. You don't need to be rich to live comfortably in provincial Thailand, but you certainly shouldn't attempt it on a shoestring budget either- that can be a real horror story. So keep that shoulder to the wheel for a few more years, you're yet young.

Some final piccies in the Doghouse-




There will be a fishing rod or two dangling there one day.
And some beers consumed here- had my first farang guest over about a week ago, for the christening-




Mrs says l'interieur is a bit dark, and thinks maybe we should plasterboard it:-



I'm keeping the option open, but am inclined not to. With some white or at least light furniture, and some whiteish Balinese paintings I've currently got hanging in the house down near Pattaya, I think it will set things off nicely- we'll see. Can always change my mind, but I'd like to stay with a rustic, local style if I can- given that the main house is anything but that.



I'll finish off with a few random shots from Mrs sab sister's house blessing. More to add to this thread over time though, after the builders come again and we get some sort of presentable garden in place.














Some chilled out local dude:-

[Marmite the Dog]

I'm keeping the option open, but am inclined not to.

What about using some of that woven bamboo sheeting stuff? DrAndy used it in his guest cottages to great effect.

[sabang]

^ Thats a thought. I'd certainly rather that than gyprock.

[DrAndy]

I'm keeping the option open, but am inclined not to.

What about using some of that woven bamboo sheeting stuff? DrAndy used it in his guest cottages to great effect.

yep, it lightens the room up, and looks good too

anyway Sabang, well done on your new life, it looks as if you have cracked it

don't tell all those whingers though, it might upset them if they found out you can have a good life in rural Thailand

[shunpike]

Great pix Sab. I agree with you about the interior of the doghouse. Keep it as is for a while, see how you feel over time. The floor looks great, what a nice little space. Congrats!

[sabang]

Back again. Happy Halloween!



It's 'kiew khao' time now, everyones busy harvesting rice ('cept us that is). It's a good time of year, because people are getting money- although they sure do work for it. Several of the local shops I frequent for a beer are closed during the day now- they're out in the fields. Thats good for our little shop though- whiskey khao and beer sales are up, the odd bottle of Sangsom and Hong Thong, which is the local fave- and my busy little shop bees have got themselves an added sideline, cooking up lunch for the rice labourers. Nice.

Our fledgling vege garden is going gangbusters, heres some morning glory and Isaan eggplant to the right-




Already producing food too. This is mostly a couple of types of Isaan/Thai basil here-




And plenty of it actually, yet another type of basil (seems we've got every basil on the go except the 'proper' Italian or sweet basil). This lot goes into todays lunch, to feed not just ourselves but the hungry rice slaves-




Taken this morning (horrible fot too). But towards the front, our loose leaved lettuce is producing plenty. The trick is to get to the leaves before the insects do- so we keep 'em lean and mean but they keep on producing-




Blimey, it was never this easy in Oz. Am I living in the Garden of Eden or something?

Na, don't get too cocky sabang- the weather this time of year is just perfect for these type of vegies. I imagine rainy season will bring it's own challenges.

So another Bed going down, but this one is going to be for ornamental flowers. Knowing the girls though, they'll choose some they can eat




-

[Nawty]

if you growing shit that easy.....can you come to my place please.

[sabang]

So, back to the higgledy compound. The Builders have been and gone, and added a few finishing touches. Voila' a verandah-




Bought a few of these plastic lotus shaped pots as you can see, I think the Mrs sneakily planted some foodstuffs before I could insist on flowers. OK, you win- but we're definitely gonna get some Bougainvillea on the go against the Doghouse. Or else!





And our groovy new tiled ex shite carport now verandah, featuring our groovy new bikes which I bought to help save the environment-





Plans do change in Isaan. The doghouse was to be my 'puter room & study, but now we reckon we'll keep it like it is- we're quite happy with the shopette being in our front entrance, so we're not gonna bother moving it to the ex shite carport. And whilst my worker bees are off shopping, I can still sit at my computer and keep an eye on the shop. Only too happy to serve.

The doghouse will be the farang TV room (satellite to be organised) and of course still the spare bedroom, farang beer verandah and (one day) fishing perch. The newly tiled space, well I reckon we'll move this table there, currently being used to air rugs and perish in the sun. A place for the yokels to sit if they want-



I was never happy with the bodgy job between the main and carport roof and it leaked anyway, so I got them to do it again, better. The rainwater runoff will go into the Pond.




Notice a few wires hanging about, and that auspicious new wall lamp? Yep, the sparkies are here. In a couple more days we'll be wired up. Some Piccies will follow then. The builders also put a proper type gyprock ceiling in the dunny block while they were here, I didn't like the fact that otherwise some enterprising rats could get into the storeroom and make a nest there, amongst my precious things.

The Shopette is doing better than I would have thought too. Gosh, looks like we might even make 4 or 5k a month from it, but who's counting. We don't even have a sign up- it's all word of mouth. Main thing is, it's actually quite fun, something productive to do, and locally appreciated. So heres a Question for you- do you reckon I should get a new Thread going along the lines of 'A tiny shop in Isaan', or would that be just excruciatingly boring? I'll wait to hear from ya.

[Norton]

A tiny shop in Isaan

Do it. There are many painfully boring threads on TD. This one will be far less boring for sure.

