Thread: 100 rai; what to do?

not to sure why trees can't be planted on rice fields we have.

Originally Posted by Yasojack

Trees.

Teak, in particular....

But it will be a good 15-20 years wait.

the advantage of bamboo is you can sell the carbon credit and still harvest the lumber for building with no penalty and is fairly low maintenance.
I know of one person in CM doing the carbon credit scenario which isn't a lot of money but does cover some of the capital overhead. I just planted a bunch of bamboo on 30 rai to replace oil palms but am not pursuing the carbon credit scenario due land tittle nuances. I'm keeping the other 30 rai in oil palm to maintain a cash flow while the bamboo matures and am able to evaluate the commercial market for it.
The innitial investment for the proper species of bamboo is not cheap. But once started it's not too difficult to clone your own seedlings.
I'll know more in 3-4 years.

Originally Posted by Yasojack

not to sure why trees can't be planted on rice fields we have.

Rice land is nutrient depleted, the soil has no goodness left.
Most trees out here don't like wet root systems, they grow fast to start, but growth drops really fast after a few years.

Also as the trees grow the rains cause gully's as the soil is more sand and washes away. As the land/soil has no ability to hold the water, it becomes a sort of slush.
This means that when any big winds come the soil can not hold the root system and the trees fall over.

Everywhere is different, slope, soil, rain fall, etc make a difference, but generally rice land is crap for other uses.

You can make the better, but it takes time. Jim

I always believed Eucalyptus rapes the soil of nutrients? Maybe grow some squashes under the shade of the Euca saplings to replenish some of the nitrogen?

Bruno, we've got some agricultural land just to the west of the Kaeng Khro/Kaset Sombun district line in Chaiyaphum (near the two little reservoirs if you look on the map). I'd be surprised if we'd get even 50k/rai for it at the moment, I'd suspect it would be considerably less. Village land around there is maybe about 60 or 70K/rai on a good day, but not much more.

If you really wanted to plant something then Eucalyptus might be an idea. I seem to remember it was about a 4 year turnaround and I think you can sell it in the ground so the buyer is responsible to chop it down. As MTD points out though, Eucalyptus has a terrible reputation of killing the soil. I remember looking at some land about 10 years ago that had had three successive growths of Eucalyptus in it. The owners were asking next to nothing for the land, including the trees, and still couldn't sell it.

In your position I'd try to sell the land, and if that didn't work then I'd rent it out and have a small but regular revenue stream from it until someone offered me the price I wanted.

hmm a challenge for us expert old stagers...lol

Don't know how much business guts,financial resources you have but was thinking that if land is Chanote:
Lease it out if you can.
Put it on the market.
Mortgage it to the hilt (guess the bank would value it.. per west?), use cash to build buy rental unit in your new location or buy existing run down property and base upgrade bathroom,kitchen electrics plumbing etc add a lick of paint....rent/sell it/ to cover mortgage
Lot of headaches but know it works in the west atleast....?

Euca will grow anywhere in whatever soil type, euca also self composts.

Channel systems are a must if euca is planted, and a outlet for access water.

Up around Roi-et they have the most amazing plantations up there the trees are over 20 yrs old.

Originally Posted by jamescollister

Originally Posted by Yasojack

not to sure why trees can't be planted on rice fields we have.

Rice land is nutrient depleted, the soil has no goodness left.
Most trees out here don't like wet root systems, they grow fast to start, but growth drops really fast after a few years.

Also as the trees grow the rains cause gully's as the soil is more sand and washes away. As the land/soil has no ability to hold the water, it becomes a sort of slush.
This means that when any big winds come the soil can not hold the root system and the trees fall over.

Everywhere is different, slope, soil, rain fall, etc make a difference, but generally rice land is crap for other uses.

You can make the better, but it takes time. Jim

Originally Posted by Bettyboo

Originally Posted by Bruno

I just asked and was told around 150,000 -200,000 baht per rai

That's a lot of money... Maybe double to three times what my land is worth in Nakon Nayok, 5 mins from the highway. It must be bloody nice land you have, Bruno...

I like the trees idea too; maybe cheap fast growing trees for easy low cost sales - might work on a big mostly unattended plot?

Like everywhere else, location is key. Bottom line is no matter where your land is, it has gone up in value and some quicker than others. Our 1 rai plot on the main road is obviously worth more than the 4 rai off the main road and that is why I would like to have some shops on it.

Of course if someone came along and offered silly money for it, I may accept, but I don't think the wife would.

I have seen around us Thais buying back land, from people they owed money to, for silly prices just to save face.

Originally Posted by Bettyboo

Originally Posted by Bruno

I just asked and was told around 150,000 -200,000 baht per rai

That's a lot of money... Maybe double to three times what my land is worth in Nakon Nayok, 5 mins from the highway. It must be bloody nice land you have, Bruno...

Actually, these prices, for everyday parcels, have become the norm throughout the plateau and broader Isaan regions.

We're talking workable farmland.....less a quasi-commercial venue.
It doubles if they know Farang have some association.

Originally Posted by Marmite the Dog

I always believed Eucalyptus rapes the soil of nutrients? Maybe grow some squashes under the shade of the Euca saplings to replenish some of the nitrogen?

Taking nutrients for sure....but Eucalyptus traditionally suck up every bit of moisture.

Have a good look at an Eucalptus grove - bare and lifeless, except for the hardier variety of plantlife.

Adding helpful vegetation can help, as long as it is managed and nurtured well.

RS thats bollocks do some research

What do they use the cassava/yuca here for? Animal feed? In Peru it's a staple of the local cuisine. Not bad alongside a nice ceviche.

Avocados.

What! Grow Avocados on old rice fields,has anybody had success in that?

If one had a few hundred mature teak tress (20-25 years), what is the normal practice for selling these?
Is it the buyers responsibility in cutting them down?
Any idea of the value of a large teak tree?

Get your wife to contact the agricultural office near you, there most probably your best source of info.

The Thai farmers bank(Kasikorn Bank) have/Had schemes to help in new projects, i know a guy who works on the scheme,can get his tel number if you want, be waned he likes to talk a lot.

Originally Posted by Yasojack

Get your wife to contact the agricultural office near you, there most probably your best source of info.

The Thai farmers bank(Kasikorn Bank) have/Had schemes to help in new projects, i know a guy who works on the scheme,can get his tel number if you want, be waned he likes to talk a lot.

Very kind and useful info.

That number would be very useful actually.

Originally Posted by Bruno

If one had a few hundred mature teak tress (20-25 years), what is the normal practice for selling these?
Is it the buyers responsibility in cutting them down?
Any idea of the value of a large teak tree?

You go to jail for logging un certified teak, only plantation grown trees can be logged and certification starts at planting. Don't believe it's possible to get it back dated. Jim

will send when i find, or take a little trip up to see him.

Originally Posted by Bruno

Originally Posted by Yasojack

Get your wife to contact the agricultural office near you, there most probably your best source of info.

The Thai farmers bank(Kasikorn Bank) have/Had schemes to help in new projects, i know a guy who works on the scheme,can get his tel number if you want, be waned he likes to talk a lot.

Very kind and useful info.

That number would be very useful actually.

Sure it can be valued at a high price but getting some one to pay that price is another story.

^I agree. Who the fcuk is willing to pay 200000 Baht a Rai for which he'll be lucky to get a return on for maybe 20 years?