Cooling Rain in Isaan Thailand.

Today is Isaan Thailand it was cloudy and eventually wet. It has been hot lately, very humid and for days it has looked like we were going to have a storm but didn’t eventuate.

The rain came early today, usually the storms roll in late afternoon but today the lightning flashed and thunder roared just before 3pm. The skies open and the temperature dropped to a very comfortable level.

When it does rain here, it usually comes down raining cats and dogs. It reminds me of living in North Queensland where it is very tropical and when it rained it came down in bucket loads.

My lovely white rabbit Cola got a little scared with the thunder as it was shaking the house and rattling the windows. He will usually hide under the bed, couch or behind his cage.

Now like always, you wash the car or do the washing and this usually brings rain. Miss Noot had done some washing so she had to hang it out inside. We put the electric fan on and it takes a few hours for it to dry. We don’t have a drier. I don’t know anyone who has one actually. Noot isn’t holding one of her dresses; it is our niece’s dress, Nong Ja’s.

Outside my window I can hear the sound of water as there are two 44 gallon drums that collect rainwater from off the roof next door. These filled up very quickly. This water is used for the plants in the garden.

The rain came down heavily for a short time but still enough to flood our street. Our street is the lowest in the area and all the rain from other streets then runs off into ours.

The water was about to my ankles, in the four years I have lived here, two times I have been flooded in. I couldn’t get the motorbikes out or the car as the water was too high. The water was halfway up my thighs. There are people out netting fish in the streets as they come out of all the drains about the place. I wouldn’t touch a fish from these drains as they are putrid, full of so many contaminants.

The water is always filthy and Miss Noot tells me off, when I go off walking through it. I tell her you need to live life on the edge sometimes.

So today I couldn’t go to the park and exercise, I had been a little lazy of late. My weight is 95.9 kgs. I have two weeks to get to my goal weight which was 87 kgs I set a long time ago when I was 105.3 kgs. I don’t think I will make my goal on time but will be a few weeks late.

I have been able to do some work, getting ready for school in a few weeks. I am really looking forward to getting back to work, of course! I have been to the school the last two days hoping to catch the Thai teachers, who I thought should be back at work by now. There were some teachers about the place but none from my section. This is looking like a ghost town.

A teacher just informed us late last week, he is also leaving as he has found a new position. I want his desk as it is in what I consider a nicer area of the office and I will be able to utilize the space better than where I am now.

So far the teacher hasn’t been in to clear his desk. He has personal stuff still scattered about the place. I want to get things set up, the new shelves I bought put in place and start filling them with my books and other crap I have.

I have bought a printer, my own personal one. The school does have a printer but it can only be accessed by one of the 12 computers. The printer problem has been ongoing for months and months. The computer technician comes and fixes the problem so we can maybe print from 5 or 6 computers if we are lucky, then a day later we are back down to one printer again.

So if a person is working on the one computer you need to access to print from, it can be a pain having to wait, ask them to move for a minute as you need to print something from your handy drive.

For a few thousand Baht I will not have any headaches now, I will place a sign saying “Please do not ask to use MY printer as I do not want to offend you by saying, NO” This might be considered greedy but I don’t mind if people think this. I consider it as looking after number 1, being me. I had an ink stack placed on it so it is easy to refill and also cheap to print.

We have had a long break now, about 6 weeks but when I went to the school the other day our computer room is still a shambles and most computers aren’t working, and guess what; you can still only print from the one computer.

This doesn’t surprise me after being at the school for so long now. Last year at times when the internet was down or the printer wouldn’t work and I was told “We have rang the computer technician yesterday and they haven’t been.

So I would walk the 400 metres to their office and then ask them what was going on. I have stopped being so Thai and just ‘never minding’ everything. Now I do mind and ask for things to be fixed ASAP. Most the time I try and be polite as I possibly can, to not cause what Thais see as a “loss of face.” This can be hard at times.

I know there will be plenty of testing times, there always is in a Thai school. Thankfully with the 4 years of experience now I let almost nothing get to me. I remember the first year, even two years nearly being in a rage at times over things. Now I just go with the flow. You cannot change the Thai system I am sure of that.

