Thread: Nong Bua Daeng - Town week

Nong Bua Daeng is a very 'country' place about 80Km NNW of Chaiyaphum. It is protected from all but the determined traveller by the Phrang Hoei range of hills and is only accessable by a steep mountain pass. Much of it looks like this, with the hills dominating the skyline to the south and east. It is a small but friendly little place, and they know how to have a good time.


There are two bits of dual carriageway, in the town, and for the party, they closed half of one of them. It is Saturday night and the party has been going on for five nights already! Here is some of most of the village.



And that looks like our table. We were lucky to have the local police inspector in our party. Otherwise, we would have had to stand. The area was divided into food places down one side and beer places down the other. Plenty of good food here.



and something for the kids or fat blokes like me.



We settled for a few of this local delicacy. Chilli with a little fish - 18Bht!



Washed down with a few of these. Leo, fortified with a little extra. Extra what, I didn't ask, as the inspector insisted on paying.



Now it was time for the entertainment. We were treated to a local band, 'Sum Song', who were well hammered but looked like they were really having a nice time.




Notice how the pictures are starting to get a little fuzzy. The 'house' lights were playing havoc with my imaging system and the Leo was starting to take hold. Not only that but the loony with the spotlight was so drunk that he actually fell of the structure more than once. Here he is trying to find the stage. "It's behind you".




Ah yes, I remember I said something about dancers. Profesional dancers,




The local Juniors dance team.



Tomorrow we get the Senior dance team and the ladyboys, plus a surprise. I knew that I was well drunk because I took many out of focus pix of dancing policemen and later tried to get in the wrong bed. Fortunately, everyone was in much the same state and we all had a big laugh. However, the shock of finding an amused teenager, tugging at my jimjams and giggling with her hand over her mouth, will remain, in the back of my mind, for some time.

cool, nice photos, anymore? like to elaborate on the tugging on your jim jams part?

What are they celebrating?

Originally Posted by daveboy

What are they celebrating?

I never did find out. Possibly just being alive.

Originally Posted by sunsetter

like to elaborate on the tugging on your jim jams part?

Errr, No!

Originally Posted by Loombucket

Quote: Originally Posted by daveboy What are they celebrating? I never did find out. Possibly just being alive.

Thats fair enough

Here we are again and this is the final day. Food and spiked Leo, as before. This is the senior dance team. Not a patch on the juniors, they were well rehersed and laughing. The seniors looked like they were doing it because they said they would.




Then the profesionals came back and wiggled their way through a selection of hits. I recognised a few by Carabao.




Now this dude, with the Arab type head-dress, seen here talking to one of the organisers, signals the arrival of the ladyboys.




They came on, to a backing track of Superman music, and told a few jokes, or so I'm told. They didn't dance but stood there, batting their eyelids and grinning like fools.



Then there was a brief lull, as the P.A decided that it too needed a beer and stopped working. A lot of people decided to go for a leak, at the same time, and I tried to get a few, in focus, shots of the crowd. Here are the 7/11 step surfers.


Bit dark, I'm afraid, but I was a bit pizzed, again. Now back with a suitably refreshed P.A, the queen of the ladyboys treated us to a little dance, a giggle and an improptu acapella version of 'My Way'. I hope She has a good part time job in something else.



Now for that special treat that I mentioned earlier. The fat ladies of Trang!!! They troop on to another badly recorded soundtrack and the crowd goes wild.



Each one does a twirl and walks up and down the catwalk, with everyone clapping and cheering like mad. I find myself slightly at a loss to understand why, but hey, it's their country.
Now they say it ain't over till the fat lady sings. So here she is, the winner, sorry I didn't catch the name.



A little large for my taste but she did have a beautiful voice.

I don't know what happened on Monday to Friday, but we will definatlely give it a wizz, next year. Next morning, the place was a road again, leaving no trace. Great stuff.

Do you live there Loom?

I was there for a few days a week or so ago. A nice place to chill out for a few days but I would be hard put to keep myself occupied for much more than that - unless you like planting rice of course.

I was surprised by the number of farangs that we saw in the market - being an unsociable sort of cove I didn't actually try to engage anyone in conversation but was intrigued as to how they occupied their time (assuming they were residents of course).