Phu Phan Cup and more

Ubon FC will face Nakhon Phanom FC  in the first game of the Phu Phan cup on Tuesday, November 9 at Muang Sakon Municipal Stadium.

Sakon FC will play in the second  game of the Phu Phan Cup to be held Wednesday, November 10.  Sakon FC recently changed ownership and had tryouts for new players last week.
A Sakon FC restaurant is planned to open for the 2011 season


Someone recently commented when he renewed his VISA (married),
he encountered a seemingly new Visa requirement.
Pictures of him and his wife inside and outside the house.  That may be a new requirement locally, but this requirement has been in effect for some time at other locations.  One source tells me they had to provide pictures of the couple in every room and outside the house, when they registered in Pattaya.


Escape Bar recently was visited by Monks for a traditional Buddhist blessing ceremony 




Expect cooler nighttime temperatures midweek for a couple days


Hong Kong preflight screening needs improvement.
Man in disguise boards flight for Canada


Chickens have better lives in Thailand ..... than in Britain, says RSPCA Mail Online


Lets have some more parades with those funny balloons.
During my first days in Sakon I watched a parade of school children.
All had rubbers blown up to look like balloons.
In recent years Thailand seems to have reduced their Aids awareness programs.
HIV is on the increase  


Back in the late 70's I spent many a  Saturday at the midnight showing of the original film.
No I did not come in costume


Don't watch the video at this link if you are squeamish

This Evening

 
     Monthly SakonNakhon Cultural Fair, held on the  
     first Saturday of each month.

     Main stage at intersection of
     Thanon Charoenmuang  and Thanon Jaiphasook.

Mother nature has her hand in your wallet

Southern flood waters are slowly receding, but continuing to create havoc.

Soybeans at two year high Bloomberg
Rubber futures at 30 year high Bloomberg
Sugar prices hit 30 year peak AFP
Rice, cooking oil... etc... etc

A death in Chiang Rai may be attributed to the cold weather THAI VISA

But I just want to play with you

Alvin's exercise period

 

 

Thailand's coldest day on record ahead ???

According to Dan the Weatherman's World Weather Trivia, the lowest temperature in Thailand was recorded in Sakon Nakhon in 1974.  Temperatures dropped to 1.4C, 34.5F.

That was 36 years ago.  Recent weather predictions have forecast worst flooding in 50 years.
That prediction has apparently become true.

The other prediction, coldest temperatures in 50 years has me a bit worried.
Thailand is already experiencing the coldest temperatures in a decade The Jakarta Post

From appearances, we haven't seen the coldest weather yet.
The cold season did arrive early this year, thanks to a still growing El Nino.

Government agencies are beginning to take note:
"Temperatures-in-North-Northeast-to-drop-further"  THE NATION
It's not imminent, but the normal cold season around here is in January and February.

Brings to mind a logo from my U.S. Army days a long time ago.

Two wheeled memorial road trip headed this way

Motorcycles and bicycles departed Bangkok on October 31 for a memorial road trip.
The group of two wheelers is scheduled to be in Sakon on November 23 and 24, and will continue to Udon Thani and Nong Kai

Over 100 deaths due to floods in Thailand

Major cause of drownings  "Drunk"














While heavy rains continue in the southern provinces, local weather continues to be affected by a ridge of intense pressure from China, with local minimum temperatures between 12 and 16C.  Minimum mountain temperatures are forecast between 6 and 12C

Lights Out

A four hour power outage today along I.T.U. started at 10 AM.
From what I could see it was routine line maintenance, replacing a short pole with a taller one.

Glad it was a fairly cool day and I did not need a fan.

    

Reminded me of my own days as pole lineman, except those where wooden poles

Ah... it's the Fallang

Mostly to appease my Thai friends, I've attend a yearly birthday ritual.
Even though I'm not a believer, it never hurts to get that extra bit of insurance.

Giving alms to the monks on this day should improve my chances for good fortune in the year ahead.

It's a triple birthday celebration, Myself, Samart, and one of his grandsons.

While the others gave fruit and rice, I opted for candy and cookies.
Of course there were also the traditional envelops with money.
I was a bit confused about the money envelopes:  There were eleven monks, yet I was expected to give only seven envelopes, Samart only gave six.
It was explained to me it's traditional that you give one more envelope than the last number in your age.  I'm 66, that means seven envelopes.  Samart, having given six envelopes, must be 55 today.




The abbot in front of the group of monks recognized me from previous years: "Ah it's the Fallang," he said with a big smile.