ACS: Warden Message: Flooding in Southern Thailand

US Embassy American Citizen Services Warden Message
Thousands stranded due to flooding and landslides.
If your immediate travel plans  include  Koh Samui, Koh Tao, Koh Phangan, Krabi, Similan, and Phuket, and other southern destinations, consider alternate destinations.

Best times to use the internet in Thailand's rice jungle

Internet is really slow in Thailand at the moment

I'd venture to guess, the system is old, antiquated, and overused.
Best times to use the internet in Thailand's rice jungle (back country / outback) is when they're sleeping or otherwise engaged: 3AM to 10AM.

After 10 AM things begin to slow down, especially when school is in session.  The rest of the time is peak usage. 

Quite often I've had success by disconnecting and reconnecting internet provider hardware or software (network control panel)
By doing that you are most likely disconnecting from an overpopulated node, and then reconnecting to a less used node (node=connection point).

Upgrading Thailand's connectivity has been underway for quite a few years.  Stalled in political and legal wrangling.  There seem to be promising developments that an upgrade might finally begin this year.  But for heavens sake don't hold your breath.


3G services approval under consideration Reuters

Thai News revisited

Radioactive sweet potatoes destroyed THAI VISA
The comments to the article are at times informative and hilarious at THAI VISA

Tourists stranded by Thai floods The Australian

One million stranded in the South THE NATION

March 25, Sakon FC looses to Kalasin FC 2-0

News from Afar

NASA - First Image Ever Obtained from Mercury Orbit


Panama accepts resignation of cross-dressing diplomat 

That's Entertainment

Waitress of the month                                         Watermelon in the snout


Skid Marks                                               How real men change fan belts


When not to clean your glasses                                          Bizarre British

Take the last bus from Bangkok

Weather-wise it hasn't been a pretty picture in Thailand lately.
Locally it's been a temperature roller coaster ride.  Extreme heat with feels like temperatures above 45C (113F) at times, then dropping down to 15C (59F).

One day my pool is overcrowded, the next day my visitors are dressed as if they were on an expedition to the North Pole.

A little over a week ago Bangkok experienced some of it's coldest weather in five years, 20C (68F).

 Coldest day ever in Bangkok 9.9C (49.8F) in January 1955  Bangkok Blogger

Southern Thailand is getting hit by rains, floods, high waves, and heavy winds for the past week.
Boat, train, bus and air service to the southern provinces has been halted due to flooding.
Hundreds of touristst are stranded at Koh Samui.

With local cool temperatures and almost continuous light rain I'm asking myself, isn't that why I left Seattle and moved to a supposedly warmer climate. So I wouldn't notice all those aches and pains.

SakonNakhon Outlook:
A few more cool days ahead. Warming slightly at first, then accelerating.

It's a bit early to tell with certainty, but Accu Weather is predicting feels like temperatures of 42/26C (108/79F) for April 12.  NOTE TO SELF: Keep the air conditioner remote for the bedroom handy.

Last bus from Bangkok to Surat Thani  

video by muijablogi

After Burma, quakes rocked Thailand too  The Nation

 Eight dead as Thailand hit by floods and cold spell    Monsters and Critics
The numbers continue to rise

 Deadly Antibiotic-Resistant Superbug Spreads in Southern California  abc news
Two facts got my attention in this article

• The bug is spread in hospital environments.
• The most common means of spreading bugs is the handshake.

Why I don't accept game and application requests on facebook

 Data Mining: How Companies Now Know Everything About You  Time

This dog owner doesn't need a housekeeper

Thailand's deadliest driving Season Ahead

Songkran, the Thai New Year begins in less than three weeks.
It's the annual celebration when Thai's near and afar make a pilgrimage home to be with family.

A few days before the holidays it becomes obvious: 
Extra buses are put into service from major metropolitan centers.   

Highway traffic is at its peak, and so are accidents and road mayhem.

Plenty of extra road checks are set up along highways to insure driver sobriety.
Many of these checkpoints now have breathalyzers.

After 5 pm the police are asleep or ...

100% helmet use campaign started in Phuket last November.
The following month a nationwide campaign was kicked off.
Quite recently, posters and banners started to appear locally promoting the campaign.

The campaign seems to be working to some extend, but it's not quite 100% yet.

While adults wear helmets, their passenger children are mostly without head protection.

