Rain Retreat

English teachers needed  at Ban Muang Pitthayakhom School Ban Muang is 120 km north of Sakon Nakhon (city) Job details at  Ajarn Job Space posted on May 19

Robin Gibb dies at age 62

Visakha Bucha Day June 4 commemorates three Buddhist events: the birth of Buddha, his enlightenment, and his passing.

Burma to reopen part of Death Railway Motorway linking Thailand-Myanmar proposed at the cabinet

Some red shirts feel it's time to go it alone  Sex tourism to Thailand and Indonesia driving rise in HIV cases

Funny Mail

Visakha Bucha Day, June 4, 2012

2004	2005
2007	2010

June 5  Election Day Thai food export to decline on higher costs Thailand may export record volume of sugar in 2012 April 2012: Earth's 5th warmest April on record Thai Baht Set for Worst Week of 2012 on Outflows; Bonds Rise Thailand launches road safety pilot campaign Study - coffee can extend your life

Most visitors in one day to my blog yesterday, in response to the previous article "Football Grinch" My on / off teaching career may be on again?

The Football Grinch at Mukdahan

Grinch:  a person who ruins the pleasure of others.   กรินช์:   สถานที่ปรักหักพังคนมีความสุขของผู้อื่น  Sakon Nakhon FC is experiencing one of their worst season since their inception in 2005.  12 games, 10 losses and 2 draws.  Attendance to some games is less than 10% of stadium capacity.  Sakon Nakhon FC visited Mukdahan Saturday.  Mukdahan is not faring much better: 8 losses, 2 draws, 2 wins.  The stadium was, at my estimates, at 25% of capacity.  Within minutes of arriving at the game, an official confronted us and advised us that bullhorns used by cheering fans are not allowed. The official came across as a real ahole, no tact, very unprofessional. He stated only drums were allowed for cheering.  Surprisingly a stereo to the right of the stands blared music throughout the entire game. The type of music you'd expect to hear at a nightclub.  To the left of the stands a band cheered on the Mukdahan team. At 55 minutes into the game, the official seemed to decide that band music was also not allowed.  This time he sent in the police to stop the music.  At first the cops seemed confounded and somewhat reluctant to carry out the order of silence.  They did follow orders, they talked to one of the cheering team members in a very polite manner After that, at times there was a deafening silence from the crowd.  Had it not been for the nightclub music, the stadium could have been mistaken for a library on Sunday.  The bullhorn has been used by the Sakon Nakhon cheerleader for over a year without incident. From the looks of the official he didn't enjoy the game. Frequently this official assumed the duties of police, removing people who wandered past the field gate. The refereeing at the game wasn't that good either.  There should have been a couple of yellow cards and even a red card. Sakon FC next hosts Nakhon Phanom, Sunday, May 27, 5 pm The game will most likely be another loss for Sakon Nakhon FC

Emergency repairs underway at Collapsed River Bank Video uploaded by MrSmithPNS

Memories in the Wild 1974 Washington State, North Cascades National Park

Sakon Nakhon New Road Proposed

Motorcycle stunts performed at Tha Rae Video by DJ M

My residence is about to change    from a house on a 'Dead End Soi'    to a house on a 'Highway,'  and I'm not even moving Heard about a new proposed highway some months ago. At that time they were talking about tearing down houses across the street from me, including an apartment building which was built in 2007. Had not heard much about it since and considered the matter as just a rumor. My heart almost skipped a beat when I saw a map at Facebook - Sakon Nakhon Daily  depicting the "new red road. The map is quite small, so it's impossible to tell the exact route.  No one in the neighborhood seems to be aware of the latest developments.  No one is packing. It's going to be interesting how this unfolds

EU to Lift Ban on Imports of Fresh Poultry Meat from Thailand Census system crashes around country Sakon machinery, dredging canals, flood response Thai food export to decline on higher costs

Sakon Nakhon FC at Mukdahan  Saturday, May 19 4 pm

Sakon Nakhon Teaching Jobs

Sakon Nakhon Rajabhat University  full time foreign teacher positions    applications accepted through May 22

Donna Summer    Dead at age 63 (1948 - 2012)

Sakon Nakhon avoids heavy rains

Santol Apricot look and feel, (except for the long stem). Extremely tart (sour), probably the reason why it's also called sour apple. Probably would make an excellent wine wikipedia

