V.I.P. treatment

Consumers must brace for more price hikes The Nation


Toxin 'likely' cause of a series of illnesses and deaths in Chiang Mai The Dominion Post
The article refers to a report done by CBS 60 Minutes.
The CBS website has no reference to the news story at this time

Football Thai Division 2 League North Eastern Region

Nakhon Phanom defeated number two in the league Loei last Saturday. 
It's noteworthy since Nakhon Phanom acquired 5 Sakon Nakhon players at the start of this football season.  Most likely a major reason why the local team isn't performing as well as last year.


Sakon FC probably would  have come out ahead in last weekend 2-2 game against Yasothon, had it not been for the absence of Ken.  At the time of the game, Ken was in Bangkok awaiting a flight home, where his father had recently passed away. 
Ken moved out of his local apartment before departing, causing me to wonder if he will return.  Ken had a number of offers from other Division teams. 


I'm always a bit weary when having to use the restrooms at football games.  Lacks privacy.  
If you have to use one of the stalls, the stalls marked V.I.P. have western style sit down toilets,  while other stalls have squat toilets.

Drought still ongoing

On my recent round trip to Yasothon I had many hours of local scenery pass me by.  
Most obvious was that just about everywhere rice fields where parched.  
The occasional thunderstorms so far have done little to alleviate the drought ongoing since October 2010.  Rice farmers will remain idle and without income till their fields are under water.

Plenty of storms to the west (Yangon), but they will most likely dissipate over land before they reach us.  To the East Manila is also being pounded by heavy rains.  But that system is not headed in our direction.  Some of the heaviest rains in this area come from the east.

Noon, May 8                                                      5:40 AM, May 9

Thai Tourism Explained

Met this Thai teenager a short while ago. Was told that his mother and Western stepfather where visiting from Europe I was invited over for a visit last night
Apparently other family members in the area also visited... the kitchen was abuzz with people preparing a feast on new appliances.

New furniture all over the place. I didn't ask, but the visiting mother mentioned that they will slow down their spending 'tomorrow', they had spent Bt 60,000 on furniture and appliances.
I suspect a grocery supply run is in the makings.