Batten down the Hatches Nock-ten is visiting

I'll have some yard work  done before the weekend.  
Make things presentable for our visitor NOK-TEN.
A tropical storm with XX-strong wind gusts , 
is headed this way for a weekend visit (Saturday and Sunday).

1 PM July 28

The center of the storm will pass north of us through Laos -5 day tracking map

Thailand Meteorological Department Weather Warning

Tropical Storm Displaces Thousands in Philippines 

Sakon Nakhon Wax Castle Festival 2011

The festival coincides with the October full moon and therefore falls on different days each year.
This year the October full moon is on October 12 (the date of the Wax castle parade).

Dates for the festival are October 8 through 12.

Sakon Nakhon Royal Trophy Longboat Races 2011  are held during the first two days of the festival.
A food fair, flower arrangement competitions, a sound and light show are some of the activities that lead up to the main event, the wax castle parade. 
A complete schedule is generally available at all hotels in the area


My post of last years parade can be found at Sakon Wax Castle Parade 2010

If you arrive early a visit to local temples offers a great view of the construction of these Wax palaces.

Video clips from the 2007 Wax castle parade

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Sneak Peek at the Sakon Sunshine Garden

Sunshine Garden opens officially on August 25, but has started a soft opening*
Anton's Garden is open daily from 2 PM.  visit the  Sunshine Garden- Sakon


*soft opening. A period of time when a business, which may not be fully complete, is open for business but not formally.

How to get there from Big C

1. At the traffic light south of Big C turn left.     2. At the next traffic light turn right onto I.T.U. 


3.Continue  until the next traffic light.  4. Turn Left at the traffic light.
5. Turn left at the first intersection.                  6. Turn left at the first street
Drive to the end of the road

Sakon FC / Sakon Nakhon Railroad / Power Grid Upgrade

Disappointing Sakon FC performance at Chaiyaphum

Watched the game via live stream at the Sakon FC website.
Chaiyaphum scored during the opening minutes of the game.
The outlook wasn't great.
Even though Sakon was able to score one goal, Chaiyaphum outperformed them.
Sakon FC did have a number of close calls, but you know the old saying "No Cigar."

The game ended with Sakon FC loosing 2-1.

Sakon Nakhon Railroad 

Don't get in a rush to buy your train tickets just yet.
National News Bureau of Thailand reports that the State Railway of Thailand "IS PREPARED" to build a rail line between Udon Thai and Sakon Nakhon.
Another Rail line is on the drawing boards between Khon Kaen and Nakhon Phanom
Having seen the progress of widening the highway between Udon and Sakon Nakhon, I suspect this project will be a long time in the making

Power Grid Upgrade

There have been more power outages  in the area I live in this year, than in past years.
Most outages are during thunderstorms and heavy downpours.
These outages are generally short term, generally restored within an hour.
Power outage today was due to an upgrade of the main cables along the northern half of I.T.U. (Avenue).
Everything went dead at 9:30 AM.  My laptop went dead about two hours later.


Spent most of the day keeping cool in my pool
Even the locals were complaining of the heat without fans.
Power was restored at 6:30 PM.
Since today's installation only covered half of the highway, I suspect there will be a similar outage tomorrow.  Everything that's chargeable is being charged tonight.

Sakon Nakhon Royal Trophy Longboat Races 2011

Sakon Nakhon(city)  October 8-9  The event starts off with an early morning parade (approx 9 am) delivering the trophies to the lakefront. A boat parade follows  the trophy delivery ceremony.   Boat parade seating is limited.  Early arrival recommended. Qualifying races are held during the first day. The second day elimination races and final race, followed by a ceremonial awarding of trophies

There are countless boat races throughout  the province celebrating the end of the rainy season lasting (approximately) two weeks

City Critter Show

Sakon Football 

at Yasothon this Sunday

is streamed live at     

Sakon FC  5 p.m. local time

Weather: 

heavy rains mostly in the northern part of the province

animated Asia satellite at weather com

 

Ok People, knock it off with the rockets, the rain god is awake

The last few days the monsoon rains seemed a bit heavier than the usual tropical rains.
My drains almost overflowed during today's rainstorm. Definitely a first.
So far these storms have been less than half an hour.
If such rain lasts for a few hours you can expect local flooding.
Surprisingly no flood warnings have been posted for this area in some time.
I suppose you can say the Bun Bang Fai (rocket) festivals have definitely done their job

One of four downspouts, yesterday and today

My neighbors roof

In the name of religion

His name is Niko Alm from Austria.  It took him three years for officials to cave in and let him wear his "religious spaghetti strainer" for his drivers license photo.
BBC News    I laughed my A__ off

From My Mailbag

I hate when they do that

True TV recently realigned some of its TV channels.
A few people, including myself, thought many stations had disappeared.
They hadn't, the channels simply had been moved.

It's just as irritating as when they rearrange shelves in a grocery store

Thailand Tesco Lotus launches new discount campaign

Includes price reductions and price freezes until October
Read about it at Fresh Plaza

Bang Fai (rocket) Festival

When newscasts go awry 

Sakon FC at Surin

Pre Game Travel

With a lengthy history of severe hip, upper back and neck damage I wasn't looking forward to a lengthy (sitting) travel time.  I suspected it wasn't going to be a most comfortable trip.  Luckily I had a very comfortable seat and did not require medical attention upon arrival.  Just slightly stiff in the joints after almost five hours travel time.

Pre Game Meal

Nobby's Restaurant was our first stop after arriving in Surin.  I hadn't anticipated eating a heavy meal before the game, but sausage and German potato salad and a German beer was just too tempting.

At the Surin Stadium

The stadium was already packed by the time we arrived.  

Not much seating choice available.  The view was alright.  But some view was blocked by the "stairway to no-where."

The Surin fan crowd is the largest of any teams I have seen so far in the Thai Division 2 League North Eastern Region.

Announced total ticket sales was Bht 70,000. Admission was Bht40 equals 1,750 paid fans.

The stadium is well maintained and modern, however covered seating is limited and at a premium.  Luckily the sky was overcast protecting us from any scorching sun rays.

As Noted in every division stadium I have visited to date, Surin maintenance crews also hadn't figured out how to operate the clock, 
or did they just forget to buy batteries?

The Ballgame 

Being a recently refurbished team (seven new players), Sakon FC performed quite well.  

Their defensive play is impressive.  The Surin team was good, but far from impressive.

Their one score was obviously due to "home court advantage."

Sakon FC has slipped back into 9th position in the division, for the moment, but should improve it's division standings in the next two weeks.

Sakon FC next travels to Chaiyaphum (13th position) and hosts Nong Kai (8th position) at the end of the month.

Later that evening

After the ballgame we once again homesteaded at Nobby's. 

Compared to what I'm used to, the prices where a bit more 'noticable'.  But the food portions where huge and very pleasing to the palate.  

The evening also included complimentary samples of sausages, cheeses and a very pleasant samplings of an Italian coffee liquor.

A group of US marines and navy visiting the town, certainly made this evening a very profitable one for Nobby.   When we had visited earlier Nobby seemed to be an old grouch.  A full house definitely  put him in a very pleasant mood.