The new school year is going to bring new experiences for me, all the new teachers. Getting to know them and maybe offer them some advice if asked, tell them where things are. In all the years I have been asked for advice only a few times.

I am not that outgoing, when I was younger I was of course. I loved going out and drinking and so forth. Now I am a boring old guy and am happy to be at home. I hardly ever drink but we do on occasions venture out to nights with other teachers.
Many times though we decline the offer, this doesn’t always go done well with others but my nose doesn’t go out of shape. Thais cannot say “no” to anything. So if someone senior is having a party or they invite you somewhere, it is like ‘you must go’, not me I just simply say “sorry I cannot make it.”

My night clubbing days are over; every Friday afternoon drinks are over. If this alienates me from the others as the boring guy, then so be it. I am more than happy to be that boring guy.

So sadly now I am counting the days down to when I start work again. I will of course be documenting to good and bad things that happen when teaching and also all the activities that take place throughout the year.

Brunty.

Free Time, Movie Recommendations.

I have been lucky of late to have had some time to watch some DVD’s but unlucky enough to see what the latest offering of music artists are out and about nowadays.

During the school year I don’t watch many movies, not a lot of time. So over the holidays I have had the pleasure of watching a few, sitting up late and sleeping in as well. Well there are some great movies that had been released.

I watched a comedy I enjoyed was called The Bucket List starring Morgan Freeman and Jack Nicholson. These two are great actors and I wasn’t sure about them starring together. Their characters were perfect, the odd couple. I found it humourous and recommend it.

Pride and Glory, starring Edward Norton (great actor) and Colin Farrell (also excellent), it is about corrupt police in the NYPD, a definite watch.

Taken Starring Liam Neeson, he is a bad ass good guy on the trail of some people who killed his daughter. Lots of action and a good watch.

Elegy, starring the ever young Ben Kingsley who is a professor and has a fling with a student played by the incredibly beautiful Penelope Cruz. I loved the two supporting roles played by Dennis Hopper and Patricia Clarkson. Something different from what is usually churned out.

THE WRESTLER, starring Mickey Rourke, I do enjoy wrestling as pure entertainment. A wrestling show you will always get your moneys worth. A big show with bad acting but great wrestling moves. These guys are phenomenal athletes to be as big as they are and be able to do the moves they do.

The Wrestler is brilliant. I watched it twice in a few days. Rourke makes this part his own and is memorising. The story line is brilliant and wrestling scenes awesome. Even if you are not a fan of wrestling this is a must watch movie.

American Gangster, starring Russell Crowe and Denzel Washington, Russell Crowe yet again plays a brilliant role and Denzel Washington as drug lord Frank Lowry and plays the part impeccably. I have read about a lot on this man after I realized the story was true. What he did was outrageous and the way the drugs were smuggled has been a denied by many. You have to watch this movie, great viewing.

The Hunting Party, starring Richard Gere and Terrence Howard. It claims at the start "Only the Most Ridiculous Parts of this Story Are True." and after watching the movie it is hard to believe. It centres on 3 reporters trying to catch one of the most sought after war criminals called The Fox. The US government put a 5 million dollar reward out for him but apparently doesn’t seem to really want to catch him. I enjoyed the film and also reading about Radovan Karadzic who the character is apparently based on. A very evil man indeed.

There are so many more.

One more was an old film called Man on The Moon from 1999, starring Jim Carey. He plays a guy who I never knew about before this but now having watched many of his shows since, thanks to the internet, called Andy Kaufman.

Having now watched Kaufman in many of the parts portrayed in the movie all I can say is Jim Carey was amazing, brilliant and the best role I have seen him portray. This is another movie that you need to see if you haven’t already.

Anyway I just wanted to share a few of the great movies I have seen of late. There are many more and maybe I will write about them in the near future.

Brunty

Teaching in Thailand. Teachers Needed in Isaan.

The new school year is fast approaching, worse luck. I have about 20 days until the school term starts and there are crying kids clinging to parents. I ventured to the school today to see what was happening as I haven’t been there for a long time.

