Somewhere, not in Sakon Nakhon

Temperatures to drop and scattered thunderstorms expected in Thailand  Thailand Forum A bit cooler for a day or two in the mountains, otherwise don't expect temperatures to drop until mid November when we are expecting to see night time temperatures in the teens. Rain: Nada

Milk ain't as good for you though

Milk Might Not Save Your Bones | TIME "...doesn’t appear to protect against bone fracture and in fact may lead to increased mortality..."   Three glasses of milk a day can lead to early death - Telegraph

Weak spending expected  for Loy Krathong  Daily Mail Online  Flying and floating candles are relatively inexpensive  Use of fireworks over the years has been heavily regulated and restricted.

Thailand Loi Krathong flights Rescheduled or Cancelled

If you have tickets to fly on November 6 within Thailand, it is advisable that you contact the airline to confirm your flight  Thailand to cancel over 100 flights due to flying lantern festival dpa news

OVER 500 arrested and prosecuted ...

Encroachment crackdown 'targets poor'   Bangkok Post

At the Pitstop this Saturday

To celebrate Hans' 70th Birthday The Pitstop Cafe will offer customers 3 large bottles of Leo, Chang, Singha/Singha Light or Archa Beer for the price of 200 baht, or 4 small Bottles for the same price, which Hans has offered to pay for. This offer is limited to one per customer on Saturday only. Happy Birthday Hans

At Apples this Saturday

Post by Adrian G Schat.

Rice farmers, rubber farmers and ...

Maize growers want financial help from the government   Thai PBS English News

Retired in Sakon City

Temporary ( I pray) disability

A recent second x-ray of my ankle revealed a small quarter inch fracture which was not apparent during the first X-ray some weeks before.  It's apparently an old fracture which may have been agitated during my accident, 17 September.  Definitely have an infection in my ankle. No walking, if you must: use a walking stick (cane).    As antibiotics have ceased to function, most likely due to overuse during my lifetime, I am hoping that injections of antibiotics may still work.    Five morning visits to the emergency room  for injections.  Improvements have been slight, but at least there is an improvement.  I'm not sure if the antibiotic injections or my own immune system causing the minor improvements.   What scares me most about the infection, if its not contained amputation may be the only option The staff at the Sakon Nakhon provincial hospital are five star in my book.  It's a government operation, means long waiting time if it's not an emergency.    The appointment system is a bit annoying.   All appointments are made for the same time.  Let's say a hundred people are given an appointment for 9 am.  Whoever arrives first is ahead of the line.  You can expect an hour wait before its your turn.

Drivers license renewal

Made 2 copies of all active pages of my passport pertaining to my residence in Thailand.  One set of copies for the immigration office .  One set of copies for the transportation office (one set for each license).  I procured a doctors note that I am in good enough health to drive a vehicle.    Got a document from the Immigration office, verifying my address.  If you have the "Ta Bian Ban" (yellow book) with your name on it, the Immigration Office address verification is not required.    Can't prove it, but there are rumors that you can avoid the one hour video at the licensing office if you bring "Palm Grease."

Television in English

I Start the day with the evening News at schoener-fernsehen.com. Have an alarm set when other favorite TV shows come on.  Later in the day I switch to  Thai Expat TV  The great thing about that 600 Baht subscription is that you can watch a whole previous week of entertainment at your convenience.  It's British TV.  Lot's of older US movies and series.  You may remember third rock from the sun also available on YouTube.  Also Some American Football.  In the evening I watch TV on cable

Transportation Services

The question of  Car hire, rental and taxi services in Sakon Nakhon Is beginning to appear more frequently on the net. Car Hire in Sakon Nakhon Thailand Forum Due to injuries I have not been able to personally investigate.If you have had experience with such services, please comment.    The first Sakon Nakhon taxi service was spotted mid September of this year, as I previously reported I have seen these cars parked in a number of places around town, but have not found the need to call about their services.   When I want to hire a vehicle and driver I generally go to the lake park where many gather during the day. I  know nothing of this service advertised on Facebook in August Amporn Taxi

November 1

One down three to go

Thai court dismisses case against British activist AP News I have mentioned it before:  If you make accusations, especially against big business you had better have irrefutable evidence   Andy Hall trial in Thailand: Charge is dismisseddue to unlawful interrogation  Andy Hall

Is it real or is it animated?

Had one of those on my computer screen, thought it was animation, it wasn't.