5 pm seems to be the time when helmets are discarded by almost everyone.
As one neighbor explained it to me, after 5 pm the police are asleep or...

I'd suggest eventually the law will expand, requiring eye protection for motorcyclists.  It's mandatory in many western countries.  Until then, we'll see plenty of eye patches.

Somewhat reminds me of the headlight law.  When I first started driving a motorcycle in Thailand (2003), Thai's would laugh at me for keeping my headlights on during the daytime.  A few months later it became law.  But it took another year before it became accepted practice.

Motorcycles sold these days are manufactured in a way that the headlights are on automatically when the engine is running.  Unfortunately helmet wearing can not be built into motorcycles.

Sakon FC experiences 0-2 loss

Kalasin scored twice during the first half.
Sakon FC had plenty of near misses, hitting the goalpost a few times and going over the goal a number of times.

During the second half Sakon FC continued to have a number of near misses, but were playing much better, foiling any attempts by Kalasin to increase their score.  Some player changes seemed to make the difference.

Large crowd of Kalasin FC fans was cheered on by a five drum cheering section.  Noisy!

About Thai time

There's a pattern here
Just like I noted two weeks ago in Korat, Kalasin score seems to function, but not the clock.

Round trip SakonNakhon/Kalasin

2:30  Telephone conversation

• Do you want to go to Kalasin to see the football game?
• How much, how long is the drive?
• Bt3,000, 1 1/2 hour

We agree on a lesser price and leave Sakon Nakhon around 4 pm.
The game is advertised to start at 6 pm.

A short while underway, Joey receives a phone call.  The game is to start at 5, not 6 pm.
From that moment I'm sitting next to speedracer.
The Phu Phan mountain range has some very sharp curves.
I looked at the speedometer, at times we were nearing 145 kmph (90mph) on the straightaways.
I was hanging on for dear life.  There were a couple close calls.

I gripped the overhead handle so tense that I actually loosened it.
5:20 pm we received another call.  Game hasn't started, the ambulance isn't at the stadium yet.
Can't start without it.

We arrived at 5:40, the game had been underway for 10 minutes.  As we walked through the parking lot, the crowd roared.  Kalasin had scored.

The return trip started after the game.  Eight PM. Traffic was very light.
There was an exiting moment when a bus was passing traffic, head-on in our lane.
We were forced off the pavement.  We were lucky there was enough space for us to get out of the way.  The bus never slowed and just kept on going.

We were doing 145kmph more frequently now.  We were home in two hours.

If you drive safe and at the posted speed limit, 
the drive can't be done in under two hours

Flabbergsted

I've been subscribed to  arakwarits You tube channel for some time.
It's quite a collection of videos.  I started watching his videos when I noted a number of Sakon FC games and a few other local events in his uploads.

His recent upload simply left me bewildered

I recognized the pink elephant and I had not been consuming any spirits.

The starting scene, snow covered mountains, I'd seen them before, looked very familiar.
Then that boat shaped tour bus jarred my memory.
I lived there for 25 years.  Well not there, but 87 blocks away.
Used to drive past the car wash twice daily on my way to work and home.

Really Old Fashioned Football Evening at home

Remember the days before television.
Television arrived on the scene just before my teens.



Before that, people gathered around the radio.

Local TV stations, probably due to budget constraints do not have the facilities to broadcast games live.
The only way to follow the game as it happens is through Sakon FC's website radio (which someone has to translate for me, as it's a Thai broadcast).

I had considered the drive to Kalasin on a motorbike.  Done it before.
Thought about the slow progress through the curves of Phu Phan Pass, and the cold temperatures at the moment...
Nah not this time!!


Really Great Sakon FC photography here

Anton celebrated his 50th birthday last night at Martins Chern Chim with friends.

Plenty of food and drink and a bottle of plum Schnaps Anton had saved especially for the occasion, where served.

After deciding to call it an evening and heading home, I made a return visit to the party for another hour.  The party was enjoyable enough, I wanted more.







Drought Conditions
Here in the city we've had only one day with heavy rain since October of last year.
Government agencies seem to have just publicly acknowledged the fact

• Thailand declares 333 districts as drought disaster zones  commodityonline - March 24

While on the subject, someone jokingly remarked at last night's party: "Where's the cold weather?"
Let me tell you it's coming. Nighttime temperatures as low as 15C (59F) on Sunday and Monday.
The temperature roller coaster ride hasn't ended yet.
Might have to move to warmer climates for the upcoming Songkran celebrations.

