Author: Justin

Royalty Visiteth

The crown princess is coming to Rajabhat Mahasarakham University for some kind of contest to be held at our new indoor event hall. This means I saw the first helicopter since the last time a member of the royal family came (last year, when another princess landed on our track to be taken by motorcade to preside over the graduation festivities for the sports college next door, where I exercise every day). Our building’s parking lot has been declared the space for motorbikes, so there are probably a thousand parked out there so far.
In an hour or so when I leave for my workout, I hope I can get my car out. I parked it under some trees far away, but even those spaces might fill up.

Around Mahasarakham: The OTOP Marketplace

Note: With this entry, I’m starting a new category of posts called Around Mahasarakham (AKA Around Maha Sarakham). People have been asking exactly what the town we live in is like, so I’ll try to document it better in the future.

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Built to fail just last year, the OTOP marketplace is already sliding into moldy disuse, and the unmistakable stench of broken loser dreams permeates the entire area. It’s one of my favorite places to hang out as its right down the street from work, it’s always deserted, and my old rusty car just belongs in the parking lot.
Also, I buy bottled water in bulk there for half what it’s sold for at Big C or Tesco (that’s saying a lot), and occasionally look at the farm tools, 4th rate electronics, and used Korean black market shoes sold at various loser stores there just for fun… This place is cool because it’s a horrible pit of failure and wasted tax dollars, and everybody there knows it. Most of the shops some how manage to make enough to keep going it seems, but I just don’t know how. I’ve been there 35 or 30 times, and the most cars I’ve ever seen in the huge parking lot (not counting the ones they used to sell secondhand out front) was still less than 10.
Anyway, the various shops and stalls that comprise the marketplace just aren’t very interesting, so I’ve never taken photos of them. A month ago, though, I came across a strange sight behind the administrative office building where I’d parked my car in the shade:
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Nice shoes!

Of course, Max thought this was totally hilarious but didn’t appreciate his mother swatting his hand away when he tried to goose them…

Burning bloodsuckers at Khao Yai National Park, Thailand

These vids were taken at the teacher’s accommodations we rented (House 109) at Khao Yai National Park from November 9 to 11, 2009. It rained every day, which brings the leeches out in great numbers. I had a few actually on my feet during different times, but none were on long enough to feast on my ambrosial blood. Too bad.

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Part 1 is very blurry and hard to see, but contains brutal leech burning imagery as an added bonus:

Thai language note: These leeches, on land, are called “taak.” Ones in the water are “prin” (pronounced like pudding in Japanese without the hard “r”) The hand-sized ones in the water are called “prin quai” (buffalo leeches).