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SIT, rocketing toward the future
Banlang “Jack” Khemaphiratana, Managing Director of
Sriracha Info Tech Co.Ltd.
The world of computers can be an abstruse no-man’s land for
many people over the age of 25. It is rather like speaking a foreign language.
The older one is exposed to a new language the more proficient one isn’t.
Children are the supreme learners and filters of all human knowledge. How many
people over 40 have slaved to learn how to operate a personal computer? Then, a
problem arises. The adult goes about solving it methodically. Half way through
the process, a nine year old child raised with computers walks in, gives you a
puzzled look, rapidly executes 4 or 5 commands and immediately gets the machine
working again as you look on in horror.
Pattaya Mail had the opportunity to talk to a child of the com-
puter age, Banlang Khemaphiratana of Sriracha Infotech (SIT) Co., Ltd. Banlang,
whose nickname is Jack, was born on a most propitious date. The 21st of July
1969 was the day when Neil Armstrong became the first human being to set foot on
the moon.
Jack graduated from Kingston University, earning his degree in Information
Systems Analysis and Design. He studied in England for 8 years and now owns and
is the managing director of SIT. “SIT was conceived as a company which would
work in research and systems development for the parent company, Sriracha
Construction,” (which is owned by his father) Jack explained.
Today, software houses coming into the market in Thailand are, of course, most
progressive in Bangkok. There is also plenty of competition making a good
showing on the market. Some control the market in certain areas and some don’t.
Sriracha Infotech (SIT), although located in a province other than Bangkok, is
fast becoming a leader in the industry. SIT has vast experience and expertise in
the area of computer systems development, mainly producing accounting packages.
SIT developed a professional accounting program called “Payroll for Windows” for
accounting in a Thai Windows System, which can be custom designed for
organisations and businesses. This high tech, yet user friendly system was
originally designed for the parent company to monitor their accounts and work.
SIT technicians have developed this program further and are now able to offer it
to other companies through their webpage.
Jack is also interested in designing programs, and is now creating custom
specific packages to accomplish and simplify the accounting systems of various
companies.
A snapshot of a screen view in
“Payroll for Windows Thai Edition”, ACCWIN Accounting Package which was designed
by SIT.
In addition, SIT is also monitoring 3 websites, including
thaigolf.com, pattaya.com and the company’s homepage, sriracha.com. From this
site free programmes are available for download, including General Ledger Module
(G/L), Inventory Control Module (INV), Personal Information System and Payroll
Module (P/R), Purchasing Control Module (P/O), Account Receivable Module (A/R),
Account Payable Module (A/P), Cheque (CHQ), and Fixed Assets Control Module
(F/A).
The objective of ‘thaigolf.com’ and ‘pattaya.com’ is to provide both current and
potential tourist information in order to guide the reader through the
sensational Thai culture. A special event and festival guide is added to both
sites to “make your holiday trips more enjoyable” for those international
readers who think of spending their vacation in Thailand. But the site is also
very helpful for local golfers who think of travelling to another region of
Thailand to enjoy the sport of golf. For instance, golf courses in different
parts of Thailand can be viewed and read about through ‘thaigolf.com’. Pictures
of different greens, courses, clubhouses and information on club fees throughout
the Kingdom are made available.
As a parting note, Jack wishes it to be known that he and his 20 technicians at
SIT are available to create custom designed programs, mostly for, but not
limited to, accounting; for hotels, businesses, or anyone who just wants to
create a webpage, all at very reasonable prices.
Jack and SIT can be contacted by telephone at 770 697-9, or e-mail at
[email protected], or through the email link at pattaya.com.
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Rotary joins with Royal Thai and U.S. Navies to preserve coral reef in Pattaya
Story by
Lt. Comdr. Ed Butts,
Lt. Comdr. Cate Mueller,
Lt. Comdr. Dane Lajoye
Photos by Lt. Comdr. Dane Lajoye
KO LAN ISLAND, June 28, 1997 — In an environmental project
sponsored by the Rotary Club of Jomtien-Pattaya, the U.S. Navy ship Safeguard
began deploying anchor buoys near a coral reef off the shores of Ko Lan and Ko
Sak islands last week. The project is designed to preserve the coral reef
surrounding the two islands by installing permanent anchor buoys for small
commercial and pleasure boats to tie up to. In all, 36 moorings, weighing from
1700 to 2500 kilograms, are being placed with buoys.
USS Safeguard supplied valuable
assistance in the placing of the moorings and buoys to protect the coral in
Pattaya Bay.
Royal Thai Navy divers were assisting the USS Safeguard
sailors to prepare and lay the anchor buoys just off the existing coral reefs.
The construction costs and materials for the buoys—including concrete, anchor
chain and floating markers—is being paid for by the Rotary Club of
Jomtien-Pattaya.
Members of the Rotary Club of
Jomtien Pattaya (L to R) David Rice, Peter Thorand, Dr. Dan Scala, and Alois X.
Fassbind, observe the buoy project onboard the USS Safeguard.
According to Alois X. Fassbind, a past president of the
Rotarians, the coral reefs off Ko Lan and Ko Sak had been nearly destroyed in
the late 1960’s and early ’70s by commercial vendors harvesting the coral to
sell in Pattaya. Believing the coral had all been harvested and the reef was
dead, it was forgotten for many years. A number of years ago, local divers
noticed the reef had begun to show signs of life. With the assistance of local
environmentalists and the Rotarians, preservation efforts began in earnest to
help bring back the reef. In addition to educating people about the
environmental significance of the living coral, the Rotarians wanted to prevent
damage to the reef caused by small boats dropping anchors into the area.
U.S. sailors hoist one of the 36
moorings placed around Ko Sak by the USS Safeguard.
