Shortages becoming obvious

Shortages at the local market are becoming more obvious now.
Milk was out of stock yesterday, in fact the entire dairy section looked quite bare.
Plenty of bare cupboards now being filled with less essential items.

Estimates are that flooding may last well through November.
One can only hope that the supply system returns to some sort of normalcy before then.

You can see current river conditions in Bangkok at this Government operated webcam.

Bangkok 1942, The Venice of the Orient

New Mandela in an article "How exceptional is Thailand’s rainfall in 2011?", has historical data for the Chiang Mai area from 1914. The previously worst flood was in 1970.

Bangkok became the VENICE OF THE ORIENT in 1942

Floods in Thailand are nothing new.
In fact they happen almost every year at different locations from minor inconveniences to major disasters.  That's why houses had been built on stilts for centuries in this part of the world

Unseasonably heavy rains in 2011 started in April with "...50 inches of rain within little over a week..." in southern Thailand
NASA


Bangkok Weather outlook (5555)

Click on picture for facebook original

Local Outlook: SAME SAME

Sun, occasional light clouds, humidity.
If you're sweating while standing still, blame the humidity

	Sun	Mon	Tues	Wed	Thus	Fri	Sat	Sun	Mon	Tues	Wed
Thai Meteorological Dept.	30/20	30/20	30/20	30/20	30/20
Weather Underground	30/20	30/21	30/21	30/21	29/21
AccuWeather	32/21	32/21	31/20	31/20	32/20	32/19	32/18	30/18	31/18	30/19	30/19
Weather Channel	31/22	31/22	31/22	30/22	30/22	30/22	30/21	29/20	2//20
Meo Weather	32/21	31/21	30/21	30/21	30/21	30/21
AccuWeather Real Feel	38/22	38/22	37/21	31/20	32/19	32/19	32/17	31/18	31/18	30/19	30/19

38C= 100F,  30 C=86F,   20C=68F,  17C=62.6F

Another YFC win! -=- Cold Front delayed?

Third win for team Yothasing.
Of course I was invited to sponsor the team for a third time.
With that goes the bill for water and energy drinks.  I don't mind.
What did bother me was the heat.  I was sweating in the shade.

Refereeing the game today was Dee, a Sakon FC player.

The game was played almost all the time at the opponents end of the field. Yothasing win 1-0

Weak almost calm winds

After the game most of the team met at my house for another winning team BBQ. 


That predicted cold front may be delayed somewhat. 


This afternoon winds were mostly from the north, quite mild almost calm. Not enough to cool down daytime temperatures 106F/41C in the sun.


The floods are inevitably entering Bangkok. 

Haven't seen anything on the major networks CNN, BBC, Aljazeera  all morning.  They are overdoing the Gaddafi news coverage, as if the rest of the world is ON HOLD.

Local reports of some concern 
are from  Manager Online (ASTV) 

• Their news item notes that produce prices have doubled in many cases at local markets. 
• Produce are also being monitored for toxins which may have leeched into recently harvested vegetables.
       Note to self: buy frozen and canned goods

US Embassy US Citizens Services

Maps
Storing Your Vehicle During the Flood
Basic Emergency Preparedness Recommendations
Helpful Health Tips .... in a Soggy Situation
Flood Clean Up Information

•   Flood Information

•  Flood Information on Facebook 

Estimates:  Less than 1% of households have flood insurance in Thailand

Death toll grows in floods across Latin America  Herald Sun  

Prepare for Winter Like Weather

Cold weather arriving from the North West is expected to drop night time temperatures to the mid teens (Celsius) in Northern Thailand.  Siam Daily News

Cold temperatures will impact the local area later next week.

Thailand Meteorological Department Weather Map (click on 25 frame animation)

OK... OK... I'm a believer now.  Just a few weeks ago someone told me "this year we are going to experience a colder than normal cool season."

Trivia:  
Thailand's coldest night on record was -1.4C (29.5F) in Sakon Nakhon, 1974.
In 2009 temperatures dropped to 4.2 (39.5F) around Nakhon Phanom. That year Bangkok experienced 14.7C  (58.1F) temperatures 

ASTV off the Air

Is Thailand's Yellow Shirt Leader Broke?

The Irrawaddy- October 20

ASTV satellite broadcast cut due to debts

Bangkok Post - October 19

Watch ASTV on the net

Some produce in short supply

It's especially obvious in the fresh produce section.

Noticed a few days ago that some produce were out of stock.

Instead of keeping shelves empty at one store, shelves were filled with onions, an item apparently not yet in short supply.

This afternoon I was able to buy the last two kilo of potatoes at the local night market.

Not certain if gasoline will be in short supply locally.  The refineries are outside the flood areas. 

 Thai Soldiers Rush to Reinforce Bangkok Flood Walls  

Voice of America - Oct 18 

 Shortage shutters eateries 

Bangkok Post - Oct 17 

Another win for he Yothasing team 5-1 

This visitor is quite a Flasher

 Prelude to the cool season   

The weather man at the Thai meteorological department has put on a sweater.
Night time temperatures in the low 20C, dipping below 20C in some areas.
Up to 10 km wind gusts from East - Northeast.
Now is the perfect time to plant vegetables which generally do not survive in the tropical heat and rain periods.

 Disco Dan is is quite a 'FLASHER.'  

New temporary house guest arrived early last night.  Nicknamed Disco D.
He  is quite a 'FLASHER.'  He puts on quite a show. I really love the all night free show.
He wears a flashing light on his rear end for special effects.  Quite some interesting and provocative moves.
I'd like to applaud the show, but I dare not.  I might squash the firefly Disco D. 

 Inflation in Thailand's future? 

The increase of the minimum wage will in the end not benefit the average Thai wage earner.
Businesses will not absorb those additional costs, instead they will raise their prices to stay profitable.

Add to that the shortages of goods due to the flood.
Prices will increase on everything, it's inevitable.  It's already started!!

 It's not a lack of modern equipment 

Lack of new equipment was the explanation given by the Meteorological Department, for not alerting the nation ahead of the severity of the flood disaster.
Reminds me a bit of an alcoholic making excuses for his/her continued drinking.
Alcoholics first have to recognize and then admit the problem.
The Meteorological Department's problem is not antiquated equipment.
The problem is educated and trained personnel.

I've only had one college course in weather phenomenon.  Yet, I have been able to alert my local readers of changing weather conditions with fair accuracy.  Frequently my alerts were days ahead of the Meteorological Department, using information from their website

Changwat (province) Sakon Nakhon 2552 (2009) 

Loi Krathong November 10

Sakon Youth FC

Football again.  This time it's the youth league.
The Yothasing team is made up of kids from my neighborhood.  I was invited to watch them play.
I've learned quite while ago that there are some strings attached.  I bought the water and softdrinks for the team.

Most obvious thing was they played a lot better than most adult players I've recently seen.

Not only was the game faster and better action, but the refereeing was also a lot better.
My buying refreshments made me the sponsor for the day.
At the end of the game, the losers, the opposing team bowed before me.

Next week the Yothasing team will be wearing patches with my name on their shirts.
The fun didn't end at the football field.
The team arrived at my house for  a BBQ,  games and swimming.
Me, I'm having homegrown fresh coconut juice and rum.
Only my home bar seems to offer my favorite drink