On the SakonNakhon Waterfront

• The Royal Longboat Races are to be held in less than two weeks, but there is still little noticeable preparation.

• The racetrack has been cleared of seaweed and that machinery is sitting idle

• Looks like there is a new boat on the lake. I'm wondering if that's for dignitaries only, rather than tourists.
• Time will tell

• A few of the boats have been parked at the waterfront, and one boarding platform has been built to date

• The lake water level is at it's highest in the eight years I have lived here, and rising

 

• Bleachers are at the beach, but have not been placed yet "On The Waterfront"

 

• Did I say the lake had been cleared of all seaweed? Guess not

 

• Leaving the lake park I passed some ponies along the streets. Guess They're in town for the parade? 
• The one standing in the middle of the street did not move for the ten minutes I was there. Road Guard !!

Sakon Nakhon Bus Terminal 2

Almost ready for business, they are just doing some last minute cleaning and sprucing up.
It's quite easy to find if your're heading out of town on the main road.
There's a big sign announcing the newly built road.

Before you get to the bus station there are two other buildings under construction

Tropical Storm Nesat D.O.A

Nesat D.O.A.

Tropical storm Nesat, which promised to bring increased rain and flooding, left the area after four hours of light rain. Like a 'Magic Dragon' it went puff in the middle of the night and disintegrated. Those disappointed by Nesat' visit may find condolence in the next storm headed this way. Typhoon Nalgae is on on a very similar path as its predecesor.

Sanuk Caravan: Missed it

Family Rally and Trade fair
August 31 through Sept 4 2011
It's nice that Tourism Authority is posting video's of events that just happened.   Wish they would spend some time at advance publicity !!!

Thai Baht to Weaken 3.6% by Year-End...   Bloomberg



I Love it when I'm right

Years ago, back in the U.S.A., a Thai guy had asked me how he could get rid of his Asian accent when speaking English.  I told him to sing a lot.  I had noticed many foreigners singing in English seemed to have less of their foreign accent.  Apparently I was right:

Singing therapy..   Scientific American 

(Financial) Meltdown at Aljazeera

Found the forty minute videos (linked below) quite informative  and educational, especially the second video.
I had anticipated a financial crisis since early 2000. Houses were being sold and resold, each time at a higher price.
A neighbors house was resold three times in one year,, each sale raised the value by over $10,00. I knew that balloon had to burst eventually

The men who crashed the world  The first of a four-part investigation into a world of greed and recklessness that led to financial collapse. 

A global financial tsunami  Meltdown examines how an epidemic of fear caused banks to stop lending, triggered protests and led to industrial action.

Thai School parade sparks outrage  CNN   The Sun

There was quite an uproar, especially in the Jewish community, over the recent exhibition of Hitler regalia at a Thai Student day.  Of course teachers claimed they had no prior knowledge.  It was all the student's idea.
If you believe that......!!!
What it does reflect is the lack of the Thai education system.
Most of these students and teachers don't even know where they are.
I asked my students yesterday what countries are to the east of  Sakon Nakhon.
The answers were Cambodia, Burma, London and Paris.
Of course the correct answers should have been Laos and Vietnam.
These same people also thought Hainan was someplace in Europe

Metal Sculpture at S-BAC

Cop dodges traffic attempting to clear fallen sandbags

.

Warning: Flash floods, landslides Bangkok Post 3:36 pm Friday People living near hillsides and waterways in Buengkan, Nongkhai, Udon Thani,   Sakon Nakhon, Lei, Nong Bua Lamphu, Nakhon Phanom, Mukdahan, Khon Kaen, ...

Thai Meteorological Department  Warning  "Tropical Storm Nesat" No. 5 Time Issued : September 30, 2011  ...downgraded to tropical storm... ...make landfall over the northern, Vietnam today (Sep, 30)....

