SEA Games Golf Club

As an avid golfer, I am happy that Laos just open up brand new championship course.  The grand opening ceremony was held on Tuesday 27th of this month.  This course will be the main competition site for SEA Games of golf.  Thanks to Booyoung Lao Co., Ltd(Korean company) for building it, otherwise it will be impossible.  I’ve been following this particular golf course construction for almost 2 years now.  As many of you know, it is hard to get any news from Laos and especially if it is negative one – forget about it!  The original contract was award to lao construction company, whom started the ground work but never got far.  Shortly after, they abandoned the site and the Korean took over the construction.  The lao government gave the Booyoung Lao Co., Ltd 50 years lease and eventually will turn it over to Laos.  Hopefully, they will get all their investment back by then.  Once they open to the public, I’m not sure what the price of green fee they will be charging.  I’m guessing around $40 to $50 per round, including a caddy.

Is that American flag on far left of the picture?  I can’t find other pictures to confirm it.

One thing I notices right a way is…  how steep the slope of this ramp.  It is impossible for anyone with wheelchair trying to get up on that slope.  Since, Laos doesn’t really have a building codes and no handicap advocacy group to complain about.  They can pretty much build it without following any codes.

The course itself looks pretty nice.  As of right now, only 1 course are ready for play and eventually will be 36 holes course.  I am looking forward to tee it off at this course.  I can’t wait, perhaps I can post my pictures from course later on.

I stole these pictures from http://www.flickr.com by seagamesgolfclub 🙂

Boun ThatLuang

Update:

Boun ThatLuang of 2009 had officially ended today with traditional of “tuk bard” and “tee khee”.  I found photos from flickr.com posted by ThatLuang Festival 2009, Vientiane, Laos.  I really miss Laos, when I see all these pictures.

As a kid growing up in Vientiane, Laos, I’ve always look forward to Boun ThatLuang each year.  The things I remember from this festival are free concerts, open air movies, ping gai(lao style chicken bbq),  and bung kaow larm(rice in bamboo).  Our house was always packed with relatives from far away villages.  Boun ThatLuang is one of the most important festival in calendar years that many folks did not wants to miss.  It helps that our house is so close to ThatLuang, within walking distance for our visiting relatives.  I just google earth it, our house to ThatLaung is approximately 0.3 miles (600 yards or 0.5 km).

This year Boun ThatLuang just start it, will runs from Oct. 28th to Nov. 2nd.  I wish I was there right now:-).  Although, things are different these days.  It is more like a big flea markets, so many chinese/vietnamese venders trying to sell their products.

Aftermath Pictures From Ketsana

I’ve been following stories of Ketsana for weeks and I still haven’t find confirmed number of deaths or missing.  Although, I finally found some pictures of the flood that devastated Southern part of Laos.

My heart goes out to all those people in the South.  I hope that the Laos Governments are there helping those folks to rebuild their lives.  Most of these folks lost everything.

Here are pictures from the devastated flood from flickr, by lao flooded 2009.

Lao-American Denied A Chance To Play..

After hearing the news about Anthony Sakounthong, I was angry but not surprise by the politic in Laos.  A year or two ago, Lao government made an announcement to invite all laotian athletics for a chance to try out and participate in up coming SEA Games.  Laos will be hosting SEA Games for the very first time in December of 2009.

In the interview, it was confirmed that soccer players from Canada, USA, Germany and Japan went back to Laos for a tryout.  The two brothers from Germany and Anthony made the team.  Anthony spend the past 10 months training in Laos for up coming SEA games.  He gave up 10 months of college for a chance to play in SEA games for his motherland.  Then comes to find out, he will not be able to participate due to his American citizenship.  They made an effort to gave him dual citizens in order for him to play for Laos.  After all the troubles, Laos told him he is cut from the team even though they all knows the kid have lots of talent.  I can only feels the disappointment by him and his families are going through.

What’s the point of inviting all these athletics back to Laos for a tryout and never give the chance at all?

Here are 2 parts interview videos.

2nd Marriage!!!

I’ve been invited to a long distance relative wedding, it will be his second marriage and for her too.  I’m not overly thrill nor looking forward to this coming weekend.  This might be the first laotian wedding that I’ll be attending where both bride and groom are divorced.  It is weird to say the least.  If I was in their shoes, I probably just head up to Reno or Las Vegas for a cheap marriage license.

I don’t even know what to give them…  and I’m pretty sure they are not registered at any department stores.  Cash it is… I guess:-)

What a storm..

I left work early today to come inspect if there’s any damages done by the storm.  It was so windy (45+ mph) and the rain was coming down so hard.  The news station said today storm is the worse October storm since 1962.  Few places recorded over 3.5 inches of rain within the past 24 hrs.  I saw good portion of my neighbor’s backyard wood fence tumble over to the ground.  Although, the portion of fence that divided our property line is still standing.

The crape myrtle tree in front of the house had few limbs snapped off.  It is going to be a messy clean up job.

The street is flooded and I knew this day will come sooner.  For the past month, I’ve watching my neighbor blowing all the leaf into this one drainage inlet in front of his house.  I don’t know what he was thinking?  I guess is one of those thing, out of site out of mind.

I took these pictures with my cell phone, sorry for the blur..

The good news is…   This storm is heading out to the Sierra Nevada and out of CA.  Tomorrow forecast for light rain, which is nice for a change.

Things That I Love About Laos….

I pretty much love everything about Laos.  Here are some of the things I miss Laos right now.  Since, Nye been wanting me to share the photos and blog about it.

On my last trip, I am so glad I had the chance to participate in given alms to the monks.  It was tough getting up at 5 am on vacation, but was well worth it.  These photo was taken in Luangprabang during the Lao New Year and I got to do what the locals been doing for many years.  After the morning alms, most locals would hike the staircase of Phou See to leave offerings along the steps.

