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Gymkhana joy for GIS students
Ready for battle - a GIS
student at the gymkhana.
MMark Beales
Head of English
Garden International Students (GIS) students enjoyed great success at
the St Andrews Equestrian Centre gymkhana.
Students ranging from Nursery to Year 10 had a fantastic day, winning many
rosettes in dressage, jumping and even horse and rider fancy dress. It was a
fantastic change to get to know other riders as well. Students from St
Andrews and ISE also took part and there was a great sense of camaraderie,
fun and sportsmanship.
From GIS, Coco (Year 10) won the 60cm jumping, while Toby (Nursery), Poppy
Ball (Year 1) and Lily (Year 5) were the fancy dress winners.
GIS is based in Ban Chang, near Pattaya. For more visit
www.gardenrayong.com.
A GIS student keeps control of her horse at
the gymkhana.
Get over! A GIS student
successfully tackles one of the jumps.
One of the winning GIS
students in the fancy dress competition.
Koh Phi Phi Project 2013
Service and Adventure in Primary
The Regent’s School Pattaya
students present Baan Koh Phi Phi with their donation.
Mr Rich Reardon, Head of LKS2, Y3 Teacher
In 2004 a massive underwater earthquake struck deep under the Indian Ocean. As a
result of this, a huge wave called a tsunami collided with much of the
coastlines of India, Thailand, Malaysia and Indonesia. Overall, more than
250,000 people were killed in this devastating natural disaster.
For the last seven years, The Regent’s school has organised an annual Service
project to Koh Phi Phi. The aim of this project is to help restore the island
back to the beautiful condition it was in before the tsunami hit. Through the
hard work and dedication of Regent’s pupils, and the support of numerous
corporate sponsors, the island has flourished - the beaches are clean, the
buildings have been rebuilt and island life is happy once again.
The Regent’s school has completed a number of projects at a small school on the
island called Baan Koh Phi Phi. In previous years we have painted murals, built
new wash areas, installed drinking fountains, financed the building of a new
canteen and planted a lovely new school garden.
This year we enjoyed setting up a sustainable mango tree farm. This will give
residents of the sea gypsy village fresh mangos each year to eat and sell. It
was lots of fun planting the trees in the mud and we hope they will continue to
grow for many years to come.
We were also very pleased to be able to donate 10,000 baht to Baan Koh Phi Phi
using the Primary Community Chest. The money will be used to continue improving
the school environment.
As well as planting mango trees, we also enjoyed other activities such as hiking
across the island, walking to the viewpoint, snorkeling, playing Thai musical
instruments, and playing on the beach. The project was very tiring but we had
lots of fun! If you are interested in being part of the Koh Phi Phi project
2014, then remember to sign up during Round Square week next year.
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Regent’s Presents: Shark Guardian
Brendon Sing and Elizabeth Ward-Sing from Shark
Guardian.
Alicia Warner
This presentation from the Regent’s Presents programme saw the audience at
the Regent’s School Pattaya walking away with a deeper understanding of sharks
and the challenges they face for survival.
As our list of Regent’s Presents speakers continues to grow it is especially
exciting and refreshing to be able to add Shark Guardian to that list. The
organization, founded by dive enthusiasts Brendon Sing and Elizabeth Ward-Sing,
is one that exists as a result of the general misunderstanding and frightening
mistreatment of sharks by both the public at large and fishermen.
Combining film, imagery and their narrative, Shark Guardian strived to open our
minds to the disturbing lack of shark protection - with great success. While the
number of people killed by sharks is significantly lower than the number of
deaths by box jellyfish (or even coconuts!) we still seem to assume that it’s
justifiable to add sharks to our list of greatest fears. Of course, with films
such as Jaws and the manner in which sharks are portrayed in the media it is no
surprise that we dread them despite the fact that 97% of the 500 species of
shark that exist are harmless. Staggeringly, 70-100 million sharks are killed
each year by humans.
One major cause for driving sharks to extinction highlighted in the talk was the
increasing demand for shark fin soup - a delicacy in Chinese culture and cuisine
- and we were shown shocking imagery of fisherman cutting off fins and throwing
the bodies back into the water, leaving the sharks to die. By not eating this
dish, which is usually cooked with chicken or pork to add taste to the otherwise
flavourless shark fin, we’re at least not contributing further to their demise.
Luckily, with Shark Guardian’s determination and passion we walked away
understanding that these ancient fish are vital for life on earth and any
continuation of their unpardonable decline will only damage our environment in
ways that we can’t even fathom.
