Paul Strachan
Skål Pattaya & East Thailand held their monthly meeting at the Moon
River Pub at the Thai Garden Resort on Thursday the 15th of August. The
club’s president, Tony Malhotra, opened the proceedings by welcoming the
guests and making the traditional Skål toast.
Angie Turton talks about her
venture, Diving with Sharks and Rays.
The president of Skål International in Thailand Andrew
Wood was also able to join the proceedings. He gave a warm welcoming speech
outlining the work that Skål does here in Thailand and abroad. He also spoke
about the changing face of tourism and how businesses must learn to adapt to
the changing demands and demographics of the tourists, whether they be Thai
nationals or from overseas.
Skål embraces many aspects of tourism related businesses and the guest
speaker for this event was the MD of Sentinel Enterprises (Dive in Pattaya)
Angie Turton, who gave an informative talk under the heading: Diving with
Sharks and Rays.
Ploy Pisters (left), GM Rene
Pisters (2nd left) and EAM-Operation Sanich Benjaman (right) welcome Marlowe
Malhotra (center), MD of Massic Travel and Philippe Delaloye to Thai Garden
Resort.
The company is run by Angie and her husband Steve, who
have lived in Thailand for the last 10 years. They started in the restaurant
business but soon found that they both had a passion to learn to dive. They
did their PADI courses and after selling up their restaurant decided to
create a business that would offer something new for tourists.
They came up with an idea for tourists to be able to dive with sharks and
rays at the popular local attraction: Underwater World.
Children as young as eight years old can get the opportunity to dive with
the creatures of the deep and to feed the turtles. The sessions last for
between an hour and an hour and a half and are popular with all
nationalities. This has recently been voted the number one attraction for
tourists in Pattaya.
(L to R) Ingo G. Raeuber, Group
GM of Pinnacle Hotels, Resorts & Spas, Yuwadee Prohkhuntod, Sales Manager of
Holiday Inn Pattaya, Nattareutai Thanapoomikul, Asst Front Office Manager
Holiday Inn Pattaya, Papakan Saguansap, Spa Manager of Holiday Inn Pattaya
and Tony Malhotra, President of Skål International Pattaya and East
Thailand.
Angie spoke to the audience about some of the
misconceptions regarding sharks and that not all were the type portrayed in
movies. After the presentation there was a brief Q&A session where people
asked about the costs; Angie was able to say that the price of the dive was
3000 baht per person and that a special rate of 1800 was applicable for Thai
nationals. More information regarding this exciting experience and other
services that the company offers can be found online at www.
diveinpattaya.com.
Skål member Dr Iain took his children to Underwater World at the weekend
after the meeting and reported that his children thoroughly enjoyed the
experience. His eight year old son cannot wait to dive with the sharks
again.
The next meeting for Skål Pattaya & East Thailand will be held at the Hard
Rock Hotel on Thursday the 19th of September. Full details will be in the
next editions of the Pattaya Mail and online at their Facebook page www.
facebook.com/skalpattaya.
(L to R) Kanmaee Saengchan,
sales manager at Amari Orchid Pattaya, Tony Malhotra, Dueanpen Thongsombat,
Asst. Director of Sales Amari Orchid Pattaya, Ingo G. Raeuber and Sattawat
Charoenlarp, Asst Manager, Sales Amari Orchid Pattaya.
(L to R) Peter Malhotra, MD of
Pattaya Mail Media Group, Pichai Visutriratana, director of Worldwide
Destinations Asia, Dr. Iain Corness, Pattaya Mail Media Group, Andrew J.
Wood, President of Skål Thailand and Philippe Delaloye (seated).
(L to R) Andrew J. Wood,
President of Skål International Thailand, Pichai Visutriratana, director of
Worldwide Destinations Asia, Wassana Pokthang, EAM Centara Grand Pratamnak,
Patricia Cawpos Salaberri, Senior Aquarist Centara Grand Pratamnak, Jarunee
Srikaew, Executive Secretary Centara Grand Pratamnak, Dominique Rongé, GM of
Centara Grand Pratamnak and Tony Malhotra President of Skål International
Pattaya and East Thailand.