Cars, money and houses

      Day's passed, rubber flowed, the price was good and to my delight the trees produced more than I could have hoped. Still money was tight, there were so may things that we needed. We needed to extend the house, the concrete block bedroom was a nightmare with the 2 little ones sleeping with us. Also there were dangers. The original house had been built 20 plus years earlier, before the concrete road. The house was half a meter below street level. This had no effect on the neighbors stilt huts, they just raised the soil under their hut. Now our house was damp and prone to minor flooding during heavy rain. The dampness brought bugs, which brought frogs and they brought scorpions. Sooner or later one of the kids would be stung.
      It was decide to sell the smallest plantation, I hated the idea of losing 600 plus trees, but the kids needed a bedroom and we needed another car. The pick up truck had been fine with only the wife and I, but was no family sedan.



      The Car.
      To most westerners, food, shelter and in my case, closely followed by beer, are the  prime requirements of life. Cars are a necessity for some and a luxury for others. To a jungle dwelling Thai the car is, the be all and end all of status. They will hock their kidneys for one. With the coming of rubber to the village, the first thing a man would buy, with his new found wealth, was the biggest twin cab pickup truck that the bank would allow. Most could not even drive and would need a friend who could, to bring it back. Where once water buffalo slept under the house a new silver Toyota, or Mitsubishi took pride of place. To make the payments they would live, as they had before the coming of rubber money. A village up the road with 400 homes bought 70 brand new pick ups last year alone. When I said we were going to buy a new car smiles of joy filled the family.
      A car to me is just a means of transport and what we needed was a vehicle to take the kids and wife to town shopping, for moving big things the pick up truck was there. When I announced that we were going to buy a little city hatchback for shopping. They had low repayments and were cheap to run. The mother began to cry and the fathers head hung in shame, better to buy nothing, than the smallest car in the village. We were rich and needed the biggest and best. The shame of it all. Over the next week or so , everywhere I sat was a brochure, pamphlet, advertising twin cab trucks. This was one I would not win. 2 weeks later we went to town and bought a big black 7 seat Pajero SUV. No one in the village had an SUV, all were happy. As is the way, you have to throw a party for the new car. The car must be driven straight home and not leave the house for 24 hours. Monks must come and scribble spells all over it. Everyone who comes to look, ties white string on to something and gives their blessings. I would be allowed to buy a small car now, or in 6 years when we had finished paying of this beast.



      House ,let the building begin.
      Most westerners and rich Thais seem to build big square western looking houses. On the Thai side it is a belief that western is best. On the Farang side, it is the big house back home, that they could never afford. I had lived here long enough to know that the only time spent inside was watching TV or sleeping. Shaded patios and open areas were the go. A simple plan was drawn up, 2 bedrooms, a large bathroom attached to the in-laws shack by a tiled floor and roofed area. We had build the soil level up the previous year. A local village builder was hired. Builders here are hired by the job, they quote to put up the poles, then quote to pour the concrete etc. They had only started work when the wife decided the main bedroom was to small and she double the size, more poles and concrete. After the builders were paid for the jobs done, they disappeared for a week. Eating and drinking until the money was gone. This would be a regular occurrence  over the 5 or 6 months they were here.
      The Aunt who had raised the wife near Bangkok, turned up one day. She had decided to move in with us. The Aunt had never been married, had no children and looked on Bell as her daughter and our kids as her grandchildren. I couldn't say no and another bedroom was added. We had got to the painting stage. When all brushes were down and more poles, roof titles, bricks and concrete arrived. The father had decided that a big back veranda was needed. He would pay, which in Thai means he will pay now and when we have the money we pay him back. At this time I said NO MORE, that's it. I was wrong of course.
      The brother in-law had moved up from Krabi with his wife. The wife's family are big time rubber and palm oil planters, as well as land and building owners in Krabi town. Not poor, rich by western standards.  The brother knew rubber, but wanted to come back home. I gave him the job as my head foreman and they had moved into the factory office. The family had pledged to give her 5 Million Baht, when they produced their first grandchild. She was pregnant and the office was no place for a baby. A house was needed, the family agreed to sent up the money to build, simple. Not in rural Thailand it is not, the monk, shaman or house building witch doctor must be consulted first. 2011 [2554 Buddha] was a bad luck year for them to build, 2012 would bring a happy house.  Brother approaches sister, my wife, explains the dilemma and can he build another bedroom on to our house. He will pay and I will not have to pay him back, it was only for the year. Now I am not going to say no to an offer like that. Builders are back, not to made a bedroom, but a bed sit, bedroom with small lounge area.
      What had started as a 2 bedroom hut now looked more like a 6 bedroom motel, but I did get my hot shower.