Originally posted on June 8, 2006 4:21 p.m.

Question from Rdrokit by PM: "I'm planning on moving to Non Sung in February 2007. Can you give me some insite on what it is like to live there and examples of what things cost in this area so I can make a budget before I leave?"


Non Sung is a fairly big amphur with many tambons and villages spanning from adjacent to amphur Mueang to maybe one hour's drive.

From where I live close to amphur Non Thai to the amphur (county seat) it's about 30 mins drive to Non Sung town (20 kms) on narrow and winding streets in relatively good condition. Most streets connecting villages within the amphur are in fairly good condition now, just got fixed up, but nobody can predict what'll be after the rainy season. They'll usually get fixed again before elections.

Public transportation does exist in some places. Some newer medium class busses (not airconditioned) and more songtheaws (trucks or pickups with seats on the back. Or what is called tuktuk here: tractors with seats on the back, more meant for transportation of goods than people. The famous three-wheel tuktuk taxis with gas motor are rare, common are a kind of three-wheel motorcyles remodelled for taxi service. Very few leftover samlors can be seen in Non Sung town, mainly on market day. Taxi services with cars do not exist; but private owners of cars often accept an occasional taxi drive.

I think about all of the amphur is connected to electricity. Pipe water supply is operated by the tambons and villages on their own and might be still a problem at some locations.

Telephone lines are quite a problem because of the high cost of wire. You gotta pay until the next exchange; so mobile phones and GPRS or satellite for internet are standard. Public phone booths are in about every village, but they are poorly maintained and only few of them work all the time.

Non Sung town has a train station with a passenger line to Korat.

But it's more of a rural center. Farmers sell their products there to companies and buy fertilizer, seeds, agricultural machinery etc. in Non Sung, often getting better bargains there than in Korat City. Some Construction material, like red bricks are there cheaper, too, because the factory is near.

Sunday nights a larger night market iis held n the open a little outside of town near the hospital from about 6 p.m. to 9 p. m. offering just about everything. Monday mornings is market in Non Sung town centre, selling food, clothes, household goods, flowers, CDs, cheap toys, electronics, tools etc.

A smaller market for fresh food, meat and vegetables in a hall in the town centre is open every morning. Shops include motorcycle shops, textiles and shoe shops, pharmacies, optician, bridal fashion rentals, medium size general stores, electronics parts and repairs, and garden supplies. There is one gasoline station and a few repair shops for cars and motorcycles. The two banks Omsin (government Savings Bank) and Bank of Ayudhya both have ATM machines. But neither seems to support Cash Advance on foreign ATM or credit cards; next that do to my experience are located in Choho (Bangkok Bank, Siam Commercial Bank) and Nonthai (Bangkok Bank).

Classier or even airconditioned restaurants or coffee shops do not exist, yet. Food served at most places is standard, at some places quite good. In the evening a couple (4 or 5) of outdoor Karaoke restaurants open.

Non Sung town also does have a medium size hospital. An ambulance I think they do not own yet, so in case of emergency a pickup has to do.

The cost of living is rather lower than in the city: 40.000 is commonly agreed to be a fully sufficient amount. Of course shopping trips to one of the cash 'n' carry markets in Korat can be quite costly; living remote from the city you don't go that often and if you go, you buy a lot. But all basic necessities you can buy in Non Sung.

Building a house depends on what size the house should be and how much soil you still have to fill up to get your land up to or better even higher than street level to avoid getting flooded in the rainy season. A two bedroom, two bathroom bungalow can be build for around 900.000 Baht. If your land is big, better calculate a higher amount for a wall and/or fence, too, depending on size, quality and style.

Furniture is quite a cost factor. Cheap furniture tends to fall apart in this climate easily. And the laws for protecting the environment made the high quality solid wood very expensive. Imports from Burma are hardly seen anymore.