Life in the Isaan Boonies.

[Daeng]

50 minutes ago, DwizzleyMatthews said:

Sorry it didn’t work out on AN but understand your move to TT.

I haven’t been on here for a while but will visit now if only to read about the further adventures of Owl, Mildred, Mrs O and all the other great characters we’ve become accustomed to .

Maybe you will even revive the Hat Lady story to add a bit of spice ?

+1

[AussieBob]

16 hours ago, SnapDragon said:

The thing that decided me  to move over was set last week. I had been followed by a mod, who took down more of my posts than was left up.  That's not what I believed was a good thing on a forum. I was never an abusive, or rude, poster. Just had views that were not always mainstream. Anyway; received my 15th ban.

.

Don't intend to post there again. Hope the AN supporters/contributors of the thread can find the new here on TT. (If any TT poster could go onto the AN thread and point to here; that would be great.)

.

I'll sometimes post pics from the past so as to contextualize the pics of today. A bit of history to a present story.

.

Together we can grow TT. Thanks for your support.

Ditto - AN has again become tyrannical - ever since George sold out to the Thaiger (made a killing again I reckon).  George came back and sacked a few Mods and then said he wanted it open and free - no more lefty PC controls.  It was great for a while - but now it is getting back to the bad days - and I am sure when election time comes around in November, they will be fully back in h**ler woke PC mode.

[NonThaiKiwi]

5 minutes ago, AussieBob said:

Ditto - AN has again become tyrannical - ever since George sold out to the Thaiger (made a killing again I reckon).  George came back and sacked a few Mods and then said he wanted it open and free - no more lefty PC controls.  It was great for a while - but now it is getting back to the bad days - and I am sure when election time comes around in November, they will be fully back in h**ler woke PC mode.

I've only been back in country since Nov last year.  Didn't realise that TV had gone or more correctly merged/made into AN. 

 

 

I signed up and at the beginning it seemed ok.  A few months went by and then I noticed little changes.  Sure there were the typical annoying posters bitching about anything and everything.  Old aged guys having pissing contests and the like. 

 

 

But the controlling aspect was a bit over the top. 

 

TT seems a bit more easy going without some of the weirdos

[AussieBob]

Regarding the farm - there is something that has been annoying me for a while - pigeons in Thailand.

I see they are doing things about that African fish - but pigeons are far worse of a problem.

 

As I explained to the missus - we bred them to grow big quickly and to breed like flies - they were our 'postal system' for a long time - and they live in our houses, because we bred them to do that.  But we kept them outside in pigeon coups, because they are bad for diseases from their droppings in the air.  They did not breed in winter in Europe where we bred them, but here in Thailand they breed all year - once pair can make another 12-20 birds in one year. But pigeons can breed at 6 months - so after one year that one pair can make up to 20-30 birds.  Without any serious predator here - even cats have trouble with pigeons due to their size - they will take over an area within 2-3 years. 

 

If left unchecked in Thailand, they will take over village by village, and they will drive out all other competing local birds - they are bigger, stronger and breed way faster than any local breed.  Good for the hawks and the few eagles here, but no other bird breed here can survive against them.

 

Plus they will cause a lot of breathing problems in children - they are very adept at living in the roofs of people's houses - unlike the local birds who may make a nest in a box/cage, but they are essentially all 'tree birds'.  Pigeons do not sleep in trees - they sleep in houses/factories - in our buildings.

 

I have been nearly everywhere in Thailand and they are more and more prevalent everywhere I go. The wife's family lives in Yasothon (actually just over the river in Roi Et) and we stay in the city. This has been done by us (except for the Covid years) 2-3 times a year, ever since 2014. Every trip there since Covid has shown more and more of them. At first (years before Covid) it was a few and when I warned the missus about them, she thought I was being 'over-worried'.  But on our last 2 trips she is now seeing the problem - they are everywhere and there are many more than the last time, and then many more again.

 

Thai Govts in the Provinces need to do 2 things IMO. 