We have again had a big change of teachers; four foreign teachers have left for various reasons. So we needed to find 4 new farangs plus 1 more as there are more hours to be taught this year.

I believe we have found 2 definite starters for the new school year. This is always a hit and miss thing anyway, as every year teachers who have said they are coming don’t usually show up. They stop answering their phones and emails. More than likely they get a better offer in another school and take it.

I have never seen this before where people are just so rude, I mean it is so easy to email or phone someone to say you are not taking a position you originally verbally agreed to. And if the person is like this, unreliable you wouldn’t want them on your staff anyway.

Finding reliable, hardworking teachers is hard. There is a huge teacher shortage in Thailand and there are many people willing to employ unqualified people to fill these positions.

Our school you need a degree in any field or a Teaching English as a Second language certificate (TESL). At times though when desperate this can be ignored and should be to.

I have seen a few teachers come and go over the 4 years, some only last half a school year. It isn’t an easy job. It requires a lot of patience, preparation and also improvisation. Thai schools are run nothing like back in western countries. This can be good and also bad.

Some of the TESL certified and also who have a degree teachers, are useless. I have seen too many undedicated, unprofessional and couldn’t give a shit teachers who are only interested in collecting their paychecks at the end of every month. They are only teaching to get money.

I have at times become very short with people like this; I don’t take well to people who don’t make an effort. I am never one to be backwards in coming forwards.

I get frustrated at work, we all do but I give 100% for my kids, the kids I am teaching. I try and let the school politics not worry me and ignore most of the crap that frustrates many. I concentrate on my classes and that is it. All the extra curricular stuff I couldn’t give two hoots about, singing, dancing and so many other things that waste class time.

I couldn’t believe how hard it was when I first started teaching, I was so over my head to start that I was drowning. It took me half a school term to just find my feet. It took me a whole year to actually start to learn a little about what really teaching is about.

Even now I am not claiming to even be a good teacher, I try to be. I try to make every class I teach as easy as possible for students to understand and also incorporate some fun where I can.

No matter how well planned a lesson is, or you think is. It can turn to shit so easily. You have to be ready to change angles, present things differently on the flip of a coin. An exercise you thought was easy to understand, isn’t so. A game that was meant to be an easy group task game is taken over by individuals. Asking questions and getting nothing but blank stares back at you. This can happen all the time.

In a class you know a good lesson as the 50 minutes flies by, in a class where a bad lesson has been presented you are looking at your watch and it seems that only seconds are ticking by.

I enjoy these challenges, I really do. I find it rewarding work, especially with the little year 1 students, who are only 5, 6 or 7 years old. They start out in tears for the first few days and watching them grow as pupils and using what they have learnt in class is heart warming. This makes me want to teach.

If any of this sounds interesting to you, if you think this sort of challenge could be what you are looking for, if you think this could be your calling then there are plenty of positions available throughout Thailand.

Our school is looking for teachers, if interested drop me a line and I will get the head of our department to contact you. I would be more than happy to chat to you about the pros and cons, there are many.

If you are looking at living in a large city, but being away from the pollution of Bangkok and all that hustle and bustle, Isaan could be for you. Ubon Ratchathani in Thailand could be your next destination.

If interested drop me a comment and we will go from there.

Brunty

Are Magistrates Too Lenient Today, I Think So.

This is from my local newspaper back home in Australia. It is a court case of a repetitive law breaker. Please read the article and then ask yourself. Did the guy get the sentence he deserved?

A man who appeared in Southport Magistrates Court to plead guilty to his sixth disqualified driving charge has been sent to prison. (6 times disqualified)

He was caught driving while disqualified four times previously.

He faced two fresh charges of driving while disqualified, on March 18 and March 19. (He was caught on successive days, the guy has to be a major idiot and have no regard to the law)

Magistrate Brian Kilmartin said it was essential the court's own authority was upheld and he had shown complete contempt for it. (Wow, no joke)

"The fact you were driving again a second day makes it clear there was a calculated disregard for the authority of the court," he said. (No shit Brian)

Mr Kilmartin sentenced him to 60 days' imprisonment, to be suspended after serving seven days, and disqualified him from driving for three years.

