Quick trip

Quick trip into Udon today.

Only one problem, Tiger insisted on following me when I left the house.  Six attempts later got the Baht Bus to Nong Han, and for once an Udon bus was waiting.

The purpose of the trip was Immigration for an extension of stay, accomplished in under five minutes including queuing time.  Now it's time to plan a Laos trip

Followed it up with a breakfast at Seaside.  It could based on this morning become my new favorite haunt.

Back at the resort.  Next trip penciled in for Thursday if Roger gets his bus ticket from Pattaya

This is Thailand

“This is Thailand” is the riveting real-life account of Marek Lenarcik’s blind leap from the safe, comfortable and utterly bullshit, corporate world of Dublin to the charming, exotic beaches of Thailand.With rose-tinted glasses firmly in place, Marek fully expects to find a land of exotic fruits, beautiful women and an easy-going tropical lifestyle. Which he does. At first.Traveling from Phuket to Bangkok and throughout Thailand’s exotic locales, Marek’s desire to experience all the forbidden

Missing Presumed Dead

Robert Rockingham a homicide detective and his girlfriend Holly, a missing person’s detective, spend Christmas skiing as Robert’s estranged family vacate in Phuket.In Thailand, Marie, Robert’s ex-wife, his brother, his family and Georgina, Robert’s daughter are caught in the mayhem of the 2004 Tsunami.Towards the end of Christmas Day Robert receives a phone call from the precinct Captain telling him to turn the TV on.To his terror he watches a news programme covering the Asian Tsunami.

Congratulations to Thailand - Asian Women's Volleyball Champions

Thailand v Japan - Asian Women's Senior Volleyball Championship Final

Thailand got off to a good start against Japan backed by a noisy home crowd that packed the arena in Korat, standing tickets were added to help accomodate the large crown that had descended.

Thailand entered the final with two advantages, the partisan home crowd and the knowledge that they had beaten Japan earlier in the competition.

I didn't need to watch the TV to know progress, the shouts and screams from Nit and family told it all.

Thailand took the first two sets and set up a 10-5 lead in the third set.  They stretched their lead to 15-8, powering on to 20-13.  Thailand closed the third set, and championship out at 25-17 seconds ago

The Thai Way of Meekness

The Thai Way of Meekness is a commentary on a thesis by the Thai academic Dr Ubolwan on the reasons Christian evangelism failed in Thailand. That the early missionaries did not understand what she classified as the 7 main Thai characteristics is her conclusion for their failure to make even one conversion. This book concludes that understanding the native culture is a prerequisite to success.

Thailand through to the final beating China in five sets

Whatever the plan that was hatched it worked as Thailand won a tight semi final against China in the Asian Women's Volleyball Championship being held in Korat.

On to the final tomorrow.

Thailand Travel News

Airports of Thailand says it will build a third runway at Suvarnabhumi Airport within two years as a backup to prevent air traffic congestion in the event one of the main runways needed to be closed.
AoT chairman, Sita Divari, said on Tuesday that the new 2,900-metre runway will be built on the western side of the airport, to serve only in an emergency.

The AoT Board of Directors approved the  proposal after a Thai Airways International aircraft skidded off  the runway earlier this month, forcing AoT to close the runway for four days.

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Bangkok Air Special Offers

Bangkok Airways has introduced a promotional fare for passengers travelling to Cambodia’s Siem Reap until March next year.
The promotion sells a round-trip fare at Bt7,450, exclusive of airport taxes, departing Bangkok to Siem Reap.

The fare is valid for bookings until 30 September for travel through to 31 March, next year. Passengers can save around 7% off standard fares.

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Bangkok Airways sells discount fares on routes to Samui island one of Thailand’s top holiday destinations.
A one-way fare to Samui, exclusive of fuel surcharges, insurance and airport taxes, sells at Bt2,490 ex-Bangkok (Suvarnabhumi Airport) and U-Tapao (Pattaya).
Passengers can book the fare until 30 September for travel 1 November to 30 December this year.

The fare saves around 25% off standard fares.

READ MORE

SAVE WITH CATHAY

Cathay Pacific sells discount fares to passengers travelling in its premium economy class from Bangkok, Chiang Mai and Phuket to selected international destinations through to 15 December this year.
The offer promotes its recent remake of cabin features and services.

Round-trip fares, exclusive of taxes and surcharges departing Bangkok, Chiang Mai and Phuket to Manila cost  Bt14,940, Bt22,560 to Chennai, Delhi and Mumbai, and Bt24,210 to Tokyo.

READ MORE

Thais hatch plan for mighty China

World No 16 Thailand powered past Taiwan to set up a meeting today with defending champions China in the semi-finals of the 17th Asian Senior Women's Volleyball Championship at Chatchai Hall.

Yesterday Thailand defeated Taiwan 25-13 25-14 25-23 in the knockout quarter-finals. It was the second time in a month that the AVC Cup winners had beaten their ASEAN arch-rivals, after a straight-sets win in the World Women's Volleyball Asian qualifier in Japan.

