Nakhon Phanom Illuminated Boat Procession - OTOP

• Missed The Illuminated Barges in Tao Ngoi on Sunday and Monday.

Had not heard of the event there in previous years.  Not much pre-event publicity.  Did find plenty of web pages posted on Sept 12.  Too late to make travel plans.

They are calling it the 'Fire boat Procession.'
They are not fire boats the way I've been taught.



Nakhon Phanom Illuminated Barge Procession 
is held on the Mekong river each year.

I've enjoyed the barge procession  there a number of times over the years.

First time  from the distance I was convinced that they were neon lights.  Closer up you can see hundreds of small oil-pot lamps.
I'd imagine there are quite a few folk involved in lighting so many oil lamps.

OCTOBER 4 - 12, 2011
ILLUMINATED BOAT PROCESSION The Mekong River, Nakhon Phanom

Think there is something wrong with the dates listed at TAT NEWS.  Doubt very seriously that the procession is done for nine consecutive days

 

OTOP  Festival Starts Thursday 

• September 15 through 18 

at Sakon Nakhon Rajabhat University

NOTE:  Sakon city and vicinity are not experiencing flooding as seen elsewhere in Thailand



Sakon Nakhon Dining 

 

OPINION:  Recipe for  Inflation 

Main Ingredients

• Raise minimum wage to 300 Baht.

Considering the 2010 minimum wage (Thailand Blogs) this is an increase of nearly 100% to many Thai's.
Too much too fast, in my opinion.  Questions are already arising how the government will pay for this wage increase

The government may cut its contribution to  Social Security  THE NATION

• Flood conditions

With severe flood conditions in almost one third of the country, food prices will undoubtedly rise.
Even though the weather conditions may only be temporary, prices seldom retreat

Ayutthaya province Flooding   MSNBC   <<< Excellent Photography

Saraburi Building collapse   THE NATION

Bangkok Royal Barge Procession, October 22

Royal Barge Procession on the Chao Phraya river in Bangkok will be held for the first time in four years on October 22, 2011.  The Royal Barge Procession  was last held on November 5, 2007.  There are generally a number of rehearsals on the days preceeding the event. Most likely the event will be broadcast over Thai television.

Further details at Dubai Chronicle 

Thai trend: marriage down, divorce+premarital sex UP

Studies and findings

• (Thailand) Special Report: Sex and Family Changes Part 1 National News Bureau of Thailand  Sept10 

• (Thailand) Special Report: Sex and Family Changes Part 2 National News Bureau of Thailand  Sept10 

• Study: Poor people are more religious The Milwaukee Community Journal  

British Embassy survey of Brits retired in Thailand

from 9 September to 2 October 2011.

• The Press Release   

• The survey (PDF)

Wikipedia

Flash Floods kill 3 in Uttaradid

• Emergency funds boosted for Uttaradit  THE NATION Sept11
• Two dead, seven missing in flash flood, mudslide in Uttaradit MCOT Sept 10

...People in at-risk areas along foothills and waterways should beware of flash flooding... areas of risk include... Sakon Nakhon.

Mukdahan is 129 KM  S.E. from Sakon Nakhon
Mekon River at Mukdahan 

Mukdahan Indochina Market

Sakon FC slaughtered at Mukdahan

It looked like an intense match for the first 20 minutes.
After that someone must have pulled the stopper on the Sakon team and flushed all their energy
The new Sakon goal keeper doesn't seem to have what it takes.
The defense wasn't much help either.  Not their best performance.
One of Sakon star players was out with an injury and his absence on the field was quite noticeable.
Why the steam went out of the Sakon team is a mystery, maybe the two hour bus ride to Mukdahan was just too strenuous.

The Mukdahan team very obviously outperformed Sakon.  The player who impressed me the most was the Mukdahan goal keeper.  Nothing went past him

  

Sidelined with injuries from last week's game, this player seemed to have a temporary job as team camera man

Recently added Albums

090504 Sakon city hall reconstruction May 4, 2009	090418 Sakon FC Apr 18, 2009	090410 Induction Lottery	090216 SBAC Schoolday Feb 16, 2009
090216 Tony's  lakeside Restaurant opens Feb 16, 2009	090207 Tony's  Lake Restaurant Feb 7, 2009	090129 Family Party  M goes into the Army Jan 29, 2009	090115 Red Cross Fair Jan 15, 2009
090113 Ned's bar sold Jan 13, 2009	080118 S-BAC Jan 17, 2008

You might say I'm way behind in updating my online albums

High Season Countdown

One month until the rainy season hopefully ends.
Indications are that this year's rainy season may wish to linger a bit longer.
Flight searches to Sakon Nakhon seem to be up. A reminder to travel planners: NOK Air is the exclusive airline serving Sakon Nakhon SNO (airport code).

If you're still uncertain as to the when, and what to do, TATnakhonphanom** on YouTube   has some video's that may be of interest to you.  Here's one they did about Sakon Nakhon, produced earlier this year.
**TAT Tourism Authority of Thailand, Nakhon Phanom office.

MUST SEE Thailand !! Subtitles not neccessary

Um-Sang from oma Yim on Vimeo.

The film deserves a standing ovation.
****

Sakon Nakhon Artistic Construction Zone

The posters are up.
Final preparations are well under way for the

2011 Sakon Nakhon Royal Longboat Races and Wax Castle Festival
October 8 through 12



The Wax Castles are over 30% completed, but there's still plenty to do for the artists.

     

"COPY" Thailand

There have been recent complaints of the overcrowded conditions of Bangkok's rail system.

The Sukhumvit line needs more carriages:

•  "Longer trains desperately needed on the BTS Sukhumvit line" The Nation

The problem is that Thais tend to emulate Japan as a model, rather than a western model.
Just be glad they are not using India as a model




55555 (5=ห้า=ha)