April-June: Bang Fai :-: Thailand Rocket Festival

The origins of the festival are obscured in history, it is generally agreed that the event has been celebrated since ancient times.
There are three main versions to the Bun Bang Fai legend.

• One has it that the rain god Vassakan loved to be worshiped with fire.Villagers shot rockets into heaven in hopes that he would bless them with plenty rain needed for rice cultivation.
• A second version is that the rain god Vassakan would be sleeping during this time of the year (hot season) . Villagers would shoot rockets to awaken him to begin the rainy season.
• A third version claims the event as being a fertility rite, shooting phallic symbols (rockets) into the sky in hopes of fertilizing the land.

The celebration is held mostly in North Eastern Thailand and Laos and is a mix of spiritual and religious beliefs, with plenty of modern day entertainment.

Dates for the festivities vary throughout the area Some festivals are held as early as April, and as late as July during the dry and hot season. Religious ceremonies, parades and a variety of merit making are part of the celebrations.

The celebrations were especially dangerous in 2009  when a rocket misfired and decapitated a spectator. The news video of that event has long since been removed

Rockets are returned to the ground by parachute. Trophies are awarded for the parachute which stays in the air the longest.

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There's a whole new meaning to "Sperm Count"

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Building walls of a different kind

Modernizing outdated travel procedures

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Summer storms

High winds near my house not as severe as in other parts of the province. 
Did have heavy rains, but missed out on the hail





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Sakon Nakhon Tap Water

It must be emphasized that the test of my water does not necessarily reflect on water quality in other parts of the city.

A recent article proclaimed that Bangkok tap water is palatable (drinkable).

There are variations in palatable water sources. Drinking water in a different location may cause some upset stomach until your body adjusts. 

Acceptable ph levels for drinking water is 6.5 to 8.5. I would not recommend drinking local tap water due to the chlorine levels, even though within acceptable levels, if you are not accustomed to that level your vacation can include upset stomach and frequent stays to a local throne room

Been using local tap water for coffee and cooking for over a decade. Also been using it for brushing my teeth and dentures.

If your water source is a water tank of any kind: DON"T DRINK THE WATER.  Chlorine tends to dissipate when exposed to air within a short period. Fungus and other waterborne bacteria and viruses  flourish quickly.

Dishes washed with tank stored water should be totally dry before reuse.

Replace

Driveway cover needed some repair. Won't come clean
This is after trying to wash off ten years of dirt.
Decided to replace with insulated metal roofing instead. 

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190330 Malware Alert : FIRST ONE TV

First one TV service has been discontinued.
The site now features a web attack: JS Coinminer Download 75

If you've been there and seen the Goodbye notice, your malware detection software should have blocked the intrusion สกลนคร Sakon Nakhon

Where are you now? People would like to know

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