Thread: Rubber trees 101

piwanoi, true, no tomorrows out my way, have money spend, show big face, but most have lived with nothing for most of their lives.
Have some rice and the jungle provides the rest, fish, bugs, rats and feral chickens, in my back yard again, dog here and there.
My house is more like a motel, extended family, but it looks like a motel, strange design, whole village is one big family compound, good for my kids.
Not a life for most, but I get by, had moments where I lost it, then realize, it's just the way. Except it,or move on. Jim

Originally Posted by jamescollister

piwanoi, true, no tomorrows out my way, have money spend, show big face, but most have lived with nothing for most of their lives.
Have some rice and the jungle provides the rest, fish, bugs, rats and feral chickens, in my back yard again, dog here and there.
My house is more like a motel, extended family, but it looks like a motel, strange design, whole village is one big family compound, good for my kids.
Not a life for most, but I get by, had moments where I lost it, then realize, it's just the way. Except it,or move on. Jim

I'm most certainly sure that most [a very few might] here wouldn't understand what your life, lifestyle, and connections are about, Jim...

All the best.

Originally Posted by thaimeme

Originally Posted by jamescollister

piwanoi, true, no tomorrows out my way, have money spend, show big face, but most have lived with nothing for most of their lives.
Have some rice and the jungle provides the rest, fish, bugs, rats and feral chickens, in my back yard again, dog here and there.
My house is more like a motel, extended family, but it looks like a motel, strange design, whole village is one big family compound, good for my kids.
Not a life for most, but I get by, had moments where I lost it, then realize, it's just the way. Except it,or move on. Jim

I'm most certainly sure that most [a very few might] here wouldn't understand what your life, lifestyle, and connections are about, Jim...

All the best.

It's life, for me better than walking a beat or tier in a prison, get to be a 24/7 dad, worth more than status. Jim

I drove some 1.5 year ago along the coast from Songhla to Nakhon Si Thammarat. And the overall impression from the villages there was quite depressive, seeing many collapsed shrimp farms and poor houses.

The shrimp boom was some 25 years ago when many had jumped on the band wagon. Then later the US market had stopped suddenly the import from Thailand - perhaps because a shrimp desease? So, it was a disaster for that area, the usual fishing hasn't helped much.

When, however, from NST you drive towards South over the country in direction to Phuket there is a vast land with rubberwood and oil palm plantations. And the villages and their houses look really wealthy. The difference to the north coast is in a huge contrast.

However 2 years ago the rubber price had been quite high, and the price of the rubberwood as well. Since that, because of a slow economy also the Chinese have slowed down buying the rubberwood, so it seems that the wealth there will slow down too.

The rubberwood plantation had started some 10 years ago also in the North, with a support from Thai government. Relatives of my wife made use of it and planted a piece of not very suitable hilly land. The growth, however, cannot be compared with the South where the rain precipitation is about 3 times more.

After 8 years it looks not so huge:



The neighbours were 2 years more advanced, so they started with the rubber. When I saw their first harvest I advised them to better sell it for an implant to Thai BH's. It could be quite a lucrative business in Thailand.

Originally Posted by Klondyke

The rubberwood plantation had started some 10 years ago also in the North, with a support from Thai government. Relatives of my wife made use of it and planted a piece of not very suitable hilly land. The growth, however, cannot be compared with the South where the rain precipitation is about 3 times more.

After 8 years it looks not so huge:



The neighbours were 2 years more advanced, so they started with the rubber. When I saw their first harvest I advised them to better sell it for an implant to Thai BH's. It could be quite a lucrative business in Thailand.

I THOUGHT TOO MUCH RAIN IS ALSO NO GOOD. KAMPHAENG PHET IS SUPPOSED TO BE A GOOD AREA...ACCORDING TO MY WIFES UNCLE

Okay so a few of us know a little bit about agriculture and specifically rubber..mostly from hard won experience methinks..at the end of the day if you have the land and a reasonable accommodation thereon plus a good woman there is not much else you need..maybe 10-15+k/pm to provide food (enough land to grow enough staple veggies in most cases) ,pay the electric bill and a few gallons of diesel. Unfortunately it is often the extended family "obligations" that tend to suck us dry?