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In this, His Majesty the King’s Golden Jubilee year, the Miniature Boat Museum and the Weekender Hotel in Pattaya have set up an exhibition of Thai Boats.
Kamol Vibulthanakarnkij, the founder of the Miniature Boat Museum, has received Royal Permission from His Majesty to build and sell 10,000 miniatures of ‘The Moth’, with all proceeds going to Royal Charities.
‘The Moth’ was the sailboat designed and built by His Majesty the King as an example for Thai people wishing to build sailboats.
His Majesty built three boats in ‘The Moth’ series. The first was the ‘Moth’ sailboat, the second, the ‘Moth’ micro-boat and the third, the ‘Moth’ super sailboat.
His Majesty built all of the ‘Moth’ series by His own Hands. The first in the series was small and extremely easy to manoeuvre. The second, the ‘Micro Moth’, even smaller, had a single board hull.
The Micro Moth was the boat in which His Majesty sailed to victory in many boat races.
His Royal Highness, Prince Bira, was often in races with His Majesty the King and needed to find a boat builder to make him a boat which could compete with His Majesty’s.
Kamol Vibulkijthanakan, a famous builder of miniature boats, took on the job of building Prince Bira a ‘Micro Moth’ boat.
Prince Phira lost to His Majesty the King two times running.
In 1967, Thailand was host to the international OK Regatta. The Thai nation was proud when His Majesty the King won a Gold Medal over all Thai and foreign competitors.
After this, Mr. Kamol invited Khunying Rose Boribandburiband and Ms. Phimpha Limpaphayorm to join him in setting up a miniature boat museum. The boats were made of pine wood and were 4x9 inches.
These boats are in beautiful boxes, with sapphire blue velvet lining. All proceeds from sales go to Royal Charities.
All these boats are made by Thai farmers who gladly donate their exquisite craftsmanship in woodworking during the fallow season. Mr. Kamol supervises all the work.
The exhibition will be of Thai boats from the Sukhothai era to the present. Visitors will see classic Sampans, Rice Barges, Junks, Scorpion Tailed Boats, Krachaeng and many others.
The exhibition may be viewed at the Weekender Hotel from December 4-10th 1997.
The whole nation rejoices on this, the 50th year of the Reign of His Majesty the King.
Long Live the King!
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Weekender's miniature boat exhibition in honour of His Majesty the King's Birthday
Commencing December 4th and continuing until December 10th, the Weekender Hotel will be presenting an exhibition of miniature carved sailing boats in honour of His Majesty King Bhumibol Adulyadej the Great’s 70th birthday.
The significance of this exhibition to His Majesty is the special appearance, the first in Pattaya, of a full size model of the five metre sailing boat in which His Majesty won a gold medal at the 1967 Bangkok SEA Games. During last year’s celebrations of the 50th anniversary of His Majesty ascending to the throne, 10,000 miniature models of this boat were carved to sell in aid of charities supported by His Majesty. Approximately 2,000 of these models remain available and will be offered to the public at the Weekender’s miniature boat exhibition.
All proceeds will go to charities patroned by His Majesty.
On the occasion of His Majesty’s birthday, December 5th at 7 p.m. the Weekender will be conducting a traditional candle burning ceremony to wish His Majesty a happy birthday and long life.
The Weekender invites any of His Majesty’s subjects, as well as visitors to his Majestic Kingdom, to come along between December 4th and 10th, take in the fascinating miniature boat exhibition and join in wishing His Majesty a very happy birthday with many more to come. (Weekender Hotel is located on Second Road, between Alcazar Cabaret and Big C).
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Each month, all of us manage to pay the house rent or mortgage payment - otherwise we’d soon have no roof over our heads.
Similarly, each month we manage to pay the electric bill and phone bill - otherwise we’d have no light or means of immediate communication.
We’re all very conscious of the immediate bills that must be paid if we’re going to continue our current lifestyles.
But how many of us stop to think what will happen after we stop working? How are we going to pay the bills then?
