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Pattaya School No. 11
holds sports day
Mayor Itthiphol Kunplome fires
the starting pistol as top officials look on during the opening ceremony for
the 6th annual Rachapruek Games.
Thanachot Anuwan
Pattaya School No. 11 students learned self-confidence and sportsmanship
while getting exercise at the school’s annual sports day.
Mayor Itthiphol Kunplome and top officials opened the 6th annual “Rachapruek
Games” June 19. Principal Jirasak Jitsom led the opening parade of 1,145
students split into four teams.
The event is held each year to promote students’ health, self-confidence,
sportsmanship and to teach them to be good winners and losers. The games
encourage them to play sports and stay away from drugs, school officials
said.
In addition to the competitions, a cheerleading contest was held and awards
passed out at the end of the day.
Sports played on the day were swimming, futsal, volleyball, takraw, table
tennis, athletics, and tug-of-war.
The blue team earned the
highest accumulated score.
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Slow-growth children problem
growing in Thailand, seminar told
Asst. Prof. Nittaya Kotchaphakdee, advisor to the
National Institute for Child and Family Development, Mahidol University,
addresses the challenge of “slow-growth” children in Thailand.
Surasak Huasoon
Experts from three major hospitals helped Pattaya-area health care officials
understand and address Thailand’s substantial problem with “slow-growth
children.”
Doctors and researchers from Ramathibodi, Mahidol University, and Buddhachinaraj
hospitals joined executives from the Paidi Institute at the June 24 workshop
focused on Thailand’s more than 200,000 children suffering from autism, learning
difficulties and attention-deficit disorders.
More than 200 Pattaya-area health care workers, volunteers, parents and
officials attended the seminar, which concluded that as many as 800,000 newborn
Thais may be afflicted with the slow-growth syndrome.
Lecturers said reasons for slow growth included premature delivery, en utero
infection, oxygen deprivation during delivery and genetic disorders. Seminars
such as this one organized by Pathum Thani-based Paidi and the Pattaya Health
Insurance Fund, they said, are essential in building understanding and
stimulating participation in caring for slow-developing and special-needs
children.
Parents and caregivers were told that if a slow-growth disorder is suspected, a
child should be taken to a pediatrician for diagnosis, which could require
several visits. Parents have various measures at their disposal to stimulate
development in affected children.
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School No. 2 students given lessons in traditional art
Extra concentration and a steady hand are needed to
create a good drawing.
Jetsada Homklin
About 300 Pattaya School No. 2 students were given an introduction to
traditional Thai art at an “Amazing Thailand Culture” event organized by the
city and Pattaya Cultural Council.
Deputy Mayor Wattana Chantanawaranon opened the June 28 event aimed at
instilling cultural values in children so they realize the importance of Thai
culture, which is slowly disappearing. The event focused on educating and
lessons in Thai art forms.
The Cultural Council and Pattaya Education Department offered lectures and
lessons on fruit carving, “puang ma hod” golden brocades, glass painting,
gilding statutes or art with gold, painting and restoring old sculptures.
Teachers at the school show the
students how best to create art.
1,500 Pattaya students celebrate National Boy Scouts Founders Day
Mayor Itthiphol Kunplome and 116 scouting leaders
salute as the Boy & Girls Scours march past.
Urasin Khantaraphan
More than 1,500 boy and girl scouts came together in Pattaya to
celebrate the 103rd anniversary of the founding of the Boy Scouts in Thailand.
Pattaya’s top boy scout, Mayor Itthiphol Kunplome opened the July 1 Boy Scouts
Founders Day commemoration at Pattaya School No. 7 with 116 scouting leaders for
Pattaya’s 11 public schools and 1,561 boy, girl and river scouts.
Itthiphol presented certificates to outstanding scouts and to those who
sacrificed their time to develop scouting in Pattaya.
King Rama VI founded the Boy Scouts in Thailand on July 1, 1911. Each year, more
than 10,000 scouts march at the National Stadium in Bangkok to express their
loyalty to the monarchy and scouting.