Sign of the times  Traveling to school yesterday on the Sakon - Phanom highway, traffic came to a craw. Police car, lights flashing, was stopped in the middle of the road. One lone cop was attempting to clear two sandbags from the roadway. Apparently they fell unnoticed from a passing truck. The cop had to dodge vehicles, as none of the traffic was willing to stop. Sandbags dropped on the highway is a sign of local times; Sandbags are being hauled Last ditch preparations are being made to lessen the damage of expected heavy rains. 6 am Friday, Sept 30

Nesat Update: Local Impact Downgraded

Updated tracking map
at WeatherUnderground

4 AM  Thursday, Sept 29

The center of  NESAT is moving well north of us.  Previous local wind-speed forecasts have been downgraded from 111km to 39 km and less.

My OPINION:  In the City of Cities weather will be somewhat more intense than the previous weather system (Haitan). I see no need to nail down garden furniture.
The City of Cities has actually been quite lucky this rainy season.  Heavy storms have caused havoc to the north and to the south, minimizing local misery.

Bangkok ACS Notification   U.S. Consulate Chiang Mai  CLOSED Sept. 29

Nesat has made Sakon Nakhon reservations for a three night visit

Tracking Map  @WeatherUnderground	.... roared across Luzon Island  last night (Sept 27) Category 3 typhoon with 120 mph wind @ Dr. Jeff Masters' WunderBlog

Nesat has made Sakon Nakhon reservations for a three night visit  beginning Friday

8 AM Sept 28

A yet distant traveler Tropical Storm Nalgae is still too far away to predict its eventual path. Most likely of little local concern.

Noticeable is the extended Accu Weather forecast of  mostly sunny, partially sunny, and Clouds giving way to some sun, starting October 5

Haitan a 'Tuckered Out' Sakon Visitor

Tropical Storm Haitan sidestepped Muang Sakon Nakhon.

The storm spent most of it's energy over Vietnam and Laos,
arriving here as a worn out tourist with light rain, clouds and cool temperatures.
The main thrust of the storm is heading to the lower portion of the North-East   Thai Meteorological Department

4 AM Sept 27

Noon Sept 27

Next visitor:
Haitan is a dwarf compared to Typhoon Nesat, now over the Philippines

• Typhoon Nesat pounds Philippines   Reuters Video 

• Storm ‘Nesat’ ravages through the Philippines Mindanao Examiner 

• Nesat has been plotted to arrive in Hainan by Thursday evening

It would seem that Nesat would continue far north of us,
however strong northerly weather may force it to change direction

To date only one of four weather sites makes any mention of the effects on this area,
predicting local winds of up to 111 km possible on Friday, 83 km winds on Saturday Weather Underground
Meow Weather is predicting cool temperatures on Satuday: high 24, low 20.

Egypt is the official host of the 2011 World Tourism day

Vegetarian Festival started yesterday

• Read the rules, I'm disqualified as a participant

• Thai stock market plunges 12% on global forecast RTT News

• Why Thailand is so corrupt   Bangkok Post

• Pangolins saved  From the dinner table by Thai customs Department San Francisco Examiner

Tinglish

Tinglish:  the imperfect form of English produced by native Thai speakers... wikipedia

Tropical Storm Haitang plans Sakon Nakhon visit

• Thailand National Disaster Warning Center Alert

Heavy rains in the upper Northeast. Nong Khai, Udon Thani, Sakon Nakhon, Mukdahan, especially Kan and Loei on 28-29 September 2554.

Thai Meteorological Department
Satellite Image

Tracking map of Tropical Storm Haitang
at Weather Underground.

• Forecast temperatures

	Mon	Tues	Wed	Thur	Fri	Sat	Sun
MeoWeather	29/21	25/23	30/23	31/24	30/21	30/19	26/19
AccuWeather	30/24	28/24	29/28	31/23	30/23	28/24	28/24
FEELS LIKE	37/25	26/27	33/26	39/28	42/27	35/26	30/23
WeatherUnderground	28/21	26	30/22	31/23	30/23
Thai Meteorological	31/24	30/24	30/24	30/23	29/23	29/23

And the Next Visitor is..

It is still a bit uncertain if the much stronger Typhoon Nesat,
now located over the Philippines,
moves in a westerly direction or a northwesterly direction.
Some forecasters are predicting a direct hit on Sakon Nakhon sometime Friday.  

 Tropical Storm Nesat: Winds exceeding 101 km/h possible!!