Day 3, Sunday 7 April, Bangkok

Smooth Ride....... It seemed quite a smooth ride overnight on the train at Secret Cliff Khaiyai, and we arrived back safely. It's now just a matter of taking it easy and waiting for the restaurant car to open. Joking apart, I slept well and found the cabin here comfortable and cozy. If I had to make a suggestion I would say that if they put up a small shelf in the toilet compartment it would help. When breakfast arrives it turns out to be a Thai version of an American Breakfast and is more than expected. We can now get ready for more searching in this area before our return to Bangkok.
The area we are in is again in Pak Chong District. It is my preferred location as the main Northeastern railway line passes through it but so far the land has proved expensive. We will try again today but as we depart it's the railway that gets my attention.
Northeastern Railway....... We arrive at Pang Asoke Station which is wrongly identified on Google Map. What I really need is Klang Dong some 5 kilometres further west. After taking photos of nothing really we head for Klang Dong. Here I'm surprised to see an engine waiting in the loop: This line is still single track at the moment. I'm happy to wait here as a service from Surin is due soon. The shame now is that I've missed a trick. If I'd have done more research I'd have realised a non-stop train would pass through this station soon. As it is, a service for Ubon Ratchathani races through the station with my back turned. How inconsiderate! The Surin to Bangkok service does arrive and I have to be content with that.
Land Search....... In terms of land searches we avoid checking agent's websites, relying entirely on what we might find on boards while traveling through an area or simply asking local people. There is a strong tendency for sellers not to advertise. A cash deal will usually avoid the seller paying tax.
We enter Saraburi Province and find ourselves in the gorgeous valley of Muak Lek which forms the border between Saraburi and Nakhon Ratchasima. The attraction here is the Chet Sao Noi Waterfall and in fact any location beside the river. The most important thing we learn from this drive is don't come here at a weekend, it's heaving. I did visit this waterfall a long time ago in the days humans had better things to do than play in the water. It probably wasn't at the hottest time of year though. We are obviously in the wrong area for land searches. This is a national park. We re-enter Nakhon Ratchasima swinging around to the east and making our way back towards Muak Lek. Here there is land for sale, and we make several inquiries collecting information but only one results in a meeting to inspect some land. It is the right size but there are too many issues with it. The stony ground for one and then there is limited land rites too.
The truth is that we don't seem to be taking this search seriously in terms of the time needed. This is hard work. We take a very late lunch in Muak Lek and abandon our searches for now. There may be one more chance to look around here before we travel to the UK in just 11 days time. The result of our combined 3 day effort is just the one site in Prachin Buri still possible. In mid-afternoon we head back to Bangkok. We could easily have doubled the land search time but would we have found anything? Instead, we go searching for tickets. Well, you can't go wrong with footie!
We're into Pathum Thani by 4.30 pm but it takes half an hour to reach a parking spot in the massive Thammasat University Complex. Now we just need those tickets which we purchase for just 100 baht each. It truly amazes me what value for money this is. Even though this is a local derby, this huge stadium will swallow the crowd for breakfast.
Bangkok United vs Port FC....... I selected this fixture as the standout fixture of the weekend. Bangkok are second in the TPL while Port are third. It's bound to be a hard fought contest but having watched both team's recent games, I think Port will struggle on form. I hope I'm wrong. I'm much more in favour of the away team today but of course I don't want to pay double and end up in the away team end. I just have to be careful not to cheer at the wrong time. The game kicks of at an earlier 6.00 pm and the E Stand is facing the strong setting sun. Finally, it disappears behind the director's stand and I get some relief.
The game kicks off with Bangkok on the front foot but Port start to settle. It's first blood to Bangkok however, when in the 17th minute Bassel Zakaria Jradi chips a ball to the far post where Mahmoud Eid running in heads the ball down across goal and into the far corner. Bangkok are playing some tidy football but Port are always dangerous and Bangkok need to be careful but on the counter Port strike when in the 34th minute a delightful cross from Tanasith Siripala finds the head of Felipe Amorim inside the penalty box whose downward header defeats the goalkeeper. Things have hardly settled when Tardeli Reis slips in a pass to that man again Felipe Amorim inside the goal area. He casually curls a shot right of goal and beyond the keeper. I'm not sure Bangkok deserve to be behind but this game is about taking your chances. It's 1 : 2 at half time and this game has a lot left in it.
Into the second half Bangkok continue to press but Port are always dangerous on a break. The game is getting tense now as the home team try to get an equaliser but Port are well-organised then at a most critical time in the game Port fails to get enough players back behind the ball and Bangkok have their equaliser in the 62nd minute. A chipped cross into the centre from the right finds Willen who fires in a shot but the goalkeeper can only palm it away giving Bassel Zakaria Jradi a free header into the net. This game is heading for a grandstand finish. Bangkok have their tails up. Can Port hang on?
This game has flown by as we're into a huge chunk of added time but Port survive and the points are shared. Neither team has won but the likely big winner is Buriram who sit on top of the TPL.
I have to admit that overall, Port have done well to hold Bangkok after the home team's thumping against Chonburi a week ago while Port's midweek game against Sukhothai was lackluster. It's been a great night's entertainment and with trains added earlier, a good day in general. Perhaps though I need to put more thought and effort into the land searches but then there's still no rush. With an earlier kick off today, at least we avoid a late night but it still takes a hour to arrive at the residence.

POSTSCRIPT....... 12 days later we are both in the UK and the thoughts about buying land recede. Then, in early July Katoon is back in Thailand, and we look back at our land search results. The only stand-out option that we agreed with was the land we visited on my birthday (5 April) at Na Hin Lat, Pak Phli District, Nakhon Nayok Province. We asked if it was still available and it was. The asking price had since been reduced and that brought our land searches to an end as we agreed terms. How this acquisition will work out remains to be seen until my next stay in Thailand.
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