Weather System to the north of us (Sakon City). System to the south of us. Been like that for over a week.  Storm hits North, Southeast; one killed in Chonburi - MCOT Ocean temperatures are heating up with the first thunderstorms of the season in the East Pacific

Worth reading  Artist's rendition of Nong Hang Park development  SAKON NAKHON-City of Beautiful lake, Beautiful Mountain and Beautiful Girl Page 229

Isan red-shirts grumble - We're being ignored - Bangkok Post Rising food prices hurting Thai workers' wallets - Channel NewsAsia

Overnight travel to Nakhon Phanom

The reason for this trip I had been asked to attend a school event.  I'm taking a guess that is was a student activities day. The invitation came from the same person who welcomes me into his house during the Tha Rae Christmas and Easter celebrations. The musical entertainment was worth the trip in itself. Students and teachers were just super friendly, all the makings of a very pleasant day.

Overnight stay at Nakhon Phanom Stayed at what used to be called Grand View hotel. Now it's listed as View Kong, but I did not see any oversized guerrilla. The Mekong river water level seemed quite low Protected by a wall of sand, they were busy scooping up truckloads of sand, possibly to improve the river's shipping capability.  The sand is being used at constructions sites. Something became very obvious on this trip: Driving at night I was going much slower than the 100+ on the return trip during the day. I used twice as much gas going at high speeds

A must read for all Expats living in Thailand A word of warning for those farang who may occasionally have a drink or two  Thailand-UK.com  Now there's an alternative Finally, a Spray That Gets You Instantly Drunk for Just a Few Seconds Time.com

Heavy rain expected throughout Thailand,    Except Maybe... The National Warning Center advises heavy rain is  expected throughout the country.  "... also heavy rain in the country’s northern, northeastern and eastern regions as well as the western coast of the South from now until May 18th." A weather warning posted May 16, at the Thai Meteorological Department makes no mention of the North East, but extends the warning until May 19

Too Much Hullabaloo

The making of a Temple  Statue Very ceremoniously, dignified ritualistic event

Nakhon Phanom F.C. clobbers Mukdahan F.C. Very seldom are football games from the Thai Division 2 League North Eastern Region broadcast live on television. Sunday, the game between Nakhon Phanom and Mukdahan was the exception. It's of local interest for a number of reasons: Sakon F.C. travels to Mukdahan for it's next challenge on May 19. The following weekend (May 27) Sakon F.C. hosts Nakhon Phanom. The Mukdahan game next weekend is winnable by Sakon. Mukdahan is in 14th place, while Sakon is in 16th (last) place, in the league. Nakhon Phanom is in third position in the league.  A number of their players are former Sakon FC players.

At the Edge of a storm May 14, 5 am     May 15, 4:20 am A storm had been growing just north of us for the past three days. Hasn't moved very much, just been growing in intensity. Weather services seem to be at odds what's going to happen locally. Some predict 75% chance of rain, while others are at a low 20% today. Chance of rain seems more likely in the coming days. 5 am this morning temperatures dropped to a very pleasantly cool.

Blinded by the light Up to 90% of Asian Schoolchildren Are Nearsighted - TIME

Naga Hullabaloo  Months after the sighting of the phenomenon on Nong Han, claims continue to surface that Naga has appeared. I'm more of a believer of the scientific explanation, especially since no sighting to the dragon head have been reported.  A standing or stationary wave. It is created when two opposing waves meet

Crystal Ball Vision? Bank of Thailand: Inflation risk increasing - MarketWatch

Funny Mail

Sakon F.C. hosts Amnat Charoen F.C.

Looses 2-1 With both teams wearing blue uniforms, you had to really pay close attention to the game to discern which team the player was on. It was a well played game.  The team seems to be improving, but...!!! During half time I somewhat got the impression that the team is suffering from financial woes. Giving out calendars almost half way into the year, seems like "they've reached the bottom of the barrel." Previous half time prizes were football shoes, team rings, team shirts, and such.  Personally I prefer a halftime show rather than a prize lottery. Most of the time defending the Amnat Charoen goal seemed all to easy The surprise of the game came at the very last minute, when Sakon F.C. scored.