1.  Declare pigeons an obnoxious breed of animal and start to kill and remove them.

2.  Teach Thais how to catch and kill and cook them (frying or boiling is best). 

 

[SnapDragon]

1 hour ago, AussieBob said:

Ditto - AN has again become tyrannical - ever since George sold out to the Thaiger (made a killing again I reckon).  George came back and sacked a few Mods and then said he wanted it open and free - no more lefty PC controls.  It was great for a while - but now it is getting back to the bad days - and I am sure when election time comes around in November, they will be fully back in h**ler woke PC mode.

The thing that got me banned, was a joke to mod 'stats'. I told him he would be off my Xmas e-card list if he didn't instate my my post. Which was; ''I think giving toddlers the mRNA jab is child abuse.'' I went on too say that surely one could have an opinion, on a contentious issue, even if it was not mainstream.

space

It's all history now. 

space

Went into Ban Dung this morning. Checked on the price of eucalyptuses. 1050 baht a tonne. That's delivered to the wholesaler just outside the town. Main factory in Khon Kaen pays 1350.

space

Have a bit of sorting out to do. Then the cutting will commence.

space

[SnapDragon]

1 hour ago, AussieBob said:

Regarding the farm - there is something that has been annoying me for a while - pigeons in Thailand.

Thai Govts in the Provinces need to do 2 things IMO.

PP

1.  Declare pigeons an obnoxious breed of animal and start to kill and remove them.

PP

2.  Teach Thais how to catch and kill and cook them (frying or boiling is best). 

Pigeons!!

PP

And there was me thinking that they bred them special for the tourists to feed in London.

PP

In Udon's fabulous Prajek park there are a few. They compete with the fish for the offerings.

PP

Me, Mildred and Butt. About 6 years ago.

PP

There's my favourite Milly. I like this one Dad.

PP

PP

[johng]

2 hours ago, SnapDragon said:

It was great for a while - but now it is getting back to the bad days - and I am sure when election time comes around in November, they will be fully back in h**ler woke PC mode.

 

2 hours ago, SnapDragon said:

The thing that got me banned, was a joke to mod 'stats'.

I've had trouble with that "mod" too,  any deviation from the Covid narrative is still not allowed  there is also an agenda when it comes to the Ukraine and Israel Palestinian war  no doubt more topics are censored and controlled but those 3 are the ones I've noticed most..any way I hope that this forum is much more "liberal" and we can all express our opinions here much more freely,   thanks for continuing the great thread  with photos over here.

[johng]

4 hours ago, AussieBob said:

AN has again become tyrannical - ever since George sold out to the Thaiger

Yes the moderation has become OTT again   I noticed a slight improvement after George's thread about relaxing moderation polices but sadly it didn't last long.

[NonThaiKiwi]

This is a pigeon we have in NZ.  Would probably be nice in a pie but luckily they are native and protected. 

 

[SnapDragon]

45 minutes ago, NonThaiKiwi said:

This is a pigeon we have in NZ.  Would probably be nice in a pie but luckily they are native and protected. 

Absolutely beautiful.

[Daeng]

6 hours ago, AussieBob said:

Regarding the farm - there is something that has been annoying me for a while - pigeons in Thailand.

I see they are doing things about that African fish - but pigeons are far worse of a problem.

As I explained to the missus - we bred them to grow big quickly and to breed like flies - they were our 'postal system' for a long time - and they live in our houses, because we bred them to do that.  But we kept them outside in pigeon coups, because they are bad for diseases from their droppings in the air.  They did not breed in winter in Europe where we bred them, but here in Thailand they breed all year - once pair can make another 12-20 birds in one year. But pigeons can breed at 6 months - so after one year that one pair can make up to 20-30 birds.  Without any serious predator here - even cats have trouble with pigeons due to their size - they will take over an area within 2-3 years. 

If left unchecked in Thailand, they will take over village by village, and they will drive out all other competing local birds - they are bigger, stronger and breed way faster than any local breed.  Good for the hawks and the few eagles here, but no other bird breed here can survive against them.