For more information please visit
www.sharkguardian.org
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46th SFCA hosts beach party for 280 Buriram kids
Kids wearing blue shirts from Nonsomboon School
arrive at Jomtien Beach. Local volunteers can be seen in the background.
Rad Mays
On March 1st the 46th Special Forces Company Association (SFCA), located here in
Pattaya, hosted a beach party for 280 kids from poor schools in the Buriram
Provence. The schools that the kids and teachers represented were Non Som Boon,
Tha Mong, Samrong Phiman and Sa Kae Schools. The funding for the four buses,
food, rides, etc., were paid for by the 46th SFCA fund raising from SF members
and families, to include members that served here during the 1960s. Additional
funds came directly from CEO of 46th SFCA Reed Johnson and the Buriram school
districts. The total amount of funds expended for this activity was 132,000
baht.
(L to R) Veterans of Foreign Wars
Jr. Vice Commander District V Pat Clark; Deputy Director of District 4 Buriram
Province who oversees 211 schools Viboonsak “Rang” Phraphuchamnong; with the cap
is 46th SFCA’s Mike Brook from Spokane Washington USA; CEO of 46th SFCA Reed
“Cadillac” Johnson, and on the extreme right is Prasatporn Deeden, an aid to
Pattaya’s mayor.
The children left Satuck in Buriram Province just after
midnight. Their first stop was at the Zoo in Chonburi. After a few hours they
boarded their busses and headed for Jomtien Beach. While this was going on with
the kids, members and friends of the 46th SFCA and the Young Marines were moving
all the tables, chairs, coolers, drinks, food, etc., to Jomtien Beach.
The buses arrived at Jomtien Beach about noon. There was a short introduction
and photo session, and then lunches were served. After eating, it was time for
the kids to hit the beach. Most all of the kids had never seen the ocean or
beach before. There were banana boats rides for all kids that dared to go on
them, which were many. The life vest procedures, loading and unloading was
conducted by volunteer adult leaders and friends of the Young Marines of
Pattaya. They also supplied a safety rider for each banana boat. All kids that
wanted to ride, did. Plus a few received mutable rides.
At 1600 it all came to an end, except for the ride back to Buriram. Most of the
kids were ready to get some sleep, it had been a very long day with fun mak mak.
The busses arrived back in Buriram about 2300, completing almost a 24 hour trip.
With more funding, the kids could have spent the night and made the trip much
easier on them and the teachers. Maybe next time for other kids, which hopefully
will be in three or four months.
Kids from Thamang School,
in red shirts, and kids from Sakae School, in plaid shirts, picking up their
lunches.
Pat Clark’s wife Kanjana and
daughter Nongmai who volunteered to serve ice cream to all.
Rad Mays from Young Marines
Pattaya and Buriram school kids taking the last banana boat ride for the day.
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Sattahip School tykes get kindergarten diplomas
With parents clicking away on their cameras in the
background, youngsters at Sattahip School line up to receive their diplomas.
Patcharapol Panrak
Although they’ve practically just begun their school lives, kindergarten
students earned their first diplomas at Sattahip School.
Principal Rear Adm. Sutheer Sathienthai handed out certificates to tykes who
completed their third year of kindergarten with teachers and proud parents
looking on March 4.
Student activities chief Sayan Khwaenthaisong said the graduation ceremony
allows administrators to express congratulations to the students, give them
confidence for the future and improve their relationships with teachers.
Capt. Pratheep Muangnin said students now move on to the Prathom 1 level, new
schools and new classrooms. But he encouraged the kids to continue to study, be
polite and respectful and do their best.
Students now move on to the Prathom 1 level.
50 southern youths tour
Sattahip military museum
Vice Adm. Sonthaway Noichaya
welcomes 50 Muslim and Buddhist teens to Chumphon Camp.
Patcharapol Panrak
Youths from Thailand’s troubled south toured the Marine Corps Museum in Sattahip
as part of the military’s “Thai Hearts Become One” project.
Vice Adm. Sonthaway Noichaya welcomed 50 Muslim and Buddhist teens to Chumphon
Camp March 1.
Sonthaya said the project focuses on youths in three provinces torn by nine
years of strife between Muslim insurgents and the Buddhist-dominated military.
The mission hopes to instill understanding of the Royal Thai Navy so peace can
be restored and diversity of religion and culture preserved.
Student Angkhana Boksawatcha, from Narasikhalai School in Narathiwat, said she
was happy to learn about the Navy and will implement lessons in her daily life.
She said she wants peace to return to Narathiwat.
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