Chinese New Year 2010

Today is Chinese new year, a big deal in Thailand where everyone seems to have Chinese blood in the family. The Missus's maternal grandfather is the China-link in the family, so I'm told.

For our little circle, Chinese New Year meant a visit to the local temple, noisey firecrackers (with subsequent tears from a 15 month old), a lot of delicious food and said 15 month old dressed in Chinese robes for large parts of the day.

That's two new years done, one more to go - Songkran, Thai New Year, runs 13-15 April. This year I'll be posting lots more photos and a write-up. I don't think I managed anything in 2009, was too busy having fun and water fighting.

Teaching in Thailand

Teaching is an incredibly popular profession for expats out in Thailand while many travels often opt to teach in Thailand in order to prolong their stay (with a visa) and make some money in the country.

[Image via thai-blogs.com]

While there is a lot of information about how to get into teaching or what to expect there are precious few warts 'n' all accounts of what teaching is like.

Until now that is.

On The Lam: Escape From Thailand is one of those blogs which you stumble upon all too infrequently.

Witty, sarcastic, self-depreciating and unashamedly honest, it is all about 'Loki', a teacher in Thailand for whom "two years teaching in Thailand has deteriorated my work ethic and steeled my resolve to escape".

It is thoroughly worthy of a read, better yet a RSS subscription, for anyone in Thailand, particularly those that teach or are considering doing so.

Queen's Cup football coming to Saraburi

Thailand's Queen's Cup football competition is coming to Saraburi next week with six matches taking place at the Osotspa Saraburi stadium.

[Click to enlarge fixtures list]

The matches are being promoted around the stadium (in Thai) but there's no mention around town (details confirmed in English at the ever reliable Thai Football News blog) so it will be interesting to see how many turn out. Presumably the Sunday games will get the largest audience.

I'm planning to take in all the games, meaning a footie report might finally make it to the blog...can sense Martyn's excitement already.

There is no real parallel for the Queen's Cup back in England, it appears to be hosted by the clubs themselves, Chonburi this year, with competition on a invitation basis only.

This year's is the 34th competition (according to Wikipedia) which sees 12 teams battle it out in four knock-out groups hosted in Rayong, Chonburi, Pattaya and Saraburi: congrats to Thai Port, Samut Songkhram and Army (and home team Osotspa Saraburi, of course) all of whom miss out on a trip to the cost in favour of the glamour of Saraburi. Or not.

More to details to follow.

Graffiti

It's not a glamorous picture but one I think is significant nevertheless.

So why did I snap a picture of the dirty pavement whilst cycling home?

For the word written on the ground. It reads ควย pronounced "kwai" (literally K-W-Y, pronouncing the first consonant in full) meaning buffalo in Thai.

Why on earth would someone write buffalo on the pavement? In the UK, it would be a little crazy but in Thailand there is an explanation.

Thailand hasn't developed anything like the range of swear words which the English-speaking West has. One of the rudest things you can call someone im Thai is buffalo...it really is an offensive term which will certainly not raise a smile.

So the graffiti, if we can call it so, is a rude word.

Funny to think that in writing buffalo someone out there did something rather naughty - hardly compares to what you find in London.

Now you can insult like a Thai though I don't condone doing so - you've been warned.

A new arrival in the family

This blog isn't dead, it is just getting used to sharing the attention with another member of the family.

Once all settles down Jonny Foreigner will back to normal again, for now he's hugging his tear-soaked pillow tightly, reflecting the days as an only-child blog.

Social media blogging has been a twinkle in my eye for a while.

Last month I began with a few entries on Posterous (a site well worth looking at if you're considering blogging, or expanding the family) and after things began turning out quite well the Posterous sprog grew into the new addition to the blogging family, this social media blog.

The folks at Asian Correspondent have taken an interest in supporting my young new thing too, certainly a welcome boost.

So if you're interested in Facebook, Twitter, Hi5, keeping tabs on regular internet and technology news in Thailand, or just wondering why this blog has suffered with few updates - head over to www.jonathan-russell.com for a peak at the newborn.

You're welcome any time.

In the meantime, I'll get back to consoling poor little Jonny.