Plus they will cause a lot of breathing problems in children - they are very adept at living in the roofs of people's houses - unlike the local birds who may make a nest in a box/cage, but they are essentially all 'tree birds'.  Pigeons do not sleep in trees - they sleep in houses/factories - in our buildings.

I have been nearly everywhere in Thailand and they are more and more prevalent everywhere I go. The wife's family lives in Yasothon (actually just over the river in Roi Et) and we stay in the city. This has been done by us (except for the Covid years) 2-3 times a year, ever since 2014. Every trip there since Covid has shown more and more of them. At first (years before Covid) it was a few and when I warned the missus about them, she thought I was being 'over-worried'.  But on our last 2 trips she is now seeing the problem - they are everywhere and there are many more than the last time, and then many more again.

Thai Govts in the Provinces need to do 2 things IMO. 

1.  Declare pigeons an obnoxious breed of animal and start to kill and remove them.

2.  Teach Thais how to catch and kill and cook them (frying or boiling is best). 

I have a pigeon problem at my house. I bought some of these from Lazada to stop them perching and nesting in certain areas where there was a large build up of guano, and it is quite effective.

https://s.lazada.co.th/s.Lrr01

When the dogs are fed and they have eaten their fill, I empty the surplus from the bowls quickly so as not to provide easy meals for the pigeons. Every now and then my dogs will catch a pigeon and stop it farting in church. Every now and again I agitate the pigeons with a laser pointer which usually chases them away temporarily. My aim is to make our house less attractive to the pigeons than the house next door.

 

Edited July 27 by Daeng

[Sotonowl]

9 hours ago, Daeng said:

@Sotonowl I decided I could be arsed to register after all. Slight namechange for me. 

Hello Owl as well.

Welcome aboard.

[Sotonowl]

On 7/26/2024 at 11:16 AM, SnapDragon said:

Hi all.

Been in Thailand for about 17 years. Moved out to Isaan almost straight away.

Had a lot of different jobs in my life. Teacher, salesman, soldier, builder, www developer, wine-dealer, local politician; but never a farmer. And what an experience it has all been. And still is to this day.

Join me for my week-to-week experiences. Often funny and enlightening; amazing even. Sometimes very sad; when the three kiddies drowned in the village just two months ago. And mostly just plain hard work.

Have two solar systems on the go and plan two more later this year. 12,000 eucalyptus trees. Eight big ponds. 400+ oil-palm trees. Plus the yearly rice. Not forgetting the cats and dogs. Or the wife and daughter.

The rice season is with us. Only have two rai to tend. That's enough! What with everything else.

This is the rice to be planted.  Sort of rice-nursery.

This is where it is going to be planted.

Some tractor work required.

A fish or two to be caught.

And there we have it. Ready for the planters.

Team of six planted the whole lot in 6 hours. By the time I got there at 15-00 they had gone.

Not too much water until the rice gets going.

The solar system in Number Two pond is getting the grass treatment. Grows like crazy.

So out with the chog-chog.

Farm dog 'Happy', always willing to lend a paw.

That's better. Now for the solar panel weeds.

Bloody tough stuff. That's enough for today.

The house by the bus stop has a pigeon problem. So set up a 'scarepigeon' to get them away.

They fixed up the monster and the pigeons left. But not that far. 

Next door but one.

The roof-monster went AWOL, and they soon came back.

The monster was 'Woody'. He had simply been blown down.

Soon got put back up. Pigeons scared away for good.

There is a set of twins in the village. Just 60 metres from me. I can't tell them apart. They are learning English from me. 'Good morning'. And 'buy me ice cleam'.

Bought a terrapin at the market last week. Only 100 Baht. Let him go in pond 7.

Not seen it since.

Are the trees ready for cutting? Unfortunately they are not all as grand as this lot.

Measured one of the biggest. 64cm around, at one meter off the ground.

The ponds looking South West from the road. Eucas in the distance.

