Sakon FC at Yasothon FC 2 - 2

 
Unexplained, starting times to most games had been changed from 5 PM to 4 PM.

Obviously the word didn't get out, we arrived to an almost empty stadium. 

Most spectators who thought they'd arrive early arrived while the game was already under way.

Yasothon scored early in the game

Sakon scored twice early in the second half.

Scorekeeper Risky Business

Notice the score keeper had to climb on a chair, then stand on a metal fence, hold on to the scoreboard with one hand, while changing the score.

On the road to Yasothon

Getting there

I had planned the routes on Google maps looking for an alternative  to driving through the Phu Phan mountains.  It might be a scenic drive but the mountainous road is slow going. Thus I came up with a route traveling through Mukdahan.

That route was 196 km and should have taken us a little bit over three hours.

The guy driving of course had his own map.  We drove 320 km.

 
According to Google map that route should have taken over five hours.  We did the trip in 3 1/2 hrs.

At times on two lane highways going was slow, but we obviously made up the time on deserted stretches.

At one road stop I was impressed by a misting system which reduced the heat quite noticeable

We arrived over an hour early and had plenty of time to enjoy a leisurely lunch.

We had the place where we ate for ourselves.  Service was quick and the food was really great.

Couldn't complain about the prices either.  Lunch and drinks for six people was Bt300.  The most expensive item was the beer.  Bt30 = $1.

Net Picks

Urgently Wanted - Native English Speaker-Salary is 25,000 Baht/month   ajarnjobspace 

Sugar Falls   Bloomberg 

Rice May Fall   Bloomberg 

Cloudy with occasional thunderstorms

Weather is traveling West to East.

Sakon FC started the early season in seventh place. 
After a number of losses, slipped to 11th place. 
The recent win raised the club to 8th place. 
The team travels to Yasothon this weekend. 
Yasothon is in 9th place at the moment. Thai Division 2 League North Eastern Region Standings  


You tube Video by pui900

Songkran antics on the canal

 

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.

.

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