News on the Net

Leeches in the Kwai River: THE NATION

Look before you sit, toilet snakes are not a myth: REUTERS

No food shortages sufficient water supply forecast: MCOT.NET

2009 Royal Ploughing Ceremony Photos: THAIPHOTOBLOGS

Thailand Resorts for sale: PHUKETWAN

Amazing Thailand Trip Giveaway extended: YOU TUBE

Wan Wisakha Bucha Day Parade

In observance of the commemoration of the birth, enlightenment and Passing of Buddha, as everywhere in Thailand, Sakon Nakhon celebrated the event with an evening candlelight parade.

The parade route was marked with lamps in the shape of flowers  and kerosene torches.

See More photos here 090508 Parade

Possible Ancient Temple Site Unearthed

Received a phone call by obviously excited Andy:  They've discovered an ancient site just around the corner.  There are dozens of police and plenty of media all over the place.

We had to check it out.

They were clearing the land, uprooting trees when they came across these ancient markers.  
We've seen these at some of the local temples.  Think they are ancient grave markers.  
With so many of these markers, there is a strong suspicion that the site may be an undiscovered temple site.  Estimates range from 300 to 3,000 years old.  No professionals were on site to make any official findings.

The area was cordoned off with tape, but after all officials had departed, locals began digging in the area for souvenirs.  The site is only a five minute walk from my house, so it will be interesting to observe what happens here next.

Income going down,Unemployment rising, and so are Taxes

As previously mentioned a hike in alcohol taxes went into effect Thursday, raising the excise tax from 7 to 9 %.  

Unfortunately that will not cover the governments losses experienced due to the global downturn and  local disruptions to tourism.  Expect further increases in taxes on fuel and cigarettes momentarily.  phuketwan.com

Neither rain, nor thunderstorms will stop a Parade in Thailand

As you can tell from a previous post, there wasn't a cloud in the sky, yet at 2 p.m. the heavens opened with a tropical thunderstorm, which made everyone run for cover.

But that didn't stop a planned parade.  After a short thunderstorm delay, the parade proceeded.

See all pictures of this parade by Martin Pattison here  090507 Parade

The Parade honoring Visakha Bucha Day is scheduled for Friday 3:30 p.m. 

The starting point is near the Lotus store.  The parade will proceed to Wat Phra That Choeng Chum.

   

Rambling on...

Don't Rain on my parade

Hardly a cloud in the sky, but the weather forecast for tomorrows festivities: Clouds, Sunshine a couple of heavy thunderstorms, humid (accuweather.com). I doubt that I'm physically ready to spend the afternoon photographing. Any volunteers?

Cost of drinking in Thailand rising

 

To increase Government Income, excise taxes on all alcoholic drinks will increase by 2% from 7 to 9%.  If you wish to rush out and stock up, forget it, you're too late,  The increase is effective today. www.forbes.com

Chonburi Province Governor was "shifted" 

 
for mishandling of ASEAN meeting fiasco. www.nasdaq.com

The supplement to this blog Sakon Nakhon Directory is growing

Visits to the directory have increased 391.18% since "remodeling" began a week ago. Fascinating of course is where the directory's visitors hail from (listed in frequency of visits): Thailand

United States, Brazil, United Kingdom, Argentina, Japan, Portugal, Germany, Chile, France, Singapore, Canada, India, Romania, Russia, Australia, Spain, Indonesia, Hong Kong, Sweden.

If you have any recommendations of services, sales, or the like, please forward the information to me at luanghans@gmail.com.

Dom DeLuise

Prolific Film and television star, 

Author of Cookbooks and childrens stories, dead at age 75   

WiKiPDiA,       Official Page: domdeluise.com,   justjared.buzznet.com

No surprise here

M*A*S*H actor David Ogden Stiers comes out, he's gay and he's proud. afterelton.com

Mangalitsa pigs from Hungary 

Looks like a cross breed of sheep and pigs. Very feminine appearance, just needs a bit of lipstick  www.omgblog.com

Don't say "WTF" to 911 operator 

Officer Prudy McPrudester 

 He'll hang up on you and endanger your loved ones

true visions (formerly UBC) 

has a deal for subscribers with analog receivers. 

Upgrades to Digital are available for 2,000 baht. truevisionstv.com

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.