You can have a place in Thailand and travel to renew visas. The visa merrygoround involving bank deposits, immigration etc is time consuming and soul destroying.
You are both young enough to travel for visa renewals to neighboring countries. Why get stuck in the visa treadmill and keep money tied up in Thai banks?
There is nothing 'dark' about Isaan. Unless you are referring to skin colour. The cities of Udon Thani and Khon Kaen have all the modern conveniences. Someone I knew from decades ago has lived there for years. He is an alcoholic but that can happen anywhere.