Police Story Thailand: Road Checks

My first road road check in Muang Sakon was only blocks away from my house.

When I had stopped and lifted my visor the policeman very obviously rolled his eyes.
You could tell he wasn't expecting a westerner.
I reached for my wallet and the officer smilingly motioned to me that it was not necessary.

"Where you from, where you live, where you going."  The officer peppered questions at me.
It quickly became very obvious that he had exhausted his knowledge of English with those three questions.

I answered "U.S.A.," he had a dumbfounded look on his face. I rephrased my answer "America." Now he understood where I came from.

Answering the next two questions, I started to feel more like I was giving a mini-English lesson.
"I live in this neighborhood" took a lot of hand gestures to explain.

He did understand my final answer that I was going "shopping." and smilingly sent me on my way.

The second road check I encountered I was a passenger in the back seat of a car.

Unfortunately, when stopped the driver became quite grumpy:
"What the hell are you stopping me for."
The cop didn't understand the question, but he obviously picked up on the drivers disposition.
He demanded every possible document from the driver,  Insurance papers, drivers license, vehicle papers, visa, passport. 
I thought next he's going to ask for a birth certificate.
The lesson is obvious, smile and you get a smile in return.  Hassle a cop and expect to be severely hassled

There have been times when I passed a road check slowly, expecting to be stopped, but the cops either waved me on or totally ignored me.

Memorable was a road stop where the police officer totally ignored the Thai driver in the car and came to my passenger side.  That English lesson lasted over five minutes until his partner finally told him to get back to work.

In the eight years of driving in Thailand I was only asked once to produce a "bicycle license."  That took me a moment to realize what the officer meant, since I was driving a motor cycle. 

In a distant town my Thai driver was pulled over for going through a red light.  As he was exiting the car I offered Bt 200 to him to pay the obvious fine, but was refused.


Twenty minutes of waiting, the driver returned and asked me for the Bt 200.  It took another 10 minutes before he returned.  
Lesson, pay up and be on your way, the cop always wins the argument.

The most memorable road stop to date deserves a separate post.

Coming Soon!! Dumbfounded TAXI

Going hunting, Thai style

Direct sun 1 PM

Shade 1 PM

Hot day yesterday, at least until early afternoon.  

Driving around town the smell of toilet seemed to be coming from many street sewers.  
It was obvious that most of the water had evaporated exposing the smelly substance which lines the sewers.

I was hoping for rain.  Dark clouds could be seen west of us, but they just seemed to pass us by.

By early evening the cooler temperatures were quite noticeable.  I turned off three fans and was quite comfortable with one at slow speed.

Heavy tropical rains began after midnight

Satellite images at 3:45 AM and 6:05 demonstrate that the storm is quickly dissipating, with mostly lighter rains.

What do two extremely intoxicated Thais do, on a tropical rainy night, when most of the liquor establishments are closed?

Go Frog Hunting

Equipped with flashlight, bucket and umbrella (mine) they went on a two hour frog hunt from 2 to 4 AM.
I hope the frogs are on someones menu.  I will not start a frog farm.
Been there done that.  Snakes used the frog farm as a snack bar.


This morning the air smells fresh and clean, the empty lot next to me has once again turned into a pond

8:34 am

Morning satellite weather images indicated that we should get some rain in the early evening. 

It was obvious then that the storm was to loose most of it's strength on the other side of the mountains, before it reached us.
It did rain slightly during the game. 

At one point we could hear the rain above us on the tin roof, but on the field in front of us, the sun was shining on the game.

 

Delay of game due to late arrival of ambulance.  The game started promptly at 5:28

By 5:37 Sakon FC made it's first goal

That Sakon FC was going to win the game was unquestionable even before the games started. 
After all Nong Bua Lam Phu had only won one game this season.

Come on down...

Americans and Britt's will recognize that phrase from the game show 'The Price is Right.'

It's halftime at the Sakon FC vs. Nong Bua Lamphu FC match.

They just concluded calling out ticket numbers for 'door prizes.'

