After lunch on Friday 24 October, we went to Nakhon Phanom (ca. 185 km) to get our walk/run shirt. In the evening we visited the Naga monument, the weekend market and we had a nice dinner. Saturday’s alarm was set on 04:30 to drive to the start of the 5 km walk/run over the friendship bridge between Thailand and Laos. The start was around 06:00 and about 71 minutes later we crossed the finish line. After collecting our medals, some free food & drinks we went back to our hotel for a shower and breakfast. The check-out went fast and we were home at lunchtime.
Oct 31 2025
Sirikit, Benz, Nakhon Phanom and more…
This blog of October 2025 has to start with the dead of former Queen/King’s Mother Sirikit on 24 October. This message reached us 1 day later and after that the restrictions were made public. Every Government will have the flag at half-mast for 1 month, all Government workers have to wear mourning clothes for 1 year and Thai people are ask to wear none colorful cloths for 3 months. The are also rules for limited entertainment and no loud music.
In Taiwan the work/free time environment of Benz in the preferred factory became hostile and Benz had to stay somewhere else to be safe. After a talk at the office of the factory it was clear that the problem could not be resolved and Benz (and another worker) had to come back to Thailand. On Tuesday 21 October we went with Fern to the airport at Udon Thani to get Benz. He and Fern are now living/sleeping in our house again. One of the first things he did was unblocking his bank account and register for getting a new driving license for car.
After lunch on Friday 24 October, we went to Nakhon Phanom (ca. 185 km) to get our walk/run shirt. In the evening we visited the Naga monument, the weekend market and we had a nice dinner. Saturday’s alarm was set on 04:30 to drive to the start of the 5 km walk/run over the friendship bridge between Thailand and Laos. The start was around 06:00 and about 71 minutes later we crossed the finish line. After collecting our medals, some free food & drinks we went back to our hotel for a shower and breakfast. The check-out went fast and we were home at lunchtime.
Because of problems with my e-bike I had to send the bike to Bangkok for a check-up. There they found out that the many times loss of power was because of a not good working battery. The battery is send to the supplier/factory and I have wait on their conclusions. For at least a few weeks I will have to do some alternative cycling.
RIP Marion Mantel: Thank you for all the challenges we did together, for all your messages about special Lego builds, the photos of your beautiful painted feathers & stones and your photos/messages of the island of Lanzarotte !!!
Other things that happened:
– The Birthday of May (Pornphimon), daughter of Nong & Den.
– On 7 October it was the end of the 3 months with special Buddha days.
– Teil, the wife of Arun, celebrated the start of her pension with family.
– We went to Udon Thani to buy some new cloths for me.
– I helped 2 “farangs” with some “computer work”.
– I still had to mow the grass every 2 weeks.
– Every weekend Siripron went at least 1 day to work at her rice field.
– Siripron had some early days at her work and had to do her own overtime.
By Tim Kerssens • Family, General info, Specials, Trips 0