New Year's day in Siam

As with just about any major event here, the locals use it just as another excuse to blow stuff up in the sky. The typical western New Year's eve is celebrated here much like it is in the U.S. People everywhere flock to the night clubs and private parties to have a good time and await the countdown to the new calender year. For the first time since the Loi Krathong festival, the police were out on the streets in full force after dark. Normally, most of them go home after dark on most nights. The television news greatly exaggerated last new year's traffic accident stats, but a quick check of a local independent newspaper had some slightly more accurate (but still alarming) statistics.

From the Chiang Mai Mail Newspaper:

“Chiang Mai hopes to see the number of road accident decrease from last year by 5%,” Last year, over the 7 dangerous days of the New Year holidays, December 29 to Janauary 4, Chiang Mai Province had 2,375 injuries with 339 accidents daily There were 33 fatalities and traffic accidents were the principal cause of death, with 82 percent dying as a consequence."

Yes folks, that is 339 accidents DAILY over a seven day stretch. That's over 2,300 traffic accidents in one week. Needless to say, I haven't been and won't be accepting any motorbike rides for a few days.

The night proved to be pretty mundane for me. I met with a friend for a quick game of pool before work, and made my way down the street to make my nightly chicken scratch. The countdown came and everyone went outside as the fireworks all over the city began to light up the sky. Once again, the floating hot air sky lanterns filled the sky by the thousands and the fireworks thundered overhead. Occasionally, the two would collide in a rather ironic twist of fate. The lanterns are seen as good luck and a way of sending your troubles to "float away" into the infinity of the night sky. Imagine being the poor little Thai guy who's lantern get's intercepted by a firework mortar. Bummer dude.

CLICK HERE FOR A FEW FIREWORKS AND LANTERN PICS

I made my way home on foot, and did my best to sleep as the fireworks peppered the sky till nearly dawn. New years day, things were back to normal and an afternoon nap got me caught up on my sleep. I had the day and night off, but thankfully a couple of my neighbors were home also to help break the monotony of Thai television and "mullah".

Pretty soon, they will do it all over again for Chinese New Year in February, and then once more in April for Songkran (the Thai New Year).

That's all for now. I just keep pushing along here. My current immigration status is "questionable" at the moment, but I just continue to keep my head down and fly low till I can get it straightened out. I've still got a few options, but it's still just a daily question mark as to when I'll be able to move a little more freely again.

Happy New Year (สวัสดีปีใหม่ )