Read More in The Nation

Last Bus To Korat

While vacationing in his wife's small hometown in Thailand, Bob Swift, a crass, overly opinionated, somewhat dimwitted, nearly retired, beer loving good old boy, takes a solo bus trip into the treacherous big city. Swift is a likable American whose outspokenness and simplistic take on the strange culture leads him into bizarre situations, weird encounters, and odd friendships.

Thai Cruz by Robert Bell

Thai Cruz, the second part of the Cruz series is now available from Smashwords and Amazon.

It will shortly be available from Kobi, iBookstore and other online bookstores

Buy Now at Amazon.com

Buy now at Amazon.co.uk

Buy now at smashwords

Simon arrives early in Manila to surprise Cruz and his friends, to find they have surprises of their own. But the reason for the visit is to get them away, get them to Thailand for a break and let them compare cultures. Simon hopes for culture shock, and succeeds with what he shows them. It helps them put Luke into perspective. In Nut they find a soul mate as they find the similarities between their lives. Thai Bars aren’t what the guys were expecting, and in many they aren’t comfortable as Simon starts at the rough end.

Of course, Nut doesn’t have a ‘Luke’ to deal with. As the holiday passes, Simon realizes that something has to be done about Luke. He devises a permanent solution if everyone agrees

The story concludes in Cruz Control when Simon and Nut arrive in Manila, and Luke is dealt with before the weddings. Or so they think.

What happened in Filipino Cruz -

Simon wants to put things right with Ace. Except Ace is really Cruz. Simon travels to Manila in the hope that he can meet Ace, and Leonardo. And Leonardo is really Matt. Welcome to the world of stage names. Simon wants to talk, and put aside the ill feelings; part as friends, or learn he had been right a year earlier and leave for ever. He wasn’t sure why, but it seemed the right thing to do.
It was Ace who had kept him coming back to Manila. He had met him in a macho dancer bar. He was new, young, naive. Fresh from the provinces. Shy, always kept his underwear on. Maybe that’s what intrigued Simon. And with very little English. That’s where Rey had come in. The staff had brought Rey over to help translate. Simon had tried to ignore Rey, but he kept butting in, and asking for a drink. He was about to tell the staff to remove Rey when this other guy walked over. Tall, handsome. He introduced himself. He was Leonardo, Rey’s cousin. If he hadn’t found Ace, Simon would have gone for Leonardo.
There had been something about Ace. Simon couldn’t place it. He tried a few times in the early days to get Ace alone, but he seemed too shy. But all that changed.
Now, Simon’s return starts a chain reaction. Brothers and cousins, parents. All realise it’s time to be true to themselves, and find happiness. Except Rey. For Rey, there will be loneliness unless he can accept things. It turns out that he can’t and that despite having sex on stage with boys, he can’t accept that his brother and cousin are gay. Or that they have boyfriends. He hates that his attempts to cut Cruz out of the picture with Simon have failed, and that Cruz and Matt are now boyfriends, living together.
Rey, who is really Luke, can just about cope with the fact that his mother is remarrying, Tim isn’t that bad. But his brother John, and Cruz’s brother Paul as boyfriends. It’s all wrong. He can’t see that they are being honest, and true to their feelings. To him what he does to earn money, and what they do in their personal lives, however similar, are totally different.
A series of battles follow as Luke sinks into the state where he’ll do almost anything, with just about anyone to repay his debts. Money he’d borrowed and frittered away. Debt that is mounting when he misses payments. In the process, he’d lost his family. But if they were going to against everything the bible taught, then he didn’t want them. He knew his work was wrong, but it was only until he got some money, and he did go to church every morning to ask forgiveness and make penance.
The climax of Filipino Cruz is a meeting between Luke and the others, where Cruz and his friends take their pound of flesh, and Luke feels he walks away the stronger, even if a total outcast.

COMING SOON

More Rain On The Way

A tropical depression in the South China Sea is threatening to hit Thailand today and tomorrow, raising concerns over flash floods, especially in Ubon Ratchathani and the lower Northeast.

Read More at Bangkok Post

Crystal Hill Garden Resort - January 2010 - The Beginning

Actual construction started a few days later

Ice Delivery in Nong Han and Ban Chiang

Ice Delivery Service covering Nong Han and Ban Chiang.

Daily Delivery Service

35Baht per large bag

Ice Box Provided Free

[subject to minimum consumption levels] 

Warning - Due To maintenance Work Your Train May Arrive On Time

Rail passengers in Phitsanulok are being warned that trains stopping there will be more punctual during the 45-day track maintenance period for the far northern railway, and should ensure they arrive at the station on time so they don't miss their train.

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Food Shop At Crystal Hill Garden Resort - Now Open

Our new food shop is open daily and we are slowly expanding our menu.  However if you do have special requests, talk to Lak in advance and give her enough notice to get ingredients from Nong Han, if necessary.