Calling her 'Fat Girl' is Politically Incorrect

Time Change

Daylight savings time is not used in Thailand, however if you are watching television from other countries you will need to adjust your clocks.  Most European countries made that adjustment on October 26. The US time change occurs at midnight on November 2 (US Time) I use 'Free Alarm Clock' for windows to alert me when my favorite shows are about to start

I see a pattern developing

Backpackers' 'pier paradise' lost   Bangkok Post Thai government bans beach parties in Surat Thani   Surat Thani’s tourism operators disagree with ban on beach parties   Thai PBS English

I won't need to water my garden

Not much visible on weather maps, but most weather services are predicting another shower today. As for yesterday's heavy evening shower, I had not mentioned it since I had to tear myself away from my desk and spend the day at the hospital

60-year-old performing like a 30-year-old

Cocoa May Help With Memory Loss... TIME

Recovery expected

Thai shrimp export volumes down 32% Undercurrent News  Disease still plaguing Thai shrimp exporters  Bangkok Post

Too Many Airlines

Thai Airways International Passenger down 23% in Sep-2014, cargo down 11%   CAPA - Centre for Aviation Last month this article indicated  "...but there are indications market conditions will start to improve..."  Southeast Asian airlines: 80% were unprofitable in 1H2014  CAPA - Centre for Aviation

This Thai culture vetoed by modern day moral values.

I'd been at the Tuptim Phallic Temple in Bangkok over a decade ago (1995 Album).    Just like Buddhism, the shrine has it's roots  from India's ancient Hinduism.  Believers worship at such places when they want to have children (vertility).  I had written about such rituals some six years ago  Phallic Brouhaha  In the latest episode Temples in Krabi-Phi Phi island have been raided as the phallus "result in a bad image."    Some people are referring to these objects as sex toys.  Sex toys are illegal in Thailand.  You have to be extremely perverted to use these monstrous sized phallus as sex toys, unless you are a giant. Thailand has always preserved it's old traditions, but this one is just too embarrasing Post by Best radio 89.00 Khonkaen.   also read:    Thai shrine cleared of sex toys   Sowetan LIVE

New item at Apples

Post by Adrian G Schat

Wait for it...

The getaway

Buy on Sunday, Don't by on Monday

Buy Airline tickets 8 weeks in advance Note:  Due to the present political conditions in Thailand,  many  Flight Cancellation Insurance Policies are void for Thailand destinations

Oh My, Oh Me

Today: 

1. visit immigration for drivers license residence verification paperwork 
2. Go to hospital have my ankle looked at, scan of some sort likely
3. Doctors office for letter indicating that I am in good health to drive

Wed: 

1. Drivers license renewal.  I'll have to take some extra patience with me.   

           A good stiff drink  will probably do the trick.

I'm a bit apprehensive of the medical findings,  something serious I'm sure, hope surgery won't be required

Cement eaters

Had these antlike holes in the cement, applied talc powder which usually scurries ants.  Not this time, they ate it up.  Tried various bug sprays, nothing worked till  I used some spray recommended for ticks

     Those white dots are the larvae crawling out and dying.  No ants sighted.

Fairy Tales

  Grimm Classic 

Thai-US ties in 'Sleeping Beauty' mode The Nation

there's more Classics↓

Old folk are funny

Gotta love us seniors ←link for more pictures and short stories

                                         

The Hub collection

  Thailand has potential to be regional vaccine hub

Sweet Talk

Local muffins tiny but great
that's a lighter above

Eat Marshmallows when you have a sore throat or sore tooth
Cotton candy was invented by a dentist
Popsicles were invented by a 11 year old
Twinkie shelf life is probably around 30 years

Reshuffle the Deck

  TAT (Tourism Authority of Thailand) hopes reshuffle will help modernise agency Bangkok Post

Increment #1

     Egg prices of all sizes to go up 20 satang from Monday
        Thai PBS English News
         1 Baht = 100 satang
          Size 0 eggs to cost US$0.10 ea
          Size 3 eggs US$0.09 ea

Scottish Technology gone Haywire

.

Old age target practice 

Mildred was a 93 year-old woman who was particularly despondent over the recent death of her husband Earl. She decided that she would just kill herself and join him in death.
Thinking that it would be best to get it over with quickly, she took out Earl's old Army pistol and made the decision to shoot herself in the heart since it was so badly broken in the first place.
Not wanting to miss the vital organ and become a vegetable and burden to someone, she called her doctor's office to inquire as to just exactly where the heart would be.
"On a woman," the doctor said, "your heart would be just below your left breast."
Later that night, Mildred was admitted to the hospital with a gunshot wound to her left knee.