That’s me in blue shirt:-).

I miss a place like this…  watching the sunset while eating your meal.  This particular location is in Savanhnakhet, few kilometers south of the Lao-Thai bridge.

Lastly, I miss having some nice cold beerlao with bunch of good friends.  I’m really thirsty for some beerlao right now:-).

How do you say NO THANKS, without being rude?

Have you ever been approach by couple of elders from Mormon Church?  About 2 or 3 months ago, I got a visit two young mormon elders.  Both are probably in their late teen or early 20’s.  One speaks lao and other speaks cambodian.  These two are very determine to spread the words of jesus christ, even I told them I’m not interested.  At first, how they even know that I’m laotian.  It is not like they were going from doors to doors in the neighborhood.  As far I know, I’m the only laotian in this particular circle and second asian to the neighborhood.  They actually drove to my place and I was little puzzled by the whole thing.  I asked them all kind of questions like.. how long they been learning how to speak lao and cambodian.  Who taught it to them and where.. and last question was, how you know that i’m laotian and where i live?  One elder kind of hesitate to admit that one of my relative gave them the address.  I swear, I will kick my cousin ass when I see him in few weeks. hahahhah  They both invited me to attend a service and see what they had to offer.  I quickly turn down the offer and told them I’m NOT interested.

On Monday night, I was watching the monday night football game on tv and enjoying my beer.  I heard this loud knock on the door and I was not expecting anyone to stop by.  Most people would ring the door bell instead of knocking on the door.  I opened the door and to my surprise… here are the two mormon elders again trying to spread their words.  I just just simply say, no thanks and I don’t have time to talk right now.

Mystery of Death Toll In Laos From Typhoon Ketsana

I’ve been reading from so many sources regarding the number of death tolls in Laos from Ketsana.  On earlier reported that 16 dead and 135 missing.  Now, the latest report is saying only 3 dead and 20 people are missing.  I really don’t know which reports I should trust.  Also, the news coming out of Laos is super slow and I’m sure the government have to get their stamp of approval before releasing any information.

Ketsana toll remains at three with 20 missing

The death toll in southern Laos caused by tropical storm Ketsana currently remains at three with at least 20 others missing, officials say.

Deputy Head of the Army’s Disaster Prevention Unit, Lieutenant Colonel Saichay Kommasith, confirmed one of the dead and 10 of those missing were in Attapeu province, including eight Vietnamese workers at the Xekhaman I hydropower plant.

Local media reported at least 10 others living in rural areas of the province are still missing.

The two other fatalities were reported in Savannaket province by the Ministry of Labour and Social Welfare and Lao Red Cross.

The authorities have asked for assistance from Cambodian officials in the search for the missing people who are thought to have been swept across the river border to Cambodia .

The storm cut through the southern Lao provinces of Xekong, Attapeu, Savannakhet and Saravan on September 29 causing severe flooding, especially in Xekong and Attapeu.

The storm then weakened and the water level fell in the following days.

Government officials, soldiers, police officers and volunteers have been deployed with rescue equipment to search for the remaining missing and provide assistance to affected people.

On Saturday, Prime Minister Bouasone Bouphavanh and his entourage visited the affected provinces and are scheduled to oversee work there for several days.

Thousands of affected people in the provinces have been relocated to safer areas, but still need emergency help.

The Lao government has announced at least 1 billion kip for emergency relief including food, drinking water, clothing and other essential items for distribution to flood victims.

In Xekong, 291 houses in 29 villages were inundated and some were swept away. Overall 1,670 households of 8,640 people have been affected and relocated, according to provincial Deputy Governor Lieng Khamphoune.

Some 679 hectares of rice fields and 780 hillside rice cultivation areas were damaged. Two small hospitals in Kaleum district and two hotels in Lamam district were destroyed.

Numerous livestock have been killed and swept away, but official data on this is still being collected.

The estimated loss in this province alone was at least 40 billion kip, according to Mr Lieng.

In Saravan, the flood damaged 8,000 hectares of rice fields in the three districts of Saravan, Vapi and Khongxedon. The authorities are still waiting for information from Ta-Oy and Samuay districts, according to provincial Deputy Governor Bounthien Phommasathit.

Information regarding loss of livestock, damage to houses and other flood related loss is also being collected in Attapeu and Savannakhet provinces.

Officials are expecting huge property losses from the flooding, which is the worst in many decades.

In Attapeu province, local media reported that flooding of this magnitude had not been seen since 1968.

Authorities said officials had reached all communities to begin helping people in need, although some hard hit areas were still only accessible by boat or helicopter.

Despite contributions from the government, international and civil organisations, embassies and individuals, there is still a great demand for help and the public have been urged to contribute humanitarian aid in cash or in kind.

Those interested in making a donation should contact the Ministry of Labour and Social Welfare’s Social Welfare Department on 021 222 776 or 213005.

The United States Embassy to Laos on Friday provided the Lao Red Cross with funds of US$50,000 to purchase food and other vital items to distribute to the victims.

By Souksakhone Vaenkeo
(Latest Update October 5 , 2009)

http://www.vientianetimes.org.la/FreeContent/Free_Ketsana%20toll.htm

Tri-Tip Steak and Teriyaki Chickens

I’ve been BBQ alots this summer and I finally perfected the marination down to science.  It is simple and can feed few hungry friends.

I picked up the tri-tip steak from Costco, it comes with 2 pieces of steak in a package for $21.  I just simply apply good coat of pappy’s seasoning and leave it in the fridge for over 24+ hrs.

here are the cook tri-tip steak and chickens…. ready to feed easily 3 to 4 people.

the middle part of tri-tip is cooked to about medium-well.. for some people, it might be little too red.  but, i like it though:-).