Triple Header Birthday

Catholics have a tradition:  If you never attend church, then at a minimum you should attend Easter Mass.
Buddhist have a similar rule, except their one day of the year is your birthday.  You should at least pay homage on that day.

I participate in some of these rituals purely to appease my friends, especially this one at 6 AM.
It's a triple header birthday celebration

Unseasonably Cold Weather Approaching

My neighbors seem to be preparing for an extended cold season.  They are cutting up fallen trees and stacking firewood.

For the moment weather is still arriving from the east.  A cold front from China may soon compete with the easterly weather.


Ocean Surface temperatures in the South China Sea are dropping.  Cooler surface temperatures are approaching from the north.  This will decrease the effects of easterly weather on this area.

Sakon Nakhon inter - Provincial Youth Games

The Sakon youth football team hasn't done all that well from what I've heard. Didn't do well at all yeasterday, loosing to Mahasarakham in a big way. 

It's not that they didn't play well.  The other team just played a whole lot better

Plenty of interruptions throughout the game. A water truck circled the field to prepare the track for another sport event

From the distance it sounded like drumming band was approaching. It wasn't...

There was a request over the loudspeaker system to temporarily stop the machinery, but I guess you can't hear that on that roller. He continued circling the field

Meanwhile they were busy marking the racetrack the old fashioned way

Think They were preparing the track for a bicycle competition

In the stadium parking lot they were getting ready for volleyball competition

Further in the school complex boxing competitions were underway

Didn't quite figure out what competition they had brought in the bales of hay.

Seemingly the most popular event was lawn bowling.
There is probably a different name for this game with three steel balls. I see them playing this one every day.

With the aid of my decoding ring I was able to determine the games continue through November 5th

My flu like symptoms continue

Food Shortages Noted

Tom at Isaan Life reports of some shortages at the Khon Kaen Big C.
Worth taking a look at.  His report includes some revealing pictures.

Stocking up was a no-brainer some weeks ago, when they first mentioned the floods are coming.
I bought a 45 day supply of some  items I knew I just could not do without.
First time I ever bought a whole case of MAMA noodles.
It's interesting to note by the empty grocery shelves what the fast selling items are.

Potatoes and apples are apparently not on that list.



Local Provincial Youth Games

The Provincial Youth Games continue here in Muang Sakon Nakhon. Football, boxing, the Thai version of lawn bowling and many other sports are part of the events.
I've only attended one event. My flu like symptoms continue to zap me of energy.
Do plan to attend a Sakon Nakhon football game this afternoon.

Did watch the Mahasarakham girls defeat Korat last Saturday.  Both teams really impressed me.  There were moment when I wondered if these were really girls teams.



Thailand vs Australia Game 2

The game is scheduled for October 15.  Because of the Bangkok floods they are considering moving the game.
Chiang Mai is an alternative under consideration. Bangkok stadiums not inundated, are being used as refugee camps.  If the game does take place in Chiang Mai, they may well be faced with unseasonable cold temperatures.
Personally I wish they would not move the game.  Having the game in Bangkok at this time would be an immense morale booster for Thais.
In game one played in Australia, the hosts won 2-1.

Before the Australia game Thailand plays in Saudi Arabia on November 11. (11.11.11)


Nakhon Phanom Friendship Bridge Dedication Ceremony
is on November 11 (11.11.11)


I did recently mention that the parade season has begun.
DIRTY OLD MAN ALERT: You may be interested in other videos by this uploader. I won't post them on this blog as it IS NOT AN ADULT CONTENT BLOG.  You can find the links of interest at the end of the video

Happy Halloween

It's all downhill now

If strategic dams continue to 'hold,' the worst is over.  Now it's a matter of waiting for the water to run it's course.  Probably some weeks, followed by a lengthy reconstruction period.

It's going to be interesting to watch  how that unfolds.
Will they rebuild like it was before, or consider modifications to avoid such catastrophes in the future?
Will graft flourish?

Local Food supply
While major chain stores are having problems restocking their shelves, local markets and street vendors seem to be benefiting with increased business.



Recommend you turn down you volume on this video!! (Helicopter sounds)





English subtitles


Video cams of Bangkok streets under water
Bangkok CCTV 487  Bangkok CCTV 473


Or you can find a complete list of all Bangkok CCTV here

Rainy Season ended, Parade Season started

Immigration Horror Story

Occasionally I hear of horror stories some folks have experienced in dealing with Thai Immigration Services.
I tend to believe that the majority of these horror stories are not caused by immigration officials, rather by the traveler.

Was  at the Sakon Nakhon Immigration office.  The agent assisting me, very politely apologized for keeping me waiting.

He was asked by another agent to assist explaining to a customer why he had to return to the border after having just come from there.

I pretty much got the gist of the conversation.
The gentleman probably too much in a hurry, apparently did not understand border crossing procedure and did not legally enter the country.

He was given a departure card upon reentering Thailand.  He needed to fill out this card and return to the agent to complete the entry process.  Instead he took the blank departure card and left.

The departure card in his possession was both blank and not stamped.
Of course, rather than admitting to his mistake, the gentleman was furious at Thai immigration procedures and declared he had his fill of this country.

Even if he decides to leave the country at his earliest convenience, I'd strongly suggest he first return to the entry point where he came from and correct the entry.  Otherwise he can expect further hassles when attempting to depart with a blank departure card.

Bangkok Floods: Natural or Man Made Disaster

Just wondering: Do they have water taxis waiting at the Bangkok Airport?

• Kidding aside.  Many people expect the Thai currency to weaken because of this disaster. That may well just be wishful thinking.  As a comparison consider the natural disaster in Japan.  It did nothing to weaken their currency, in fact it got stronger..

• Word in the media is that all this flooding is not really a natural disaster, but the result of man made stupidity.  Supposedly a decision was made to not release water from dams to insure sufficient water for farming.  When the heavy rains did arrive, water from the dams had to be released in large volumes to avoid bursting of the dams.
  This is really just speculation, but the decision definitely was at least a contributing factor.
  
  
• Many empty shelves at the local market, but surprisingly there was a limited amount of milk on the shelves.  Also plenty of potatoes, carrots, and onions, most likely from regional sources.

• Sakon YFC vs Burirum YFC Saturday 10 a.m. at the football field on ITU


• Cooling temperatures for the next few nights, then things should turn back to NORMAL, with plenty of humidity in the daily forcasts.

Bangkok Suvarnabhumi Airport is open for all domestic and international flights

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NOK AIR domestic flights resumed Friday 

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BBC has a very revealing satellite photo of Bangkok