Up in Isarn somewhere in Nong Khai province, in the middle of a mango farm, Steve Areen built what looks like his own Hobbit hole. With direction from a friend who specializes in building “dome homes” at a retreat center, Areen, a former Delta Airlines flight attendant, erected his 46.5 sqm home with the help of a couple friends. The cost of his cool domey-cile? Less than THB300,000, and it only took six weeks to build. “The cost for the basic structure was under $6,000,” Areen wrote on his blog. “It took a few more weeks to add the details, such as doors, screens, pond, upstairs structure, stonework and landscaping. All this, including furnishings, was under $3,000. ..Bringing my total cost to about $9,000.” Areen’s home is connected to the grid, but naturally cooled and lit by skylights cut into the dome’s roof.