|
PCEC guest speaker talks about current issues in Thailand
Elfie Seitz, executive editor
of the German language Pattaya Blatt newspaper, enjoys breakfast with
friends before the start of the presentation by Dr. Mettananando to the
PCEC.
Since 1932, Thailand has had 19 constitutions. Most
countries have had just one. This was one of the observations made by the Dr
Mettananando Bhikkhu when he spoke to the Pattaya City Expats Club on
Sunday, July 27 on current issues in Thailand. He previously spoke to the
Club in February 2013 on the topic of “Thai Buddhism in a Nutshell.”
 Dr.
Mettananando gave a freewheeling presentation on the current situation in
Thailand and on organised Buddhist religion in this country.
Dr. Mettananando, a former monk, holds two degrees from Chulalongkorn
University in Bangkok including a medical degree. He was the first monk
graduated from Oxford University, where he was also awarded the Boden Prize
of Sanskrit, and from Harvard Divinity School. His last degree is a Ph.D.
from the University of Hamburg, Germany. He has written a number of books in
Thai and English introducing a new way of interpreting the Buddhist canon
including novels, dramas and more than 100 TV programs televised in Thailand
for the promotion of social ethics. He also teaches Buddhism at Assumption
University and Center for Thai Studies, Chulalongkorn University and serves
as a member of the Ethics Committee of the Faculties of Medicine. Currently,
he is the Chairman of the Advisory Board of the Hospice Foundation of
Thailand which is the national network of hospice and palliative care of
Thailand.
 PCEC
Master of Ceremonies Richard Silverberg brings everyone up to date on club
activities and upcoming events.
Dr Mettananando gave a freewheeling presentation on the current situation in
Thailand and on organised Buddhist religion in this country. He talked about
some of the historical events that help explain the situation that Thailand
finds itself in today. He said that Democracy came to Thailand via the coup
of 27 June 1932 which replaced the absolute monarchy with a constitutional
monarchy. Since then, there have been 13 successful coups (most of them
bloodless) and 11 failed coup attempts. Further, all of the coups were
carried out with the stated objective of ending corruption.
In his view, one of the reasons why democracy is not more firmly entrenched
in Thailand is the poor quality of the educational system, which is based on
rote memorising rather than critical thinking. He said that generally Thais
accept what they are told or taught without challenge. Additionally,
Thailand’s educational system ranked eighth out of the 10 ASEAN countries.
To illustrate, he mentioned that in Thailand, it is rare to meet a monk who
speaks good English; whereas he has met several monks from Cambodia who
speak it well.
In his talk, Dr Mettananando also touched on the tensions inherent in Thai
society, Thaksin Shinawatra’s years as prime minister, what he thinks will
happen in the next year or two, and what type of Parliament and what form of
democracy he thinks will emerge from the new constitution, expected in 2015.
With respect to organised Buddhism, he described how the administration of
Buddhist monasteries and monks in Thailand was consolidated and placed under
the rule of a Supreme Patriarch. He said that attempts to reform this
structure have consistently been met with resistance from the monks
themselves.
In answering questions, he gave his views on the origins of the conflict in
the Southern provinces of Thailand where Muslims make up a majority of the
population.
After Dr. Mettananando’s talk, Master of Ceremonies Richard Silverberg
brought everyone up to date on upcoming events and called on Roy Albiston to
conduct the always informative Open Forum where questions are asked and
answered about Expat living in Thailand, especially Pattaya.
For more information on the PCEC’s many activities, visit their website at
www.pcecclub.org.
|
|
Bayshore, Bayview hotels group thanks partners with party
Manisa Nunbhakdi (center), vice
president, and Saran Nimihut (left), regional general manager of Siam Bayshore
and staff welcome guests.
Jetsada Homklin
The Sukosol Hotel Group thanked partners and suppliers of its two
Pattaya properties with a party night offering entertainment, food and prizes.
Group Vice President Manisa Nunbhakdi with Saran Nimihut, general manager of the
Siam Bayshore Pattaya, and Holger Groniger, general manager of The Bayview
Pattaya, hosted the July 23 gala at the Bayshore. The Bayview is the rebranded
name for the Siam Bayview Resort & Spa.
The evening began with a Thai and European buffet, followed by games and a stage
performance of “Why Return” by employees of the two Pattaya hotels.
