If you are a foreigner and plan to live in rural Isaan, you need to make your own life.
The majority of things you are use to in your day to day life in the west, will simply not be available here.
If you are trying to replicate your western life in Thailand because it is cheaper, Isaan will not be the place for you.
If you can live like a rural Thai without all the comforts of home, Isaan will work for you.
I suspect many foreigners move to Thailand because it is cheaper, has excellent beaches and things to do.
Foreigners want the same conveniences and luxuries as they have back home because many feel they are cheaper and can live a better quality life here.
That is not the case in rural Isaan.
There are no conveniences and there probably won’t be any other foreigners to socialize with.
Why would a foreigner want to live like that?
Most foreigners that end up in rural Isaan are because they married a gal from here.
Because of her, they agree to move out of their comfort and convenience.
The foreigners I have seen around rural Isaan are all older foreigners, 70 years old and up.
Most have a fixed routine revolving around hobbies and extended family.
Aside of that and local things within an hour to see and do, there is not much going on in rural Isaan.
As foreigners get older, they want a simple, peaceful life, void of anything that will cause stress.
Sometimes, just getting into a city like Khon Kaen can be very stressful, when you live in a village where there is no traffic and get into bumper to bumper traffic.
All in all, I think most married foreigners that end up in rural Isaan are the kind that don’t need entertainment, socializing, fancy restaurants or anything else.
99.9% of westerners would call this life BORING!
It is a very small, select number of foreigners that like it here and can make it work out.
You learn to live a different life.
You learn you never needed as much as you thought you did, even though those living on social security probably have 10 times more than most locals.
You just take it easy.
It’s not for everyone, but for those foreigners that do live in Isaan, they have figured out how to survive and be happy here.