Not sure if it is in the above picture but the text on the facebook post had that this event was the Stainless Steel Boat Race (แข่งเรือสแตนเลส) at Ban Phai Kon Din, Suphanburi (บ้านไผ่กอนดิน สุพรรณบุรี) taking place on the 14th of December. It also said it was the last racing event of 2025.
I found a Ban Phai Kon Din in the province of Suphanburi and rode up to the city of Suphanburi on the 13th and booked a hotel for 2 nights. The following morning I rode out to the pin on my map that was Ban Phai Kon Din. I did not see anything that looked like boat racing at the spot of my pin. I rode around a bit and did not seem to find anything that look like a crowd of people to watch a race so I stop and decide I would try to ask about it. I had the above picture on my phone and walked up to a food stand and said in my best Thai "Hello, Do you know where this is" and pointed at the picture.
I am used to the faces of fear on peoples faces when they see this big ugly foreigner approach but the faces changed as soon as the Thai hello came out of my mouth and smiles appeared on their faces. One lady took my phone and seemed to know where I wanted to go. I did not understand much of the conversation that took place between these 3 ladies but I understood it was somewhere close to a temple but never did understand the name of the temple and then one lady said something that I understood as I go you follow me even though I do not know the word for follow.
She hopped on a motorbike and lead me a few kilometer away to a place I could see the crowd and somewhere I never would have found without the help. She stopped and pointed to the crowd and I think said there. I said thank you very much and asked if I could give her a little money and she accepted the 100 baht (about $3) from me.
I found a place to park and got out my chair and umbrella and sat down and waited for the races to start. While waiting a couple of people came along that seemed to be taking a video and sort of interviewed me. Following is the picture that was posted on facebook later of the interview.
This is the guy that I follow on facebook at DJKai Livestream that provides the info on the races. We talked with a little bit of English and a little bit of Thai and a lot of me saying I don't understand. If you want to watch me make a fool of myself it is in the following facebook video at about 26:50.
It did not seem to be a good day for racing with a lot of wind and I think they delayed the racing in hopes that the wind would die down but it never really did. They did do some racing but think there would have been a lot more if the weather was better but still an interesting day.
Following is the short I uploaded while sitting at the races and drinking a beer.
Following is the video I uploaded after returning home.
No comments:
Post a Comment