For many people retirement is too far into the future to worry about. Life is for living here and now, and the future will take care of itself. But will it?
The Freedom of Choice
The word ‘retirement’ means different things to different people. To me it means having the freedom to choose where to live and what to do with my time - as opposed to having to work each day just to pay the bills.
But will I have enough money saved up to retire when and where I want? Will you?
State Pensions
People are living longer nowadays.
When the British Government first introduced the State Old Age Pension Scheme, giving an income to men over 65 and women over 60, the actuaries told them that the average life expectancy of working men in U.K. was 66.
In other words, the Government expected to pay out the State Pension for only one year on average after working men retired.
Now the actuaries tell us that the average life expectancy of men in U.K. has risen to 76, and is still rising.
This means the State is having to pay out the OAP for an extra 10 years. This it is finding increasingly difficult to do.
The average age of the population in most developed countries is getting older. More people are retiring than are being replaced in the working population.
Thus fewer contributors into State Pension schemes are funding more retirees, and for longer.
This can’t go on much longer.
State Pensions are in trouble
By the time the Baby Boomer generation comes to retirement age, there will probably be insufficient resources coming in from the working population to fund current State Pension schemes at their present level.
The U.K. Government, as one way of addressing this problem, is considering raising the retirement age to 70.
In most other developed countries the situation is similar.
In some countries - New Zealand for example - a means test is being introduced whereby if an individual’s income or savings exceeds a quite modest figure, their State Pension will be taxed at up to 100%.
Thus the retiree - who has contributed into the State Scheme all his working life - may receive no benefits from it at all.
Making Your Own Arrangements
Many of us who have chosen to live overseas may receive no benefits from our home countries’ State Pension Schemes anyway - we’re out of the loop.
But how many of us have made independent arrangements to fund our retirement years?
Many people I meet have taken out some form of retirement savings plan. They have made their own arrangements. Or so they think.
Quite often, however, they have not stopped to consider whether these arrangement will be sufficient. Will they have enough income to live comfortably throughout their Golden Years of retirement?
The Cost of Inflation
If inflation were running at 7%, the cost of living would double about every 10 years. So in 20 years it would cost you roughly four times as much to maintain your current lifestyle as it does now.
Most people’s working life lasts 35-40 years. Most people will live another 15-20 years after they stop working, if not considerably longer.
Putting aside even 10% of your income throughout your working life may not be sufficient to fund your retirement years after taking the effects of inflation into account.
And how many of us will have put aside 10% of our income regularly throughout our working lives to fund our retirement?
Inflation will erode your savings, and what 20 years ago may have seemed enough to retire on may in fact be woefully short of your target.
What can you do about it?
Professional Help
Well, the first thing is to have a professional appraisal of your current arrangements and future plans.
Discuss with your financial advisor (if you have one) what you’d realistically need to live on, and whether you will have enough put aside when the time comes.
If not, you have the freedom of choice to do something about it, which your financial advisor will be able to help you with.
Paying the bill for a comfortable retirement should be thought of just like the rent or the electric bill. If you don’t pay it in full and on time every month, your lifestyle will be drastically affected.
If you have any queries on this article, or about other topics concerning investment matters, write, fax or e-mail Leslie Wright, c/o Family Money, Pattaya Mail, or e-mail him directly at [email protected].
Leslie Wright is Managing Director of Westminster Portfolio Services (Thailand) Ltd., a firm of independent financial advisors providing advice to expatriate residents of the eastern seaboard on personal financial planning and international investments.
