The Grumpy Expat

Thailand's village homes are not all smart varnished teak or steel and concrete palaces. Many poor families still live in ramshackle old timber structures with virtually no modern conveniences.

The cluster of homes in the image is typical of what can still be seen today. The camera was upright; it's the buildings that are leaning over. The families living in those houses have no running water. Poor quality piped water comes to the houses but the families use mainly rain water from the roofs for washing, cooking and drinking. The electrical systems are basic and dangerous. The families cook outdoors on gas bottle fed hobs. The lavatories are those ground level French style things with no flushing system. Apart from the toilet and washing area, each house has two rooms - one downstairs and one upstairs. They are lucky if the tin roofs keep out the rain but there is no chance that the walls will keep out the mosquitoes.

Isaan village people are generally very poor, work for low wages and often rely on casual labouring work, are poorly educated and have no State welfare system other than a basic hospital service.

Village people don't choose to live like this. They simply have not enough money to do better, even if you took away the men's alcohol ration. Most will always smile and great you though.

Thai parties with singers and girl dancers are every popular, especially in the villages where roads can be closed to make space for some big events that may last for a few days.

Thai families throw parties for almost any reason, the most popular being house warmings, weddings, deaths, sons joining the army and sons becoming monks. They typically last for three days from dawn to midnight. Stages are erected, enormous PA systems are set up, streets are lined with flourescent lighting strips and, in the wet season, canopies are provided to keep the guests dry. The ladies of the village spend days preparing food for the guests and the men busy themselves emptying beer and whisky bottles.

There's usually one principal evening for guests when the singing and recorded music gives way to live singers and dancers and people arrive from miles around to offer gifts of money and enjoy the food and entertainment. The performers are skilled at keeping a non-stop show going while frequent costume changes take place behind the stage. The girls first appear in beautiful full length dresses in gorgeous colours to dance slowly and sedately in what I take to be a traditional style. Gradually, with successive off stage changes, the dresses get shorter and shorter, hip gyrations become more and more pronounced and the male guests become more and more attentive. Thailand, for all its popular reputation abroad, has a code of modesty and the revealing frilly skirts show no more than very sensible shorts.

The parties are much the same whatever the occasion. Monks attend at non-entertainment times to chant for the benefit of the subject of the party but are never there to see the singers and dancers. I find it odd that girls should throw their hip around in front of a young man who is about to become a monk for a few weeks.

However, the biggest surprise yet for me was at last night's bash. The event had been going already for three days and last evening was the big party. This was all to mark the 100th day after the cremation of a man from our village. After some singing on came the girls in beautiful gold dresses with full pleated skirts to glide gracefully around the stage to the accompaniment of a singer or two. I was not expecting more than respectful traditional songs but noticed that the girls were wearing huge glittering angels' wings. Fine, I thought. Then the costume changes began in the usual fashion, skirts getting shorter and more revealing. The wings got shorter too until, when the shorts were visible beneath skimpy net skirts, they were abandoned completely.

It seems that the only difference between this party and most others is that the guest of honour was not there to enjoy it, at least not in the flesh. I must say that it was a much more fitting farewell than is usual in most Western countries. A great evening and a chance to see a few friends.

Noodles are noodles but Korat noodles are famous throughout Thailand. They are exported too. Western recipe writers try to copy them. What's special is the sauce. Few people know the traditional recipe these days and the real thing can be hard to find.

The Ma Sam Powthong business in Korat province makes them the traditional way and packages them, noodles and sauce, in hygienic heat sealed bags, for retail and wholesale. Each bag is date stamped and has a shelf life of three months. Cooking instructions, for those who need them, are on the bags.

Korat noodles are very popular with Thai people who often add bean sprouts and other vegetables during cooking. Foreigners find them very wholesome too. One pack makes a good sized dish without embellishment.

Ma Sam Powthong supplies wholesalers, restaurants, shops and individual customers in multiples of three or four bag packs.

To enquire or order, call +66 (0)810648728.

Krua Kun Pon and Pitini Coffee Restaurant is situated on the edge of Nakhon Ratchasima close to the Suranaree University of Technology in a quite road leading to the campus. I recommend it highly to anyone wanting good food in pleasant, clean and quiet surroundings.

The furnishing are top notch, the extensive Thai and Western menu is extensive, the food itself excellent, the coffee amazing, the owners keen to please and the staff attentive. The surrounding area is pleasant - plenty of space around the restaurant, clean air and parking right outside.

It's a place for couples and their families of any age to feel welcome and relaxed.

But don't take my word for it. Browse the website menu and get along there yourself!


Krua Kun Pon and Pitini Coffee Restaurant

Google Earth:
Krua Kun Pon and Coffee Pitini Restaurant.kmz

Nasa Vegas Hotel in Bankapi, Bangkok is ideal if you want to stay in a quality hotel for a reasonable room rate and don't need to be right in the centre of Bangkok. The Nasa Vegas is in Bangkapi, just a short taxi ride from the main shopping and entertainment centres whilst also being very convenient for the new airport.

For a change from the bustle of the main shopping areas, The Mall, just 3 minutes away in a taxi, is worth an hour or two of your time. There are two buildings linked by a footbridge. One has individual shops and restaurants (including a supermarket and Boots the Chemist) and the other is a department store.

The Nasa Vegas room rates really are budget for Bangkok and the quality is good.

Here is the  hotel website: http://www.nasavegashotel.com/index.html

Update March 2010:

Things have been changing in and around the Nasa Vegas Hotel.

Probably the most important change for the future is the construction of the Skytrain track right outside with a station across the road. When trains begin to run it will be possible to get directly from the hotel either to Suvarnabhumi or down town.

A road or rail flyover can easily spoil the surrounding buildings but I don't think that will happen in this case. Nasa Vegas has smartened up the approach and frontage and laid on a buggy to run guests to and from the car park.

Another welcome change is the introduction of a buffet style breakfast for THB140.


Update August 2010:

The new overhead rail link to Suvarnabhumi Airport is due to open on 23 August 2010.