True Visions/UBC drops BBC and others

True Visions, formerly known as UBC has announced that they will drop BBC Entertainment (38), Animax (40), and STC(42), effective June 1.
Replacing these channels will be AXN Beyond, All Sports Network and Nickelodeon.

The change is being made purely for financial reasons.

Since this announcement True Visions e-mail has been overflowing with complaints and threats to discontinue or switch to a less expensive package.
Read more at Thai Visa.com

I'll miss Judge Deed, My Family, and Weakest link.  AXN Beyond seems to be a rebroadcast of U.S. series, All Sports Network, from what I can determine is mostly U.S. Sports. AXN Beyond sample schedule .  I have definitely outgrown Nickelodeon, a children's network.

Sakon Nakhon City Hall demolished

As previously noted the old city hall is being torn down to make room for a new complex costing 108,510,000 Baht (US $3,086,177)

 

Photography by Martin Pattison

All photo's of this event at picasaweb

Rising costs

Less Customers, charge more for the customers you do have.

There have been repeated complaints why bars, sitting empty are charging more for their services.
Logic dictates that prices should be lower to draw in more customers.

In real life charging more is the norm. The US postal service is a typical example.
When there were plenty of customers, prices were low. I remember regular mail going for seven cents.
The internet has made part of the postal service obsolete.
Thus the services still available have skyrocketed.
Even Homer thinks the prices are insane . . . . . . . . . . . 

Feels like Weather for the coming days

Warmer nights. Chances of rain increasing during the second half of the week.

Funny Mail

The Google group where we store all the latest humor and unusual emails we receive, now has over 740 postings.
So if you enjoy a good joke, then visit http://groups.google.com/group/funny_mail

Around Town
Green Corner Restaurant was recently remodeled, with additional dining space upstairs.
City Hall has moved to temporary facilities while the complex is being rebuilt.

Sakon Nakhon FC
...played against Nakhon Phanom FC on Saturday. 

Unable to attend, but it must have been another loss for the local team. 

Having played 5 games, the team has won two games and lost three.

This years Wax castle festival schedule has been posted at tourismthailand.org. The festival will be October 1st through 4. October 4th is the full moon day.

Changing World

Recently received this in e-mail and consider it worth sharing

Monk Manners

A few years ago a Thai Government official wanted to put a halt to the many transvestite shows on public television.

"They are not part of Thailand's heritage, and do not represent Thailand's image."

Of course that never happened.

Most of the Ladyboys are extrovert and flamboyant, making for a lot of fun entertainment at public and private events.

It came as little surprise to me that a Buddhist preacher in Chiang Rai came up with a plan to educate and curb the flamboyant behavior of transgender monks.

Finally someone admits they are among us. Education is the logical solution.

There's a time and a place for these antics. The temple just isn't the right place.

BBC News Asia- Pacific: "Etiquette guide for Thai monks."

Trends Updates: "Good manners to be taught to Thailand's gay monks."

May Holidays

1 May 

  Labor day

5 May

Coronation Day วันฉัตรมงคล (Wan Chattra Mongkhon) 

 Commemorates the coronation of King Bhumibol Adulyadej in 1950

8 May

Visakha Bucha Day วันวิสาขบูชา (Wan Wisakha Bucha)

 Buddhist observance commemorating the birth, enlightenment and passing of the Buddha.  Also observed as National Tree Day

11 May

Royal Ploughing Ceremony วันพืชมงคล (Wan Phuetcha Mongkhon)

Televised ceremony giving blessing to the country's farmers. 

Each year's date is astrologically determined and announced by the Royal Household Bureau.  Also observed as Farmer's Day.

Recuperating Mode continues

After receiving an injection yesterday morning I had a very pain free afternoon.

Even was able to spend a few hours updating the hotel directory.

The directory is really starting to shape up quite nicely with the help of Martin.

Of course the big news is the disturbance at the Toon Army Bar.

With me being home bound and only hearing second hand information, 

it is not appropriate for me to transmit rumors.  

I've always considered it a bad idea for Graham to operate a bar, his expertise being a chef.

Those persons with computer questions.  I highly recommend typing your question into google.

You'll be amazed at the results.  Teenagers whose computer interest grow beyond playing games should seriously consider enrolling in a computer course.

There is also a Thai version of Computers for Dummies.

Thais with some knowledge of English and a knowledge of computers have greater employment opportunities these days.  Computers are the future.

With three visits to the doctors last week, I have an oversupply of medications.  I now have to choose carefully which medicine is best suited for the final phase of my recovery.

Talks about over medication.

The most pleasing and enjoyable occurrences  are the local Thai's.

I have been receiving deliveries of soups and other meals from neighbors near and far.

I appreciate this tremendously.  But then agian this is truly Thai.

Exercise

The local park at the lake gets quite busy daily around 5 p.m. with people jogging and all other forms of exercise.
There are a number of exercise stations with instructions.
This one caught my attention, is that a fart? Is it part of the exercise?

Invited to make merit...

Friday morning.  I had just taken a dose of medicine to kill old age and back ache pains.
I decided to lay down, there's very little else you can do when taking all this medication.

My friend Samat came by moments later, explaining that I am invited to a celebration.
When I asked him when, the reply was "right now."

I just love the Thai way of advance notice of an event.

Lucky we only had to go a block away to the main street.

From my understanding, it was a ceremony honoring the elderly, senior citizens from this neighborhood (Thadum 3).
Well, yes I am now a senior citizen, but somehow I felt very special that I had been included in this merit making.
As a foreigner I feel privileged to be accepted in the neighborhood.




All elderly attending received gifts to commemorate the event.