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Another sweet subject: sugar substitutes
by Laura Zubrod, Registered Dietician
There are 2 basic categories of sweeteners: nutritive and non-nutritive. Nutritive sweeteners include sugars that provide calories such as sucrose, fructose, lactose, honey, corn syrup, molasses, or fruit juice concentrates. The three commonly used non-nutritive sweeteners include saccharine, aspartame, and acesulfame K. Non-nutritive are also referred to as very low calorie sweeteners, intense sweeteners, or alternative sweeteners. Foods that contain these sweeteners are often labeled as "diet," "sugar-free," and "low-calorie". These sugar alternatives were developed in response to consumer demands for good-tasting, low-calorie products to augment an over-all healthy lifestyle. Yet, the question in the back of many people’s minds nowadays is whether using products that contain these sweeteners is safe and indeed healthful.
Aspartame is marketed as Nutrasweet, Equal, and other brand names. It is 180 to 200 times sweeter than table sugar. Currently more than 100 million people around the world consume aspartame-containing products. Aspartame is found in thousands of foods such as puddings, gelatins, frozen desserts, hot and cold cereals, fruit spreads, yogurt, hot cocoa mix, powdered drink mixes, soft drinks, teas, breath mints, chewing gum, cough drops and pharmaceuticals.
Aspartame is a combination of methanol and two amino acids-aspartic acid and phenylalanine. While amino acids are the building blocks of proteins, aspartic acid and phenylalanine are joined together in a way that is perceived as sweet to our taste buds. These two amino acids are also found naturally in protein foods such as meat and dairy products.
The controversy over aspartame’s safety lies in methanol that is released when aspartame is broken down. At high enough levels, methanol is a poison. It also is metabolized into formaldehyde, a known carcinogen.
A lot of research has been conducted on aspartame. It is claimed to be safe for human consumption by its manufacturers. However, there have been many consumer complaints about headaches, dizziness, and a wide variety of other symptoms, indicating a small subgroup of individuals who cannot tolerate aspartame. Additional symptoms of intolerance include depression, loss of sleep, muscle cramps, seizures, eye problems, disorientation, and ear buzzing, just to name a few.
Individuals with the disease PKU (phenylketonuria) cannot metabolize phenylalanine and therefore should not consume products containing aspartame. Also, pregnant and breast feeding women should avoid all intense sweeteners.
A recommended limit has been set for daily consumption of Acesulfame K at 50 ml/kg of body weight. A 68 kg adult would need to consume twenty 12-oz diet soft drinks or 97 packets of Equal to reach this limit.
Acesulfame K is marketed as Sunnette, Sweet One, or Swiss Sweet. It is 200 times sweeter than sugar and can be used in cooking and baking. Acesulfame K is used in more than 1,000 products worldwide, including a wide range of candies, baked goods, desserts, canned foods, and soft drinks. It may leave a slight after-taste when used alone in high concentrations in some foods.
Acesulfame K and saccharin cannot be broken down by your body and are eliminated in the urine. It has been approved for use in more than 60 different countries. This sweetener is also touted to be safe based on numerous research studies. The limit for daily consumption of Acesulfame K is 15 mg/kg of body weight. This is equivalent to a 60 kg person eating approximately 18 packets of Sweet One.
Saccharin is the oldest of the non-nutritive sweeteners and is produced from a purified substance occurring naturally in grapes. Saccharin is found marketed as Sweet and Low. It is 300 times sweeter than sugar, heat-stable, and considered noncarcinogenic. However, in 1977, research implicated that saccharin acted as a weak carcinogen in second generation rates when large doses were given. Since then several human studies have been conducted that do not support this association between saccharin and bladder cancer. Nevertheless, products containing saccharin carry a consumer warning on their labels stating that the product has been shown to cause cancer in rats. At the current levels of intake, saccharin is considered safe for the general public and is approved for use in more than 100 countries around the world.
Intense sweeteners are used by persons with diabetes because they can satisfy a taste for sweets without affecting blood sugar levels. These sweeteners help people who are watching their weight control caloric intake since products sweetened with these sweeteners are lower in calories. For example, a regular 12-oz Coke has 150 calories while a Diet Coke has 0. Another benefit of non-nutritive sweeteners is that they do not promote tooth decay.