What the Fuc#? Serve 7 days and only a 60 day sentence. That is a lousy 10 days for each disqualified offence.

It seems though Brian is pretty lenient though. Look at these.

A 16-year-old Gold Coast boy who held a knife to a teacher's throat has been released on conditional bail.

The teenager is facing seven charges, including threatening violence and going armed to cause fear.

Magistrate Brian Kilmartin today said he would reluctantly grant the boy bail, but imposed strict conditions. (Great one Brian, let this fool back out on the street)

And this

A Queensland Fink motorcycle club member (Lovely guys)

The Finks member walked from the court despite his lengthy traffic rap sheet. He has been repeatedly banned from holding a driver's licence since 2007 and due to face a summary trial in a few days time for a number of traffic charges including driving while disqualified.

But that did not stop him allegedly getting on his motorcycle near his home on Thursday at 10.30am. The court was told police pulled him over near his home and when they asked for his licence, he admitted he was not allowed to hold a one for two years.

In 2007 the man was disqualified from driving for two years and in June 2008 he was charged with driving while disqualified again.

He escaped jail by pleading guilty and was sentenced to four months jail and released on immediate parole. He was further disqualified from driving until 2011.

Prior to 2007, his driving record had remained clean for three years but his solicitor admitted to the court that was due to his client spending 1005 days in custody awaiting a trial over an attempted murder charge. (Ha, ha that is priceless. Charges for murder were dismissed)

Also

Magistrate Brian came close yesterday to jailing a 23-year-old single mum for repeated driving offences, telling her she could no longer use her daughter as an excuse to stay out of prison. (Pathetic excuse)

Magistrate Brian Kilmartin told woman, the only reason he wasn't jailing her was because he had been told by her solicitor she was the only one able to look after the seven-year-old.

"If it was not for that there is no way you would avoid imprisonment," he said. "But you can't use it as an excuse (any more)."

She pleaded guilty to speeding and two counts of disqualified driving.

After she was banned for six months in June last year for unlicensed driving, Jarvis was pulled over by police a few days later for speeding.

She was doing 88km/h in a 70km/h zone with four people in the car, including her daughter. She told police she drove because she needed to get her daughter some lunch.

Then on October 30 She was caught driving again, this time to 'get her daughter to school'.
She was sentenced to 28 days' prison, fully suspended. (Too lenient)

These are just a few cases. There are so many where the punishment doesn’t fit the crime. I am not picking on Mr. Brian Kilmartin, he was the judge of the original article. There are so many judges that seem to sentence too leniently at times. If Brian you do read this please do not take it personally, I don’t know you from a bar of soap.

I did like this sentence he handed down, but I still think it was lenient considering.

A QUEENSLAND woman who spat on police during a drunken night out has been sentenced to three months behind bars.

The 19 year old teen, yesterday faced Southport Magistrate's Court, pleading guilty to five counts of assault over her run-in with police.

The court was told she had made an unprovoked attack on a man.

When police tried to arrest her, she swore, struggled and spat at the officers, hitting one in the face.

Her defence lawyer told the court she was grossly affected by alcohol and did not recall her actions. (Pathetic excuse)

Magistrate Brian Kilmartin said spitting was a "vile act". (agreed)

"It is totally unacceptable, particularly when it is aimed at police officers," he said. (Offences against police should be doubled I believe)

She will be eligible for parole in a month's time.

She was also ordered to serve probation and pay $2000 compensation to the officers involved in the incident. (For me lenient)

I just think that so many magistrates are out of touch with society and reality. It is hard to recall where a maximum sentence or fine was given for a crime.

Most of the time the criminal or accused pleads all sorts of bullshit stories to get a reprieve.

‘I was abused as a child, I have a drug problem. I am addicted to gambling and so on the crap falls out of their mouth or their lawyers.’

I personally don’t care about a person’s problems or history as I believe if you commit a crime, no matter what amazing excuses you apparently have, they should be ignored.

