So Good Dinner Party

Sakon Nakhon 'Inter EXPO 2012"

Now through October 4
at the Permsub Market, near the new bus terminal
Worth seeing ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ 




"Inter" at the FREE DICTIONARY

Lost in Translation

The name of the market struck me as unusual and strange.   
Sub meaning below, or poor quality.

Searching through the internet I found Permsap used frequently for names of villas.
I'm told the Permsap means 'more money.' 




Never been quite satisfied with the translation of Sakon City.
Supposedly it means city of cities.
Interestingly the Facebook translation of Sakon City is Sapphire City

The translation at You Tube for สกลนคร is also Sapphire

News Bites

Thailand and Cambodia test single visa  TTR Weekly

with fees

THAI takes delivery of its first A380  Airbus com

Thailand to carpet Bangkok with 1 mil CCTV cameras  futuregov asia

My opinion: I've always said they should put a few million cameras in the "Restive South."

Thailand likely to trim industrial output target    MarketWatch Thai Aug factory output tumbles, some see rate cut ahead Reuters

For the moment a rate cut is unlikely, keeping the Baht strong

Thailand's top mobile operators bidding for 3G licences - Reuters

This process took six years, delayed by legal and political maneuvering.

Can you see the light at the end of the tunnel?

The show must go on

Passed by the temple shortly before 8 PM, last night.
Due to the rain a few hours earlier there were NO PEOPLE. 
Only a projectionist and one vendor.
You'd think they would call it a night. 
Not so.

Sakon Museum Grand opening Awash

Awash: covered with water, flooded

It became quite obvious by late afternoon that a storm was headed toward the city. Thunder and lightening preceded the tropical storm shortly after 5 pm. Messages on facebook said the show will begin as soon as the rain stops.

In retrospect I should have listened to my instincts which told me not to go. Event planners had no rain contingency plan. When I arrived at 7:25 pm, sound and light crew were disassembling their equipment  Tables were drenched The celebration had been moved to a covered area, big enough to hold ten tables and allow for a cramped performance area Performers outnumbered the audience Media and media wanna bees outnumbered the audience Tables were reserved for government officials and their entourage  A very big disappointment, with the exception of seeing some local friends and acquaintances. I barley stayed half an hour.  I opted for a Pit Stop.

• UK warns over unscrupulous visa agents in Thailand and Vietnam  expatforum

• Thailand to launch Free Wi-Fi for Tourism  future GOV Asia-Pacific

• Thai 3G auction heating up  Telecom Asia

• Red Bull Family Reaches Hit-and-Run Settlement abc NEWS

• Vietnam Could Become World's Biggest Rice Exporter VOA Voice of America

US Space Mission

Security Message to U.S. Citizens: Planned demonstration at Embassy on THURSDAY, September 27, 2012

Nong Han Preparations Pending

Not Ready for Racing Park Entrance: Transformation January 2012 July 2012 September 2012

Love to be 'Lost in Sakon Nakhon'

Decided to drive to a village not too far away to see if preparation were underway for their annual boat races. I took a wrong turn and wound up in an area I had not been before. Eventually I did find my way.  While lost I found some photographic gems along the way. These huts are used as shelter mostly during planing and harvesting Reminds me, I was a pole lineman School Grounds:  Wonder if they check for 'Pies' before the kids play Village temples are a good indicator of nearby villages Labor and financing of construction and upkeep is mostly provided by the local population Bell Tower Library and Lounge

Living next door to a temple in Thailand is NOT A GOOD IDEA

That's Tom's house behind all those speakers.
  I sent him the picture and said: 

"I see your new sound system has arrived."

Needless to say Tom ain't a happy camper.
Check out what he has to say about the week long "Film Fest."

Sakon Nakhon Phu Phan Museum Grand Opening Celebration

Update: 7 AM, Sept 26:  Pictures of last night's dress rehearsal  at Sakon City

September 26   Dedication Ceremonies 6 PM   Grand Opening show 7 PM

They're having a rehearsal this evening.  Still plenty to do from the looks of things   They were washing the streets late afternoon in preparation for tomorrow Doing sound checks Museum Upper left - Yellow O is Sakon Immigration Office

Sakon Nakhon Wax Castle Construction well underway

Before the Sakon Nakhon Royal Longboat Races

Weeks leading up to the
Sakon Nakhon Royal Longboat Races,
similar competitions take place in nearby villages and towns

News Bites Exiled Thai Leader Thaksin Says Rice Policy Should Stay - Bloomberg  Thailand. Cabinet rejects new Bt405 billion rice pledging scheme — BlackSeaGrain Vaginal whitening wash hits the Thai beauty shelves - Mail Online  On sale in Thailand- vulva-whitening cream - GlobalPost  Pact with Germany on energy and food safety - Bangkok Post  Baht drops on China, Europe concern - Bangkok Post    What Not to Buy in September- New Car Models, Cell Phones, TVs -  TIME.com    Siberian Discovery Could Bring Scientists Closer to Cloning Woolly Mammoth - TIME.com      NASA Actually Working on Faster-than-Light Warp Drive - TIME.com

Digging in my Past

When I was twenty two

Pleiku, Vietnam 1966

Mitchum visit

I hope I don't have to explain the purpose of long stemmed pipes !

Village elder

Things you only do once in a lifetime