Sonkgran at The Temple

Things got very interesting yesterday after I updated my blog. I happened to walk behind the restaurant to use the bathroom and there were mats on the ground with about a dozen people playing some kind of game. I walked over and realized they were gambling. Small stakes fun. They had a plastic mat with different symbols like a "chicken" a "fish" and 4 others. If you want to bet you put your money on one of the animals or between animals to split your be. There are 3 dice with pictures of the animals on each side and they toss them under a cover and they are not revealed until the money is bet. They wanted me to play but I told them I would just watch. Later when Phai joined me I got brave. I put 20 Baht on one animal and I doubled it to 40. waited a couple of turns and played again and won another 20 Baht. I then lost 20 Baht but on my last bet I put 20 Baht on the Chicken and all three dice came up chicken so I won again and had quadrupled my money to 80 Baht. They teased me and said it was time for me to go to bed. They actually loved having me play. Since it was now midnight and I am used to a 9 PM bedtime I did got to bed a winner. 

Now here is the amazing part. When I got up this morning at 6:30 am and walked past they were still playing, mostly the same people. They left shortly after so I assume they are sleeping all day because there were a lot of empty beer and whisky bottles on the ground. the only legal gambling in Thailand is the National Lottery so I didn't think they would want me photographing them. Speaking of Gambling, I found out the Roosters that my Step Son was tacking out to the farm were to train them for Cock Fighting. Thais love betting on anything from Cockfighting to Muay Thai boxing even if gambling is illegal.

Walked to the local Temple today and most of the village was there. Check the "Temple" photo album I added today. There was a lot of chanting and offering of food to the Monks. Afterword Phai and her sister placed candles and food and flowers at the spot their fathers ashes are interred. There are no graveyards here. Buddhist are cremated and their status and wealth determine where at the temple there ashes are interred.

 

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Ning's  Amazing Thai Soup Above


A man stopped in front of the restaurant in his Jeep. He was driving the kids around throwing water out the back He was so happy I took an interest in his Jeep and told me all about in thai. The only thing I understood is that it came from Japan and has power steering.

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