The finale for the evening was the release of 50 balloons, 20 of which contained
vouchers for prizes ranging from dolls to a one-night stay at the Pattaya
resorts.
The Din Tonics a capella group
gives a fun performance at the party.
Siam Bayshore Hotel employees
update themselves with Pattaya Mail every week.
Siam Bayshore and The Bayview
hotel employees perform in their Hawaii dresses.
|
|
Holiday Inn opens MICE-focused Executive Tower
Erawan Group Managing Director
Kamonwan Wilupakorn leads religious ceremonies for the Holiday Inn Pattaya’s new
building.
Urasin Khantaraphan
In another sign of Pattaya’s development into a center for business
meetings and conventions, the Holiday Inn Pattaya opened its Executive Tower
August 1, outfitted with nearly a dozen halls to accommodate groups of 12-550
people.
Erawan Group Managing Director Kamonwan Wilupakorn, group hotels boss Phet
Krainukul and Holiday Inn General Manager Kate Gerits welcomed nine local monks
to the 25-floor tower for a blessing ceremony and merit-making luncheon July 31,
a day before the annex’s opening.
The tower increases the Holiday Inn’s room capacity by 200 and adds high-tech
facilities for meetings, incentives, conventions and exhibitions. Each business
room comes with technical and artistic tools and access to a new kitchen and
restaurant.
The main conference hall, spanning 625 sq. meters, can accommodate 250-550
people and can be split into two halls.
A medium-sized conference hall can handle 111-250 people while a 250-sq. meter
conference hall can accommodate presentations, speeches or concerts for no more
than 75 attendees.
There are also seven conference halls 61-159 sq. meters and a boardroom for
business meetings of 12-30 people.
The Holiday Inn’s Executive Tower takes direct aim at the Diana Garden Resort’s
conference center and the Peach convention center operated by the Royal Cliff
Hotels Group. City tourism leaders, however, say steady growth in the city’s
MICE industry will require even more similar facilities as Pattaya gains
prominence with international business-meeting planners.
Holiday Inn General Manager Kate
Gerits offers a flower cone as part of the religious ceremonies marking the
opening of Holiday Inn Pattaya’s new Executive Tower.
|
|
Father Ray Month
Father Peter arrived on top of an
elephant.
Derek Franklin
Father Ray Month takes place each year in August to commemorate the
passing of Father Ray Brennan, the founder of several social projects here in
Pattaya. Since his passing on August 16th 2003, the Foundation named after him
has continued his work and in his vision and each year’s remembers his life and
his work.
On the morning of Saturday 2nd August a convoy of super bikes left the
Foundation headquarters on Sukhumvit Road to make the eight kilometre journey to
the Father Ray Children’s Home in Nongprue.
The bikes were followed by several coaches full of children and students, all of
whom are either living at or being educated at the Father Ray Foundation.
Upon arriving at the Children’s Home they met a second parade coming from the
opposite direction. Led by a marching band and followed by several elephants,
upon which were riding Father Peter and Father Michael, president and vice
president of the Father Ray Foundation.
Children and students arrived to join in the fun from the Father Ray Children’s
Village, Drop-In Center for Street Kids, Mercy Center, Anti-trafficking Center,
School for the Blind and the Vocational School for People with Disabilities and
they all watched in silence as Father Peter opened the day’s event by laying a
new floral garland on a statue of Father Ray.
There was free food and the Pattaya Colour Guard entertained everyone with their
fast dance routine which saw flags and rifles being thrown in to the air. There
were also several traditional Thai dance performances which were preceded by the
flower girls scattering rose petals. Many of the younger children watching
scrambled to collect the petals thinking they were a symbol of good luck, and
the children screamed in delight as the elephants decided to leave a very large,
and smelly, souvenir.
Other events taking place this month include a Memorial Mass at St. Nikolaus
Church on Sukhumvit Road on Saturday 16th August at 19:30, all are welcome.
More information can be found at www.fr-ray.org or email
[email protected]
Father Peter lays a new garland on
the statue of Father Ray.
The children liked seeing the elephants, but were
very impressed when it decided to open its bowels.
The youngest member of the marching band.
The Pattaya Colour Guard.
The flower girls.
Traditional dancers from the
Children’s Home.
These superbikes could be heard a long time before
they were seen.
|
|
|
