Surin

Post by **Randy Cornhole** » Wed Jul 30, 2008 12:44 pm

Just checked with 'Asia Rooms' for a room. They only list one 3 star hotel listed in Surin. Its £13 a night but for the weekend 21 - 23 November its £30! Guess when the elephant festival is...

Spitfire · Post by **Spitfire** » Wed Jul 30, 2008 2:25 pm

Cheers Randy, imagine that! And that's if you're lucky enough to actually find a vacant room. Must be like Nong Khai when they have that fire-ball festival, went up there not realising it was on and couldn't find a room for the love of money, but maybe Steve G knows how to get round that one.

Post by **kendo** » Wed Jul 30, 2008 3:24 pm

Hi Spitfire Surin has 25 hotels, i have stayed in the Surin Majestic a number of times, the hotel is only 2 years old and is very very nice, we paid 800 baht a night, but the weekend of the elephant festival it will nearly double in price, if you want to go book a room now, as thousands of people flood into the city for this and there is never enough rooms avalable. have a look on the farang connection website there is some good info on there.

Tell me about this fire ball festival, sounds quite intresting, from a distance

Spitfire · Post by **Spitfire** » Wed Jul 30, 2008 3:33 pm

Think it's one of Nong Khai's main events, same as Surin has the elephant round-up, it's also late on in the year too, same deal with the hotels. I think, but not sure as it was a while since I went, it's about firing a lot of fireworks up over the Mekong(simulating the dragon fish in the river long ago), amongst other things. I'm not really the expert on this, hopefully Steve G will come on and see these posts and tell us the proper deal.

Post by **BaaBaa.** » Wed Jul 30, 2008 4:07 pm

Do you mean the Naga Fireballs?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Naga_fireballs

Spitfire · Post by **Spitfire** » Wed Jul 30, 2008 4:14 pm

Er......Yes, quite right BaaBaa, as usual, always reliable.

Post by **kendo** » Wed Jul 30, 2008 4:43 pm

Naga fire balls, thanks for that, i would like to go and see this when is it exactly as this event can happen more than once in a year, and how far from Surin.

Spitfire · Post by **Spitfire** » Wed Jul 30, 2008 5:03 pm

It's a fair way from Surin. Get on the road that takes you from Korat to Khon Kaen and follow it all the way up through Udon and on to Nong Kai. Probably a good 500km from Surin, or there abouts. Might be best to drive yourself as taking public transport from Surin might be a bit of a bind. Not sure of the dates, best to google it.

Post by **sandman67** » Wed Jul 30, 2008 5:04 pm

Ive been to Bang Fai.....didnt see any fireballs but the 20 foot long home made sky rockets were spectacular. Here is Nong Khai's version of Cape Canaveral:

Mission Control and the village Rocket

The Launch Pad and scientists (all drunk as skunks)

We have lift off!!!!!

The Beagle Has Landed....in Laos by the look of it!

The sky rockets arent much to watch but the village parades and parties are a scream.

Post by **STEVE G** » Wed Jul 30, 2008 5:04 pm

spitfire wrote:Think it's one of Nong Khai's main events, same as Surin has the elephant round-up, it's also late on in the year too, same deal with the hotels. I think, but not sure as it was a while since I went, it's about firing a lot of fireworks up over the Mekong(simulating the dragon fish in the river long ago), amongst other things. I'm not really the expert on this, hopefully Steve G will come on and see these posts and tell us the proper deal.

Spitfire, I can’t help you with that one I’m afraid; we live in Nong Ki, not Nong Kai, it’s south-east of Khorat and south-west of Buriram.
I can get to Surin reasonably quickly so I will try to take in the Elephant round-up this year if I can get away from work at the right time.
I’ve never been to the fire-ball festival but it looks interesting.
I have to say that since my partner inherited some land near Nong Ki we have been preoccupied in getting a bit of agriculture going so we don’t do as much traveling around the area as we used to. It’s a big learning curve going from aviation to farming as there’s not much in common.
I will definitely be up in Surin in October as a good friend of mine is getting married there.

Post by **BaaBaa.** » Wed Jul 30, 2008 5:13 pm

Theres a Thai Film about it too.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mekhong_Full_Moon_Party

Post by **kendo** » Wed Jul 30, 2008 9:20 pm

Baa Baa thanks for that just had a look on You Tube, a bit sceptical, i think i need to go and see this for myself, but the wife reconds 8 hours on the bus, i think i will wait untill i have a lot of time on my hands.

Sandman nice rockets could start another border conflict with them. Going back a couple of years ago a young Lao solder shot at a Thai army helicopter and there was a bit of a stand off then, i read that in Chang Mai news online.