And the weather forecast is...

High humidity with "FEELS LIKE" temps more like steam room conditions.

The water temperature in my pool is JACUZZI MODE.

Will add ice today. After all it is supposed to cool us down.

Chance of Rain forecast for the next five days (%)

Thai Meteorological Department 20, 20, 20, 30, 40 

Weather Underground 20, 60, 60, 100, 80

Of course these numbers are adjusted as new data is analyzed.

Sakon Nakhon Weather stations

Map, barometer, humidity and temperature measurements at http://weather.gladstonefamily.net/site/VTUS

Information listed may not totally be correct as demonstrated by the location on the runway.

Possibly a security concern. 

Next time I'm at the airport, I'll have to ask if I could see the weather station.

After the holidays

Had a request for a recommendation of a dentist. 

Morwa Fun Sewii. Tel 042-713451.
Office is located next to the Raksakon Hospital. 

Open during lunch hours and after 5 p.m.

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Regarding yesterdays football game:

Sakon Nakhon vs Mukdahan, think we lost.
Mukdahan seemed to have control of the game most of the time.

Picture taken three seconds before the first score.

Due to a personal injury I did not stay for the whole game.
I left in the middle of the second half when the score was 

Sakon Nakhon 0, Mukdahan 2.
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Have a long history of back injuries from my career in the trucking industry.
I tried to do self treatment when my back was bothering me after all the Sagkran revelry.
Now the injury is worse than before, requiring pain medication and lots of bed rest.
The doctor at the hospital suggested that it will be a month before I recover.
While at the hospital, blood pressure readings got a very good rating from the administrating nurse.

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At the end of Songkran we experienced a couple severe tropical rains.
My water tanks began to overflow the 6,000 liter capacity within 20 minutes.
With plenty of moisture on the ground, there's plenty of humidity in the air, causing high FEELS LIKE temperatures.

IT's GOING TO FEEL HOT

Sakon Nakhon province had no holiday related deaths to report during the three day Songkran.

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I haven't seen any political gatherings locally. If I'd see one, I'd be heading in the opposite direction.
With all the recent turmoil in the Capital, followed by a somewhat erie quiet.

What next??

Australia's Department of Foreign Affairs is issuing warnings according to The Independent.UK The article also refers to known theft dangers at Bangkok's Chatuchak Weekend Market

China and India have scrapped a number of flights to Thailand, which were to start coinciding with Songkran.

It's scam high season

Scams happen all over the world. They are not unique to Thailand.

A bad world economy has resulted in huge growth in the scam industry.

The most obvious clue that something may be amiss: "NOTHING IS FREE." Use common sense. Secure your belongings.
If a street vendor is offering you diamonds, most likely they are glass.

Example:Bangkok airport scam

Party Thai Style: Songkran in a village

It was noon when I decided to "take a trip."
I slowed down whenever there were kids in the street with water.
I was dripping wet when I drove past TOON... Closed.
Up at the government complex, only a few floats had assembled for the parade.  I was way early.

I headed out of town and briefly visited Eddie. Branch closed for the holiday. 

Eddie, the security guard, kept busy with his computer and the history channel.

Heading out of town. Buffalo grazing on the highway pavement.
Haven't seen that before. 
Then I turned down a road. I'd been there before for Bang Fai.

First village I came to, lots of kids, lots of splashing... "Hello Mister Hans."
It's a great feeling when you come to a village thinking you are a stranger.
Probably a student of mine.

A village parade was just starting at the far end of town

 

Typically on this day, everyone brings out their home entertainment center.

Got home around 3 p.m. No interest to go out again to see the big city parade on my own.
Watched some more news. Bangkok seems like another country far away.

Pink Elephant

This can't be classified anything other than a Polish joke.
My apologies to all my Polish friends.

A zoo in Poland wanted to increase their elephant herd.
So the zoo bought a known GAY ELEPHANT, hoping he will get interested in breeding.
RIA Novosti

A stunning performance

Preparations to party

Cloudy with intermittent sunshine. That's what things look like and most likely will remain over the holidays. Parked near the temple entrance. The temple was quite sleepy and quiet.

Along city streets it was a different story. Everyone was setting up. Vendors displaying Songkran weaponry, buckets, powder, flowers, etc.

The younger kids already started celebrating. I got a couple of cups of water down my neck. Everyone was aware I had a camera and made sure it did not get wet.

Drums had been placed along the road, and fire trucks began dispensing water.

The street where the food fair will open this evening was abuzz with activity.

Food stalls being set up, furniture unloaded, tents being erected.

Things looked a bit more lively in my neighborhood

2009 Military selection process completed

All local young men eligible for the military lottery seemed quite happy to participate yesterday.

 

No one seemed to be bored waiting for the process to begin.

.

The selection process was followed by an all night celebration, win or loose.

footnote: Joey attended the event, as there were a number of his friends involved in the process.
He had taken quite a number of pictures of the procedures indoors, when he was stopped.
You might think there is some privacy or security law involved. Not so!! He was told that he would have to pay to take the pictures. Oh yeah... Thailand

A friend of mine who entered the navy around New Years, is home for his second leave.
And already has three medals.
In my days, it took me three years to earn my first medal, and that was under fire.

Road Trip to Udon and back

So I heard they opened a new Carrefour store in Udon Thani.
I had to go check it out and see if I could buy the things I generally bought in Bangkok.
I had Samat drive me there.  He brought along his favorite grandson.
We departed as agreed at 7 a.m.  It was overcast all the way, no sunglasses needed.

As we left town I noticed the advertisement for the annual food fair which starts tomorrow.


The trip seemed almost uneventful.  Lot's more buses than usual were on the road.
Of course that is because of the holidays.

It did get a bit hairy when two double decker buses approached us side by side.  All you can do is get out of their way.  
Even hairier was when two cars passed a parked car.Looked like three cars approaching us.  Again, all you can do is get out of the way.

40 kilometers from Udon, the highway opens up into four lanes, freeway like.
We were a bit amused by the U-turn signs. Make a u-turn and Sakon Nakhon is 165 km in the other direction.



The store is somewhat outside of town on the airport highway.
Found all the things I had in mind, German candies, cheeses, and freshyly baked bread.
In fact they had just wheeled the bread out. I tried to grab some, but it was extremely hot.
I can attest it was fresh. Nine loafs of bread, and shopping was done.

A quick lunch and we were on the return trip before noon.

Dark clouds to the North forewarned us of what to expect.
As soon as the rains hit, all traffic seemed to pull over to the side to cover up cargo and passengers.
One truck ahead of us, yes a double decker. The passengers below were dry, but not the ones on the sundeck.

.

Most traffic seemed to slow down because of the inclement weather. But not all apparently.
We briefly slowed down. One pickup partially in a ditch, the other closing down a lane of traffic.
The pickup truck was apparently hit from both sides. The cab of the vehicle looked more like an accordion.
If there was a passenger, he had no chance of survival. Passenger seat was not to be seen.

At least a dozen road checkpoints had been set up along the way.
Only one in operation, checking for drivers licenses. The cops looked bored.


Plenty of "Be Safe for the Holidays" signs along the way.

Apparently there are new route markers. "AH15" part of the Asian Highway Network now being developed.

Back in Sakon Nakhon finally noticed a sign promoting Songkran.

And final preparations are underway, as bamboo huts are erected.