Kooky.

I sincerely hope this is a wind-up If not, I think the other posters are being very polite and should really be asking you - girl, have you lost your mind?

(In other Thai news, has nobody posted yet about the seven suspicious tourist deaths?)

MasterLee

No, she hasn't lost her mind, but she got one small detail awry - I'm only half-Thai on my mother's side, and I'm actually British born and bred.

We're seriously considering Thailand, but we have a lot to talk about and some reality bonding to do in order to establish a firm relationship basis before putting roots down anywhere.

I'm just as conscious of the dangers of a relationships dangers as she is - I've had my own heartbreaks, and I want to know that she's taking precautions, too.

That aside, it's nice to have some idea of the nicer places to live. The only reason I'm in Roi-Et is to help out my parents while they're having some building work done.

It *is* a little backward, but there's also some danger of the atmosphere getting a little frosty due to the support for ol' Thaksin around here, and he's due back in a couple of months. My parents needn't worry too much, they're in their 70s now, but I'll have to be careful what I say out and about . . .

Many options are open, we're just spit-balling here.

Kooky.

Mate, I'm with bakedbean - don't care what nationality you are, or which one is the male, etc., but you have to admit the posts read as romantic madness! Glad to hear that you have your feet firmly on the ground and realise that you have a lot to learn about each other before making emotional and financial commitments.

I have quite a few friends who met on the internet, from different parts of the world. Some have now been married years - they met long before it was as much the norm as it now is. I also know of many happily married "mixed" couples (I used to live in SEA).

However there are enough horror stories out there in cyberland, and I know of a few personally, to make me urge you both to take it s-l-o-w-l-y.

MissDreamboat

Thank you Seasider for your friendly warning to be cautious. I will take on board all of your advice and know that I will be one of the many happily married "mixed" couples should I be asked. I now understand that the southern peninsular (Phuket, Samui, etc.) is much more agreeable and there is also something to be said for the eastern coast (Pattaya, Jomtien, et al.). So maybe it will not be Roi-Et after all. Quite simply I’ll be happy anywhere.

Alan2005

Bloody hell... I really hope you know what you are doing. If you'd mentioned this little fact at the start my advice would have simply been to run.

If you must proceed, then plan to stay in a big city (such as Bangkok) for a few months first. Don't go to the middle of nowhere where you could just disappear without a trace. And make somebody else aware of your plans at all times.

ameliapond

Prices won't be the same I suppose, a friend of mine lives in Phuket, he bought a small house there, but he spent a fortune, so the budget you set aside for northern Thailand might just not be enough. Anyway, I'd say either you're very brave or very naive, but don't know anything about you, so I'll just assume you thought this through, best of luck!!

MissDreamboat

Thank you ameliapond,
I don’t think I’m being naïve. So I must be brave…thank you for not saying “stupid”. I’m not sure how far the money will go in these other places, but we are going to rent while we look around. Believe me I am going to exercise caution and thank you for your good wishes.
I am going away for two weeks in a few hours so will be unable to reply to anyone from 10.00am Wednesday 26th April (UK time). If anyone wishes to add anything I will read it on my return and reply then.
Thank you all.

nonthaburi

I think Baked Bean made a fair comment really, before doing anything I would simply concentrate on seeing whether you can actually live with this guy or not. It's all very well chatting on the net but it's a different kettle of fish when you are actually living with them as I'm sure you realise. There are so many things ( persona habits, lifestyle choices ) that you may not know about.
Do you like to get up early in the morning, does he like to stay in bed all day. The little stuff like that ,that can decide whether you are compatible or not.

That's not to say that it can't work out because I work with a guy from Moldova ( of all places ) who met his ( now ) wife on the internet and she travelled to Moldova to meet him and bet married and they now have lovely daughter and by all accounts seem happily married.

Added to this I sort of think that you are really jumping in at the deep end if you move to Roi-et , having never spent much or any time in Thailand. When I said that there is nothing geared up for foreigners up there it was totally true, there really isn't, plus a new relationship , new culture etc.

Fair play to you for giving it a go. When I first moved to Isaan ( Buriram province close to the Cambodian border ) I had already spent many years in Thailand, I spoke pretty good Thai and I thought I could get by anywhere. I was wrong. The language thing that no one spoke Thai at home, the difference from the south to the northeast, no beach, many things all combined to make me hate it at first.

In fact after a couple of months I actually left for a while on the pretense of going back to Ranong ( south ) to pick up my motorbike and the go for a road trip driving it back up to Buriram. Wife wasn't too happy as she was pregnant ( very bad moods as well which didn't help ) but I had to get away.

But the strange thing was that when I came back all the locals were so happy to see me because they thought I had gone and after that everything got a lot better.

Still not totally sure I know what they are all going on about when they are speaking ( got some very funny words in Isaan ) but we have a good time when we are there and we do have a very nice house too. Going there next week for ten days as it goes.

Anyway, going off on a tangent here but the main thing I'm trying to say is that you are going to have your wqork cut out for you up there so I would try somewhere a bit more foreigner friendly at first , nuetral territory for both of you as well, and see how it goes. Houses and land you can think about after having lived together for a couple of years.

Whatever happens, good luck ( I think you're going to need it ) and keep us posted. When are you moving there ?

nonthaburi

Forgot to say that when we first moved to the village in Isaan the nearest ATM was 30km away ( it's only ten now ) and the nearest 7-11 was also 30 km away ( it's 20 km now ). For a city boy like me that was pretty tough.

nonthaburi

keeping quiet about the deaths, you never know who's next:

the troubadour

Suggest very great care taken before parting with money. Thailand is a nation where many Farang have lost a lot of money and dreams in the name of love.(usually men though,but have met women too)

Go and look and take a lot of time giving consideration if this is the way forward for you.

ameliapond

At that point you must've said, surely, "Oh thank Heaven there is a 7-Eleven..."

nonthaburi

Well it does rhyme.....

They do have air-con though , so heaven was the 7-11 !!

MissDreamboat

A big kiss to everybody and thanks again for your sage advice. That's it, I'm off now. See y'all in a fortnight. Byeeee XXXXXXXXXXX

bakedbean

Well thank gawd for that. What a relief.

As always, both Seasider and Nonthaburi putting such down-to-earth helpful comments. Good on ya, guys.

Noted that Miss D won't be able to respond to this for a little while but yup do some touring around and see what areas suit and don't commit on anything for a little while, will ya, if you've got the time to do it. I guess you have.

And do come back on here and let us know how you're getting on.

I have to confess that I'm a bit Pot calling the Kettle black here as I used to live in Phuket and it was a rushed decision, though I didn't have much choice at the time. Phuket didn't work out for us though it was a good life experience. If I had the time all over again, I would've checked out some other places first - Hua Hin, Chang Mai, and of course Penang in Malaysia which is where we've ended up. All the best.