(L to R) Pumephiphat Kamolnart,
secretary of the mayor, and Mayor Itthiphol Kunplome present a gift to
French Ambassador Thierry Viteau and Consul Pierre Blondel.
Warunya Thongrod
Hot on the heels of an official visit by South Korea’s ambassador to
Thailand, France’s top delegate paid his third call on Pattaya officials,
using his trip to the city to launch a sports club and the foundation of a
new French school.
Ambassador Thierry Viteau and consul Pierre Blondel met with Mayor Itthiphol
Kunplome Sept. 18, presenting him with Education Ministry documents
approving construction of the Ecole Francophone de Pattaya language school.
The two exchanged pleasantries and gifts and Viteau offered to mediate any
conflicts involving French citizens. Itthiphol thanked the ambassador,
saying his door was always open for any visit to Pattaya.
Following his city hall stop, Viteau met with members of
the French-speaking Rotary Club of Pattaya-Marina, who had organized his
visit to Pattaya, and was welcomed by various French groups including the
Union of the French Outside France, Club Francais Pour Les Francophones,
Club Petanque Khao Rai, Pattaya Star Master Thailande and French-speaking
schools.
Viteau also participated in the grand opening of the new venue for the Club
Petanque Khao Rai, which will host a tournament to benefit the Baan Jing Jai
orphanage the same day.
An evening party at the Pullman Pattaya Hotel capped the ambassador’s visit,
giving Viteau a chance to meet with his fellow countrymen to learn about
issues in their daily lives.
The ambassadorial visit was the second to Pattaya in a week. On Sept. 13,
South Korea’s Jeon Jae Man made his first official visit to Pattaya, seeking
to strengthen ties with leaders of a popular tourist destination for
Koreans.