Earthquake

Didn't notice anything here, but apparently it shook buildings as far away as Bangkok

• Magnitude 5.4 - MYANMAR earthquake.usgs.gov - -March 24
• Tectonic Plates and Fault Lines in Asia Pacific reliefweb
   

30% of Thailand's vending water below quality

Contaminants include heavy metals and bacteria

• Vending Water not up to standard  The Nation - March 24

Flimsy children's bike helmets

Check your children's helmets for quality

• Thai police seize flimsy children's bike helmets washingtonexaminer - March 23

Sakon FC at Kalasin this Saturday 6 PM

We'll be monitoring this game via the internet broadcast  at SakonFC

Must be that Season again! Birthdays!

Birthday Party yesterday! Birthday Party today!
Last night's dinner and beer was a one minute bike ride from my house.
Tonight's party is a few miles down the road, at Martin's Chern Chim, where they will undoubtedly sing the Oom-pah pah version of Happy Birthday.



My comments to mail:  The Japan's Radioactive Dilemma

World weather patterns and the fallout are heading west.
Some radiation has already been noticed on the West Coast of the United States.
It's going to be interesting to see what the effects will be on the ocean and it's inhabitants.  The Food Chain.

  Bans on Japan food imports widen  mommadonna.roadproservices.com - March 23

 Australia halts food imports from near Japan plant  Bangkok Post - March 24

 Singapore: High radioactivity levels found in Japan produce    Asia One - March 24

Dog kidnapping on rise in Khon Kaen 

 Kidnapping of Dogs on the Rise  The Nation - March 23

Siamese Elephant Mounted Artillery in Laos 1893

Looks to me like they fired the canon from atop the elephant instead of dismounting the canon.
The elephant's stance seems to indicate he's ready for the next volley.

Wonder if he had earplugs?

Elephant sign language?

How many headless mahouts?





Videos:

1. Elizabeth Taylor dead at 79
2. TSA helps you make it to your Flight
3. Marlene Dietrich: Ich hab noch einen Koffer in Berlin
4. Thai Teen Affair?
5. Great listening
6. More great listening

           

Police Story Thailand: Episode 2

.

Bangkok late 1990.
I arrived at the Bangkok airport (then Don Muang), cleared customs, exchanged a few travelers checks and was about to get my bearings, when a uniformed policeman smiled that Thai smile: "Can I help you?"

I was looking for the limousine desk to hire a car to Pattaya.
The kind uniformed policeman offered me a bit high, but agreeable price, took my bag and invited me to follow him.

Down the stairs we went to the garage level.
I had the strong sense that something was amiss. The officer reassured me everything was "kosher."

We left the airport for a short ride to what looked like a police motor pool.
I was to be transferred to a more suitable car for the trip.

The policeman suggested he receive a tip. I was flabbergasted. We agreed on a price, tip included.
I wasn't about to pay extra.  Motor pool mechanics chuckled.  They seemed to understand my reasoning.

I am now in a newer sedan with no apparent markings with the exception of a two inch POLICE decal on the windshield.


Rocket Man

I met the driver. Early twenties.

The express toll way to Pattaya was under construction.
It was the old highway with plenty of construction detours and delays.
Freight trucks en route to the southern port slowed traffic to a crawl at times.

The drive should have been close to three hours. We done it in one hour, 15 minutes.
The ride was actually quite comfortable.  The driver was very sensible in his driving.
I don't remember tensing up one bit.  Then of course, a can of beer at hand helped calm me.

At times we used the temporary construction roads, closed to general traffic.
A bit dusty, but we passed all the congestion around construction areas at top speed.

A few speed radars along the way.  The cops with the radar guns waved and smiled at the driver.
They apparently knew him or recognized the decal.  We never slowed down.

As I remember it, when we encountered an open stretch of road we exceeded the speed limit by 30 to 40 kilometers.

I did tip this driver generously.  It had been a very pleasant, safe and speedy trip.
The car needed a washing.  It looked like we had been four-wheeling through the mudflats.

Weather Alert: 23-25 March

The main weather system is bypassing us, moving in a north westerly direction.
(Yellow pin on map = Muang Sakon)



Thai Meteorological Department Weather Warning

"...cool weather is likely over lower northern, northeastern, central and eastern Thailand"

Sour Green Apples

A neighbor gave us these. Have no idea what they are. Taste like sour green apples

BRAVO

Sunday evening I was watching a bit of

Season II: 'Thailand's got Talent.'

