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Day 13, Friday 30 November
Leelavadee Resort……..On the eve of Katoon’s birthday there is but one priority today and that’s to cut the distance to Kalasin where we will meet up with Mayye to arrange a party tomorrow. The distance is about 200 kilometers, an easy days’ drive but whether we stopover tonight is unclear. The one downside of staying at Leelavadee Resort is the morning road noise. Well before 6am the street we’re in becomes a bypass for motorbikes and much heavier vehicles. I may as well make an early start on my blog. That finished there’s no reason not to make that earlier start. After coffee and snacks we’re ready and packed by 9.30am. Strange that on a day when there’s not much planned activity, that can be achieved when at other times we struggle.
Leelavadee Resort……..On the eve of Katoon’s birthday there is but one priority today and that’s to cut the distance to Kalasin where we will meet up with Mayye to arrange a party tomorrow. The distance is about 200 kilometers, an easy days’ drive but whether we stopover tonight is unclear. The one downside of staying at Leelavadee Resort is the morning road noise. Well before 6am the street we’re in becomes a bypass for motorbikes and much heavier vehicles. I may as well make an early start on my blog. That finished there’s no reason not to make that earlier start. After coffee and snacks we’re ready and packed by 9.30am. Strange that on a day when there’s not much planned activity, that can be achieved when at other times we struggle.
Leealvadee Resort, Sikhoraphum, Surin Province
Check-Point……..With little pain to report this morning I declare that I can drive the car for a while. Katoon still thinks there is a balance problem with the wheels. Yesterday after a short spell driving, I couldn’t replicate what she was feeling and now during a longer spell, I still can’t. However, after an hour’s driving north, for the second time in two days I’m stopped at a police check-point. Yesterday during my short spell, I was asked to produce my license by local police. Today the is a more serious problem as I’m asked to pull over at a highway police check-point. As a conversation develops between Katoon and one of the officers I try to get my head around what’s going on. The issue seems to be centred around the license plate on the car which I wondered about from the start. The red plate must be a temporary plate pending full registration of the vehicle. That could be because of a long process of up to 3 months to complete registration. In the UK a temporary plate is only used while a new vehicle is being delivered to the point of sale. Well, In Thailand the long and the short of it is that a customer can drive on a red plate but with restrictions.
One of those restrictions is that the vehicle can only be driven in daylight hours, a clear inconvenience in some situations. Another restriction is that while driving under a red plate, the user must keep a log of all journeys on a daily basis. The log book is full of space to record these. Clearly this has not been done and we were never told about it. The result is a fine of 200 baht, quite lenient apparently as it’s the first offence. As Katoon is also in discussion with the owner there is an agreement that he will reimburse the fine and that seems to be the end of the matter. But it’s not for me. Ignorance of the law it no excuse they say and I take no umbrage with the police for applying the law except that the law is petty to say the least given that many motorists in Thailand drive dangerously with impunity but how can the National Car Hire Company supply a vehicle with restrictions like this? We are using that car for multiple journeys, not just travelling from A to B and back again. This will play on my mind now until I return the car and say my peace.
Roi-Et……..Shortly after Katoon takes over, still complaining about my driving and the handling of the car. Just after midday, we reach Ro—Et and Katoon checks the car in again in at B Quick service centre in the Robinson retail complex. That doesn’t affect the journey as we head off for lunch Japanese style. From Roi-Et to Kalasin, it’s just a 45-minute drive so we have time to kill. While there are a number of attractions in the city, there is an obvious point for me to aim for.
Roi-Et National Museum……..Located in the inner city, the Roi-Et National Museum was founded to preserve and exhibit art objects and handicrafts of Roi-Et Province, especially the craft of weaving silk and other homespun products. The museum was created under a policy by the Fine Art Department to establish national museums in all parts of the country. The museum was constructed between 1993 and 1997 and officially inaugurated on 20th March 1998 by Her Royal Highness Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn as the first national museum in the country.