[sabang]

if you growing shit that easy.

So far it's been a doddle mate. Really surprised.
Well, our tomato bush is pretty puny thus far, but I've got greater plans for tommies anyway. I'm gonna try vining some against the doghouse.

[Norton]

but I've got greater plans for tommies anyway. I'm gonna try vining some against the doghouse.

Tomatoes are tough. As with your place, stick something in the ground here and it grows. Tried tommies a few times and results where far from satisfactory. Variety you select is important to success. Best to look around your area and see which ones do well.

[sabang]

I used to know a bloke who did really well with his tomatoes in Adelaide- quite a few varieties, all delicious. I asked him what his secret was.

He fertilised with Human dung. Noice.

[12Call]

Doghouse railings look a tad low but great job and hope you enjoy.

[jandajoy]

So far it's been a doddle mate. Really surprised.

Spuddies ?

[12Call]

Plenty of House Plans here:

Smilehomes : ÈÙ¹ÂìÃÇÁẺºéÒ¹ÊÓàÃç¨ÃÙ» ÃÒ¤Ò¶Ù¡ ¾ÃéÍÁ¹Óä»»ÅÙ¡ÊÃéÒ§ä´é·Ñ¹·Õ áÅТéÍÁÙÅàÃ×èͧºéÒ¹

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[12Call]

Some nice plans here with plans advice:

Details about Plan Package

[Marmite the Dog]

Why not mix flowers and veggies together? They'll grow better if you do and it'll look nice as well.

[sabang]

Spuddies ?

I doubt I could make them work around here. The cold season is the dry season, the hot season the wet. Just not right. I'd love to grow brussels sprouts, but same story. Can't fight nature that much.

Why not mix flowers and veggies together? They'll grow better if

We'll be doing that too- but I didn't know it made them grow better?

Doghouse railings look a tad low

Prolly, but it will have to do. It was a scrounged/ cannibalised/ recycled wood job mainly. Originally, they weren't gonna put any railings up! I had a chunk taken out of the decking to get it done.

[Marmite the Dog]

but I didn't know it made them grow better?

It encourages more bugs which improves pollination and keeps the plant eating bugs down by encouraging more predators. Mixing plants also confuses the crop eating bugs. It also provides more shade, mulch and a better micro-climate.

[rawlins]

Excellent stuff Sabang... Really enjoyed reading this and happy to see that things are going well for you up in the sticks.

The compound is looking grand.... Any ideas for further expansion of it?

Would love to have something similar myself one day, but like you say, without the right 'pillars' around you it could be a struggle...

Thanks for posting.

[sabang]

The compound is looking grand.... Any ideas for further expansion of it?

Cheers mate. I think mainly it's points for style from now on. Get ground cover down around the pond & doghouse- that might have to wait until things wetten up again. We'll need a few tonne of stone for borders & ultimately the driveway- and that'll need to be done before the Wet, otherwise the truck either can't get thru', or will destroy the bluddy tracks if it can. More Flowers, veges & fruit trees. Maybe a chook run, though the wimmin seem to have gone cool on that idea. Mrs sab got this strange idea of building a smallish, shallow catfish pond though with an isle in the middle, off the TV- basically you put their food on the little islet, bang on a tin can, and the catties come out of the water to eat it! Pavlovs Dog type stuff- and apparently it keeps the water from becoming fouled. Sounds cool to me, and I might be able to make something ornamental out of it. The wiring is being done now for the carport, dunny block and doghouse, and I'll add some flyscreens in the dunny block and doghouse- a vain battle against the local insects. And a decent quality flyscreen/ security door for the house & doghouse- need to look around for that. Aircons in our bedroom & the doghouse to follow, they won't be used much but I suppose at times I'll be glad they're there. I'd say thats about it, but you never know.

I suppose if I knew from the start this would be 'Home' instead of the upcountry cottage, I might've done a couple of things a bit grander. Wrap round verandah for one, third interior bedroom with en suite, bigger wardrobes, load more cupboard space for the kitchen. But we've gotten by, by working it out as we go along. The doghouse has a certain eccentric charm to it, and the separate space where I can get drunk, play loud music, molest the wife or whatever does make sense. I suppose the main thing is how you 'feel' about a place, and I can honestly say we like living in our place here better than our faux Provencal' villa down south- it just feels more like home.

To top it all off, all I really want is for some equally mad but talented French or Italian chef to move in locally and open a restaurant (and smuggle his wine in from Laos of course). And for twin sisters to move into the deserted place across from us, bisexual nyphomaniacs. I'd be happy to help with the plumbing. About time Ubon got a decent gogo too.

Incidentally, Mrs sabs little flower bed (I just helped with a bit of ground clearing, and barrowing the blocks) is looking OK, considering she's just using leftover stuff from the Builders-



How suburban, a white picket fence. I'll get it looking level in due course. In the course of the work, this beauty appeared-





He's still out there somewhere- no need to kill him unless for food. Our family over the track are always happy to lend us their lawnmowers too-



Wonderful machines. Grass and weeds (and a few veges) in one end, fertiliser out the other.

[ferretface]

i will be doing the same thing down korat in the future.an excellent thread,ive learned a lot from it sabang.well done mate.i hope you will be happy there for a few decades.