Do Issan people live in the real world.

[fiddler]

Agree on Issan restaurants. They're not so good at marketing, nor responsibilities.
But today, in Phuket I was meeting a friend for breakfast although I had already eaten so just wanted a shake.
I asked if they had mango shakes or mamwung pun? The owner smiled and said yes.
AFter my friend came and ordered the waitress came up and said: No have! Mango shakes. only apple.
Why did they say yes, they had them, when they didn't?
It's Thailand and you expect a bit of that up in Issan, but in Phuket?
Well, I got over it, but it made me think of this thread.
This thread should be saved for one of those times a farang wants to move up country to live.

[Neverna]

[NamPikToot]

"Sorry, no beef. Only pork steak, chicken steak or fish steak." I smiled, stood up and walked out .

Nev, i'd say you had a lucky escape where the beef steak is concerned, the stock probably got bought by a cobbler for re-soling shoe - i have given up buying steak anywhere outside BKK, except a small place in Hua Hin where the owner is an ex Marriot chef and he sources and cooks really great fillet - 450THB, hope he still going not been in a long time but maybe this year.

[David48atTD]

I think that once Tom gets jailed for something we should send him up to Jim's place to review the local scene.

[bowie]

Put this on the daily moan but it fits here - getting tiles for the new house, go to the tile store (well known one) wife selects tile, girl goes in back, comes out, "no have", wife picks second, same thing, girl disappears for 5 minutes or so, comes back "no have", number three - same damn thing, "no have", been there 45 minutes already, why bother trying #4, 5 or 6. I asked the girl, why do you have tiles on display that you do not have? Mai Ru.

The real problem is, not only didn't she know - she certainly did not care one iota. She couldn't wait for us to leave so she could get back to her cell phone game.

Thailand Shopping - Status Quo

[Dragonfly]

sometimes "no have" means don't want to serve you, some kind of passive aggressive game

bought a new equipment last time, and the usual retard says "no have", go straight to his boss, and of course it was available

usual retard says "solly solly" and think I was refering to something else

morale of the story: don't take any of their answer as their final one, they are retarded animals, dont take no as an answer and make a scene out of it, and it usually works

[Luigi]

I like the well placed display models, TVs and the such, that are for out of stock items.

[TizMe]

[Maanaam]

where the beef steak is concerned, the stock probably got bought by a cobbler for re-soling shoe - i have given up buying steak anywhere

Agree. The local beef is not worth anything. I wouldn't eat it if it was free and I was hungry. An attitude born of far too many far too optimistic attempts.

[rickschoppers]

Nev, i'd say you had a lucky escape where the beef steak is concerned, the stock probably got bought by a cobbler for re-soling shoe - i have given up buying steak anywhere outside BKK, except a small place in Hua Hin where the owner is an ex Marriot chef and he sources and cooks really great fillet - 450THB, hope he still going not been in a long time but maybe this year.

Nam, what is the restaurant name? I have all but given up trying to find a decent steak, and I am here in Hua Hin until February.

[rickschoppers]

The "worthlessness" of the information found on signs isn't limited to Issan. Need something? ask the locals, they may, or may not, have correct information.

Quite experienced with the the Thai version of a "scavenger" hunt.

Never ask a Thai for information on anything since they will never say, "I don't know," and give you an incorrect response. If you see whatever you want while walking around, buy it then since tomorrow may "not have."

I have lived in Isaarn for 14 years and it is hard work.

[baldrick]

The local beef is not worth anything

try a halal butcher - they normally butcher the beef better

[OhOh]

Giving directions is not a Thai strong point. And nobody seems to use street or road names, just "go to the 7 and go some more and there's a soi near a wat...it's that soi". No mention of left or right, north or south just one or two landmarks.

I've found that when taking Thais on a journey they swear they know where their going. Usually ends up asking directions from a bystander, time after, after time......

Also alleged knowledge of a good deal is exchanged for a "tip", only to find out the at the store the prices are standard.

[jabir]

deleted

[somtamslap]

Reminds me of the time when a new eatery opened round our way and I ordered the Italian Sausage Platter.

Two minutes later I was presented with a seven hotdogs and a slice of tomato.

Stick with the local slop when stick-side.

[Maanaam]

try a halal butcher - they normally butcher the beef better

I spent a number of years in the meatworks in NZ as a meat inspector. Down south, here, most of the beef butchers are Muslim. As far as I can make out, there are no special cuts, just lumps of meat hacked willy nilly.
The problem is the cattle breed, the lack of hanging, and the absence of actual meat cuts. If the beeves were wagyu and not hung properly or not butchered properly, I don't think I'd be complaining, but the breed is a major part of it. Very lean. The lack of hanging is evidenced by even the tongue (a piece that I relish) being tough.
I have on occassion bought actual butchered cuts (frozen) from Macro, and even those are shoe leather.

[Maanaam]

Stick with the local slop when stick-side.

Words of wisdom. Yep, in the sticks they don't really know how to do it Western style.
But then, would you take your wife to a "Thai" joint in Farangia that was run by a local bogan cook? No. Of course not.

[Luigi]

I ordered some spaghetti with marinara sauce, and I got egg noodles and ketchup.

[fiddler]

I ordered some spaghetti with marinara sauce, and I got egg noodles and ketchup.

Good one ^
Reminds me of trekking in Nepal and up around 4,000 meters, I ordered a pizza.
They'll make it right in front of you with smiles and proud of the way the do it. (I guess)
First flour and water, make it into a ball and then get out the wooden dowel (that they wipe clean from their dirty apron) and flatten it. Then the bottle of ketchup and roast it right in the coals of the fire. Sprinkle some Parmesan cheese from the green cardboard round container and hand it to you with a smile. Tastes like it sounds. But when you are heading up to 5500 meters tomorrow, you eat it and try to enjoy!

[Paruk]

To answer your question, OP, NO! On one side you have Amazing Thailand, on the other Insane Issan. Cats and dogs show more rational behaviour.

[Latindancer]

Oh, some of them are lovely people. Not much upstairs, but loveliest people you could hope to meet, really !

(Told to me by a senior and very well respected foreign Buddhist monk).

[tamadah]

Agree on Issan restaurants. They're not so good at marketing, nor responsibilities.
But today, in Phuket I was meeting a friend for breakfast although I had already eaten so just wanted a shake.
I asked if they had mango shakes or mamwung pun? The owner smiled and said yes.
AFter my friend came and ordered the waitress came up and said: No have! Mango shakes. only apple.
Why did they say yes, they had them, when they didn't?
It's Thailand and you expect a bit of that up in Issan, but in Phuket?
Well, I got over it, but it made me think of this thread.
This thread should be saved for one of those times a farang wants to move up country to live.

Why should Phuket not be similarly blighted. Is it special or something?

[fiddler]

Why should Phuket not be similarly blighted. Is it special or something?

Why? Because most business at these restuarants in Phuket (and the one I'm talking about) cater to farangs, and not Thais or Issan folk.
And when you tell lies to farangs, they tend to remember and not return.
At least I won't.

[Seekingasylum]

Living in the Thai boonies is incomprehensible to me. It is akin to choosing Merthyr Tydfil in preference to, say, London or Brighton. I mean, why the fuck would you?

[HuangLao]

Reminds me of the time when a new eatery opened round our way and I ordered the Italian Sausage Platter.

Two minutes later I was presented with a seven hotdogs and a slice of tomato.

Stick with the local slop when stick-side.

Sage.
Yet, many hardliners aren't into local fare -

They lose not affording the luxury of simple acclimation/adjustment.