Malaeng Mao flying termites

Malaeng Mao flying termites

Some time of the year, large numbers of winged insects fly to bright lights at night. My most recent encounter (22feb2019 in Mahasarakham) was not related to rainy season or to rain. Two other encounters were in Bangkok (Ladprao Soi 130 and Soi Sribampen), so it's not restricted to rural areas. 

Number of insects attracted varies greatly from one lamp to another. An hour later, it can be over and nothing left.
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When they touch ground or other surface, they shed their wings and crawl. I made the mistake of walking underneath a swarm, and then then many on my clothes. The last I got rid of an hour later.
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Video (5 s, 21.7 MB):
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Language note: 
แมลงเม่า má-laeng mâo  translates as "insect [with the name] mao" and has nothing to do with 
เมา mao [to be] drunk; inebriated or 
เหมา măo [to] hire; rent; charter
(from https://www.thai2english.com/search?q=mao)

Further reading:
After the Rainfall – Thailand’s Mang Mao Insects
http://www.thaisabai.org/2013/08/after-rainfall-thailands-mang-mao-insects/
Fatal Attraction  THAILAND’S  UNIQUE “MALAENG MAO” 
https://islandinfokohsamui.com/2015/08/13/malaeng-mao-fatal-attraction/
Flying insects which drop their wings
https://forum.thaivisa.com/topic/824464-flying-insects-which-drop-their-wings/ 

Copyright 2019 ChristianPFC

Opposites: fat and slim rodents

Opposites: fat and slim rodents

"Rodents" to cover, in order of appearance: rat, mouse, shrew.

A friend sent me a link to  
Fat rat stuck in manhole rescued by firefighters in Germany https://www.theguardian.com/world/2019/feb/27/fat-rat-stuck-in-manhole-rescued-by-firefighters-in-germany.

source: screenshot from above link

And I thought: I recently saw the opposite:  
How small a hole can a mouse get through? Experiments. 
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iGXYZwZEZa0&t=9s

Shrew squeezes through 16.5 mm hole, epic struggle  
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ifCgW1Q_rto

source: screenshot from above link 

That's how I feel when I go through the bars of the "slim-up room" in 39 underground sauna (a room that only people who manage to squeeze through the metal bars can enter). 

No copyright claimed 2019 ChristianPFC

Scooting dogs

Scooting dogs

Beside the miracle of canine reproduction http://christianpfc.blogspot.com/2014/01/joined-at-hip.html,
I observed scooting dogs and a friend sent me a video of a wanking dog.

https://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=Scooting
Scooting When a dog sits and pulls itself around with its front legs in an effort to scratch an itchy butt hole. It's an act that is often unexpected and hilarious (if it's not on your rug.)

Circular scooting dog:

This looks more like it is sliding for for fun and not linear scooting: 

from: https://www.facebook.com/bulldogsbroficial/videos/282091538966062/

Wanking dog:

from: sent by a friend on Line

And more funny dog videos: 

 from: https://www.facebook.com/thedodosite/videos/1336482969819708/

from: https://www.facebook.com/uniladmag/videos/3321301431226226/

No animals were harmed for making this post except for the chicken and pork the author consumed.

Copyright 2017 ChristianPFC except videos with links

Money trees and origami

Money trees and origami

Collection of money for temples is often done in form of money trees:

The late Rush of Banbkokbois has written about this custom:
http://bangkokbois.sawatdeenetwork.com/2013/06/03/in-thailand-money-really-does-grow-on-trees/ and there is nothing I could add.

But use of money for decoration goes further than just money trees or strings.

source: internet

Fish made of 5 x 20 THB notes, hang it on your car's rear mirror for good luck.

Money cakes:

from: facebook

from: https://twitter.com/StickboyBangkok/status/836083798194282496

I have a book "Money Flower" with instructions on folding:

or  follow tutorials like this:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mpctx3ZqEMw
 

from: internet

Copyright 2017 ChristianPFC except external pictures

Incredible edible

Incredible edible

A pictured list of things that are eaten in SEAasia that we would not eat in the West. Most of them I tried.

Various insects 
I have tried most of them. Bamboo worm delicious, all other ok, fully acceptable as food for me. Eating cockroaches is an urban myth, I have not found a reliable source.

