bannork

Yes, deaths in the village are a common occurrence, logical really as the village is where most old folks are. They used to say you couldn't work the day someone died but that rule seems to be overlooked these days. A couple of days ago, the brother -in-law told me Sai, who had three cows in a shed two houses down across the road from us, had passed away. The village headman had announced it that morning. Sai was in his mid 60s, slim, he had looked healthy, 'Just goes to show,' I thought gloomily, 'Someone looks fine the night before and the next morning, they're dead. We never know when our time is up.' Riding the motorbike back to the village for breakfast, I expected to see the usual tent and chairs already in place outside his house to welcome the relatives, mourners and drinkers. But there was nothing, rather Sai himself was cleaning out his cattle shed as usual! Thais have ghosts that exist in the day, some believe the dead person doesn't realise for three days that they're dead. I thought of challenging Sai. 'Come on, the game is up. No need to clean the shed, better to move on up, there's probably lao khao on tap 24 hours a day where you're going.' But he looked very real, and being a somewhat stern man who might take umbrage at questions about his reality, I decided to ask the greengrocer instead 'Sai? Yes, he died last night. But not the Sai with cows, rather the Sai whose daughter runs a grocery store in the next soi.' The brother-in-law has never been good at surnames.

Sadly the UK is the sad loser these days with the longest recession on record about to begin https://www.cnbc.com/2022/11/03/bank-of-england-uk-faces-longest-ever-recession.html

Yes, the misguided 37% of the electorate who voted for Brexit, not a majority of the electorate, note. Anyway, some current news as to London losing its position as top financial centre in Europe. Brexit a contributing factor https://www.bbc.com/news/business-63623502

Draws can often be very exciting as everyone knows just one goal will decide it. It's the quality of play that determines the entertainment value of a game and the beauty of football is all you need is a ball. No need to put on helmets or shoulder pads.

UK car industry in decline since Brexit.

The government's Office for Budget Responsibility sticks to its original forecast of a slash of 4% off the UK GDP due to Brexit . https://www.ft.com/content/7a209a34-7d95-47aa-91b0-bf02d4214764

The ???? won't be crowing this morning. Back to the usual dreary side and back passing that England excel at. The overpaid and overhyped mediocrities will soon be on a flight back.

Owl, have you heard of Leigh Gallagher? He's a very keen fisherman in Kampaeng Phet. https://www.facebook.com/leigh.gallagher.332?mibextid=ZbWKwL Sad to see Wales lose 2-0 but glad to see the Iranian protesters of their murderous regime won. England at 2.00 am? Nah, too early but I'll set the alarm for three to watch the second half, then have an early breakfast and head to the farm for some watering. We've been unlucky, I had to go to Udon today expansive puddles in Na Kha and Nong Mel but nothing in Ban Dung

So how much does NATO encircle Russia?

Kyiv residents telling Putin where to go

The toxic Putin is becoming more and more isolated.

Depressing stuff

Hapless cannon fodder.

Never mind a leaky defence so long as they put the ball in the back of the net at the other end. It's entertaining, skillful football I want to see: dribbling ( no spitting though), good ball control, great passing and deadly finishing. That's what we got against Iran Such a contrast to so many dreary games over the last 30 odd years. Listening to the Iranian captain expressing his support for the protesters back home and seeing some horrific videos of unarmed protesters gunned down by police, in contrast a video today where the riot police joined the protesters, made me wish we hadn't beaten them. In fact I hope Iran win the cup. Finally, Rooster, do you think you could use your undoubted influence with the website's managers and include an article about the situation in Iran in the Foreign News section? It would be much appreciated. Forward boys, never look back!

Irresistible on your feet music

This is worth watching. Some sane voices in the asylum.

The red tape is all our own doing/ stupidity. We intentionally became a third country, thereby knocking 4% off our GDP. The world's largest trading bloc on our doorstep and we leave it! You couldn't make this stuff up.

Are you watching the footy live on TV, Owl? 3-0 up against the terrorist regime at half time .

Amazing his microphone didn't suddenly malfunction.

Happy Birthday to the thread, Owl. You've done a great job keeping it going, the variety of material: village life, the farm, Thai family and neighbours, gadgets, home inventions, <deleted> football teams, there's something in there for almost everyone. Thinking about Thai family, my late wife's older sister is amazing. She's bringing up four grandchildren as well as helping her husband every day in the fields, whether it's taking care of the cows, planting/ harvesting rice, growing vegetables, she hardly has any time of her own yet there's always a smile on her face I take my hat off to her. Thinking about animals, the ubiquitous presence of chickens upcountry and their constant search for food makes you realise how walking and scratching the ground is instinctive to them. How people can keep battery hens cooped up, only able to turn their heads in a cage is beyond me. They may argue it's the only way to provide chickens for the masses, you can hardly have chickens roaming free range all over the cities, but it's imposed suffering and as such is inexcusable.

Desperate days for the conscripts and their families. https://edition.cnn.com/2022/11/17/europe/russia-soldiers-desert-battlefield-intl-cmd/index.html

Leave him in a cell with bars and his shoe laces. Explain to him there is only one meal a week due to cutbacks. Through their barbarism, some people forfeit the right to live