The View from Nongkhai

Part 24

Published

03 November 2005

PADS (Physiognomy Acquisition Deficiency Syndrome) returns to Nongkhai

In the last year we've had Dengue Fever, SARS and Avian Flu, to add to our woes, the return of Ian to Nongkhai in October was heralded by a fresh outbreak of PADS. The first victim was my sister-in-law Nong who welcomed Ian to OJ's with a breezy 'hello Tony'. Those who can't tell us apart can be forgiven if even my sister-in-law can't tell the difference! Ian was sporting a new generation of 'Russell Athletic T-shirts', while mine is now looking distinctly faded.

Btw for those who don't know Ian, that's him on the right.

Nongkhai Closure

Julio's Outback Bar duly closed at the beginning of October, and is not expected to reopen. Julio will however continue catering, which he will do from home giving him more to time for fishing and socialising with friends. However the good news is that the next Indian Food Extravaganza will take place on Saturday 5th November at The Meeting Place. This time however, it is not necessary to buy a ticket in advance for this culinary cornucopia. The inaugural evening was a great success, the next one promises to be even better!

No photo of Julio, but a photo of the tattoos on his arms instead. For those who can't read Thai his right arm (left above) says 'jai hod lai' which literally means 'not good heart' but would be better translated 'heartless'. While his left arm says 'khon baa' or crazy man. Julio says that he has the tattoos because he was fed up with being pestered by bar girls when in Pattaya. We speculated what a man might tattoo on his arms if he wanted to attract bar girls in Pattaya, and the answer was the name of your bank on one arm, and your pin on the other.

At the eastern end of Nongkhai, just east of but quite close to '999', another of my sisters-in-law, Oy has opened a restaurant where she serves perhaps the best Thai food in Nongkhai. For those who can't read Thai, the restaurant is named Flamingo, a name apparently chosen by my niece Manao, and has been properly blessed by Buddha, although the monk was a little shaky on the stepladder (below left). Not only is the food very good, but it is also very reasonably priced, definitely worth trying.

Below I fulfilled one of my ambitions by being Oy's first customer.

Regular readers will remember that when Glen opened The Outback Bar and Grill he kept a Vietnamese pot-bellied pig named 'Priscilla' there. Glen would talk with Priscilla, but we could never make up our mind as to who had the brains and who had the looks.

Oy has nothing quite so exotic, she has a tortoise named 'Noowan', who has been a family pet for some years.

Left, while sitting outside at a riverside café in Tha Sadet one evening this nasty creature came wandering along the pavement (sidewalk). They have a very painful bite, and the usual way to dispose of them is to drop them into a glass bottle from which they cannot escape.

Nongkhai Festival 'Bang Fai Payana'

From 14th to 20th of October we have a festival in Nongkhai, and people from all over Thailand travel to this stretch of the Mekhong river at the full moon to see the 'payana', which as far as I can tell is the Thai equivalent of the Loch Ness monster. It is very good business for Nongkhai, and in the six years I have lived here, it has grown from a one evening event (on the night of the full moon) to a one week event either side of the full moon. All along the river local villages take over a spot on the bank and construct floating structures like that one below. At night they are lit up (I didn't allow for the river current in the long night exposure). Local families use whatever transport is available to travel along the length of the bank and visit each one.

About 10m high

Very colourful at night.

This motorbike was definitely full.

As was this one. Look at the happy faces of the children, only in Thailand have I seen such exuberance.

On the last night the festival was closed by a live performance from this band, who were rather good.

My niece, Bombim, was taken by the singer and tipped him 20 baht.

On the last night we were surprised to meet one of the King's granddaughters. It happened so quickly that I didn't have time to get a photo. Shame!

Graham missed the festival as he was in the UK making arrangements for his 92 year old Aunt Alice to come to Thailand. She duly arrived at the end of October, and moved in next door. I think Graham's minimalist lifestyle (see Frugal Freda Tips in ) took her by surprise, so Graham was very busy over the next few days buying furniture, and doing chores around the house. I caught Graham and Alice about to go off to Udonthani with Eileen and managed to get this photo of them together. Alice has fallen for Doughnut, and would clearly like to take him over, perhaps he could visit now and again.

Brendan's Riverside Restaurant

One evening I dropped in to Brendan's and took this photo of Brendan with his wife Noi. They are framing Noi's younger sister Thip (silent 'h') who I think was rather gorgeous and was here for the festival. In fact I seem to have taken a lot of photos of her. A week later I was back there and shocked to find that Brendan had had his head shaved. Mate, I definitely think that you should let it grow back. 

Not that I have much of a leg to stand on when it comes to growing hair (below left). Also in Brendan's on a periodic visit to Nongkhai were Kevin & his wife Amorn (below centre). Kevin was a policeman in the UK, but has settled in Thailand. Clearly Amorn felt very sorry for my lack of hair, and felt the need to lend me hers.

Doughnut's Corner

Its been far too long since I've been allowed to write. All this stuff about people is just plain boring, so I want to write about some of my friends who just happen to be the more important inhabitants of Nongkhai. First there is my friend Brandy, pictured right. Brandy lives at the Meeting Place where she keeps an eye on everything for Paul and Joy, who really couldn't cope without her. Brandy is big, she's a lot bigger than me, and still only a youngster. Although I'd fancy her for a mate, I don't think I'd be up to it.

When Brandy grows up she will be as big as my friend Yai (far left) who lives at one of the evening barbecue restaurants along the bank of the Mekhong. He is as big as a chair, so Paul and Joy won't need to worry when Brandy is fully grown. Then there is my friend Alfred, who is a great Dane. He like Yai lives at one of the evening barbecue restaurants (Neua Yang Gow Lee).

Finally there is my friend Poom Pouilly (left). He looks after Julio and Sangjun. They need a lot of care and attention. Recently they were returning from Udonthani on their motorbike when Julio lost control. Only Poom Pouilly's quick thinking and lightening fast reactions saved them from a disaster. But he is very modest and plays down his part in averting a catastrophe. I think it is his parentage that makes him this way. He has the coat and features of an Alsatian, but he has the legs of a Dachshund. (Privately the rest of us dogs call him 'little legs).

As it was Halloween on Monday I persuaded Dott to get out the Halloween costume that Virginia had given me. I went out 'trick or treating' but nobody here understood that they were supposed to give me a treat or I would play a trick on them. Perhaps the idea hasn't reached Thailand yet, and I am once more ahead of my time.

Finally thank you all for you kind thoughts and good wishes on the passing of my close relative Owen.

In Memoriam Owen MMV

I have already mentioned the Indian Food Extravaganza at the Meeting Place on 5th November, but they get another mention because Paul & Joy hosted a small party (with some of Julio's delicious fare for free) in October to mark the departure of Ooey. However it wasn't a sad event because she is moving to set up home with Eileen's friend Micky.

Left Ooey and Micky in the days before they became an item.

 Right the happy couple.