You know that feeling when you think you’ve struck gold, but instead you hit… salt?
Welcome to life on the farm, where nothing ever goes exactly as planned, and every good idea comes with a surprise twist. This week’s episode: The Salty Truth About Our Well also known as “Why Plan B Should’ve Been Plan A All Along.”
So here’s how it went down.
We needed water for the house no big deal, right? We live in rural Thailand, the land of rice paddies, fish ponds, and more rain than your laundry can handle. Everyone around us said, “Just drill 20-30 meters. No problem!” Even the local experts gave us that familiar Thai smile and a confident nod.
But deep down, I had that gut feeling:
“Eric… don’t be cheap. Go at least 50 meters or more. Deeper is better.”
Did I listen to myself?
Of course not.
Why would I, when every neighbor, cousin, and soi-dog in a 5km radius swore up and down that 30 meters was plenty?
So we drilled.
And we found water.
Salty water.
Not just a little salty we’re talking enough sodium to make a bowl of instant noodles jealous. Good enough for the fish maybe… but for showers, washing dishes, or a refreshing glass? Forget it. Unless you’re into brine-based skincare.
Enter: Plan B.
320 meters away, right along the main road, lies the government water supply. We always knew it was there the “just-in-case” backup that we hoped we’d never need. But now? It was either hook up to that sweet, drinkable main supply or invest in a home desalination plant and start selling sea salt on the side.
So, we did what any self-respecting, slightly stubborn expat-farmer hybrid would do:
We ate humble pie and called the village headman and looked for some laborers.
After we got the ok, we rented a small excavator and started laying pipe.
💸 27,000 baht later for 320 meters of shiny new pipe…
💸 Plus another 1,000 baht for the water meter install…
And voilà! Fresh water straight from the tap. Clean, reliable, and utterly non-salty. Pure bliss.
What’s the lesson here?
Well… don’t always listen to “everyone,” especially when your instincts tell you otherwise. If you know your region has deep brackish layers, just pay the extra up front and drill deeper. Trust me salty regret is a flavor you only want once.
But hey what’s farming without a few missteps, right? We laughed. We cursed. We rehydrated.
And next time someone says “Mai pen rai, 30 meters is enough…”
I’ll just smile, point at the road, and say:
“I’ve got 320 meters of PVC pipe that says otherwise.”
Stay salty,
Boom & Eric
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