Society today needs a really good awakening, criminals need to know that crimes will be punished and harshly at that. I feel for the police who must be so jaded at times when magistrates hand these sentences down.

Police must be so jaded; they have to put up with all the shit that comes with the job, the taunts, abuse, and constant criticism and so on. When they finally get a criminal in court to see them slapped on the wrist and sent back out into society without any deterrent to commit future offences has to be demoralizing.

Yes, jails are already over crowded. Well build more and create jobs for people. Jails also need to be a jail not a home away from home. Prisoners live so much better than many people. They get 3 meals a day, entertainment and so forth. No TV, newspapers and so forth. Lots of books and education courses should be offered and that’s it.

Anyway that’s just me. What do you think?

Brunty

ANZAC Remembrance Day, 2009.

Today is an important day, important in remembering fallen ANZACS, Australian New Zealand Army Corp soldiers. On this day in Australia and New Zealand we get to honour soldiers who fought during the First World War and in today's conficlts.


Back in 1915 the ANZACS made their trip across the ocean to Turkey. Soldiers also travelled to France and Belgium.

On April 25th 1915 The ANZACS landed at Gallipoli and suffered massive casualties. I have read diary extracts from soldiers who landed and what they described is mind numbing. Australia lost over 8,000 soldiers and New Zealand 2,700 soldiers during the fighting.

This is what happened one day at Gallipoli.

On 18 May approximately 42,000 Turkish soldiers were massed as they wanted to push the ANZACS back to the beach. But aircraft of the Royal Naval Air Service, flying as observation planes for Royal Navy warships, spotted them. At 3.00 am on 19 May, well before dawn, the Anzac trenches well fully manned and awake all along the line in the expectation of a Turkish attack.

Shortly after 3.00 am, Turkish soldiers were observed in the clear night. The Australians began firing and by mid-morning had poured 948,000 rifle and machine gun bullets into waves of attacking Turks

Approximately 3,000 Turks had been killed and another 7,000 wounded. The Anzacs, by comparison, lost 160 killed and 468 wounded.

And then this happened.

Within days of the attack the air was heavy with the smell of rotting corpses. A truce was arranged between 7.00 am and 4.30 pm on 24 May to allow both sides to bury their dead.


This is the diary extract of a soldier.

I will never forget the armistice;

It was a day of hard, smelly, nauseating work. Those of us assigned to pick up the bodies had to pair up and bring the bodies in on stretchers to where the graves were being dug. First we had to cut the cord of the identification disks and record the details on a sheet of paper we were provided with.

Some of the bodies were rotted so much that there were only bones and part of the uniform left. The bodies of the men killed on the nineteenth (it had now been five days) were awful. Most of us had to work in short spells as we felt very ill. We found a few of our men who had been killed in the first days of the landing.

This whole operation was a strange experience – here we were, mixing with our enemies, exchanging smiles and cigarettes, when the day before we had been tearing each other to pieces.

Apart from the noise of the grave-diggers and the padres reading the burial services, it was mostly silent. There was no shelling, no rifle-fire. Everything seemed so quiet and strange. Away to our left there were high table-topped hills and on these were what looked like thousands of people.

Turkish civilians had taken advantage of the cease-fire to come out and watch the burial. Although they were several miles from us they could be clearly seen.

The burial job was over by mid-afternoon and we retired back to our trenches. Then, sometime between four and five o’clock, rifle-fire started again and then the shelling. We were at it once more.

Albert Facey.

I can remember buying red Poppies for remembrance from when I was a little boy; I never really knew the significance until much later in life.

To the fallen and returned soldiers, I thank you.

The Ode.

They shall grow not old,

as we that are left grow old:

Age shall not weary them,

nor the years condemn.

At the going down of the sun and in the morning

We will remember them.

Lest We Forget.

Brunty

Niece Nong Ja and my Beautiful Thai Girlfriend, Thailand.

My beautiful little niece, Nong Ja spends a lot of time with us. We have her sleep over at least three nights a week and look after her nearly every day. She is a beautiful little baby and is such an easy baby to look after.

