It is currently 14.6°C (58.64°F). The news is reporting that many people have died in their beds overnight because they were unprepared for the cold.
Category: Thai Society/Culture
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.
Pass the Tiger Balm Already
I was horrified today when my personal trainer (male, 20) started massaging my legs with floral scented lotion instead of the sports liniment I’d been expecting… Horrified, yet silent.
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).
How to Convert the Thai Buddhist Era Year to Gregorian Calendar Year
Subtract 543.
That is all.
However, if you want to further convert that to Japanese Imperial calendar dates, this site sure comes in handy: NengoCalc
This year, 2009 AD, is also 2552 B.E. (Thailand) and Heisei 21 (Japan).
I think I have enough calendar systems in my life.
Gut Rumblings
I had the gnarliest gas at the gym today, but I made it seem like it was this old guy that everybody hates by following him around from machine to machine.
Karma may be a bitch, but I’m pretty sure God thought it was pretty amusing and should kick me down bonus juju points for it or something.
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On less shocking notes, the new term has started at our uni, the weather has suddenly turned cool (21ºC/69.8ºF), Max has become a screamer unsuitable for taking shopping, and we didn’t partake in any Loy Krathong festivities this year because Nam is full of baby and I hate people.
Fortuitous Testudines
On my way home from the gym about an hour ago, I spotted a familiar silhouette on the side of the road… I saw it after my headlights had passed over, but some primal part of my brain recognized the dark shape and screamed POSSIBLE FOOD SOURCE. I stopped and backed up a bit, and got out of the car.
The rear running lights on my car shine through 38 year old lenses, so they aren’t that bright. But they were bright enough to show that I had found a pretty big turtle with pretty yellow stripes running up and down his legs and neck; his shell was about 9 inches long and he weighed around four pounds. When I picked him up, he tried to pee on me but my daddy reflexes are too well-tuned to get caught with such clumsy reptilian attempts (in contrast, Max has successfully barfed, peed, and crapped on me all in one day).
I decided to take him home instead of leaving him to get run over so far from a water source. I wondered how he had gotten there… Was he an escaped pet? On a walkabout? Or was he the ghost of my dead pink chicken, Pinky, come to say goodbye to daddy once again? (I miss that chicken, godammit!)
I put him on the hood of the Kuj (and he of course peed all over it), then drove home. I showed him to Max, who was kind of impressed, and Nam said I should let it go in the pond in front of our house. So we walked it down to the water’s edge, mumbled some quasi-religious well wishes common to those who don’t really care about religion but sometimes like to acknowledge there are greater forces than ourselves out there somewhere, and I tossed it into the water.
Then I washed off my hood with a half-empty bottle of water from my gym bag.
If that turtle makes it through the winter, avoids being eaten by the workers who net fish in our pond, and doesn’t get run over anytime soon, I’ll be really happy.
Vegetarians have it hard in Thailand
…and here’s the proof.
Note: The photo gallery above is pretty hardcore piercing/mutilation stuff.
Karma, illustrated
Cosmic Buddha was born in a Mahayana country…
But now lives in a Theravada one.
The differences between the two are apparent in the way they affect the curry: Curries in Mahayana countries are more refined, and curries in Theravada countries have deeper flavor; all are delicious.
Of course, karma can crush you regardless of the flavor you choose.
Surveying Khao Yai National Park, Thailand
Last week, while tripping balls on cold medicine and mourning the loss of our pink chicken, I mentioned going on a scouting trip for our upcoming International Camp. Here are some photos which are neither international nor even educational, but I like them anyway. If you’re lucky I may even throw in the odd caption.
Khao Yai National Park. Entrance fees for Thais: 20 Baht. For foreigners: 200 Baht. Yet somehow, I got in for the Thai rate (because my coworkers told me to shut up so I could pass as Thai. Thanks, girls!)
The dormitories we were supposed to stay at, but will no longer be able to because our financial dept. didn’t make the transfer on time…
This totally reminds me of Full Metal Jacket.. PRIVATE PYLE WHERE R U!!
Can we infer that there’s a 500 Baht penalty for leaving food outside the Room?
Snail shoe rack? I forgot to ask what’s written in Thai.. but maybe it’s better kept as a mystery.