Beautiful nature is everywhere in Isaan.

Seez ya next post.

Buy me ice cleam. Brilliant.

[rattlesnake]

13 hours ago, Ikariotiko said:

But not the other way around - Thai soaps using Isaan dialect actually have to be subtitled for the central Thai audience....

 

Yes indeed.

[Sotonowl]

16 hours ago, SnapDragon said:

Welcome mate. Owls for the Championship play-offs; if not alto'. Get in there. Easy money.

Ah yes; the footy. Was strong on TT a while back. Nothing at the mo. The footy quiz is another causality on AN. I'll not do the same here unless the footy supporters come back. Although I was doing a footy quiz when TT first opened; but I was kicked off back then. It's totally different now though.

But here's a little teaser; who is he.

Right! That's the one and only footy question on this new thread. Any others will be posted on,,,,,. We will see.

Would it be Jimmy Greaves? What were the buckets for? The tab ends.

[SnapDragon]

6 hours ago, Sotonowl said:

Would it be Jimmy Greaves? What were the buckets for? The tab ends.

Bang on the money there Owl.

PP

PP

Any more go into the footy thread. Don't want to upset TBL now; do we?

 

The buckets? Well The Irons were not as rich as their North London neighbors. At half time a couple of mascots would go round the outside of the pitch getting the fans to put their loose change in.

PP

PP

[AussieBob]

13 hours ago, Daeng said:

I have a pigeon problem at my house. I bought some of these from Lazada to stop them perching and nesting in certain areas where there was a large build up of guano, and it is quite effective.

https://s.lazada.co.th/s.Lrr01

When the dogs are fed and they have eaten their fill, I empty the surplus from the bowls quickly so as not to provide easy meals for the pigeons. Every now and then my dogs will catch a pigeon and stop it farting in church. Every now and again I agitate the pigeons with a laser pointer which usually chases them away temporarily. My aim is to make our house less attractive to the pigeons than the house next door.

Unfortunately, that is not the solution - making them move to another house.

They will come back when their numbers are bigger and there is not another 'coup' to roost in next door.

The only solution is to stop them breeding by terminating them.

 

[McTavish]

5 minutes ago, AussieBob said:

The only solution is to stop them breeding by terminating them.

Poisoned grain should sort it. 

 

Good for Trump supporters too :)

[SnapDragon]

On 7/26/2024 at 10:51 PM, rhodie said:

How do you post without www?

PP

This is an interesting question Rhodie. The farm is a stone's throw away from the huge transmitting/listening station off the 2022 road. When within about one km of the place, the phone signals die.

PP

To quote Wiki:

PP

'''Earlier reports alleged that a Voice of America relay station in a rural area of Udon Thani Province, Ban Dung District, was the CIA black site.'''

PP

Very mysterious place. The wife's brother worked there for some time, as a gardener, many moons ago. Strange goings on there.

PP

Edited July 28 by SnapDragon
Removed 'builder'. Put in 'gardener'. The Mrs corrected me.

[AussieBob]

1 hour ago, McTavish said:

 

Poisoned grain should sort it. 

 

 

Actually no - that will kill other birds as well. 

Catching them in a net and drowning them is the best way.

Poisoned pellets in their roosting locations is another but less humane way.

Shooting them with air compressor gun works (if legal) - but can be dangerous if the shooter is an idiot.

Unfortunately with this silly 'women's mind' of a world, all that is on the net is humane ways to make them move, which only moves the problem to someone else's property.

[AussieBob]

2 hours ago, SnapDragon said:

PP

This is an interesting question Rhodie. The farm is a stone's throw away from the huge transmitting/listening station off the 2022 road. When within about one km of the place, the phone signals die.

PP

To quote Wiki:

PP

'''Earlier reports alleged that a Voice of America relay station in a rural area of Udon Thani Province, Ban Dung District, was the CIA black site.'''

PP

Very mysterious place. The wife's brother worked there for some time, as a gardener, many moons ago. Strange goings on there.