Lord Baden Powell originally founded the Boy Scouts in Great Britain in 1907 and
the scouts’ original mission was to prepare members for the military. Rama VI
set up a scouting organization for government officials and the public to
instill patriotic feelings. Thailand was just the third country to join the
international scouting organization.
More than 1,500 boy and girl
scouts came together in Pattaya to celebrate the 103rd anniversary of the
founding of the Boy Scouts in Thailand.
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Fahsai: A disabled child once
abandoned finds a new lease on life
Jesters Care For Kids 2014, Sponsored by Glencore International
and Canadian Jackalope Open
Fahsai 3 years ago at the Hand to Hand Foundation.
Lewis Underwood
You might remember our little Fahsai, the neglected disabled girl, whose life
started wretchedly on a well-trod floor of a drug dealers’ house from users
coming around at all hours to make their scores, taking no notice of the infant
under foot. She was the child utterly helpless, who was completely abandoned
when the heat came down on the occupants and they fled the scene leaving her
alone.
Fortunately, Pai from the Hand to Hand Foundation, who had been monitoring the
situation, went in and rescued her from an uncertain fate.
Fahsai 3 years later at her 6th
birthday party recently.
After all, Fahsai had cerebral palsy, and whether it was
congenital or from being dropped on her head, it’s a moot point. She was in dire
need of help.
Pai tried her best to give Fahsai the 24/7 care she needed as long as she could,
but it became burdensome, especially as a single parent and director of a day
care center. Besides, she realized that Fahsai needed professional help.
When we first saw Fahsai, she was meek and virtually voiceless, except for when
she was crying. From all that time spent lying on the floor, her neck muscles
were still not fully developed to keep her head upright all the time. But with
proper nutrition, better posture and care, she became stronger. She was happier
too, which was evident by that magic smile; a smile that melted hearts.
We took an interest in Fahsai’s welfare too and bought her a wheelchair. It was
at this time that Pai asked us about finding her a proper home. The Camillians
were already projects of ours both in Rayong, where they cared for children
living with HIV, and in Lat Krabang, where they cared for children with
disabilities. It was at the latter facility that we approached, and after
gathering all the necessary paperwork, they were only too happy to admit her.
That was over 3 years ago, and for Fahsai she has come a long way, especially in
terms of becoming cognizant, developing a vibrant personality and learning to
communicate. It is absolutely delightful to hear her speak now and to engage her
in conversation in both Thai and English. She evens sings and is clearly at home
with the 23 resident children and attentive staff.
As far as her physical status, the next quest is to walk. Fahsai undergoes
regular physical therapy coupled with low-dose botox injections to temporarily
relax her muscles. Children with palsy suffer from ever tightening muscles to
the extent that they are unable to put their feet flat on the ground. Casts and
splints are sometimes used to correct this condition so that their legs and
ankles get in the proper position for standing and walking.
Recently, we went up to Lat Krabang bearing presents and pastries to celebrate
her 6th birthday. Her disposition was bright and, of course, there was that
smile again; the one that exudes sheer joy. Fahsai has a new lease on life now
and given her total positivity, we like to think that she has completely
forgotten about the misery of her infancy.
If you would like more information, like Fahsai, please go to
www.care4kids.info, www.facebook.com/jesterscare.kids and/or https:
//twitter.com/JestersCare4Kid.
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Summer school fun at GIS
I’m going to steal a chip! Having fun at summer
school.
Mark Beales
A fun-packed summer school near Pattaya is proving popular with children.
Garden International School (GIS) launched its two-week summer school with a
flurry of activities for Primary students.
Activities included yoga, outdoor games and the chance for the children to make
their own healthy lunch of chicken wraps and salad.
There were also lots of trips out around the Pattaya area. Students visited the
Sea Turtle Conservation Centre in Sattahip and they also went bowling.
Students had a trip to the beach
as part of summer school.
Students also took part in a ‘Pirate Day’ event, where there
was a treasure hunt and the chance to make eye patches and pirate hats.
For more on GIS, visit
www.gardenrayong.com.
There were lots of hands-on
activities at GIS.
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