Last week I went down to Banglamphoo to eat fish and chips with Austin Bush, of RealThai fame. Check out his excellent description and pics. In the image above, I’m getting down to business with some fried snapper.
Last Sunday night A and I had the good fortune to attend the final of the biennial ASEAN football championship between Thailand and Singapore here at Bangkok’s Supachalasai Stadium. And our perspective was unique: we were in the media gallery down at pitch level, just behind the goal.
The sound of 40,000 Thai supporters cheering on their side (pictured above) was overwhelming. Sadly, Thailand lost by an aggregate score of 3-2 in a here-and-away match; the first leg, in Singapore, was marred by a refereeing controversy that caused the Thai squad to walk off the field for 15 minutes in protest. On Sunday evening, Thailand scored a goal in the first half, drawing even on aggregate, but then Singapore pulled one back late in the game to defend their crown.
Here was the vantage from the field.
The atmosphere was festive; this supporter’s costume featured a tank — a humorous reference to the September military coup.
More fans.
The crowd at halftime, as seen from the pitch.
A interviewed some Singapore supporters.
And so did PJ Roberts, of the ESPN Star Sports highlights show Nokia Football Crazy.
The Singapore squad was presented with the trophy amid a burst of confetti.
Though the match was hard-fought and tempers flared on the field at times, the Thai supporters treated the small contingent of Singapore fans with respect and generally lost gracefully.
![Fireworks, Comet, Lightning [image by Antti Kemppainen]](http://farm1.static.flickr.com/97/382489729_20bc823adb_m.jpg)
A remarkable image snapped by Antti Kemppainen. Click on the pic for a bigger version. Via Astronomy Picture of the Day:
Explanation: Sometimes the sky itself is the best show in town. On January 26, people from Perth, Australia gathered on a local beach to watch a sky light up with delights near and far. Nearby, fireworks exploded as part of Australia Day celebrations. On the far right, lightning from a thunderstorm flashed in the distance. Near the image center, though, seen through clouds, was the most unusual sight of all: Comet McNaught. The photogenic comet was so bright that it even remained visible though the din of Earthly flashes. Comet McNaught continues to move out from the Sun and dim, but should remain visible in southern skies with binoculars through the end of this month. The above image is actually a three photograph panorama digitally processed to reduce red reflections from the exploding firework.
While the fireworks, comet, and lightning are all stunning, perhaps my favorite part of this image is the sense of expectancy and emotion that’s conveyed by the sight of all the folks gathered on the beach, gazing up at the sky.
Categories
Austin’s Bird Nest Gathering Expedition
![Southern Thailand [not my image]](http://farm1.static.flickr.com/141/380106212_b17edf0926_m.jpg)
My pal Austin — who you’ll remember from our street food expedition last month — has just posted some spectacular images from another adventure: he accompanied photographer Eric Valli on a journey gathering bird nests inside caves in southern Thailand. Don’t miss it.
Categories
Pete Doherty: Off the Rails in Phuket
![Pete Doherty [Not My Image]](http://farm1.static.flickr.com/153/376575710_00cbbe213f_m.jpg)
I’ve got another post over at Gridskipper. The subject: rocker Pete Doherty’s recent shenanigans down in Phuket.
Categories
Propaganda: Thai-Style Design Store
![Salt and Pepper Shaker from Propaganda, a Bangkok Design Store [Not My Image]](http://farm1.static.flickr.com/149/375148168_652b5bece8_m.jpg)
![Kazahkstan 52, Thailand 1 [Not My Image]](http://farm1.static.flickr.com/188/375107092_33d6f9033b_m.jpg)
Changchun, China — Kazakhstan scored 52 goals against Thailand in Asian Winter Games hockey competition yesterday, but the goal that brought the most cheers came from the outgunned Thais.
The Asian hockey little guys went into the game knowing they were going to lose to tournament favourite Kazakhstan, but an opportune goal seven minutes into the third period was celebration enough in the 52-1 loss.
The hero was forward Arthit Thamwongsin…who jumped on a rebound off the boards to slam a shot past Kazakhstani goaltender Sergey Ogureshnikov.
Up to that point, the highlight for the Thais had been when defenceman Teranai Harnnarujchai bodychecked one of the linesmen.
(Emphasis mine. You know your hockey team is doing poorly when a routine defensive play is considered a “highlight.”)
Categories
“Warm Whiskers” Eye Pillows
God help us.
The Warm Whiskers freezable or heatable eye pillows help reduce eye puffiness and strain, headaches, facial tension and sinus pressure. Each animal is filled with relaxing lavender and chamomile.
Send this cuddly friend to bed with your little one or enjoy the therapeutic and aromatic warmth yourself.
(Via.)
Categories
Visit Machu Picchu in…Nepal?
Ecuador’s first female defense minister was killed on Wednesday after only nine days in office in a mid-air collision of two helicopters, government and military officials said.
The accident in the Andean nation further rocks the leftist government of President Rafael Correa, who has clashed with Congress over his executive powers and prompted street protests since taking office along with his ministers on January 15.
Minister Guadalupe Larriva, a former teacher and senior official of a socialist political party supporting Correa, died in the crash in a Pacific coastal province east of Quito, presidential spokeswoman Monica Chuji said.
Correa wanted Larriva, one of only a few civilians to lead Ecuador’s 176-year-old military, to control an institution that has played a part in the ouster of three presidents in the last decade by publicly withdrawing its support as street protests erupted.
Larriva, one of the most popular members of the Cabinet, had promised to strengthen presidential control of military ranks, improve salaries for the armed forces and make the promotions system more transparent.
U.S. firemen stationed at an air base at the port city of Manta rushed to the scene of the crash, a U.S. Embassy spokesman said.
(Emphasis mine.)
Note: In his presidential campaign, Correa vowed not to renew the US’s lease on the facility, which is set to expire in 2009.
Related: More on Ecuador’s new president.