Lucky number personalized license plate Auction

Video provided by STV on YOUTUBE February 26, 2010
Sakon Nakhon license plate auction of 301 numbers on 1-2 May 

Sakon Nakhon FC 3 - Kalasin FC 2

First game that admission was charged.
They also had soft drinks and beer for sale.
(think someone overlooked what day it was, I wont tell).

If you arrived two minutes after game start, then you missed Sakon Nakhon's first score.
Drums, horns and even a car horn hooked up to a motorcycle battery made for a noisy cheering section.

By half time the score was 2-0, you could tell the local crowd was loving it.

After half time entertainment and drawing for Jerseys, it seemed like clear victory with a third goal by Sakon Nakhon.

 

Kalasin was able to score twice before the game ended.

 

Next game March 7:  Sakon Nakhon vs Nongkai  at Udon Stadium
Thai_Division_2_League_North_Eastern_Region Updated standings

Unseen Sakon Nakhon: Dinner and a Show

I received my invitation in English and Thai.

The Thai version invited me to arrive at 18:50,
the English version invited me to arrive at 18:20
It you know anything about Thai time keeping,
then you know things will start around 19:30.

The gala event presented by the  Chao Pu-Chao Ya Shrine (Chinese Temple) of Sakon Nakhon is one of the city's events I look forward to every February.

Top rated dining and top rated entertainment.

We had front row seats.
I was quite impressed, only one table separated ours from the Governor and his entourage.

In the crowd I encountered friends I had not seen in a while.  A year or four.  That added to the enjoyment of the evening.

Weekend Ahead

According to the Thai meteorological department it's still cool.
They are still displaying the mannequin with a sweater on.
Yesterday's 6 p.m. feels like temperature at my house was 42C - 107.6F.
Definitely not sweater weather for me.

From the looks of it, it's going to feel hot again this evening.

Tonight is the big night.
I'll be out and about, most likely with an icepack over my shoulder.
I've been eagerly anticipating the event since early December.
I have very fond memories of last years fourteen course dinner and the superb entertainment

Sunday 5 p.m. Sakon Nakhon FC hosts Kalasin FC

The devil made me do it

Was in the mood to stir things up today. 
So I asked people if they wanted to go to Bangkok with me tomorrow. 
I got a lot of strange looks, before they turned into smiles and definite "NO"
Needless to say I will be staying at home.

Rowdy Fans Barred

Thai Port Fans who gave Thailand Football a black eye with their behavior after last weeks game "Thai Football gone BERSERK," have been banned from attending this evenings match against SHB Da Nang.
Fans have been relegated to another stadium a few miles from the action, where they can watch the game on a big screen TV
Thai port vs SHB Da Nang game time is 18:30.
The game is televised on UBC

The HOT SEASON has arrived

Temperature at my house (noon) shade 85F / 29.4C, direct sun 104F / 40C.

A nurse friend advised me that the hot season not only brings on cases of heat exhaustion.
There are also more cases of stomach ailments. Air quality is also something to consider.

Air pollution notices for some provinces have already been posted. THE NATION
Most of this pollution is caused by fires farmers use to clear and prepare their fields.


NASA image aquired Feb 10, 2010

Stomach irritations, including food poisonings become more prevalent since food storage time is reduced by the hot and humid weather.
If in doubt, I microwave food before eating.

Booking with NOK air: The Sakonnakhon options

With access to any computer and printer you can go online, book your flight and print out your ticket.
Or you can go to the office near BIG C, just behind the pizza place.
See my previous blog entry for details  Sakonnakhon NOK Air office

Your third choice is another NOK air representative.  Head north from BIG C, past three traffic lights.
In the middle of the block (left side) look for flags atop a building



Next door to the office, in the same building,  is a pastry shop.
492 / 4 Chai Pha Suk Rd.
tel: 042-712256

The future looks parched

During my recent road trip to Mukdahan one thing became very obvious:
All rice fields along the road were bone dry.
There were a few watering holes along the way, but these seemed close to drying up too.

The Mekong river was also quite low with islands visible and green with vegetation.
Been a few years now, when the water level submerged the steps leading up to the immigration office.

Normal level 

July 2003

That's not the drought causing the drastic drop in the river's water level.
It's Dams in China.
They have three operating dams and plan more.  Laos is also in the process of building dams.
There are plans for a total of 19 dams.
At that rate future travelers may well be able to wade across.
For the moment, downstream countries have pleaded with China to release more water.

 Additional reading Damned Chinese: mighty Mekong a memory
                                      review-of-contested-waterscapes-in-mekong