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Thread: The simple life

  1. #1
    Days Work Done! Norton's Avatar
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    The simple life

    In another thread, someone asked how much was needed to live in Thailand. Here is a way to go that appeals to many. Including myself. To a degree.


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    RIP pseudolus's Avatar
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    The degree being having the organic food and a simple life, but backed up by more than 40k THB per year to live on?

    Even in Bangkok in the house there we chucked seeds in pots and so much grew so easily - it's not exactly tough in Thailand to be semi self sufficient.

  3. #3
    Days Work Done! Norton's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by pseudolus View Post
    40k THB per year to live on
    Indeed. Mine about that much per month. A gentleman farmer I am.

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    I'm in Jail

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    Sid, get what you say about how easy stuff grows but disagree IMHO with you i'm afraid on self sufficiency or farming - its bloody hard work and doubly so if you try to do it without pesticide/herbicides and fertilisers but i do think that the shit they spray in Thailand is a cause for concern in the food you eat there and when I decamp permanently there will be a degree of grow your own but as a supplement to, not self sufficient. Sorry but my 4 pence worth.

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    RIP pseudolus's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by NamPikToot View Post
    the shit they spray in Thailand
    is pretty much the same shit they spray all over the UK as well. An interesting aside is the global rise in gluten intolerance isn't anything to do with gluten at all. It is the body reacting to the glyphosate that all crops pretty much globally is drenched in these days. The major spike happened when farmers starting using the stuff not just as weed killer, but also prior to harvest in super large quantities to kill the crop they were growing to dry it out, thus allowing it to be stored longer.



    Quote Originally Posted by NamPikToot View Post
    IMHO with you i'm afraid on self sufficiency or farming
    Tend to agree - suppliment perhaps. If you start fucking about with rice etc then yes I agree. However an aquaponics system based off of fish and cray fish, and the climate in Thailand would make it not so tough at all to grow enough food to be self sufficient. Crop management, planning, preserving etc all the things people used to do prior to chemicals taking their place. A large compost pile on the side, no only for compost, but also for chickens to be fed from the bugs there in, and you have the complete cycle and not much land needed.

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    Sid, agreed. The neonicatinoids they use are more of a worry as there have been disastrous declines in bee populations across Europe; the UK has banned them, so has the EU from April this year but as usual the Govts in the EU don't enforce EU policy in the Agri space as they daren't risk upsetting the farmers - usually the UK is the one that falls into line; its crackers as without our little friends we are in big trouble with crops.

    Ref the Hydro, its a good point and i've seen some setups with fish farms that work really well in Thailand, you could also small scale that and it'd work well - something i may look at.

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    . Neverna's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Norton View Post
    In another thread, someone asked how much was needed to live in Thailand. Here is a way to go that appeals to many. Including myself. To a degree.

    Nine years on, I wonder how Mr Wheeler is getting on and if he's still in Thailand leading the same lifestyle as in 2009.

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    I’ve been growing food for 25 years and it ain’t easy.
    It needs lots of inputs - fertiliser, fencing, netting, water, water, water, pipes, pumps, electricity, fuel, timers, soil, stakes, posts, hoses, sprayers, drippers, tanks, wire, machines, tools, potting mix, pots, seeds and cuttings and labour. Lots of labour. The video guy says ‘food is free’. Well nah.
    I can build, fit or make just about anything and it still isn’t cheap.
    Last edited by docmartin; 28-11-2018 at 03:09 PM.

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    RIP pseudolus's Avatar
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    You're in Australia. Nothing is cheap in Australia.

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    A cordless drill is the same price in Thailand.
    But yes, rope, wire, tanks etc are cheaper.
    But not necessarily more affordable.

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    Quote Originally Posted by Neverna View Post
    Nine years on, I wonder how Mr Wheeler is getting on
    Is this the guy who speaks Thai, a mixture of Issan and Central dialects and has been videoed on this subject of self-sufficiency?
    I seem to recall a video of him speaking Thai and my wife saying his speech is ok, but he mixes dialects...kudos to him for what he's achieved, it's just an identifying trait.

    Indeed living off the land is hard but satisfying and not everyone is suited to it.

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    Quote Originally Posted by docmartin View Post
    It needs lots of inputs - fertiliser, fencing, netting, water, water, water, pipes, pumps, electricity, fuel, timers, soil, stakes, posts, hoses, sprayers, drippers, tanks, wire, machines, tools, potting mix, pots, seeds and cuttings and labour. Lots of labour.
    Spoken like a city guy, no offense intended. Actually all you need is land, water, and labour. Depending on the first two, more or less labour.