Here a stall that has them all with their Thai name:

Fried spiders in Cambodia
On my first trip in Cambodia (Jul 2014), I saw these fried spiders on a stop halfway between Phnom Penh and Siem Reap. At that time I didn't have the courage, and after I never saw them again. (But ask a local in Jun 2017: one dollar per piece, he has eaten it recently.)

Fried scorpion 
On sale in Khao San and other touristy places, but I have never seen it elsewhere, so it might be a gimmick and the locals lough about the stupid tourist. 

Unhatched chicken
I have only my memories and one poor quality picture (unhatched chicken on the left, bamboo worm on the right) I took in 2010. After that, I haven't seen them again. Beak and bones are so soft, you barely notice when eating. Seems to be widely available elsewhere: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Balut_(food).

Chicken ass  
I wrote about chicken ass here: http://christianpfc.blogspot.com/2014/10/oh-my-god-11-chicken-ass.html. Eating it was just by chance, I didn't know what exactly I was eating until I found out much later.

Chicken feet
No sorry, I won't get that on my plate. 

Fried rat 
I was in a hurry, so I took only pictures but didn't try. (Wat Muang in Ang Thong)

Variations of frog
Raw frog at Klong Toey market:

I had frog in various forms (dried salted in Thailand, and fried in Malaysia 2010 and in Myanmar 2017), all fine for me. 

Fermented Sala Loy Gaeow and guava juice 
Sala Loy Gaew สละลอยเก้ว is delicious. Those I bought quickly (within 2 days) started to ferment, the plastic bulging and in one case the lid coming off with a bang from the pressure by carbon dioxide formed. Everyone else would probably just discard it, but I made a sensory test: smells good, and a small sample tastes good, and found the fermented is even more delicious than the original.

I forgot an opened bottle of guava juice before a trip, and when I came it was bloated and evolved gas upon opening, but still ok to drink.

Left: bloated plastic cans (usually they come with a label on the lid; contents 200 g for 40 THB or 3 cans for 100), right glass (Tops Silom Complex, 680 g for 115 THB). In glass did not ferment.

Papaya seeds
I read somewhere [citation below] that large amounts of papaya seeds are unhealthy, whereas elsewhere [citation below] multiple health benefits are claimed. I have to try myself: eating up to 1 kg of papaya including seeds per week for a month did not have any ill effect on me. They have a spicy taste similar to capers or nasturtium (the entire plant is edible!) or orange lily flowers or mustard, which I all like.

Side Effects Of Eating Too Much Papaya Seeds  https://www.boldsky.com/health/wellness/2015/side-effects-of-eating-too-much-papaya-seeds-94321.html
Health Benefits of Papaya Seeds: To Fight Cancer, Healthy Digestion and to Detoxify Your Body
http://www.1mhealthtips.com/health-benefits-of-papaya-seeds-to-fight-cancer-healthy-digestion-and-to-detoxify-your-body/  

See here as well: 
http://www.gaythailand.com/forums/topic/5626-gross-things-to-eat-in-thailand/

Copyright 2017 ChristianPFC

Airplane construction kit in Pattaya on hwy 7

Airplane construction kit in Pattaya on hwy 7

There is a disassembled airplane about 150 m north of highway 7 (Chonburi - Pattaya) at km 121.3, easily visible from the highway (is on google street view Aug 2016, but not on satellite view).
12.952723,100.946730 = 12.952723, 100.946730
Less than 1 km by air from Million Years Stone Park.







Part of it are used as shelter or living areas. And the moment I concluded the line of thought: "if there is someone living here, there must be dogs around" I heard the dog growling. Fortunately it was not a vicious dog, and I'm not afraid of dogs, and I had gathered all material I need for a post, so I made a slow retreat.


 
Aerial pictures by a friend's drone:





Update 7mar2022: It seems this airplane was assembled to become Runway 88 International Street Food Plaza in North Pattaya (where NAB Men Club used to be). I can't match any of the markings on the construction kit with the assembled, however there are white spaces on the assembled. Google Earth matches: Nov2020 construction kit is there, North Pattaya is empty; Jan2021 construction kit is gone, airplane is in North Pattaya.