Consuming foods with intense sweeteners is a matter of personal choice. There is research data indicating both the safety and dangers of these for human consumption. As with all foods in your diet, practice moderation and add balance and variety when making choices.
Readers may write Laura care of the Pattaya Mail with questions or special topics they would like to see addressed.
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Highly acclaimed Abbot building future for our children through education
Now that Thai society has rapidly changed from agrarian to industrial, and with the recent set-backs, people will have to work especially hard to cope with the country’s bleak financial outlook. Children and teenagers are once again forced to leave school before graduation to help their families earn the necessary money to survive.
Children must still attend school at the age of three, though. The typical pattern in Thai society is that rich families enter their children in private ‘name’ pre-schools, hoping that they will thus make the necessary social contacts for later life, while the working classes enrol their children in government pre-schools.
Rural children who wish to remain with their families go to government schools, as 99% of public schools are located in urban centres. The rural schools usually consist of 6 years of primary school and three years of middle school. Lack of government budget is the usual prohibition to having schools in which students may complete a 12 year education.
Recently there have even been problems with government funding for pre-schools, which has caused rural people to have to find money to enrol their children in public pre-schools far from their homes.
This gap between the advances in industry and the advance in education has created a new ‘disadvantaged’ group in society. This has forced children to leave school much earlier to help earn money to support their families.
Another group of ‘disadvantaged’ children are often neglected by their parents, don’t go to school or engage in useful employment, and spend their time ‘hanging around’ with others of their age group. In the end, the usual consequence is that these children become ‘social problems.’
The positive side to this is that temples, the oldest institutions of learning and ethical teaching in Thailand, are once again taking an active part in society.
Nong Prue Temple is an example of this welcome comeback of the Buddhist Clergy’s role in educating society. The temple has won awards from the Ministry of Education, the Community Development Department and other national institutions.
Phra Khru Phiphitakijarak is the Abbott of the Temple and the Prefect of Nong Prue Municipality. Phra Khur Phiphitakijarak is 58 years old and a native of Chonburi.
The Abbot told Pattaya Mail reporters that his various educational projects for disadvantaged children and young people received funding for books and writing materials from various small businesses, shops, and clubs in the area. At this time, the school has more than 400 benefactors who each give 100 baht per month. The Buddhist Father said that this is still not enough and he hopes that more people will find the charity to help the young scholars. The Abbott said that once a project is running smoothly, another must be instituted for the continuing advancement of the pupils.
Aside from the academic subjects required by the Ministry of Education, the temple now has a day-care program, a Buddhist Sunday School, a Dhamma class, a Pali language program, typing classes, computer classes, tailoring and dressmaking. The temple also functions as a news centre for the community.
The Abbot explained the various programs in detail. He said the pre-school had been in operation for 10 years, with boys and girls 3-6 years old from households in the municipality. The enrolment now stood at 200 students, with 12 teachers. The teachers have qualifications from the Mathayom three to post-graduate level, which enables the temple school to give the youngsters a quality ‘head start’. The expenses for this program are approximately 40,000 baht per month.
The Buddhist Sunday School teaches various aspects of Buddhism, such as the Dhamma, and the History of the Life of the Lord Buddha. The program is divided into 3 levels and those completing all three receive a certificate from the Department of Religion and the Ministry of Education. This course is taught by 6 highly qualified monks who are resident at the temple. The temple pays for all expenses relating to Buddhist studies. The Abbott told reporters that enrolment is 40-50 students per year and the course has been taught for 10 years.
The Dhamma and Pali Language course is taught to all monks, novices and interested lay people. This course deals directly with the teachings of the Buddha and their application in monastic and daily life.
The Dhamma class teaches the Buddhist Scriptures or Trai Pidok divided into the ‘Discipline of the Pidok’, and the ‘Tantra Pidok’. This course teaches Buddha’s teachings, the Aphidham Pidok, which contain the main aspects and precepts of Buddhism. There are three levels in this course, beginning knowledge, advanced theory and application.
