Stent Insertion Surgery ahead

Am being transferred to another hospital to speed up the operation date.  
I complained that I had to wait until next Thursday.  
I've been told there is a 80% success rate















For a while yesterday  I was the only patient in the ward.  They brought in a guy and within minutes after his arrival total kaos. Surgeons and nurses in a state of panic.  My bed was moved out of the way to make room.  Madhouse for about an hour.  It was a monk from out in the country, sadly he did not survive

Thanks for all the Well Wishes

My thanks to all my friends for the well wishes and visits in recent days.  Especially also my thanks for the many snacks and drinks I am enjoying.

Friday I am off by ambulance and two nurses for a trip to Koen Kean to see a specialist there.

It all started last Friday when I experienced severe pain in my side and back.  A free ambulance ride to the hospital, where an x-ray confirmed my suspicion that I had a kidney stone moving into the urethra.  I was given an injection to control the pain and some medicine to see me through the weekend for a Monday appointment with a specialist.

Saturday night I returned to the Hospital for another injection and some stronger pain medicine.

During the Monday appointment I was admitted into the hospital with the intent of removing the stone. I was given pain medicine at regular intervals and a number of tests.
Heart is healthy, blood pressure normal, almost a clean bill of health.

The 'procedure' to remove the stone was to happen Tuesday.  Before that could happen a CT scan (6,000 baht) was ordered for the correct location of the stone.

Utter panic after the results of the scan.  The procedure was cancelled, I was told not to walk or do anything  strenuous.  The doctor consulted with my friends for an hour.  Not with me.
You know how things get twisted in translation.... I was ready to say AMEN.
It took a few phone calls to determine that a major artery running through my intestine had ballooned.
The doctors were worried it could burst at any moment.

Personally I think that condition had been there for some time, as I have been having stomach cramps almost daily for at least the past year.

Meanwhile no cigarettes or coffee for three days, I'm actually breathing without wheezing.  But the urge is still very strong.

https://www.facebook.com/luanghans

Roadshow Continues

After a six day intermission the local roadshow continues.  
Happens to be the sixth vehicle.  
This one tried to avoid the open hole and wound up in the ditch

Weapons amnesty program ends soon

Persons possessing unauthorized weapons may surrender them to authorities without legal action taken against them until June 25

In recent days there have been a number of news headlines of found abandoned weapons

Khok Si Suphan Officials confiscate found weapons

War weapons seized from the roadside - Thai PBS English News

Wet Week

  Expect plenty rain for the start of the week tapering off midweek.

Expat Dine & Drink

Apple

Pit Stop

Roadhouse

I didn't know that about the World Cup

World Cup
The Crazy Rules Some Teams Have About Pre-Game Sex - TIME

Seatbelts on buses and vans mandatory

"..The law came into effect last month with violators facing a fine of up to 5,000 Baht."

Expat Dine & Drink

Apple

Pit Stop

Roadhouse

Longest Hottest Hot Season

According to weather forecasts we won't see a dip below 40 C  (104F) in the feels like temperatures till mid July.
Temperatures are in the low to mid 30's C, but high humidity is driving up the feels like temperatures above 40 C

I'm trying to stay cool
My May electric bill was ฿4,160
My June electric bill ฿5,422

Wacky Magic

The short version

The long version

Headlines of note

"...is pushing the land tax law to take effect within one year..." Bangkok Post


NOK Air: Sakon Nakhon one way ฿999  
Book before 23 June, travel between 2 July - 28 March 2015

Coming Soon: FREE WiFi for all NOK Air passengers

Ex-pat D&D This Week→

Apple Friday at Apples

Pit Stop Football & Breakfast

Roadhouse Traditional Kiwi Lamb Roast

Sakon Nakhon News Videos at Sakon New Times

Duck Stroll through Taizhou, China and Nakhon Pathom, Thailand

Ex-pat D&D	Apple	Pit Stop	Roadhouse
This Week→	Friday at Apples	Football & Breakfast	Traditional Kiwi Lamb Roast

Heavy rains likely this weekend

Weather moving West to East. Daily showers. 
   

