Tweet
This is my 4th trip here in a year, so following Madfrogs thread, i thought i would let you all know what to expect when your loved one says "come home with me"!!
For a brief back ground the following is taken from Wiki.
It is located on the Khorat Plateau, bordered by the Mekong River (along the border with Laos) to the north and east, by Cambodia to the southeast and the Prachinburi mountains south of Nakhon Ratchasima. To the west it is separated from Northern and Central Thailand by the Phetchabun mountain range.
From the beginning of the 20th century this region in northeastern Thailand was officially named as Isan, a term adopted from Sanskrit Ishan that means €œnorth east direction.€ The term "Isan" was originally derived from Isanapura, capital of the Chenla kingdom. The Lao-speaking people from this region, who comprise a majority of the population, distinguish themselves not only from the Lao of Laos but in addition also the central Thai by calling themselves later as Khon Isan, or Thai Isan. The Khmer and Kuy (Suai) who live in the southern part of the northeast region of Thailand communicated in languages and follow customs that are more similar to Cambodia than to the tradition of either the Thai people or the Lao people.
Isan is the poorest region of Thailand: in 2002 average wages were the lowest in the country at 3,928 baht per month (the national average was 6,445).
The region's poverty is also shown in its infrastructure: eight of the ten provinces in Thailand with the fewest physicians per capita are in Isan (Sisaket has fewest, with one per 14,661 in 2001; the national average was 3,289); it also has eight of the ten provinces with the fewest hospital beds per head (Chaiyapum has fewest, with one per 1,131 in 2001; the national average was 453). Nevertheless, as in the rest of Thailand, all districts (Amphoe) have a hospital, and all sub districts (tambon) have a clinic providing primary health care. The introduction of the "30 baht" health card has dramatically changed the numbers of those attending hospitals for treatment, as it has meant that full health care is available to all who register for only 30 baht per visit. The few who can afford it travel to the modern private hospitals and clinics in the large cities for non-urgent specialist consultations and care.
The region also lags in new technology: there was only one Internet connection per 75 households in 2002 (national average one per 22 households), [update needed] but by 2006 every district town (amphoe) had at least one publicly accessible internet connection, either in the local computer shop or in the district office. Extension of landline telephones to remote areas not previously served has been largely superseded by the use of cell phones, primarily of the GSM format, which now covers the entire region with the exception of a few sparsely populated mountainous areas and large national parks. Many people, even the poorest and sometimes children, have cellular telephones, although they have no fixed-line telephone. The region also has the lowest literacy rate [source?] when compared with other regions in Thailand. By the beginning of 2008, most of the amphoe (district towns of the provinces) had been provided with ADSL by the TOT, still leaving, however, the vast majority of the rural population dependent on dial-up connections - for those who have landline telephones - which are totally inadequate for the megabyte-hungry packages of data of 21st century information. Internet shops are now experiencing a boom for those able to get to them, and are heavily patronized by primary and secondary schoolchildren who come not only to use the Internet but also to play on-line games, use VOIP, or just to use the computer and printing facilities. An increasingly significant number of customers in the Internet shops, particularly in the cities, are young ladies searching for future Western husbands on the numerous dating sites. Resident Western expatriates, and foreign tourists are also frequent customers. For those outside the district towns who require a serious use of the Internet in their homes, an iPstar broadband satellite connection is the only alternative; although four times more expensive than a DSL connection, it is far less reliable and suffers considerable down-time due to overloading, heavy cloud cover, and rain and despite - in theory - being €˜always on€™, it often lacks the stability for streaming and clarity of VOIP.
For a brief back ground the following is taken from Wiki.
It is located on the Khorat Plateau, bordered by the Mekong River (along the border with Laos) to the north and east, by Cambodia to the southeast and the Prachinburi mountains south of Nakhon Ratchasima. To the west it is separated from Northern and Central Thailand by the Phetchabun mountain range.
From the beginning of the 20th century this region in northeastern Thailand was officially named as Isan, a term adopted from Sanskrit Ishan that means €œnorth east direction.€ The term "Isan" was originally derived from Isanapura, capital of the Chenla kingdom. The Lao-speaking people from this region, who comprise a majority of the population, distinguish themselves not only from the Lao of Laos but in addition also the central Thai by calling themselves later as Khon Isan, or Thai Isan. The Khmer and Kuy (Suai) who live in the southern part of the northeast region of Thailand communicated in languages and follow customs that are more similar to Cambodia than to the tradition of either the Thai people or the Lao people.
Isan is the poorest region of Thailand: in 2002 average wages were the lowest in the country at 3,928 baht per month (the national average was 6,445).
The region's poverty is also shown in its infrastructure: eight of the ten provinces in Thailand with the fewest physicians per capita are in Isan (Sisaket has fewest, with one per 14,661 in 2001; the national average was 3,289); it also has eight of the ten provinces with the fewest hospital beds per head (Chaiyapum has fewest, with one per 1,131 in 2001; the national average was 453). Nevertheless, as in the rest of Thailand, all districts (Amphoe) have a hospital, and all sub districts (tambon) have a clinic providing primary health care. The introduction of the "30 baht" health card has dramatically changed the numbers of those attending hospitals for treatment, as it has meant that full health care is available to all who register for only 30 baht per visit. The few who can afford it travel to the modern private hospitals and clinics in the large cities for non-urgent specialist consultations and care.
The region also lags in new technology: there was only one Internet connection per 75 households in 2002 (national average one per 22 households), [update needed] but by 2006 every district town (amphoe) had at least one publicly accessible internet connection, either in the local computer shop or in the district office. Extension of landline telephones to remote areas not previously served has been largely superseded by the use of cell phones, primarily of the GSM format, which now covers the entire region with the exception of a few sparsely populated mountainous areas and large national parks. Many people, even the poorest and sometimes children, have cellular telephones, although they have no fixed-line telephone. The region also has the lowest literacy rate [source?] when compared with other regions in Thailand. By the beginning of 2008, most of the amphoe (district towns of the provinces) had been provided with ADSL by the TOT, still leaving, however, the vast majority of the rural population dependent on dial-up connections - for those who have landline telephones - which are totally inadequate for the megabyte-hungry packages of data of 21st century information. Internet shops are now experiencing a boom for those able to get to them, and are heavily patronized by primary and secondary schoolchildren who come not only to use the Internet but also to play on-line games, use VOIP, or just to use the computer and printing facilities. An increasingly significant number of customers in the Internet shops, particularly in the cities, are young ladies searching for future Western husbands on the numerous dating sites. Resident Western expatriates, and foreign tourists are also frequent customers. For those outside the district towns who require a serious use of the Internet in their homes, an iPstar broadband satellite connection is the only alternative; although four times more expensive than a DSL connection, it is far less reliable and suffers considerable down-time due to overloading, heavy cloud cover, and rain and despite - in theory - being €˜always on€™, it often lacks the stability for streaming and clarity of VOIP.
I think we could safely call KL an 'accomplished' adventurer 
Comment