Watching her grow over the last 10 months has been entertaining; she has a really cheeky personality and has a grin that makes your day. She hardly ever cries, plays by herself or chases my rabbit Cola about the house.

She is at an age where she is now into everything that is in her height and sight. This is fun for Noot who forgets this often and I hear “Ja, no.” This usually means Noot left something within reach and it has been pulled out, scattered or tipped over the floor.

The other day when I came home, Miss Noot was asleep in the front bedroom and Ja was sitting on the floor playing. She had a bottle of talcum powder and had opened the lid and spread it everywhere. It looked like Christmas in the room.

Also a box of tissues was happily pulled out of the box and ripped up; some was eaten after the box was left within her reach. Everyday my DVDs and CDs are pulled off the shelf under the TV. The cabinet doesn’t have doors and is easy access. It is like a game with her.

“Ja, do not touch the DVDs.” A huge mischievous grin is flashed and then she ignores your warning and starts pulling them off the shelf.

Here is a video of Nong Ja being herself. She is laughing, doing raspberries and also getting a little cranky.

The other night Miss Noot must have had a little too much time on her hands. We had had Ja for three nights and four days. She had gone home early evening, I was in the bedroom on the computer and watching TV. Noot was out in the living room watching TV, or so I thought.

Miss Noot walked into the bedroom and I was greeted with, “Beautiful, Mai.” I was looking at this.

I did of course what any man would, “You look like a Geisha with all the crap on your face.” With that I was given a whack across my head.

The question was asked again, “Suewai Mai.” This time I of course said, “Yes, you look really beautiful. Now stop wasting make up as it is expensive.”

I was clipped across the head, again and then left alone.

Life is good in Isaan Thailand.

Brunty

Perez Hilton, Aka Mario Armando Lavandeira, Jr. What a Tool Bag.

I must be bored, while reading one of the many papers that I like online a clicked on a headline that read ‘Miss California Carrie Prejean: Perez Hilton row cost Miss USA title.’

Now I dislike beauty contests, actually I detest them. I clicked on it because I was interested in the ‘Perez Hilton” bit. I have seen this name many times before in headlines in newspapers and also mentioned on TV.

I thought the person had to have something to do with the ‘Hilton’ clan, famous for hotels and raunchy DVDS. So I Googled the name and actually found some interesting reading on this person.

Anyway, back to the article. Perez Hilton was a judge in The Miss USA Title, asked Miss California a question “Vermont recently became the fourth state to legalize same-sex marriage. Do you think every state should follow suit? Why or why not?”

Miss California replied, “Well I think it’s great that Americans are able to choose one way or the other. We live in a land where you can choose same-sex marriage or opposite marriage. You know what, in my country, in my family, I do believe that marriage should be between a man and a woman, no offense to anybody out there. But that’s how I was raised and I believe that it should be between a man and a woman. Thank you.”

I thought this was really well answered, it is a pretty hard question.

Now Perez Hilton was not happy with this response and labeled her a "dumb bitch". He then went on to rant “she had "half a brain" and that he would have ripped off her tiara if she had won instead of Miss North Carolina, Kristen Dalton.

Wow, this guy is cantankerous. Miss California went on to say, "I stated an opinion that was true to myself, and that's all I can do. It did cost me my crown. It is a very touchy subject and (Hilton) is a homosexual, and I see where he was coming from.”

So he is a homosexual, but again I don’t care if he is gay. Each person to their own. On the rights of same sex marriage, again I couldn’t care less. If a state allows same sex marriages then so be it. This is my opinion. All Miss California did was express her opinion and was truthful and she cops a tired of abuse from this toolbag.

Miss California’s sister, a second lieutenant in the US Air Force, is a supporter of gay marriage, and was not offended by her answer.

"She said, 'Sis, we have different opinions and I love you because of it. I love you because you stood up for what was right, and it's not a matter of being gay or not gay.’

Anyway, this Perez Hilton guy, well his name is a pseudonym. Obviously this name when Googled gets hits, Hilton that is. His real name is Mario Armando Lavandeira, Jr. So you can see why he uses a false name when blogging as who would Google that mouthful.

