Welcome to KoratFarang Board

[SportRider]

A place for us....  :-)

ALL are welcome.

As you can see this is a very new site... we're just getting started so may be some initial small glitches... (but not too many I hope!)

sr

[dereklev]

I wish you success with new board SportRider.

Hopefully many of the TV Isaan folk will support you.

Cheers
Derek

[SportRider]

Thanks a lot Derek!

In a way, I see it as the other way around.  I am supporting the Korat/Isaan people who want to use this facility.  This board is non-profit, so if no-one uses it, I'll just shut it down, doesn't bother me.  But it would be a pity, and prove right the people who say Korat farangs are bunch of isolationsists! 

Cheers and thanks again for YOUR support  :-)

sr

[Ban Ned]

  But it would be a pity, and prove right the people who say Korat farangs are bunch of isolationsists! 

Is that what people say? Well bully for them. Even if it's true so what. No one comes to Korat for the social life. Anyway Stickman was more accurate when he described the expat community as consisting of teachers and alchoholics. That's me an alcholic isolationist.
Better to be thought of as an isolationist than what many (including me) think of farangs who choose to reside in, say, Pattaya or Phuket. At best people with sad pasts and even sadder futures; at worst crooks, perverts and pedophiles.

Whatever. I wish the forum success

[SportRider]

Nothing wrong with being isolationist :-) ..  but if we all were, we probably wouldn't need this board...

Cheers Ban Ned!

sr

[dirtydog]

think of farangs who choose to reside in, say, Pattaya or Phuket. At best people with sad pasts and even sadder futures; at worst crooks, perverts and pedophiles.

bloody cheek, I moved to Pattaya when I was 25, you really shouldn't generalise about what you know fok all about neddy..... I might add that I am 41 now, yep over a third of my life spent in Thailand.

[dutch]

Well here we go.....

I know more than you because.... (I am older-I am longer in Thailand-and so on   and so on )
I understand your reaction DD,because it was generalising but let's communicate in a respectful way.

[Ban Ned]

bloody cheek, I moved to Pattaya when I was 25,

From Phuket?
 

[Bryan(of Oz)]

Sportrider.....well done, congratulations, and lets hope your time and effort setting up this Forum is well supported. I certainly deserves to be.

I saw it mentioned in KhonKaen Forum tonight and thought I'd would have a look. Its well laid out and simple for computer dummies like me to operate (getting old mate !). Will spread the word here in Sydney.

My was-to-be wife is originally from Korat. Her family and most relatives still live there.

Best wishes and cheers !

[SportRider]

Bryan - thanks mate, and enjoy!

cheers
sr

[Ban Ned]

My was-to-be wife is originally from Korat.

Best wishes and cheers !

Is there a story here should like to share?

[Bryan(of Oz)]

RE: BAN NED post 28/3/06.

Thanks for the invitation to tell my story re my earlier post about my " was to be wife" being from Korat. Well it IS a long one but I'll keep it short and its intended more than anything to alert falangs inexperienced in Thai culture, do's and don'ts.

Well....my beautiful lady (BL) and I met in Sydney where I live in '92. She was starting a PhD here and I helped her with her thesis.  It took about 4 yrs before we admitted how we felt about each other. I was and still am totally devoted to her. She returned to Thailand with her doctorate in '98 and we agreed that I should take early retirement in 2001, follow her to Th and get married. We had even arranged most of the paper-warfare at this stage.

She is a native of Korat and is now a Uni lecturer of medicine in a close-by province.
Her familiy still live in Korat.

We settled comfortablly in her city, I  got work as a  teacher (relax...I'm qualified !!) and  made friends.  I even started to learn Thai knowing I had found my perfect life and partner at last. Then the troubles began from two main sources. Her FAMILY and her PEERS.

The family is of Chinese-Thai background and unfortunately farangs of ANY type would not be tolerated despite her 5-6 years warning to them of our situation.This started to make our life difficult and things like family birthdays etc or festivals demanded she attend but without me. It made our future life together fraught with all kinds of problems and we had to dig deep and accept some truths. Also what about having kids, travel, overseas etc etc.

In all honesty, I could not ask her to choose between her loyalty and respect for her parents and  family.....or to choose me, and we both cried a million tears knowing what we would have to do eventually. Oh....I forgot to mention that my mother in the UK died during this time and I had to go there for a few weeks. More pressure !

I mentioned her peers and friends. Initially most were very supportive of us. However this slowly changed for various reasons I suppose, and it certainly did not help our situation.  The irony is that had we lived down South in BKK or Pattaya etc then nobody would have a cared a damn what we did. Naturally the family attitude would have remaind the same, but we could have lived with that. Perhaps.....and for how long?

Yet somehow,even if we had moved South, sooner or later the same problems would arise.

So we concluded that we had no future together, whereas she still had her career and other opportunities ahead of her. My health was becoming questionable also.

I guess what I am trying to warn farangs of are many possibles before you jump in. I know many of you are happily settled with your Thai wives and ladies and I wish you every success.
For newer farangs learn about the different ways of the Thais. There are vast variations between some provinces and ethnic and cultural differences are many.

Good luck,
Bryan

[dutch]

Thanks for sharing your story Bryan.
I think every Farang here in Thailand has a story to tell.
Some do it and some keep it for themselves.

[tubbiguy]

Hi all....
As you can see, I am new to this very new board. Like so many others, I wish you great success. It is an opportunity to exchange views/information/opinions/assistance etc and I predict that many people will benefit from it.
If I could make one small suggestion, of the few posts I have read so far, you guys seem to be thinking of yourselves as a local Korat board.....I am an Aussie - in Australia and I bet that you will very soon be drawing many members from around the world. With the almost universal access to the internet, you are going to quickly become an international message board.
I found a link to your site when looking for information on the Korat area........as will many others. Anyway, just a thought for you to ponder.

[Saf]

Hi again Tubby,

This forum is for those with an interest in Korat, wherever they live. So that definately includes you! I'm in the UK and we have a home near to Korat in Pak Thong Chai that will become our main home. Other members live in the US and Australia. One Thai member lives in Germany. So, you're quite right, the forum is attracting attention from around the world.

As I said to you elsewhere, please ask your questions. Please also add your own comments and views.