A man from Sakon performed.

Having only one arm and one leg sure didn't stop him from achieving his dream.





Dick Tracy File:   Japanese tourism down

Thai carriers among quake casualties  Bangkok Post

In the name of preventing fake marriages and human trafficking

Cambodia sets age limit for foreign husbands Straits Times

Stuff Readers sent me

Test your shooting skills at Binladen Liquors

Hot days cool nights, then cooling

subject to update (change)  without notice	Today March 21	Tuesday March 22	Wednesday March 23	Thursday March 24	Friday March 25	Saturday March 26
Thai Meteorological	33/22 91/72	30/20 86/68	28/19 82/66	28/19 84/66	28/20 84/68
AccuWeather	38/23 101/76	37/19 98/67	33/19 91/67	33/20 91/68	29/20 82/64	28/19 83/67
AccuWeather FEELS LIKE	41/23 105/74	39/17 102/63	33/17 91/62	34/18 94/64	28/18 82/64	29/18 84/64
wunderground	37/22 99/72	38/21 100/70	32/20 91/68	32/19 91/66	37/19 98/66

4 pm March 21

If you consider the feels like temperatures the difference between night and day is 31 degrees Fahrenheit (18 degrees Celsius).

Assesment of fish from October 2008 to September 2009
highest prevalence (100%) of metacercaria in Sakon Nakhon was Haplorchoides


2 Native English teachers who can teach English, Maths, Science, and Health 
Thatnaraiwitta School | Sakon Nakhon | At least 30,000 baht per month | Listed 2/03/2011

Seventh mysterious death in Chiang Mai

Only in Thailand!!!!

Thai army coins new terms for Lady-boys to avoid offending them.

• Type 1:  Looks like a man
• Type 2:  Has breast implants
• Type 3:  Has had full sex change surgery

Thai transgenders had previously been classified to have psychological / mental disorder, which disqualified them from military duty and many civilian occupations.
Should conscript shortages occur type 1 and 2 could be conscripted.
Thailand has an annual conscript lottery April 1 through 11

Bangkok Post

Monsters and Critics

Super Moon, not spectacular, but the food was great

  The sky was somewhat hazy to get a clear picture of the super moon.

The picture below was taken in March 2003, not a Super Moon year

The only unusual event for me yesterday seemed to be that I ate well and enjoyed it profusely.

A six course luncheon at the Imperial Sakon Hotel, after the S-Bac graduation ceremonies.
Served to dignitaries and teachers.
I got to sit with the dignitaries.
Understood not a word of their conversation. 
Instead I concentrated on the delicacies set before me.

My pants waistline felt somewhat tighter by the time I finished eating.

Later that evening I had beer and peanuts at the football game.

When I got home at around 7 pm,
Samat was waiting at my gate.

He had a bag of rice and red curry for me.
Red curry is my favorite.

Samat's wife had picket these green berries in my yard earlier in the morning and prepared them for the evening meal.

Discussion at THAI VISA forum:  Stolen Isan dogs for sale as dinner

Sakon FC 3 - Udon FC 3 -- Another Cold Front

It was probably one of the best games I've seen in the years I've been following Sakon FC.
The crowd was 'pumped' till the very last moment.

Both teams needed a win. Sakon FC had won one and lost one. Udon FC had lost two games.

5:10 pm

By halftime Sakon was in the lead: 1:0. But that changed within seconds after the start of the second half. A Sakon player received a yellow card and Udon took advantage of the free kick.

 

 

 

Both teams seemed evenly matched, however Sakon players did not take more advantage of the Udon goal keeper, who seemed to spend more time in mid-field, frequently leaving the Udon goal unatended.

Another cold front headed this way

If you look at  The Weather Channel you can see another cold front heading south from China.
It's a bit early to say with any certainty, expect temperatures to drop Wednesday
This one may not be as cold as we recently experienced.
Around my neighborhood there are some real "diehards," they were in my pool on the coldest days.

Heard it...

A friend claims her monk predicted the Japan calamity and says there's plenty more in store for us this year and next.
As if there aren't enough problems in the world already!!