I have seen a picture of the man and he isn’t the most flattering of people. He is a drama graduate and obviously uses these skills he learnt well, when blogging.

This guy has pissed many people off and has lawsuits pending against him relating to copyright infringement, defamation and just from what I have read is an absolute asshole, but that is my opinion.

The guy needs to get a life instead of making up gossip, chasing celebrities and writing and posting trash on his website. I did visit it and it is all shit about Hollywood superstars and so forth. Don’t waste your time going there as it will just make you more stupid. I mean I am dumb but after being at his site for 5 minutes I am now mentally challenged.

So Perez Hilton the celebrity gossip blogger to me is one more scumbag living off other people’s misfortunes and slip ups. What gets to me, is people who read all the shit about stars, I mean who really cares!! I don’t give a damn who’s screwing who in Hollywood, who crashed a car while drunk and who is gay.

Too many people in this world need to get a life and stop reading this trash. That’s just my take on this. So to Perez Hilton, Aka Mario Armando Lavandeira, Jr. I hope your days of fame do end sooner than later. People like you are a detriment to society and the world is much better off without you.

Brunty

Songkran Water Festival Isaan Thailand. Day 3.

On the last day of the Songkran Water Festival we headed back to our truck after enjoying the water street and stage area near the main park here in Ubon.

There was a long line of trucks waiting to be refilled by the fire trucks.

We started our way back towards the most popular streets where water is thrown. These cows were spooked and running along a road right near our main public hospital. They were really scared as people were throwing water on them and they made it onto a small sidewalk but only after bumping into the odd car. There is hardly any land around here; there is the odd vacant block. Hopefully the owner found them in good health.

Some young novice monks were also enjoying Songkran.

More monks having fun during Songkran.

These monks were happy to wet some farangs.

As the afternoon sun started to go down and a glare came across the windscreen some pretty Thai girls were happy to pose for me.

This is the most popular street for Songkran, it is bumper to bumper and traffic is at a standstill most of the time and at times you get to crawl a few metres at a time. To travel a few hundred metres can be over 30 minutes.

Businesses erect stages all over the place, this is 100 Pipers scotch whiskey stage and it seems that Keith, alias a former PM of Thailand is dancing up a storm.

A ladyboy joined Keith on stage and was set upon by him. I don’t know who was enjoying it more, keith or the ladyboy.

Words are just too hard to come by to describe this amazing sight.

These are two ladyboys on a motorbike surrounded by men. I can tell you that they were accosted for a good minute with powder and water tipped over them and also subjected to a lot of molesting as well.

It was good to see some Thai cowgirls having fun during Songkran.

Miss Noot through a water streaked window of the car. The traffic was so slow that it was better to get off the car and stretch your legs and walk along when we got to move.

Miss Noot and Jane had walked ahead and had some powder mixed in a container to place gently onto peoples’ faces to wish them a Happy Thai New Year.

I think this man wanted me to stop, I got this hunch anyway. He walked to the driver’s window and motioned me to wind it down. I did this and he shook my hand and asked “Do you like Thailand?” I replied, “I love it.” A huge smile filled his face and he was off to his friends dancing.

It was getting late in the afternoon on the final day of Songkran, it was cold for the girls and we were just about to make our way back home. The sun was setting on another Songkran Water Festival in Thailand without any problems.

I hope you have enjoyed these posts on the Thai New Year and if you want to view any pictures in large sizes click on one and go to my Flickr homepage to see all the pictures there.

I am going to work on the video footage over the coming days and edit together the best bits to make a small video of Songkran madness. I will try and get this done this week if time permits.

Brunty.

Songkran Water Festival, Isaan Thailand. One Week Long.

Here in Ubon Ratchathani you can celebrate the Songkran Water Festival for a whole week if you want to. Most places you celebrate Songkran on the 13th, 14th, and 15th of April. Here in Ubon you can celebrate from the 10th to the 17th of April.

At our main park area, Thung Sri Muang which is opposite our government buildings they set up a stage and have music and dancing each day. This was a little early and not many people were about.

All the action though takes place in a strip of the park. Along a paved area the whole street is a mini water park for the entire week. Water sprays into the air from midmorning until early evening.

