Xmas gifts from Pattaya City Expats Club
Judith hands the generously
donated money to Francesca and Leng Leng at the Mercy Centre.
Over the last few Sundays, Judith Edmonds, Club
Treasurer, has been collecting donations from the members. This was to be
used to give Xmas gifts to the children at the Pattaya Orphanage and the
Mercy Centre.
The Mercy Centre had told us that their children were in need of shoes and
new clothes, and this would cost in the region of 18,000 baht. Two members
who wish to remain anonymous pledged 9,000 baht each and thanks to their
generosity the children at the Mercy Centre will be clothed and shod for the
next year. Another member, again anonymous, gave 5,000 baht to be shared out
between the two organisations.
Judith hands the money
donated by PCEC members to Toy at the Pattaya Orphanage.
Judith Edmonds and Alex Rubenstein went shopping for
books, pens, socks and other gifts as well as sweets for all the children.
These were then all bagged up ready for presentation to the children.
The gifts for the children at the Mercy centre were parcelled up and taken
to their office in Duck Square to be given to the children on Xmas Day.
The Orphanage children came to the club and gave a dance display and then
their choir sang several carols to the delight of the members and as they
finished, Father Christmas came down the stairs to present each one of them
with a goodie bag. It was a very emotional moment and quite a few members
were surreptitiously wiping away tears. One of the little boys prodded
Father Christmas in the tummy and exclaimed “It’s real!” and then another
asked him where his reindeer were. To their surprise and delight he spoke to
them in Thai and told them it was too hot for them in Thailand and he had
left them at home having a well earned rest.
After all the presents had been bought there was quite a considerable amount
of money left over, so 9,520 baht was given to the Mercy Centre, and 9,540
baht was given to the Pattaya Orphanage.
A great “THANK YOU” to attendees of PCEC for giving so generously of their
money to ensure that all these children had a day to remember.
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PCEC treated to Christmas double feature
PCEC was again treated to one of
member David Garmaise’s ‘film digests’ - this time very topical, called ‘A
Hollywood Christmas’. David’s hobby is films, which he happily shares with
fellow members.
It was a Christmas double feature at the December 23 meeting
of the Pattaya City Expats Club. The program featured two presentations by Club
members; both with a Christmas flavour.
In this clip from the 1938 ‘A
Christmas Carol’, Ebenezer Scrooge is awakened during the night by the ‘Ghost of
Christmas Past’.
Club (and Board) member David Garmaise, who has come to be
known as the PCEC’s “Mr. Movies” because of his many presentations about the
movies, was first up and provided a slideshow presentation entitled, “A
Hollywood Christmas.” David said that there were hundreds of movies with a
Christmas theme to choose from - not including the many made-for-TV movies - but
that only a small number of them were really about Christmas. After rejecting
the many horror and erotic movies with “Christmas” or “Santa” in the title, and
the many movies whose stories just happened to take place at Christmas time,
David selected video clips from three movies, at least two of which are
considered Christmas classics.
In this 1951 clip, poor scribe
Bob Cratchit pleads with his boss, Scrooge, for the next day - Christmas Day -
off. Scrooge condescends, but not without a full blown guilt trip.
From “Holiday Inn,” an American movie released in 1942, David
showed a clip of Bing Crosby and his co-star singing “White Christmas.” The
co-star was Marjorie Reynolds, but the voice actually belonged to Martha Mears.
This was the movie that introduced the song that went on to sell over 50 million
records of Bing Crosby’s rendition alone, more than any other recording.
Interestingly, the original script for the movie called for the character played
by Ms Reynolds to sing the song by herself.
Second speaker was writer Dervis
Tippen, also a member, to introduce his Christmas novel “Miss Bessie’s Finest
Christmas”. The novel is available through Amazon for only 99 cents, and Dervis
is kindly donating all proceeds of sales of it to the Pattaya Orphanage; you may
purchase it at tinyurl.com/missbessie.
David presented clips from three different versions of “A
Christmas Carol,” the movie based on the famous book by Charles Dickens. The
1938 version, which starred Reginald Owen as Scrooge, became a Christmas
tradition when it was shown on late-night American television every Christmas
Eve, starting in the 1960s. So did the second version of the movie, made in
1951, starring Alastair Sims as Scrooge. That version was released under the
title “Scrooge” in the UK, where it was very well received. The third version of
“A Christmas Carol” that David showed was the one made by the Muppets in 1992,
starring Michael Caine as Scrooge. David included a clip where Scrooge sings,
just so that people in the audience could say that they heard Michael Caine sing
at the Pattaya City Expats Club!
Member David Meador queries the
interest of members in a tour of some industrial and production sites in Laem
Chabang.
The last movie David showed was “Miracle on 34th Street,”
which he said was arguably the best Christmas movie ever made. David chose clips
from the original 1934 version. There have been four remakes since, plus a
Broadway musical. “Miracle on 34th Street” is about a man who takes the place of
a drunken Santa Claus in a Macy’s Christmas parade in New York, and then
convinces himself that he really is Santa Claus. It won three Academy Awards,
including one for best supporting actor, Edmund Gwenn, who played Santa Claus in
the movie. In 2005, “Miracle on 34th Street,” was selected for preservation by
the US Library of Congress as being “culturally, historically, or aesthetically
significant.” The combination of video clips and David’s anecdotes about the
movies was most entertaining and interesting; the presentation was obviously
much appreciated by the audience.