Copyright 2017-2022 ChristianPFC

First World problems

First World problems

Cold feet
When I told a friend in Germany that I suffer cold feet throughout my stay in Germany, and in Thailand my feet temperature is just ok*, he replied that this is a first world problem. That gave me the inspiration for this post.

Not just cold feet. When I travel by air-conditioned bus or train or go to a cinema in Thailand, I have to wear long trousers and shirts, and in bus or train for overnight wear socks.

*For sex, I either have to keep my feet wrapped in duvet/comforter which restricts movement, or better wear socks as not to go get cold feet when they are exposed to the air.

Distributing kinds of cheese on toast
When having dinner with above friend at his place, I had 4 slices of toast, but there were only 3 different kinds of cheese. How to evenly distribute 3 kinds of cheese on 4 slices of toast? This left me paralyzed for some minutes, then I decided to put the cheese I had on the first slice on the 4th slice, for lack of better idea. My readers might come up with better ideas. 

I bring several kg of various cheese from Germany to Thailand, and have to evenly distribute this over my stay. I have an elaborate scheme that involves higher mathematics how to do this. 

How to break Milka Schoko und Keks
One of the chocolate I bring from Germany is Milka Schoko und Keks. 

In Thailand, I store it in the refrigerator (important detail that I missed until now!) and when I try to break it along the grooves in the chocolate, it breaks everywhere and the chocolate becomes detached from the cookie. Horrible!

Search on the internet didn't give a solution (it even seems this problem is unknown to the rest of the world). But when I left the chocolate in my room to warm up before taking above picture, it suddenly broke along the grooves! Problem solved: warm it up before breaking!

Butter crisis
Butter in Germany is much cheaper than in Thailand:
Germany 250 g for 1.19 EUR = 4.76 EUR/kg = 181 THB/kg
Thailand 227g for 82 THB = 361 THB/kg. Same for cheese. So I buy enough butter and cheese to last the entire trip to Thailand, up to 6 months. But on one trip to Thailand I underestimated my consumption of butter and had to buy butter in Thailand, which gave me sleepless nights agonizing over the extra money I have to spend.

Travel with 15 suitcases 
Fortunately not my problem, I travel light, but a poster on gaythailand.com wrote about the difficulties of traveling with 15 (?) suitcases. 

Erectile dysfunction and balding versus Malaria
Much more money is spent for research for medicine against erectile dysfunction and balding than for research on Malaria.

Breastfeeding rooms
In Taipei subway stations, I saw breastfeeding rooms. On the songtheo from Mae Sot to Umphang, the women sitting opposite me breastfed her baby on the songtheo.

Muslim prayer rooms
And in Hua Lampong railway station (and in Paris Orly airport and probably many other places) there is a Muslim prayer room:

Why is public money and space spent on Muslim prayer rooms in non-Muslim countries like Thailand and France?

What drink to order in a bar
When going to several bars in one night, and being an anti-alcoholic, orange juice quickly becomes boring. Details here:
http://christianpfc.blogspot.com/2017/06/pattaya-may-2017.html
Nice Boys 20:17-21:06. Orange juice oj 150 THB (I wanted pineapply juice pj, but I rarely get it – as a change from orange juice, I ask for pineapple juice first and either “no have” or they misunderstand and serve me apple juice aj instead - a first world problem).
Shampoo
In a hotel I was staying there was a shampoo "Damage Repair Conditioner for critically damaged hair". I have heard of critically endangered species, and patients in critical conditions, but "critically damaged hair" is new to me. 

A joke from internet fits in here (my translation):
Shampoo for women: for brittle, curly, middle-short, blond hair.
Shampoo for men: 200 in 1! For hair, body, car and dish washing.

And elsewhere (Latitudes 2017 June July p53) "Realizing the ravages of many cosmetics on his customers' hair..." Dresden, Hiroshima and Nagasaki were ravaged by allied bombings, but ravaged hair?