Friday at Apples

Been There, Done That

NOK Air adds second daily Sakon Nakhon flight

Effective July 10 NOK Air will have two daily flights to Sakon Nakhon
One morning flight which departs 

Don Mueang departure 7:30 AM Sakon Nakhon arrival 8:40 AM Sakon Nakhon Departure 9:30 AM Don Mueang arrival 10:40 AM

Don Mueang departure 7:55 PM Sakon Nakhon arrival 9:05 PM Sakon Nakhon Departure 9:30 PM Don Mueang arrival 10:35 PM

Nok Air Increases Sakon Nakhon - Ubon Ratchathani Service from July 2014 - Airline Route

Watch FIFA on TV and on the net

All FIFA games are available on public Thai TV on varying stations, with Thai commentary.
Most of these TV stations are available on the net, iPad,IPhone, and Android. Television on the Net 

I'm watching the games using Thai Expat TV, which has one week storage and allows you to watch the games at your convenience.
Games are also available on schoener fernsehen
Games are also available on 1tvlive

Expat Dine & Drink

Apple

Pit Stop

Roadhouse

T.i.T. roadwork

You'd really think they would place a hazard marker over the open sewer holes

   

Thailand curfew lifted nationwide

Political protests and criticism of the coup, remain banned
KMPH FOX 26 

will be open...

...for the following matches live 

if there is enough interest.

Sunday 15th 5.00am England v Italy (live) Breakfast available after the match.
Rerun at 2.00pm

Friday 20th 2.00am Uruguay v England (live)
Rerun  at 7.00pm

Friday 20th 11.00pm Italy v Costa Rica (live)
Rerun Saturday 2.00pm

Tuesday 24th 11.00pm England v Costa Rica or Italy v Uruguay (live)
Rerun Wednesday 25th 7.00pm

All other nights except Mondays a rerun of a previous match at 7.00pm viewers choice.

All matches will have English commentary and pundits.

Expat Dine & Drink

Apple

Pit Stop

Roadhouse

Rainy Season = Influenza

Influenza creates havoc in northeast Thailand - BioSpectrum Asia

Siam

Song Of Siam, 1948

Road Fishing Season

Woke up to heavy rain at sometime after 2 am. Heavy rain subsided half an hour later, light rain ever since.

The weather system seems to be coming from Hanoi and seems to be fanning out.  Expect some heavy downpours.

To get an idea how heavy the rains were.  Joey went out with a flashlight and came back with this catch of the day while it was crossing the road.

Expat Dine & Drink

Apple

Pit Stop

Roadhouse

New neighborhood sporting event

Hole driving

Almost daily performances

  

Steady light rain since early this morning has made the road muddy and slippery.  I'l be staying home today

Sleepless Nights in Thailand begin

Junta instructs for all World Cup matches to be screened on free-to-air TV - The Star Online

"...A press conference titled "TV5 returns happiness to Thai people to join the World Cup spirit" will be held Thursday at the Army's TV5 headquarters...."

Hot Potato

Pact to halt forced labor snubbed by Thailand, Gulf- ILO - chicagotribune.com

Thailand under fire over forced labor in fisheries - The Manila Times Online

Thailand's seafood industry- a case of state-sanctioned slavery - THAI VISA Forum

Fan Fare

With recent heavy rains temperatures have dropped to a more comfortable lower 30's (celsius), making it possible to replace the air conditioner with fans

I want to play

Bobble Football Coming to Bangkok - Richard Barrow in Thailand

Thai court rules against free viewing of World Cup | Biznews.com

All Games can be watched on RS and True Vision.
Only 22 games will be broadcast on free to air TV in Thailand

Folk able to receive BBC1 and ITV over the net may wish to check the schedule here (convert UK Time).

Online also available at 365sport.tv and Thai Expat TV
Both services allow you to watch games at your convenience in case you don't want to get up at 2 am

Sakon Nakhon curfew lifted

20 additional major tourist destinations are now curfew-free.
They are Kanchanaburi, Ratchaburi, Rayong, Chanthaburi, Phetchaburi, Trat, Nakhon Phanom, Sakon Nakhon, Roi Et, Loei, Surin, Tak, Sukhothai, Mae Hong Son, Uttaradit, Phrae, Nan, Trang, Satun and Songkhla.

Food for Thought

Thaiway

Thai traffic hazard sign:  "Hole in the road!"

Drainpipe laying is complete, yesterday old road pavement was being removed

Old Pavement was quite thin and brittle, heavy trucks left many potholes behind

After the pavement was removed, heavy monsoon rains soaked the soil.

