The Night I Went Frog Fishing in Rural Thailand 🇹🇭🐸

I knew that if I were to move to rural Sisaket in the northeast of Thailand, there would be many things that I would need to learn and open my eyes to. There were the obvious ones, like learning the local lingo and understanding that the same amenities would not be on my doorstep. But frog fishing? 

It’s a different world compared to the hurly-burly, packed population of Bangkok, with its heavy traffic and lots of time being required to get around. I understood and accepted all that and wanted to understand how people lived in the provinces, and I was determined to embrace whatever experiences came my way.

Therefore, when my good lady Taew and I visited our future home in the village of Suan Kluai in early 2023, I was more than willing to go fishing with her brother Dam and a couple of mates. Little did I realise what they had in store for me!

She told me they would be calling after work. I thought that we’d be going to a river or even a lake near us. I was way out. No, the fishing they were going to teach me was how to catch frogs out in the small woods at the back of the house. I struggled to take in what I was being told, retyping it on Google Translate a couple of times to make sure.

I thought I was going on a normal fishing trip with the locals in Sisaket… until I was handed Wellington boots, a headlamp, and taken into the woods to catch frogs instead! I was also told to put on a long-sleeved shirt to avoid insect bites, as the ground was moist and conducive to them.

My job, or so it seemed, was simple enough. However, with the language barrier, it wasn’t altogether easy. I was tasked with carrying the equipment. I think I got it right, though what my colleagues were thinking, being lumbered with this farang, who knows.

Basically, they put down a small pole in the wet ground, around 15cm in length and sharpened at one end. They tied a length of twine to each stake before attaching the bait to the end. It dangled close to the ground so that frogs failed to resist having a nibble and would be caught. It was certainly an experience trying not to land in the water and have an accident.

Once around twenty traps had been set, we returned to the house, sitting down under the lean-to which forms the kitchen area. Beers and whiskies were produced, with me earning a few brownie points by joining in the shots and eating the local food, which included one of our chickens, caught by my father-in-law, before being plucked and boiled. 

We relaxed for an hour or so, trying as best we could to communicate before reversing the process. We only caught three or four amphibians, probably rushing the process, which is ideally left overnight. However, it had given me an overview of frog fishing, so it was worth the effort.

Returning to what I was best at, it was time for Taew to introduce me as a karaoke singer. Taew liked to tell people I was a superstar singer at her ‘Brothers and Sisters’ bar in Minburi. In reality, I suspect I was mostly alerting passing trade that the bar was open.

Thais love a band called Scorpions, and to be fair, I wasn’t too bad belting out a few of their numbers. It certainly enhanced my reputation with my new friends.

My father-in-law prepared the frogs, with the fleshy bits being used in curries and soups, tasting like chicken, believe it or not, while the bits around the bones are deep-fried. When finished, they make lovely finger food with a chilli dip and a cold beer.

The frogs obviously made an impression on Taew. She bought a few and built a farm in her garden, where they breed, and she sells them by the kilogram to those wanting them for food, making a racket with their loud croaking filling the garden at night.

Before moving to Thailand, I'd never imagined spending a Friday evening catching frogs in the woods with my future family. Looking back, it wasn't really about the frogs at all. It was about being welcomed into rural life in Isan and sharing an experience I'll never forget.

If you enjoyed this story, feel free to check out my YouTube Channel, where I share videos about everyday life in Thailand, local football, and travel across the country.

Thanks for reading.