Copyright 2017 ChristianPFC

Bangkok buildings that look like things

Bangkok buildings that look like things

Elephant tower
13.825393, 100.568312 = 13°49'31.4"N 100°34'05.9"E 
(Phahon Yothin Soi 26, Phahon Yothin / Ratchadaphisek intersection)

Robot Building
13.720375, 100.526903 = 13°43'13.3"N 100°31'36.9"E
(Sathorn Soi 9, Sathorn / Narathiwat Ratchanakarin intersection)

The building opposite Malaysia hotel (picture taken from Malaysia roof across parking lot) looks like a robot face:

Viva Garden Serviced Residence (looks like a bird)
13.698200,100.603975 = 13°41'53.5"N 100°36'14.3"E
(Sukhumvit between Soi 60 and 60/1, near BTS Bang Chak) 

(the only picture I have, poor quality taken out of passing vehicle, will take a better some day when I'm there on foot)

The Nation Newspaper (looks like a bird)
13.663553, 100.651715 = 13°39'48.8"N 100°39'06.2"E
(Bangna-Trat Road between Soi 56 and 58)

The Royal Navin Tower (is supposed to look like a ship)
13.715076, 100.553185 = 13°42'54.3"N 100°33'11.5"E 
(Chuea Phloeng road near Rama 3 Soi 79)

Diamond Tower (looks like a pyramid)
13.724753, 100.529551 = 13°43'29.1"N 100°31'46.4"E
(Narathiwat Ratchanakarin, between Silom and Sathorn)

Bangkok City Hall Din Daeng (looks like a crystal)
13.770052, 100.555273 = 13°46'12.2"N 100°33'19.0"E
Aerial picture by a friend's drone. No good view from ground level, but when you know it's there, you can see it from elevated tollway.

G Tower (looks like letter G)  
13.756870, 100.565604 = 13°45'24.7"N 100°33'56.2"E

the Pearl Bangkok

(Ratchadaphisek / Rama 9 / Din Daeng intersection, near MRT Rama 9) Aerial picture by a friend's drone. This is the only angle where you can see it unobstructed (from above Fortune Town).

The Pearl Bangkok (looks like a cucumber or penis)
13.777867,100.543405 = 13°46'40.3"N 100°32'36.3"E
(Phahon Yothin Soi 5, near BTS Ari)   
Aerial picture by a friend's drone. I'm not the only one who thinks it looks like a penis. It even has balls! http://bk.asia-city.com/city-living/news/pearl-bangkok-tower-penis-buildings-around-world

In Pattaya, there is Waterfront Pattaya that looks like a giraffe to me. (Pattaya 3rd road, near Bali Hai pier)
12.924783, 100.866129 = 12°55'29.2"N 100°51'58.1"E

 

update 19aug2020: https://thesmartlocal.com/thailand/unique-buildings-bangkok/

Copyright 2017 ChristianPFC

Trees on chedis

Trees on chedis

Ayutthaya Wat Phra Ngam วัดพระงาม
14.354171, 100.545884 = 14°21'15.0"N 100°32'45.2"E
Notice how symmetrical the tree grows on top of the chedi:









Ayutthaya Wat Na Phramen วัดหน้าพระเมรุ
14.363015,100.558468 = 14°21'46.9"N 100°33'30.5"E
Only 3 km by air from previous tree!





And it has a Buddha head grown in (that one was probably planted, I have never a seen a Buddha head on a chedi before):



the tree in front of the wat has some brickwork underneath as well:



Kanchanaburi Wat Nong Pling วัดหนองปลิง
14.293712,99.807010 = 14°17'37.4"N 99°48'25.2"E

Only due to unusual conical shape of trunk did I suspect a chedi under the tree, and then from the other side saw some bricks:





When I saw the tree on chedi in Wat Phra Ngam, I thought of
Baobab tree in The Little Prince
asteroid 325, but people on Earth call it asteroid B-612


from: http://www.thelittleprince.com/The-Little-Prince-has-been-taking-care-of-his-planet-since-1942/

update 23sep2017: 
chedi/tree 22sep2017 Wat Pho Bang O วัดโพธิ์ บางโอ
13°48'34.1"N 100°28'20.0"E 13.809458, 100.472213

update 7nov2017: Sri Satchanalai historical park
https://www.bloggang.com/m/mainblog.php?id=noirathsub&month=22-08-2017&group=4&gblog=310  
Singhburi Wat Phra Kaew (Chedi Klang Thung) (Wat Chedi Klang Thung) วัดพระแก้ว(เจดีย์กลางทุ่ง) (วัดเจดีย์กลางทุ่ง)

Copyright 2017 ChristianPFC except little prince picture