I'm a bit apprehensive driving through this on a motorcycle.

I'm fairly sure that the road has to be dry before cement can be laid.  I'm guessing not in the immediate future.  But then I've been wrong before, especially in guessing the Thaiway!! 

Expat Dine & Drink

Apple

Pit Stop

Roadhouse

Miss Thailand resigns

More of the same Rain

Expat Dine & Drink

Apple

Pit Stop

Roadhouse

Drink up and get sick and puke

Fame came to South Korean pop artist Psy (Park Jae-Sang) with his 'Gangnam Style.'
Gangnam Style is the most watched Youtube video with over 2 billion hits.
The music was very popular in Thailand and was imitated

Psy is back rapping with Snoop Dogg.  
I'm not as impressed  as I was with 'Gangnam.'  
Maybe it's because of the subject matter: "Drink up and get sick and puke."

T.i.T. And another one bites the...

For those who have not followed the story a quick recap:

On June 3 a roadcrew ripped open a road leading to my house to lay sewer lines down the center of the road.  Somehow I sensed there was trouble ahead.

 

The crew left open pits in the road and marked them with twigs.  The following day after some heavy rains, the first vehicle slipped into the hole.

 

Of course the following day another vehicle slipped into the same hole

After the second vehicle I placed some large timbers into the hole to make it visible.
Today they removed the timbers and filled the hole with dirt.  The hole was no longer visible.  But the dirt had not been compacted.
This time a truck weighed down with melons sank into the hole.  After attempts to use a jack to lift the vehicle out, there was only one solution. 
Unload all the melons.

 

Two hours later and the vehicle is still in the hole.  

Anywhere else the road crew would be liable for damage for not properly marking a construction area. But then T.i.T.

With the help of emergency road services and proper tools the vehicle was driven out of the hole almost three hours later.  Melons were reloaded during a moderate rain storm

 

Expat Dine & Drink

Apple

Pit Stop

Roadhouse

Church and Flashdance

Rain Season: Daily Rain

Weather is coming mostly from the west-northwest.  
Thai Meteorological Department, generally quite conservative in it's forecasts, has upped the chance of daily rain  to 60 and 70% for the week ahead.
No tropical storms in the West Pacific for now.

Had me Choking with Laughter

world class freestyler Sean Garnier dressed up as an old man

Expat Dine & Drink

Apple

Pit Stop

Roadhouse

How does that song go? ..and another one...

...in the mudhole. Ya gotta love Thai Road Construction

Internet slow

I'm getting a lot of these pages since ... you know when. 
In every case when I reload the page it appears without further difficulties.

One theory is that increased government monitoring is causing the slowdown.

I tend to agree with another theory that increased use of mobile devices and social media is the cause

Thai post-coup mobile data usage jumps, ...- Reuters

Rainy Season Health Advisory S..t floats

Motorcyclists and pedestrians traveling through mud puddles or standing water should wash as soon as possible after being splashed.  This is especially important  if you have cuts or sores on your skin.

Feces and urine left behind by domestic and farm animals most likely is mixed with the standing water.

DCD warns against HFMD outbreaks during rainy season

Price Freeze

Heavy rains create Road Hazard

Yellow pin in the map = Sakon Nakhon City

a.m. June 5                                                        a.m. June 6

p.m. June 6                                                       a.m. June 7

According to the local weather service we had slightly over an inch of rain yesterday afternoon.  I would have guessed an inch per minute

 

When road construction near my house began at the start of the week I suspected there would be some major problems ahead.  Even walking has now become hazardous.

A few of the drain holes in the center of the road have now been filed with mud, making them no longer visible. 

Expat Dine & Drink

Apple

Pit Stop

Roadhouse

Saw that coming

"...reschuffle..."

Thailand Road Hazard Warning Signs "Twig Alert"

A twig is a small thin terminal branch of a woody plant, frequently used in Thailand as road hazard warnings.
See a branch in the road and you will most likely encounter a pothole or a stranded vehicle.

In this case branches were used by construction crews laying new drainage lines.  Guess they are on a tight budget, can't afford proper construction markers.  Both the hole and twig were hard to spot.
With the help of friendly neighbors the vehicle was recovered without damage