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    R.I.P. Luigi's Avatar
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    Living the simple life is certainly all good, especially as one gets older and enjoys the simple things and self-sucifiency a bit more.


    Though living it through choice, with security and a back-up, is probably nicer than doing it because you have no other option.

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    RIP pseudolus's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Maanaam View Post
    Indeed living off the land is hard but satisfying and not everyone is suited to it.
    I tend to think that having a couple of people doing all the hard graft for you is the best idea.

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    Quote Originally Posted by Maanaam View Post
    Spoken like a city guy, no offense intended. Actually all you need is land, water, and labour. Depending on the first two, more or less labour.
    I live in the country on 2 hA.
    Feel free to drop in and conjure something out of land and water.
    No offense intended. I might even allow you a shower and a meal after a day of voluntary slavery :-)

  16. #16
    Days Work Done! Norton's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Luigi View Post
    especially as one gets older
    Point taken. 20 years ago even though approching the ripe old age of 60, I would not have enjoyed living in the sticks.

    I often wonder how I managed living the high life in the fast lane for most of my life. Always in pursuit of more so I had more to get more but never quite getting there. Suppose I was like so many a product of a society where worth was measured by how much stuff you have.

    I find living in the slow lane far more satisfying and have no desire to return to a life of big cigars and motorcars as my granddad often said.

    On the other hand, had I not done all the things I did, I would regret it. We humans are a strange bunch. Tink to mut.
    "Whenever you find yourself on the side of the majority, it is time to pause and reflect,"

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    กงเกวียนกำเกวียน HuangLao's Avatar
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    Nice addition, Norty.

    I suspect that most are missing the bigger comparative picture and any subliminal points, thereof.

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    กงเกวียนกำเกวียน HuangLao's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Neverna View Post
    Nine years on, I wonder how Mr Wheeler is getting on and if he's still in Thailand leading the same lifestyle as in 2009.

    Been doing some quick checking around, Nev....
    There are a few stories and references [variety of sources] to Martin of the last couple months - as recent as early this month.

    Appears to be about the same - a little older, of course - getting on nicely and wisdom growing.

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    Quote Originally Posted by docmartin View Post
    I live in the country on 2 hA.
    Feel free to drop in and conjure something out of land and water.
    No offense intended. I might even allow you a shower and a meal after a day of voluntary slavery :-)
    I think you missed my point about labour wrt your first post. Apparently you think you need to buy
    Quote Originally Posted by docmartin View Post
    fertiliser, fencing, netting, water, water, water, pipes, pumps, electricity, fuel, timers, soil, stakes, posts, hoses, sprayers, drippers, tanks, wire, machines, tools, potting mix, pots, seeds and cuttings
    . Yes, all those are good, but can be sourced or substituted for by work, aka labour, aka voluntary slavery.
    City folk, even those with 2 or more hA need to buy pumps and timers. Traditional farmers do not because they they put in the time and sweat.

    Yes, it's easier with all the mod cons. But the mod cons are not a neccesity..
    I've been there done that.

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    RIP pseudolus's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Maanaam View Post
    Yes, it's easier with all the mod cons. But the mod cons are not a neccesity..
    40k a year and a hut to live in will get you a couple of labourers to do it all for you.

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    Well if you can get water in quantity up from 50m down with a crank handle and manage to keep birds, bunnies, rats and roos off your food then I’m wrong.

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    Days Work Done! Norton's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by docmartin View Post
    Well if you can get water in quantity up from 50m down with a crank handle and manage to keep birds, bunnies, rats and roos off your food then I’m wrong.
    Reckon you are right related to farming in Aus. However, traditional farming in Thailand is a different storey.

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    RIP pseudolus's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Norton View Post
    Reckon you are right related to farming in Aus. However, traditional farming in Thailand is a different storey.
    Bingo.

  24. #24
    R.I.P. Luigi's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Norton View Post
    Point taken. 20 years ago even though approching the ripe old age of 60, I would not have enjoyed living in the sticks.
    Indeed. Did it for a year in me 20's, and one year was enough.

    Reckon I'll end up long-term in Laos/Myanmar/Vietnam or maybe even Cambo in 20 years time as I'm approaching 60. Kid will be shipped off to Europe for tertiary education, hopefully after working/travelling around the World making use of her passport. Could try Europe, but don't think that will be any better in 20-30 years time. Feel the same about Thailand. The lesser developed SEA countries may have much better infrastructure while keeping their old World charm.

    Or I could be dead.


    Either way.

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    Thailand Expat OhOh's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by pseudolus View Post
    a couple of labourers to do it all for you
    Thai farm "labour" is priced at ฿400 - ฿500 per day around here.

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