Hi,
I have lived in Thailand for nearly four years. I am still with the first girl I met and we're getting married next week (24/93/08).
We lived in Pattaya for a year or so and, afer frequent visisits to her village in Uttaradit, we moved up there. Then we lived with her mother for a year or so during which time we bought a piece of land and started building a house. We have been in our own house for a year and a half now and I love it.
Everyone has been so helpful from day one. It can get lonesome sometimes as my girlfriend is the only one here who can speak English and the nearest ExPats are, well, there are 4 or 5 within a 30 km radius and I don't have a car. We usually meet up for a drink etc on Tuesdays (market day) in Phichai, which is 13 km from me. There is one bus a week to go to market at 7:30 AM returning at 10:30 AM
But, I have a satellite Internet conection - a window on the world. I have started writing a book and, after learning some basic HTML editing, now have 30 websites. And I'm trying to learn to read, write and speak Thai.
One thing is for sure: if your going to live here, especially in a remote place, you HAVE to have something to do, Reading books all day just is not enough.
One of my newest websites is called:
*What It's Like To Be ...", where there's an article about my earlier days in northern Thailand, if you're interested.
All the best,
Owen.