'Mister Hans come on down.'  

Finally after years of attending local football games I'm getting some recognition.
No prize for me. 
I got to draw the winning ticket for the main prize of the evening.

 

I wasn't a bit disappointed.  I was actually overjoyed by the recognition.
Think I only missed one or two Sakon FC home games since they started in 2007.

What are the odds??

The winning ticket for a new pair of football shoes went to none other than MACK.
He's the grandson of my adopted family.  I'm the honorary grandfather in the family.  
Giving Mack the main prize of the evening just added to the pleasure of the moment.

...I don't think there can be a more joyful moment in a person's life...

Anual Ant Exodus AGAIN!!

A year ago almost to the day I noted a mass invasion of ants  Red Ants on move Sunday, May 16, 2010
It seems to be an annual event initiated by the first rains
Ant colonies that made their home in open fields during the dry season are all looking for drier homes and a fresh supply of food.

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All trails seem to be leading to my house at the moment.

Best defense against ant home invasion is Talc.

This time of year I buy Talc in bulk and dust the edges around the house. 
Most of the entry trails to my house started around bushes touching the house.  Spent the morning doing some heavy pruning and talc dusting.



Opened a large bag of individual wrapped candies in the kitchen.
Forgot to seal the bag with a rubber band.
Within two days an ant colony had found my stash.
The ants went the full length of the house to get there.
Next project: Talc the attic

Sakon FC hosts Nong Bua Lamphu FC

Sakon FC hosts Nong Bua Lamphu FC Sunday, 5 PM

Nong Bua Lamphu FC is in the bottom of the Division, winning one game and loosing seven this season

Promoting tourism Vatican Style

As seen on the web

On the Road Khao Yai and Sakon Nakhonat the Banana Times 


Moving To Sakon Nakhon. Need Info at THAI VISA Forum

video by MrMichaleo

...and the feature of the day, not for the queasy

click on continue reading... if you dare

The fields come alive to the sound of....

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Woke up this morning to the sound an apparent buffalo herd
 
Took a few moments to realize it wasn't a roundup... ...it was frogs. Bullfrog came to mind.

These critters are up all night and seem to go to sleep around 6 AM.
Reminds me of a few locals.

A second day of rain yesterday, this one was a tropical downpour that started mid afternoon.  

My visitors departed for a football game as part of the Phu Phan Youth Games.  Ten minutes after their departure, the skies opened.  Pretty sure their game was cancelled.


From the looks of things, I'd say the rainy season has started very early this year.  
Forecast calls for clouds and possible thunderstorms.

Animated Asia satellite at weather com 

Thunderstorm, First direct hit of the season

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It wasn't a torrential rain typical in this area during the rainy season.
Then of course it's too early for that season.
My 6,000 liter ( 1,585 US gal) capacity water tanks filled in an hour.
During the torrential rains my water tanks overflow in less than ten minutes.


The advance party of heavy winds arrived around 8 PM. 
Plenty of leaves, plastic bags and assorted trash were using the street as a runway.  
Laundry on the line also seemed ready for takeoff.  Their flight plans were terminated.


Thunder and lightening in the accompaniment of rain joined the party.
(accompaniment part in a composition designed to serve as background and support for more important parts)

Within moments after the arrival, at 9:15 PM the lights went out.

Muang Sakon was in the dark.

Most folk in the neighborhood sat outdoors under protective awnings.
Indoors without fans was just too muggy (humid).
Electric service resumed shortly after 11 PM.


Battle wounds Incurred
Expecting an overflow on my water tanks I changed pipes.
Forgetting appropriate procedures, I cracked and broke a window, which I then had to remove from various locations on my foot.

Sitting at my outdoor bar, waiting for the lights to come back on, I exchanged stares with a young frog for some time.  When I moved to get my camera, he/she decided it was time to depart.  With frogs making their appearance, snakes should be on the scene shortly.

9:24 A.M April 27

This morning an increase of Mosquitoes is very apparent.