Cargo transport a priority

China derails plan for high speed railway through Thailand opting for slower option
South China Morning Post

Tourism Numbers UP - Tourism Profits ???

Thailand Expects Record Tourist Arrivals This Year, Thanks to China
Khmer Times | News Portal Cambodia

"... Visitors from China are expected to be a record 7.45 million this year, up nearly 62 percent from 2014..."

The only time I want to be in a huge crowd, when on vacation, would be a sport event, or stage performance / concert, where things are somewhat organized.

I used to enjoy Thai beaches.  Now that beach chair and umbrella 'laws' have been enacted in many places, and jet skis continue to be a hassle.  The interest is waning. 

I expect these large crowds will bring in less revenue and may require increased 'administration' costs.

Training the media

Thai junta will coach journalists to ask questions that will 'not offend' Prime Minister 
| South China Morning Post

Sakon Nakhon is served by four flights per day ** from Bangkok There are no other commercial flights

Notable Air Asia first week of July, seat availability limited on some flights    NOK Air last week of June schedule changes  **one additional daily flight beginning 1 July 2 flights per day 3 flights per day

Sakon Nakhon

That's pretty much what I saw in 1966

Bangkok population   1960 1 1/2 million
Bangkok population today  over 8 million

Now is a good time to do maintenance on fans and air conditioners

Locally we experienced some above average temperatures through May and most of June.  Some were higher than anything experienced in the last decade.   

The last three days were a pleasant respite from the heat.  That is about to come to an end.

Temperatures rising 

Slow at first, by the start of the new week rising temperatures will become noticeable.  Mid thirties celsius, mid nineties fahrenheit.   

The feels like temperature should be topping off in the upper thirties celsius, slightly over 100 fahrenheit. (39 degrees Celsius = 312.15 degrees Kelvin)

Things may begin cooling down during the second week of July, but that's too far ahead to predict with any certainty 

June 24 
Pakistan heatwave: Death toll over 800 in Sindh - BBC News

"... If it heats up to 39-40C, the brain tells the muscles to slow down and fatigue sets in. At 40-41C heat exhaustion is likely - and above 41C the body starts to shut down. ..."

June 19
Japanese tourist dies hiking at Grand Canyon in hot weather | Reuters

"... Temperatures on the trail at the time exceeded 110 degrees Fahrenheit (43 Celsius) ..."

May 30
India heat wave tests water supply as deaths near 2,000 - Al Jazeera English
Sakon Nakhon   สกลนคร

The translation to this is not very clear...

... it appears to be a shooting, just shortly before 11 pm, Monday evening with one dead and one seriously injured.  

Warning the video of a violent crime scene

ภาพสด! สกลนคร โจ๋นับ 10 ดักคู่อริเจรจราไม่ลงตัวชักปืนยิง(คาดลั่นพลาด)YouTube

Sakon Nakhon

Now it's just a Tropical Depression

June 22 cooling occurred overnightJune 23  Slight (drizzle) morning rain, cool and cloudy all day

June 24  Slight (drizzle) morning rain, cool and cloudy all day 

• High 28° (82.4°) to 31° (87°)

• Low 24°(75.2°) to 26° (78.8°)

The depression is heading NORTH with a bit of a shove from the west on it's rear end

Sakon Nakhon

Yeah well I'm still 90% accurate

Obviously I should have stuck with my earlier prediction of some tentacles of the storm reaching this area. "A drop in the bucket of what we really need."

I was swayed by the fact that the majority of forecasters predicted heavy storms. 

The only part of the forecast which held true:  cooler temperatures for a few days.  Cooler temperatures meant airconditioners could take a rest, a savings of money I can spend elsewhere.

Tropical storm Kujira disappoints | Bangkok Post

At least another day of cooler temperatures.  One thing very obvious, this system is moving very slow

Sakon Nakhon