Thread: What do You Pay the Wife's Family?

Originally Posted by Troy

Personally, I find that rather sad.

The close members of my wife's family look after our house and our farm while we are away. In return I look after them as best I can, which usually means they have all the rice from the harvest apart from a few bags to meet our needs. The water pump we installed on the farm last year (electricity only arrived two years ago) has changed things for the better. We now have livestock and cash crops during the off season (single season rice area), having turned a couple of Rai into a living area for the family and animals. The family and kids love it there and seldom go back to their own house with chickens, ducks, pigs and a couple of cows to look after (no they are not cooped up in Thai style breeding pens). To be honest, I love it out there so much I can't wait until we can move permanently.

I don't give money, but I do get things built and other items fixed for them. The latest thunderstorm ripped off the roof of their house and I bought the materials so they could repair it.

Part of the extended family live in a very poor village a couple of hours drive away. I've had a few of the children stay at our house and be schooled in our village to keep them out of trouble. We get them work in other villages or down in Bangkok through the different family networks they wouldn't normally know about. In return they work on our farm during planting and harvest for the usual wages.

They have taught me all sorts of things about their way of life, the dangers and the pleasures, and where and how to find food. I feel extremely fortunate to have learnt so much.

I am glad it has worked out for you Troy. Unfortunately there are some sad farang stories in Issan. It's good to hear about the more successful ones.

Originally Posted by Pragmatic

As far as I'm concerned they're nothing but a bunch of hangers on who don't give a fcuk that their actions will cause problems between me and the wife. and it will be her that jumps to their defense. My Yabba taking BIL has been in trouble with the cops many times over the years. You name it he does it rather than work. He's done time for attempted murder, running a gambling den, possession of drugs, god knows how many times. When he's out and has no money he makes death threats to his mother if she doesn't give him dosh. And yet when he got sentenced to jail for 6 years a while ago, drug dealing again, she cried her eyes out. He's now out after doing 3 years, tagged release, and has he changed? No. Just goes back doing what he's always done. He has a son who wouldn't go to school so they put in a remand school. Came out about a year ago and hasn't done a tap since. Waste of time offering either of them paid work. But the MIL still gives them money when they ask for it. Wouldn't be surprised if my missus does as well.

Nah the best way is to stay away from employing family. They're nothing but trouble and they're not a rare case around here.

And do a shit job which will cause arguments with the wife. Fcuk that, just fuck the extended family off.

Nah, I love them, have a brother inlaw that is similar but "same but not same" a cousin that was murdered in BKK 6 months ago. I get where you're coming from. Like i said in the later post, it was really a tongue in cheek joke at how the Thai's will try to save face.
Normally they would just ask the wife and she learned to tell them "I have to ask my husband". so we have control over it, some of them even come her crying, but she stands firm now.
I have no issue with lending money to some of her family on my own accord that I trust to pay it back, (and they have).
The issues i do have is when family that have land and near new motor vehicles ask for a loan,
As far as the junkie in the family goes, have one too, cronic alcho or yabah, his brain is fucked up that bad that he is harmless, and yet he is honest, pops over once a month or so and askes for 100 baht, I joke with him about buying food but i know he going to the hilo.
I can imagine in this time in Thailand is very hard for them, both the sister(and husband) and brother inlaw had to cap ban from Chonburi after losing their jobs from the virus.
So i could imagine how they would feel. but they are doing ok, trying different ways to make money from home.