The second presentation was given by PCEC member Dervis Tippen, a writer of
newspaper and magazine articles, and short stories. Dervis provided a short
summary of his short story, “Miss Bessie’s Finest Christmas.” This story is
about a family in rural Louisiana. Miss Bessie and her husband, Bon Bon are
expecting their grandchildren for the holidays. Miss Bessie starts planning for
the finest Christmas she can imagine, and, although Bon Bon, a good provider but
careful spender, objects to the cost, he finally gives in to his wife’s demands
and finds himself caught up in the preparations.
The story is full of descriptions of the family home, the good food that is
prepared for the season, and the coming together of people for a traditional
Christmas Eve church service, complete with a children’s choir, an inspiring
sermon, and a sense of fellowship that fills the small building and comforts all
those in attendance.
Dervis read a few paragraphs from the story. He pointed out that “Miss Bessie’s
Finest Christmas” can be downloaded as a Kindle eBook from Amazon.com for only
99 cents (US). Further, he donates all the proceeds to the Pattaya Orphanage.
Previously, Dervis wrote another Christmas story, Mama Miller’s Family
Christmas. The proceeds from the sale of that story have also been donated to
the Pattaya Orphanage.
Master of Ceremonies Richard Silverberg provided an update on upcoming events
and called on Roy Albiston to conduct the Open Forum where questions are asked
and answered about Expat living in Thailand; Pattaya in particular.
For more information about the many activities of the Pattaya City Expats Club,
visit their website at
www.pattayacityexpatsclub.com.
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Phra Viriyang Sirintharo to speak in English
on ‘Mind Power’ at a special evening
of Meditation and Dharma
Phra Viriyang Sirintharo.
Dharma on Time, in cooperation with Diana Group, Pattaya Mail Media Group,
Alvi’s Home of Thai Culture and Languages, and Rotary Clubs in Pattaya &
Chonburi are organising a lecture on Meditation and Dharma at the Diana Resort
on January 10.
The session in the English language will be conducted by the most revered Phra
Viriyang Sirintharo, Lord Abbot of Wat Dhammamongkol, Bangkok, and Master
Teacher of Meditation at the Willpower Institute.
His Holiness Phra Viriyang Sirintharo explained the meaning of Mind Power
saying, “Mind Power is the power within the mind which can be manifested through
meditation. When ‘Mind Power’ reaches the proper level, it becomes very
beneficial to humanity because ‘Mind Power’ can control your mind, without which
even the smallest of disputes can turn into major conflicts which can cause
disunity in our society.
“These conflicts can become a danger to our family, our society, our country and
our world. But if you have attained a certain level of ‘Mind Power’ and can
control your mind, even major conflicts can be reduced to a minimum. It will
draw humanity to become of one heart and one mind, bringing happiness to our
family, our society, our country and to our world.”
Sopin Thappajug, MD of the Diana Group, said that the special evening, which
will include a sit down dinner, is her gift to the people of Pattaya to welcome
in the New Year.
Dinner begins at 6.30 p.m. and the meditation and lecture commences at 7.45 p.m.
The evening is fully sponsored by Diana Group without deducting any costs.
Guests are encouraged to make a donation of 500 baht per person if they wish to
do so. All proceeds will be donated to the Willpower Institute Foundation. For
reservations please call 038 415 212-23,
email:[email protected]
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‘Thank G It’s Friday” at Pullman Hotel G
Happy Hour is from 4 to 9 p.m. every Friday at the
Thank G It’s Friday party at the Pullman Pattaya Hotel G’s Beach Bar.
Warunya Thongrod
Mindful that not everyone in Pattaya is on holiday, the Pullman Pattaya
Hotel G launched its weekly “Thank G It’s Friday” party at its Beach Bar.
DJ Plugky kicked off the series of parties Dec. 21, spinning house music while
waiters brought drinks with the snap of the fingers. Plugky previously spun
tunes at Bangkok’s RCA club complex.
The bar offers 2-for-1 drink specials from 4-9 p.m., with prices starting at 100
baht. Thai deejays play from 7-9 p.m. with foreign deejays taking over until 11
p.m.
The Pullman Pattaya Hotel G combines modern and traditional Thai architecture on
Wong Amat Beach. The hotel features a spa, yoga and two large swimming pools.
All rooms have flat-screen televisions, free Wi-Fi and mini bars.
DJ Plugky spins the tunes at the Pullman Pattaya
Hotel G.
Cool sea breezes permeate the Beach Bar.
PILC celebrates Christmas
Children from the Regents School sing Christmas
carols.
The Pattaya International Ladies Club celebrated another Christmas at the Royal
Cliff Grand Hotel with turkey, wine and song.
The hotel’s ballroom was festively appointed for the Dec. 4 party, with the
luncheon featuring turkey, other roasts and treats, and wine sponsored by the
PILC. Guests received a Benjarong coffee cup as a present.
President Ann Winfield wished all the members a Merry Christmas and a Happy New
Year and gave a shout out to member Ann Smith, who was celebrating her 70th
birthday that day.
Children from the Regents School sang Christmas carols and PILC members put on a
fashion show of the upcoming season’s collections.
Laughs ensued when the women, all in a festive spirit, had to try and sing a
Christmas song together. As consolation, some won prizes in the day’s raffle.
PILC members put on a fashion show of the upcoming
season’s collections.
PILC members pack the room at the Royal Cliff Grand
Hotel with their annual Christmas party.
A beautiful gingerbread house on display.
The Royal Cliff puts on a delicious spread of food..
Christmas parties are great for catching up with
friends!
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