In the Pali language course, students study the language’s very complex and highly inflected grammar and vocabulary. This knowledge is then applied by translating the Trai Pidok from Pali into the Thai language.
A thorough knowledge of the Pali language is required for all monks and novices who are to stay in the monkhood for more than one year.
There are 9 Chapters of the Trai-Pidok which are used to test the student’s knowledge of this ancient, complex language, with its 22 verb tenses and 3 genders.
Any monk able to translate three chapters correctly receives the title Phra Maha. Many students are able to translate the first three chapters, but very few have translated the entire 9 chapters required. Those who succeed are rewarded by His Majesty the King with the Nak Luang Royal award.
Many of the monks from Nong Prue Temple are now studying at the Buddhist University in Bangkok and other Dhamma centres in Thailand. They will return as experts in the various fields of Buddhism and resume their teaching at Nong Prue Temple.
A building is now being constructed on temple grounds to teach Buddhism.
Monks and novices are also given a comprehensive general education at the temple. The Buddhist tradition of constant becoming encourages this, as it follows the Buddhist precept of a soul in the constant process of becoming, growing and being one with all things in the universal environment.
The temple is fortunate that the national adult education system has sent teachers to instruct the monks in more worldly subjects. This, of course, increases expenses and the temple is in the process of augmenting various aspects of the general education program for the clergy.
For lay people, the temple offers vocational courses in computers for use in business, tailoring and sewing and Thai typing. These programs have received full support from the Rotary Club of Jomtien Pattaya. Rotary has built a 2 storey school and donated 10 computers, 5 typewriters and 10 sewing machines. The computer course now has 32 students enrolled.
Classes in these vocational subjects are 1 hour long, after the end of the academic day.
At present, there are not enough instructors for the computer and sewing courses.
The resourceful Abbott is solving this problem by sending temple teachers to courses in Chonburi City and Bangkok. After they have completed these courses, they will return and share their knowledge. The school still lacks the funds to hire teachers with advanced computer skills.
All these courses need funds to continue helping the people of Nong Prue. Temples receive no funding from the government for projects such as these. Abbot Phra Khru Phiphitakijarak is a true community developer and has earned the trust of the community with the many positive results which his educational programs have produced over the past ten years. Through his ethical and life affirming attitudes, he has gained the faith of the people of the area, who have supported him in his endeavours for the past ten years.
Some of the many awards he has received from the national and international community are the Department of Religion’s award for the monk most devoted to the well being of his community, the Semadhammachak medal from His Majesty the King of Thailand, the Devotion Award from the National Ethics Studies Foundation, Srinakharinvirot University and the Paul Harris Fellow Award from Rotary International for outstanding contributions to society.
Talking to the Abbot, Pattaya Mail reporters realised that these awards were not important to the monk. What is important is the continuation and expansion of the educational programs and to help meet the needs of his people.
The Abbot believes that rural people will receive no support from the central government until they begin to help themselves. This is one example of how the temple and the house cannot be separated in Thai society. Both depend on each other for spiritual sustenance and any attempt to separate these two traditions will only have negative effects on Thai society.
No matter what the state of the economy is or what the elected officials are doing to help or not help the people, it is the relationship between temple and home which will hold the country together as Thailand.
There is an old Thai proverb: "The Temple is good and will stand with the help of homes. Homes are beautiful because of the temple’s teachings. If the two are separated, both will fall"
The Pattaya Mail encourages all interested in helping the Temple’s educational programs to call Phra Khru Phiphitakijarak at Nong Prue Temple or telephone 429-040 or 429-071.
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Presented by Bangkok-Pattaya Hospital
Nosebleeds happen to all people at some time in their life. Many people suffer severe anxiety and confusion when this happens.