One of those restrictions is that the vehicle can only be driven in daylight hours, a clear inconvenience in some situations. Another restriction is that while driving under a red plate, the user must keep a log of all journeys on a daily basis. The log book is full of space to record these. Clearly this has not been done and we were never told about it. The result is a fine of 200 baht, quite lenient apparently as it’s the first offence. As Katoon is also in discussion with the owner there is an agreement that he will reimburse the fine and that seems to be the end of the matter. But it’s not for me. Ignorance of the law it no excuse they say and I take no umbrage with the police for applying the law except that the law is petty to say the least given that many motorists in Thailand drive dangerously with impunity but how can the National Car Hire Company supply a vehicle with restrictions like this? We are using that car for multiple journeys, not just travelling from A to B and back again. This will play on my mind now until I return the car and say my peace.
Roi-Et……..Shortly after Katoon takes over, still complaining about my driving and the handling of the car. Just after midday, we reach Ro—Et and Katoon checks the car in again in at B Quick service centre in the Robinson retail complex. That doesn’t affect the journey as we head off for lunch Japanese style. From Roi-Et to Kalasin, it’s just a 45-minute drive so we have time to kill. While there are a number of attractions in the city, there is an obvious point for me to aim for.
Roi-Et National Museum……..Located in the inner city, the Roi-Et National Museum was founded to preserve and exhibit art objects and handicrafts of Roi-Et Province, especially the craft of weaving silk and other homespun products. The museum was created under a policy by the Fine Art Department to establish national museums in all parts of the country. The museum was constructed between 1993 and 1997 and officially inaugurated on 20th March 1998 by Her Royal Highness Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn as the first national museum in the country.
Roi-Et National Museum, Roi-Et
The museum is located on three floors. On the first floor is Ticketing, Geography and Mineral Resources, Introduction to Roi-Et Province, The Governors of Roi-Et and Library. On the Second floor are exhibitions of the Prehistoric Period, Dvaravati Culture, Khmer and Lavapura (Lopburi) Culture, Ayutthaya and Rattanakosin Culture and Folk Arts. On the third floor are displayed the Local Isaan House, Boon Pha Wed Feastival, Isan Musical Instraments, Textiles and the Way of Life and a Temporary Exhibition Hall. Entry is 100 baht.
My arrival at Roi-Et National Museum is not merely to kill time. It’s an exploratory visit to allow me to establish the location and subject of the various sites in this province that could lead to a separate tour. Before long I’ve seen enough to declare that the province needs two or three days of site visits. The question is, will I have enough time to take this in before I return to Bangkok? Well it’s something I need to think about but for this weekend there is only the need for birthday celebrations.
Kalasin……..At about 4pm we meet up with Mayye in Kalasin and check in at Samui Place just outside the city. It’s basic but that just about describes Kalasin as a whole. It looks featureless and uninteresting but that impression may be deceiving. The next couple of days will tell. At 7pm Mayye returns and we head for a large outdoor food centre where the girls choose a hot pot. Then its back after a spin around the town to Samui Place where I'm out like a light. Next Page.
My arrival at Roi-Et National Museum is not merely to kill time. It’s an exploratory visit to allow me to establish the location and subject of the various sites in this province that could lead to a separate tour. Before long I’ve seen enough to declare that the province needs two or three days of site visits. The question is, will I have enough time to take this in before I return to Bangkok? Well it’s something I need to think about but for this weekend there is only the need for birthday celebrations.
Kalasin……..At about 4pm we meet up with Mayye in Kalasin and check in at Samui Place just outside the city. It’s basic but that just about describes Kalasin as a whole. It looks featureless and uninteresting but that impression may be deceiving. The next couple of days will tell. At 7pm Mayye returns and we head for a large outdoor food centre where the girls choose a hot pot. Then its back after a spin around the town to Samui Place where I'm out like a light. Next Page.