Fundraiser for Ban Bodmadpoknoi school

A fundraiser will be held this Saturday afternoon at the M.J. Majestic Hotel, for the Ban Bodmadpoknoi school, which was recently destroyed by fire.
Admission is 1,000 baht

High Humidity Contiues, Real Feel Temps Dropping Slightly

It was the hottest hot season I've experienced in my seven years in Thailand. 

The highest electric bill I've ever had $135.  It wasn't a surprise.

There were times when I had two air conditioners running.

 

The pool pump, two water pumps, six fans, they all add up quickly.

Now with almost daily rains, I can survive quite comfortably with one or two fans.

Still not enough rain to consider rice planting.

The rains have only been enough for greener pastures, very few fields with sufficient water.

Highway widening construction is under way in two directions outside the city, as part of the Asia Highway Project.  But it seems to be a slow process and the completion is still years away.

New construction is also underway at Wat Phra That Choeng Chum.
The area, which previously housed a large carport for the annual construction of the Wax Castles has has been cleared. From the looks of things, the area is being used for additional housing.

The over sized carport has been moved outside the temple walls.

 

Lunch Break

Motorcycle Theft

Received a call this morning advising me of a motorcycle theft : "People really need to be advised of this problem."

Vehicle theft is quite common.  Many are used for parts, others are resold across borders.

Many Thai's bring their vehicles indoors at night.

If you have a front gate to your property, lock it before going to sleep.

Alarm systems for motorcycles are available locally.  However they will require a larger capacity battery for motorcycles.

I highly recommend all vehicle owners have additional insurance beyond the compulsory insurance issued with each vehicle registration, as this is very minimal.

Read more About Thailand Motorcycle Insurance at The Golden Triangle Rider

or search for motorcycle insurance at   THAI VISA 

Barking dogs are a great theft deterrent.

Football Fun

 
YouTube video by bulletpoint — October 23, 2006                           YouTube video by  DrKingsbury — March 14, 2007

Hearing sirens these days makes me nervous

It's obvious now, the rainy season has arrived.  Three successive days of rain.
Sunday I was awakened at 12:30 a.m. by thunder that resembled overhead canon explosions.
Monday morning a steady light rain, with occasional heavier downpours, again early morning hours.

I'm glad to see the rains have replaced the hottest hot season I have experienced here.  It should reduce my cooling expenses.  Rice planting season will get a late start, but at least there is one.

Another Draw 1 - 1, for SakonNakhon FC.  This time against Mahasarakham FC
I had all intentions of attending the game.  One hour before game time, while at the bank I realized I had once again lost my ATM card.  It's almost a yearly event with me.  That pretty much put me into a stay at home mood.  After financing admittance to the game and refreshments for a dozen neighborhood 'friends, I was down to my last 100 baht.

 

view more videos by Zintiara 

Regarding Mobile Phone internet connections Yes they are extremely slow in the area.
ADSL is still the best bet.  I am paying 845 baht per month.  There is a lesser priced ADSL service available, it's great for domestic connections, not for international connections.
Would love to read a comment by a recent SakonNakhon visitor who was using the I-Phone locally.

Early Friday evening fire engine sirens could be heard traveling south on I.T.U.
I was quite relieved when I found out the following day, that the fire was caused by faulty cooking.

German Beer Garden

Deutscher Bier Garten in Ban Dong Ma Fai,
15km from Muang SakonNakhon
.
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School Fire in SakonNakhon

Wooden school building burned to the ground at Ban Bodmadpoknoi,
in SakonNakhon's Panna Nikhom district. THE NATION
Panna Nikhom is approximately 40km Northwest of Muang SakonNakhon

Start of the Rainy Season ?

A heavy tropical thunderstorm hit the area shortly after 4 p.m. yesterday.
The rain was quite heavy and uprooted my mango and another tree.
Luckily I had spent the previous day removing a number of red ant nest from the Mango tree. We were able to upright the trees after the storm with only a few ant bites.

I had predicted the rain earlier in the day, but was off by 4 1/2 hours.

A number of visitors, who arrived moments before the storm hit, suggested that they may have to overnight at my house if the storm would last into the curfew hours.
Luckily the rains subsided within an hour.

SakonNakhon Native Poonsawat Kratingdaenggym is heading for his debut in the U.S.A.,

after defeating Shoji Kimura of Japan, last Thursday. 

Cassava crops plagued by Drought and Aphids RYT9 

 Sugar Rises as Protests in Thailand May Worsen Output Shortfall Bloomberg

• opinion: the recent protests are probably a minor factor, the real cause may be the persistent drought

 Hunt's Ketchup Removes High Fructose Corn Syrup 

Florida  issues vulgar Drivers License NBC Miami

SakonNakhon - Mai Phen Rai

The only violence I have seen during the past weeks has been on television. I have traveled daily through the city and surrounding highways. The only damage I had seen was caused by recent high winds. Some advertisement placards had fallen over.

The curfew did not seem to be rigorously enforced in my neighborhood.
There was light traffic throughout  the early evening.  Locals were informed to clear the streets by 10:30.
I've seen people walking home after midnight.  Obviously late night neighborhood parties have not been squashed.

The water level at the local lake Nong Han has receded, not unusual, seasonal average.
They've been discussing dredging the lake every dry season as long as I've lived here.
And they are discussing it again.  RYT9