Causes of Nosebleeds:
1. Injury to the nose is the most common cause.
2. Picking the nose.
3. Being punched in the nose.
4. Infection or inflammation of the sinus or maxillary cavities.
5. Polyps in the sinus cavities, nostrils or Eustachian tubes.
6. Foreign bodies in the nose.
7. High blood pressure, haemophilia or other blood clotting.
8. Cirrhosis of the liver or chronic kidney dysfunction.
9. Broken capillaries in the nose.
Before You See the Doctor:
1. Pinch the nostrils shut and breathe through the mouth for 5-10 minutes.
The method is helpful when the blood is from the front of the nose. (Common in children.)
2. Tilt the head slightly forward so blood does not enter the throat.
3. Apply cold compresses to the nose and base of the throat.
Make an appointment to see you doctor if the bleeding stops. If it increases or does not stop, go to the emergency room of your hospital.
At the hospital, your doctor will use chemicals or electricity to stop the bleeding. If the doctor cannot find the source of the bleeding or the flow is quick, he or she will insert a gauze pack into your nose.
After the bleeding has subsided the doctor will search for the source of the bleeding. The gauze pack will be removed in 1-3 days.
If all these do not work, an Otolaryngologist, (Ear, Nose, Throat Specialist) will be called to treat you.
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by Randall Patterson
Pattaya Scots and international community celebrated Saint Andrew’s Night last Saturday with the Saint Andrew’s Dinner Dance at the Royal Cliff Grand Ballroom. Over 300 people turned out for this gala evening organised by the Pattaya International Ladies Club. All proceeds from the event were donated to the Rayong AIDS Centre.
Saint Andrew, a Galilean fisherman, was one of the twelve apostles of Jesus Christ and the brother of Saint Peter. The apostle preached Christianity to the Russian aboriginals, the Scythians and the Greeks.
Andrew was crucified on an X shaped cross, now known as Saint Andrew’s cross. In the 8th century, part of his remains were taken to Scotland. Thus Andrew became the patron saint of Russia, Greece and Scotland.
Scotland’s national flag of white and blue bears a Saint Andrew’s cross and his feast day is a day of celebration for the Scots.
Scottish blood seems to be conducive to the production of great innovators in the fields of invention, science and medicine. We have the Scots to thank for the telephone, telegraph and the many inventions of Thomas Edison, an inventor of pure Scots descent.
Aside from celebrating the Scottish heritage, the people from the land of lochs dedicated the proceeds from the celebration to the Rayong AIDS Centre. This is not surprising as St. Andrew’s medical school in Scotland is considered one of the world’s finest.
The youngest graduate of this centuries old institution was a Thai prince, who finished his studies and garnered highest honours from the meticulously critical Scots board of examiners. He was certified a medial doctor at age 16.
The Scots may not know it themselves, but Thai people who have been to this wuthering country consider the Scots the most hospitable and friendly people in Europe. Thais also love scones and marmalade, but usually shudder when that dubious delicacy, Haggis is mentioned.
‘I just couldn’t stomach it’, recounted a Thai friend.
Money flowed out of the Scot’s hands with uncharacteristic freedom at the gala event when the revellers learned that all proceeds were going to help children with AIDS.
The main organisers were Jo Hall, President of the Pattaya International Ladies Club, Cath Gatrell, who is active at the Rayong AIDS Centre, and Catherine Bond, a closet Diva, who thinks no-one knows about her glorious singing voice.
Jo said the event was a great success. "This is the first Saint Andrew’s celebration in Pattaya but not the last. There will be many more to come."
Jo added, "We had many generous sponsors and donations from many people in the community. We were highly gratified by the large donations which showed how much people care about helping others."
There was a lively Highland Fling Traditional Scots Sword Dance and Irish Jig by dancer Erin Johnson.
Young Paul Gatrell sang Scots folk songs. His crystal clear boy soprano suited the highland songs and their straightforward simplicity.
Everyone had been practising the traditional Scots reel and all joined in the dance.
A few non-Celtic dancers made faux pas, resulting in collisions, but fortunately no one was ‘kilt’.
With all the ‘moorish’ food, drink and revelling, the fling ended and the crowed reeled home.
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