Tha Rae Dog Meat Baron Aprehended

 Thailand: Dog Meat and Dog Skin Boss Arrested  SAY NO TO DOG MEAT.NET

Thai armed forces' needs

Armed forces let 'half-Thais' serve  Bangkok Post
To serve in the Thai armed forces, previously both parents were required to be Thai. Under the new regulation only one parent is required to be a Thai citizen.

 

The first ฿200 is on me for your day/evening out November 1

Apples, Pitstop, Roadhouse will have a ฿200 starter kit for all ex-pat customers (includes long-stay foreigners, teachers), limit one per customer, limit ฿4,000 per establishment.  

Had anticipated to celebrate the "seven-oh" in a big way.  Not going to happen, maybe later.

Two of four (birthday) celebrants have medical conditions.  Samart just spent a week in the hospital.  He looks like a pincushion. I've been to the hospital three times last week due to a motorcycle accident I had a month ago.

More hospital visits are planned

Not at this time

Thailand's failed bid for UN rights seat a 'wake-up call' ucanews

'Learn from Thailand's failure to win UN seat'  The Nation

Weather arriving from the south

A tour I avoid

Melbourne man mauled by tiger at Thailand animal park

Thailand Sports and Tourism Woes

Minister Of Tourism And Sports 
One Year Plan  khonkaen.ws

Humidity keeps us warm

No indication of storms or rains  on Google Earth in the area.


NOAA image shows some light clouds 
Accuweather predicts thunder showers through Saturday, 
Thai Meteorological  Department rates precip coverage at 10 to 20 % through Sunday


Even though temperatures remain in the low 30's, humidity continues to tell us it's hot

Less means we pay more

I've spotted Thai establishments doing this for years:

• When business is good, prices are low.
• When they have fewer customers, they raise their prices to make up the difference.

Even though international oil prices are dropping, expect pump prices to go up in increments over a 12 month period in Thailand.  Very simply, the government is reducing its energy subsidies.

If you think its only in Thailand, think again.

Even though fuel prices are declining in the US, a number of domestic carriers have raised their fares.

• (US) Airlines Hike Prices on Domestic Flights | TIME

Life in Esaan

Only the first video is subtitled

The second video would be well suited as a Thai cooking show, worth watching even if you don't understand the language.  Shows much of Thai everyday life

Lessons in fishing

Local Foreigner community growing

Farang in-laws 'add ฿8.7bn to (E-saan) GDP'  Bangkok Post:

The activity also created 747,094 jobs, the study found 

Lucky People

The People's King

History Channel DocumentaryPublished on Dec 6, 2013

No thanks

Tha Rae dog meat seller charged - The Nation

"dog meat at bt50 per kilogram"

Comparatively pork sells for bt150

11 COUNTRIES WHICH STILL EAT DOG MEAT

Vehicle owners inspect your airbags

There are no media reports of defective airbags in Thailand as of today

A June 2014 article in The Nation headline reads 

Toyota recalls 2.27 mn vehicles globally over airbag defect

The Autoblog  headline dated June 2014 Indicates that BMW is recalling vehicles manufactured as early as 2001 

Airbag recall widens to include BMW, Chrysler, Ford and Toyota

I would suggest that vehicle owners check the manufacturers name of your airbag.  If it's made by Takata there may or may not be a problem

This recall involves Hondas, Toyotas, Nissans, Mazdas, BMWs and GM cars 

Vehicles being recalled  in North America, Europe and Japan, to fix defective inflator propellant made in North America.

"...The inflating device can rupture in hot humid climates..."

HM King Chulalongkorn RAMA V

Florida car repair business up

Thailand Money Matters

Wealth distribution poor in Thailand The Rakyat Post 

75% of Thailand’s national wealth is held by those in its top 10%

Thailand is 'facing stagflation' | Bangkok Post: business

No confidence

Thailand's Full-Year Tax Collections Disappoint

8.8 percent below budget targets

Thailand to raise transport LPG prices by 0.63 baht/kg || Reuters

Thailand plans to gradually raise domestic gas prices over the next 12 months

Slightly Green Thumb

Berry picking done very carefully

Chopped the 5 year old avocado tree down to shoulder height. 

Waiting for the yearling to mature.

You need at least two treest to get fruit. Probably in a few years.

 

Almost ready

My bell peppers are the size of a tennis ball.  

Eagerly awaiting to see if anything comes of the Kopf Salat seeds planted two days ago