Double header Saturday

S-BAC graduation ceremonies where held this morning at the Imperial Sakon Hotel.
Both academic and vocational diplomas where awarded.

Sakon FC hosts Udon FC today 5 pm



Thai tourism to lose Bt3 bln in revenue from Japan disaster  MCOT

One year visa extension. In and out in 18 minutes Khonkaen. Forum
  
Rubber prices way down The Jakarta Globe March 17

Unseasonable cold is almost over

There's all sort of chatter about the unseasonable cold weather most of Thailand had been experiencing for the past four days

• Sharp drop in temperatures felt nationwide as mercury plummets  THAI VISA Forum 
• Summer?  ajarnforum

More seasonable temperatures should return Sunday.

Even Alvin noticed the cold. 

Smart little fella.  He pulled most of a bar towel behind him to seal his mansion and keep warm

They'll be howling at the Moon

Tomorrow the moon will be 356577km  from the earth.

• “SuperMoon” or “SuperHype”? universetoday
• Supermoon' May Cause Moonquakes, Scientist Says  foxnews

SuperMoon happens once every 18 years.
2011-18 = 1993!

March 12–13, 1993 Storm of the Century, the ’93 Superstorm, the Great Blizzard of 1993, wikipedia
March 11, 2011 at 2:46pm Japan Earthquake


March 1993 seemed a routine month for me. Work on the docks of trucking company.  I was making plans for a vacation the following month (April).  That year I went to Pee Pee island and Chiang Mai

He could have fooled me

English version of NHK TV is available through local Sakon cable.
It's reporting about the effort to contain six nuclear reactors and news of the effects on the economy
Here's an internet feed    Watch NHK  World in English



House under construction for sale in Sakon Nakhon udonmap

Thailand's Got Talent Season 1:  She or He

You'll figure it out after 1 minute of the show
The singers personal comments at the end of the video reveal it all.

I took a little trip

Brown Bag NOK to Bangkok
My neck, back, and hip where seriously inflamed. Old work injuries aggravated.
Driving or taking the bus to Bangkok wasn't a pleasant option.

Brown Bag NOK was the only option.
Not really fond of flying in an aging aircraft.
Don't know the age of the aircraft used locally.
The ATR 72-200 aircraft has  been around since the late 1990's.

The cost isn't exactly what I would call Budget, compared to similar flights from Udon.

Service:  The stewardess I observed seemed a bit preoccupied.  Wonder what was on her mind, very serious look. Didn't show that famous Thai smile till we landed.

She skipped our row  when the brown bags where handed out.  Had to ring the service bell and ask where ours were.

They're really Budget Air when it comes to in-flight food and drinks. The brown bag contains water and a pastry.

Saw a Monk drinking a hot tea.
Asked the stewardess if I could have a hot tea.
NOT AVAILABLE

I had some peanuts in my carry on to eat during my flight


Did some pre-flight cocktails I brought from home in a plastic container.  Sakonnakhon Airport security was kind enough to let me keep my open container until boarding time.
They did watch me like a HAWK with a THAI SMILE, till I disposed of the container.

Yes I like .o5 blood-alcohol when I fly.  It calms me down and relaxes me without becoming totally wasted

Westerly Rain , Northernly Cold, Easterly Wind

Thai Meteorological Department Weather Alert  "Westerly Trough*"
during 16-18 March

Had noted the cold system approaching from the north during the past week at the The Weather Channel

Windy conditions from  east-north-east started early Tuesday evening.
Winds at times 20km (12.4 miles).
Rain approaching from the west

Warmer temperatures towards the weekend, then some more cooler temperatures. 
Seesaw temperatures - up and down

*Weather Trough  defined at Dictionary Com

Thai Time

From the looks of things, they've figured out how to set the digital displays on the scoreboard.
The manual pages on setting the analog clock must be missing.

Time just seemed to fly by

Bring your own Paddle

Don Mueang Airport in Bangkok only serves a few domestic flights.
It's pretty much deserted otherwise.
Looks a lot like an airplane bone yard, a no-fly zone.

George and Dragon in Korat

Spent three quite pleasant days in Korat.
Visited a local expat hangout there called George and Dragon.
Such places in unfamiliar cities are a great source of information about the area

Didn't care much for the elephant rides offered outside the bar.  Elephants belong in the great outdoors, not on pavement.  Took the pictures from some distance (with a zoom), not knowing if the flash would spook the young pachyderm.