It was decided that providing anchor buoys would help prevent
further damage to the reef from the dropped anchors. The local Rotarians then
looked for ways to accomplish the project. The biggest difficulty was finding a
way to put the huge anchor buoys into place. Local contractors could not
accomplish the job within budget constraints, and the Royal Thai Navy did not
have any salvage ships designed to lower such heavy buoys into position.
However, the Rotarians have a long relationship of working on community projects
with the U.S. Navy, and so approached them to ask for assistance.
Slowly and carefully, anchors and
buoys are lowered to the side of USS Safeguard. The entire process of placing 36
buoys took six days.
USS Safeguard, a U.S. Navy salvage and rescue ship, is currently operating off
Pattaya as part of the Cooperation Afloat Readiness and Training (CARAT)
exercise with the Royal Thai Navy. This annual bilateral training exercise is
designed to promote cooperation and good will and to offer training
opportunities that are mutually beneficial to each navy.
CARAT provided a window of opportunity for the anchor buoy project to be
completed. Peter Thorand, Director of Community Service for Rotary said,
“Without the assistance of the United States Navy, we could not do this
project.”
Because of the weight of the anchors for the buoys and how closely they needed
to be placed to the shore, the logistics for the project were very complicated.
USS Safeguard is specifically designed to move closer to shore than most vessels
and also has onboard cranes to allow it to move the anchors into position to be
put in the water.
Rear Admiral John J. Bepko
represents the U.S. Navy at the opening ceremony of the annual Cooperation
Afloat Readiness and Training exercise at Sattahip Naval Base.
Additionally, ten Royal Thai Navy divers, knowledgeable of
local waters and familiar with the reef, participated in the project as part of
CARAT. These divers assisted in preparing the buoys to be dropped and also will
be making several dives around the newly-placed buoys to ensure they are in good
mechanical order. One of the Thai divers commented that for a diver, keeping the
ocean environment clean and healthy is like keeping your house clean. The
Rotarians have thus far raised 500,000 baht for the project, which has covered
the cost of materials, and will enable them to maintain the buoys in the near
future. The project would have cost considerably more without the assistance of
the U.S. and Royal Thai navies. The Rotarians are now raising money for
continued education about preserving the coral reef and for continued
maintenance of the new anchor buoys.
David Rice, a new Rotarian assisting with the project said, “This was quite an
international operation, with all the different nationalities in the Rotary Club
of Jomtien-Pattaya, the Royal Thai Navy and U.S. Navy.”
Thanks to this international team of volunteers, the reef now has a fighting
chance of survival, providing enjoyment for future generations.
And away she goes! U.S. Navy
sailor prepares to cut the line, sending the anchor buoy into the water with a
big splash.
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US Sailors Visit Thai Children’s Home
U.S. Navy sailors serve up
lunch, American style.
Sailors from the U.S. Navy and the Royal Thai Navy joined
together recently to help out at a children’s home in Map Ta Phut.
The sailors came over from the nearby Royal Thai Navy base at Sattahip,
Thailand, where they are participating in CARAT 97, a bilateral training
exercise.
The Eastern Child Welfare Protection Institute was established in 1983 to
provide care to orphans, abandoned and abused children. It currently houses
about 262 boys and girls, providing them with care and schooling.
U.S. Navy and Royal Thai Navy
sailors teamed up last week to repaint a building at Eastern Child Welfare
Institute in Map Ta Phut.
On Tuesday, June 24, American and Thai sailors joined
together to help on various projects at the institute. The U.S. Navy
provided materials, including paint and brushes, to spruce up the interior
of a school hall. Skilled mechanics from the U.S. ships worked in the
school’s machinery shop, fixing motors and generators.
Following a morning of work, the sailors and the children attended a
barbecue hosted by the Rotary Club of Jomtien-Pattaya, which had organized
the project. The US CINCPAC FLT Band, “Task Force Pearl”, provided musical
entertainment, much to the delight of the children.
Boys at the Banglamung Home
hamming it up for the camera during the recent visit by U.S. Navy sailors.
U.S. Navy Engineman Third Class Steve Hordinski, of the
USS Frederick (LST 1184), a native of Morrison, Colorado, helped cook and
serve hamburgers to the students.
“It is really nice here, seeing a different side of Thailand,” he commented
during a break from the hot barbecue fires.
Also helping with the barbecue was Lieutenant (junior grade) Jason
Williscroft, of the USS Rodney M. Davis (FFG 60), from Dayton, Washington,
who had visited Thailand before, as an enlisted Marine in the early 1990s.
Enjoying a cotton candy treat
provided by the Rotary Club of Jomtien Pattaya during a visit by the U.S.
Navy sailors at the Banglamung Boys Home on June 24th.
“Thailand has changed a lot since I was here before,” he
stated. “But the people here are as friendly as before. I like it here in
Thailand.”
The U.S. and Royal Thai navies have been working together as part of
Cooperation Afloat Readiness and Training (CARAT) 97, a series of routine
bilateral training exercises between the United States and the military
forces of several nations in Southeast Asia.
(3) U.S. sailors sample Thai
cuisine.
The purpose of this training cruise is to promote
cooperation and goodwill and to offer training opportunities that are
mutually beneficial.
U.S. Navy band “Task Force
Pearl” entertains the children at the Eastern Child Welfare Protection
Institute June 24th.
The U.S. Navy is represented by a Seventh Fleet task
force, consisting of five surface ships, a submarine, a Coast Guard cutter,
two P-3C ‘Orion’ maritime patrol aircraft and two SH-60 helicopter
detachments. Embarked with the task force are a drone detachment, an
explosive ordnance detachment, and a Marine Corps reinforced rifle company.
CARAT Thailand 97 concludes on 4 July.
— USN —
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