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Maha Sarakham Police Using Sasumata
This is an interesting video I found on FB, purportedly from this article in the Nation, although I can’t find it there. It’s interesting mainly because the nonlethal weapon sasumata (known as a “man-catcher” in English) was adapted from an an ancient and very deadly samurai weapon of the same name (in Japanese, the English translation of which is “spear-fork”). Text from the Nation article: Muang Maha Sarakham police demonstrate how to use sticks to subdue a suspect on Tuesday. A video of Maha Sarakham police using Y-shaped and hooked sticks to subdue a frantic drunken man, which went viral on Monday, was part of a wider strategy, it…
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Tacos de Larb
The ultimate Thai-Mexican fusion: This was, again, an awesome leftover mashup. Larb made from chicken is fairly uncommon, but I found a local food stand that makes it really well… At 20 baht per bag, I’m happy whenever it’s available. I added some shallots to the mango salsa from the other day, and used up the rest of our taco stuff from last week. Verdict: SPICY MOVE!
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Kon-Tiki – The Best Fishing Movie Ever?
I don’t remember the last time I saw this movie, but it must have been around 35 years ago… I can’t believe how good it is. This might be my favorite one-hour movie, and perhaps my favorite documentary, ever. There are just these gems of knowledge and experience spread throughout the whole voyage. Gonna watch the Hollywood remake from a few years ago next.
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Home Fries with Mango Salsa
…and some leftover carnitas and beans, topped with fried eggs.
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Japanese T-bone Curry
Max wanted curry and Mina wanted steak; necessity is the mother of noms.
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Bengal Currants (carissa carandas)
I only started commonly seeing these berry-like fruits this year. They seem to be growing in popularity up here in Issan, but I suspect they were brought here from another part of Thailand, where they are apparently have shorter names: Nam daeng and nam phrong. They are apparently used in India for pickles. I had started calling these Lao Cherries, but there are a couple other fruits already called that (plus they don’t seem to be from this area), so I finally just looked it up. So the important thing: Do they taste good? They taste like vitamin C punched you in the throat. Like the sourest mango and unripe lemon…
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My Kujira Crown in Pattaya in 1979?
I happened to be watching an 8mm home video of a German family visiting Pattaya in the late 70’s and spotted what could very well be my MS-60 Toyota Crown: It seems to be the right color and model, and these cars were originally used for government bigwigs, so it’s possible that one of them parked it right in front of the Regent Hotel back then. I’m not sure of the number imported back then, but I’ve heard stories of a parking lot filled with old ones out of service. Wish I knew where it was!
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Sci-Fi Action Ultraviolence
Nobody is doing it better than OATS STUDIOS right now, and they are currently creating short films to see where demand lies… Do you prefer aliens enslaving humanity and a last-ditch resistance led by Sigourney Weaver, or horrific mutant undead action in Vietnam? The latter is pretty creepy, but I could see either making it big if the effects stay on par with what they’ve created so far. If you’re a sci-fi fan, you should check them both out. And whoever created the prop Damasu 950 is a genius.
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Talisman
I can’t tell if this guy just put a random sticker on his car, or if this is a plea to the gods because he hasn’t changed the oil for five years. Seen in a random parking garage in Bangkok.
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Long Fak Bean Stir Fry
I guess you could call them yardlong beans, but most of the world switched to a better system long ago, and besides, where’s the fun in that?