PP

'Listening Post' monitoring 'communications' coming from certain locations. All other signals than those monitoring are 'blocked'. 

[Marc26]

On 7/26/2024 at 3:16 AM, SnapDragon said:

Hi all.

Been in Thailand for about 17 years. Moved out to Isaan almost straight away.

Had a lot of different jobs in my life. Teacher, salesman, soldier, builder, www developer, wine-dealer, local politician; but never a farmer. And what an experience it has all been. And still is to this day.

Join me for my week-to-week experiences. Often funny and enlightening; amazing even. Sometimes very sad; when the three kiddies drowned in the village just two months ago. And mostly just plain hard work.

Have two solar systems on the go and plan two more later this year. 12,000 eucalyptus trees. Eight big ponds. 400+ oil-palm trees. Plus the yearly rice. Not forgetting the cats and dogs. Or the wife and daughter.

The rice season is with us. Only have two rai to tend. That's enough! What with everything else.

This is the rice to be planted.  Sort of rice-nursery.

This is where it is going to be planted.

Some tractor work required.

A fish or two to be caught.

And there we have it. Ready for the planters.

Team of six planted the whole lot in 6 hours. By the time I got there at 15-00 they had gone.

Not too much water until the rice gets going.

The solar system in Number Two pond is getting the grass treatment. Grows like crazy.

So out with the chog-chog.

Farm dog 'Happy', always willing to lend a paw.

That's better. Now for the solar panel weeds.

Bloody tough stuff. That's enough for today.

The house by the bus stop has a pigeon problem. So set up a 'scarepigeon' to get them away.

They fixed up the monster and the pigeons left. But not that far. 

Next door but one.

The roof-monster went AWOL, and they soon came back.

The monster was 'Woody'. He had simply been blown down.

Soon got put back up. Pigeons scared away for good.

There is a set of twins in the village. Just 60 metres from me. I can't tell them apart. They are learning English from me. 'Good morning'. And 'buy me ice cleam'.

Bought a terrapin at the market last week. Only 100 Baht. Let him go in pond 7.

Not seen it since.

Are the trees ready for cutting? Unfortunately they are not all as grand as this lot.

Measured one of the biggest. 64cm around, at one meter off the ground.

The ponds looking South West from the road. Eucas in the distance.

Beautiful nature is everywhere in Isaan.

Seez ya next post.

Where in Isaan do you live?

 

What is the nearest big city?

 

 

As I said above, love these types of

threads and look forward to reading your updates 

 

 

Thanks

[Cranki]

3 hours ago, Marc26 said:

Where in Isaan do you live?

What is the nearest big city?

As I said above, love these types of

threads and look forward to reading your updates 

Thanks

Been following this thread for years, nearest "big" city to the OP is UdonThani.

[AussieBob]

4 hours ago, Marc26 said:

Where in Isaan do you live?

What is the nearest big city?

As I said above, love these types of

threads and look forward to reading your updates 

Thanks

In Ban Thum near Khon Kaen - about 10km from centre of town. Close but not too close. 

[NonThaiKiwi]

7 hours ago, AussieBob said:

1 hour ago, McTavish said:

Poisoned grain should sort it. 

Actually no - that will kill other birds as well. 

Catching them in a net and drowning them is the best way.

Poisoned pellets in their roosting locations is another but less humane way.

Shooting them with air compressor gun works (if legal) - but can be dangerous if the shooter is an idiot.

Unfortunately with this silly 'women's mind' of a world, all that is on the net is humane ways to make them move, which only moves the problem to someone else's property.

Back before the world started going mad, we had on the farm:

 

. 177  air rifle for birds that became pests, like starlings

 

. 22 rifle for possums

 

. 303 for deer, goats and sometimes pigs. 

 

With a few nutters going crazy in NZ the last decade, it's now really difficult to obtain any firearm and rules are very tight.  Even to get ammo. 

 

In someways it's good but those who break the law are still getting their hands on them. 

 

An air rifle here would be very useful.