I'm posting this in Bedlam as I don't want more than a couple of dozen scaremongers in open forum pouncing all over it.

A little bit of background first for some that may not know.

Cambodia is only about 3km from my house, in fact the only things between my place and Cambodia are rubber trees and a reservoir. Every Wednesday morning there used to be a small market on the Cambodian side, hundreds of locals used to cross over the border to buy cheap veggies, all they had to do was leave their ID cards at the fence, I used to go to get cheap cigarettes, the first couple of times I had to flash my Passport, but as they got used to my face, they stopped asking for it.

There is a small Army camp there, which I was told they used for training purposes, and it was soldiers that controlled the flow of people, not Immigration.

It has been rumoured for years that there will be a real Immigration point there, but it has only ever been rumours.

The crossing point was closed down last year by the local police, when they discovered Yaba was being smuggled over. One house in my village is now boarded up, location of occupants unknown.

Ok, more up to date.

Sat at my computer yesterday, I heard the 'dub dub dub' sound of an iron buffalo, this happens so frequently that the noise barely registers........ but then it started to get louder, much louder..... I realised what it was and rushed outside, sure enough, a helicopter passed over my house, far too close for my liking..... and then another one.

I thought 'this is odd' I've seen troops taken there in trucks, but they don't get the 'copters out for squadies do they!

Thirty minutes later, when I was back at the computer, a line of trucks went past in the direction of Cambodia full of soldiers, only for them to return about three hours later, still full and closely followed by both helicopters...... 'now, that is really odd' I thought.

Anyway, then the usual stuff, play with the dogs, post some drivel in here until time to go into town.

I can't see the local playing field from my house, but I can after I have driven a few hundred yards. I just had to stop for a quick look, there were stalls erected, groups of soldier performing drills and a few chaps with more medals than you could shake a stick at doing the Thai equivalent of 'pressing the flesh' with the locals..... the cleaner ones obviously.

Anyone have any idea what this could be, it's never happened before in the last three years and has anyone else witnessed any displays of the army looking like they are trying to win a popularity contest recently?

All a good sign - that this didn't happen at the time of the last 'incident' - so probably not an indicative precursor for a repetition?

Cambodia is only about 3km from my house, .........

Anyone have any idea what this could be, it's never happened before in the last three years and has anyone else witnessed any displays of the army looking like they are trying to win a popularity contest recently?

I understand that there have been rumours of a pesky foreigner living near the border and not following the latest edicts on smoking while in bed.

The plan is to recquisition his house and move him to Pattaya.

For that they reckon they'll need at least two army battalions.

At least two.!

Cambodia is only about 3km from my house, .........

Anyone have any idea what this could be, it's never happened before in the last three years and has anyone else witnessed any displays of the army looking like they are trying to win a popularity contest recently?

I understand that there have been rumours of a pesky foreigner living near the border and not following the latest edicts on smoking while in bed.

The plan is to recquisition his house and move him to Pattaya.

For that they reckon they'll need at least two army battalions.

It would take much more than that to get me to move there ..... much much more.

P.S. I never smoke in bed (I have been known to give off steam) but I have burnt holes in the odd couch or two

Could it be the security detail for the next yaba shipment?......just a guess.

chownah

You really are out in the sticks though, Thad - any other farang live nearby? How do you keep yourself occupied?

You really are out in the sticks though, Thad - any other farang live nearby?

Not another westerner within 12km, sometimes that suits me down to the ground.

How do you keep yourself occupied?

A bunch of dogs (NR can tell you how much time that can soak up) taking care of the house, this place (I would go crazy without the internet) and I'm writing a book.

You really are out in the sticks though, Thad - any other farang live nearby?

Not another westerner within 12km, sometimes that suits me down to the ground.

How do you keep yourself occupied?

A bunch of dogs (NR can tell you how much time that can soak up) taking care of the house, this place (I would go crazy without the internet) and I'm writing a book.

You don't need to write a book!!!!!......there's a library in town that is full of them!!!....you can borrow one there!!!!

What's it about?

Chownah

What's it about?

My favourite subject........ Me.

I checked the local library and they didn't have any books about me, so I thought I would write my own

Thaddie what a fascinating subject.What's the title? No,let me guess it's 'All About Me'. Seriously though if you're bored and some sort of army stuff is going on don't be daft and run out taking photos.

What's the title? No,let me guess it's 'All About Me'.

Unfortunately it's already been done.

http://www.amazon.com/All-About-Me-Philipp...l/dp/076790205X

I don't know if there is one called "All about Thaddeus" though

Anyone have any idea what this could be, it's never happened before in the last three years and has anyone else witnessed any displays of the army looking like they are trying to win a popularity contest recently?

Nope - obviously no-one had any idea.

They still around, or moved on to other pastures?

They have moved on HB, only after a few hours and not back to the camp close to Cambodia, they just went.

Well, it gets them out of the house camp, doesn't it?

Or maybe they spotted some Cambodians armed with pointed sticks and decided to leg it

I'm posting this in Bedlam as I don't want more than a couple of dozen scaremongers in open forum pouncing all over it.

A little bit of background first for some that may not know.

................................................... I just had to stop for a quick look, there were stalls erected, groups of soldier performing drills and a few chaps with more medals than you could shake a stick at ..........................

Why would anybody want to shake a stick at a bunch of medals, Thaddy?

Do I have to wait for your book to come out or will you tell us here?

Wasn't it the Cambodian villagers who were shaking the sticks? Maybe it's a Khmer thing - a warding off of the evil men with the medals.

Here's the book title. Taddy - the truth!

I'm posting this in Bedlam as I don't want more than a couple of dozen scaremongers in open forum pouncing all over it.

A little bit of background first for some that may not know.

................................................... I just had to stop for a quick look, there were stalls erected, groups of soldier performing drills and a few chaps with more medals than you could shake a stick at ..........................

Why would anybody want to shake a stick at a bunch of medals, Thaddy?

Don't get silly klown friend.... forget the book, that is my concern for mainly my personal pleasure, if I finish it, great, if I don't, never mind, at the moment it is only a distraction.

What wasn't a distraction was a few hours ago was , I rounded the first corner out of the village only to see around twenty well armed camouflaged men (I use the term men loosely) herding a group of teenagers, rifles at the ready, they viewed me with a look of disdain as I drove through them...... they didn't look like they knew what they were doing or didn't have a clue why they were there.... but they were there.

I don't get this at all. a couple of days ago they were doing the 'we are the good guys' routine.... and now.... never mind, as Mum used to say .... it'll all come out in the wash.