Cooler Temperatures anticipated

Another rather strong high pressure area over lower China and upper Vietnam is expected to reach Northeast of Thailand tonight. During 13-15 Nov, temperature decrease about 2-4 °C is likely in the area. TMD

Rice farmers continue off-season farming despite water shortage warnings

8 more dams to stop water supply for off-season farming

Also known as Isaan Steak

Folks who lived in Sakon Nakhon a decade ago will remember the days of the dog collector.  The trucks would drive around town and offer colorful plastic bowls or buckets as a trade for a dog.    The trucks would also prowl around at night to apprehend dogs running loose.  You could always tell when such a truck was in the neighborhood.  Dogs apparently sensed what was happening and went into hiding.  I appreciated the silence and could get a decent night's sleep.    When the dog traders disappeared ten years ago, many dogs in my neighborhood were poisoned.      Outlawing the dog trade in Thailand will not solve the problem as long as people in surrounding nations can still legally consume dogs and don't mind paying high prices.  As of the moment there are around a dozen countries where consumption of dogs is legal.    The problem is that there are no animal control laws.  Dogs are allowed to run free and prowl the streets and countrysides and reproduce in uncontrolled numbers.  Many dogs are maimed or killed daily in traffic and are the cause of many vehicle accidents, injuries and deaths.  I was injured in a motorcycle accident  caused by a dog chasing me many years ago.    In recent years there have been a number of high profile apprehensions of mostly traders dealing in large numbers of animals.  It has not stopped the practice of eating dogs.  It has simply driven the practice into secrecy.   Large numbers of these rescued dogs died of malnutrition and disease.  I have seen locals capture birds, the size of a golf ball once they had been plucked and then used to feed families.  I've seen plenty of pictures of rats barbequed and for sale.  No uproar here. The forces against the dog trading have one powerful image, pictures and videos of mistreatment of these animals.  A few dogs are lucky enough to be adopted and moved to other countries.  Yet many of these same folk consider ducks, rabbits, snails and a whole list of other animals are ok to eat.    In recent weeks the nightly noises of prowling dogs were extreme for over a week.  Then all of a sudden there was silence.  Since there are no dog catchers, it makes me wonder how they all disappeared overnight.   I have never eaten dog or cat. I have no interest in doing so, I wasn't brought up that way.   At the same time I do not condemn people who do.  After all I can afford a t-bone steak now and then, many of these people can't. I know its a very sensitive subject.  Please keep any comments appropriate

Pitstop Christmas

Post by Martin Pattison.

Bus service adds Sakon Nakhon

Post by Sakonnakhon/update. " ...serves the route Bangkok Bangkok Nakhon Phanom, Sakon Nakhon and emphasize the ease and safety..."   In researching the Abbreviation NCA I came across this article dated june of this year  Nakhon Chai Air Bus Service - TripAdvisor

Educating Thai

A common factor among all Thai School Children, everyone learns to parade.  It teaches community and order, pride and make believe, with a large serving of heritage.

Motorcycle Taxi Cambodia

New Thailand Tourism Campaign Ads

TAT Secret (they forgot to tell you) of the Dragons and Lions and Serpents

The red banners are already hanging across many major streets entering Sakon City, announcing the annual "Chinese Dragon, Lion and Cobra Festival" held each year on December 11.    It's one of my favorite festivals  in this city, unfortunately it's also Thailand's best kept secret. In 12 years of residing in this town I have not seen it listed in any travel brochure. Google it: "Sakon Nakhon Dragon Festival," or Sakon Nakhon Chinese festival. You'll find two entries and a video by Tom of isaan-live and a few posts by me, nothing else.   Preparations for the event are already underway with nightly practices at the Chinese temple, as in this 2008 video The beating of the sticks is to scare away cobras ??  In past years I've watched many of the neighborhood kids practice with the sticks.  It does take a bit of practice, it can be quite painful During the festival there are three nights of entertainment and art exhibits at the Chinese temple I strongly recommend seeing the shows, they are an experience of a lifetime. If you are sensitive to noise I recommend earplugs or cotton, it does get noisy at times.  Parade participants stay overnight at the temple on the night before the parade  for face painting and other preparations.  Participants receive free meals furnished by temple parishioners for all practice evenings and the overnight sleepover

Before the temple performances and the parade there will most likely be some public lion dance performances in town.  I should have the information of date and time sometime this month.

The parade departs the temple at 6 am on December 11. The best location to see the parade is the route before it arrives at the downtown bus station. From there the parade splits up into smaller groups to cover different parts of the city. The dragons enter Chinese businesses in a ritual to offer good fortune for them in the coming year. The Chinese dragon is the symbol of good fortune.  Some of what you see might be a bit unnerving     Be safe, keep alert !!

In late morning the Dragon Slayer comes to the rescue at the town square