The government sets up water pipes all the way along the street. There are nozzles where jets of water shoot out all over the place. You can aim these at people, which many young people do.

This area is crowded with young people. Mainly because they don’t need transport and the water is always at the ready.

Now with young teenagers there can be some trouble. There is plenty of security along this area and when some young teens decide to get a little rough, the water is shut off and the offending teens are chased out of the area.

Back at the stage area a fire truck had turned up and started spraying water over the soon to be dance floor.

Soon a band started playing very popular Thai songs and the dance area started to fill with young people. The water was sprayed over them to keep them cool and wet.

Soon a fireman with a hose started spraying water in a mist to wet and cool the dancers.

The fireman with his big hose.

I ventured onto the stage, you can see how wet the floor is and I was trying to be very careful as I didn’t want my camera to get wet. All these pictures were taken with me scanning around all the time to stop anyone trying to soak me with water. The lead singer was pretty good and had the crowd jumping.

This is looking from the stage at the crowd of dancers enjoying themselves to the max.

This young lady was having a breast, I mean ball.

This guy was dancing up a storm and was very entertaining to watch. He was really into the moment and song.

This guy is the epitome of Songkran, a bright shirt, soaking wet, covered in powder and just enjoying the holiday.

The crowd was growing as more popular Thai songs were blaring out across the speakers. It seemed that hands in the air were the order of the day.

On hand to quench the dancers thirst was Leo Beer girls. Well three are girls and one is a boy, but which one?

So if you want to spend a week playing Songkran venture to Ubon Ratchathani next year and wet yourself until you’re soaked through to your bones.

Brunty

BBQ Night with friends, Isaan Thailand.

The other night Miss Noot and I invited some friends to our house for a BBQ or grill party. It was to say thank you to them as over Songkran I don’t think I got to pay for a thing.

About midday, Miss Noot and I went and bought the provisions came home and marinated the meat and got some salad ready. Miss Noot had also bought some ingredients for some Thai dishes of course.

I lit the coal for the BBQ and waited for it to burn down and then Miss Noot and her friend Jane started cooking the chicken legs and thighs as these always take longest to cook. The fan was out as it has really warmed up here in Isaan of late.

There was also marinated pork ribs and pepper steak. The steak was too chewy, again. Even though I had tenderized it and marinated it for 6 hours. I have tried different cuts of local beef but all has been pretty crap. To but beef imported from the shopping centre is a little expensive. At least I know if I buy Australian fillet steak it will be easy to eat and taste great too. The cost I can wear.

This is garlic and pepper steak and marinated pork. The pork was succulent and my favourite for the night.

When the coals had burnt down the steak, pork and hotdogs went onto the griller.

The Thai girls were enjoying themselves, they had plenty of food and Noot had made homemade Kanom Jeen sauce from fermented fish. This was being gobbled up.

The night was fun, a good way to relax and chat with mates. Only one of us drunk alcohol, the rest of us were on water and soft drinks. Back in Australia you try this and would end up tied to a tree stark naked J

We have had our beautiful little niece Nong Ja with us for the last 3 days. It is always enjoyable to have her and we love her so much. It is amazing how tiring looking after a small baby can be.

Ja is a great baby luckily, hardly ever cries or throws tantrums, sleeps through the night and eats any food you dish up for her. She is an early bird and this means when she is ready for her midmorning or afternoon nap we are usually ready for one too.

Here Miss Noot and Ja are happily asleep in the front bedroom. This is Ben’s room and is much cooler than our room in the daytime as the sun doesn’t shine onto it directly.

It has really warmed up the last few days; the hot season is coming quickly. Miss Noot has even had the air conditioner going for her and Ja’s daytime sleep of late. This month’s electricity bill might hit 1,300 plus Baht or $50 odd Australian dollars. This is still cheap compared to back home. In winter or the cold season our bill is between 600-700 Baht.

Not much else to report, have to cut and edit a heap of video from the Songkran Water Festival, upload some music to it and then will put it onto the site. Hope this will be done by the end of next week.

Brunty