Recently, I accompanied my friend to his home village, Ban Nonghuku, in Udon Thani. The trip is about ten hours by bus or car. Or, you can take a one hour flight from Suwhanabumi Airport. Best had not seen his family for a while and was also shopping for a used car. For reasons best known to him, he decided that he should make the purchase in Udon Thani, rather than here in good old Pattaya. I’ve been to Udon Thani several times and have had the opportunity to visit and observe rural life in the various villages and farming communities, there. On this journey, I was struck by the contrasts that still exist “up country” and, I guess, Thailand as a whole.