Amazing Central Region Festival victim of low turnout

Confusion and traffic problems usurp magnificent efforts on behalf of participating regions

Pattaya received the great honor of being host to the Amazing Central Region Festival, a compendium of good things from all parts of the Central Region. The festival featured a fantastic show of culture from 27 provinces, each of which outdid themselves in colorful floats and exhibitions.

The Amazing Central Region Festival received a boost in respectability when Prime Minister Chuan Leekpai (center) officiated over the Grand Opening on November 5th.

The turnout, however, was quite low, which dampened participant’s enthusiasm considerably. Many felt that the cost and effort had not been worth the time.

Sansak Ngarmphiches, MP Chonburi, summed up what many were feeling when he stated that, "Expectations were not met. Most of the tourists, instead of staying in Pattaya, have gone to other tourist venues in Thailand because of the messy condition of the city due to pipe laying."

Above: Strong men carry "Miss Noppamas" from Ayuthaya Province.

The festival did, however, attract the attendance of some of the Kingdom’s and the region’s highest elected officials. The festival was officially opened by His Excellency Prime Minister Chuan Leekpai.

The opening ceremony, held at the dolphin circle in front of the Dusit Resort Hotel, began shortly after the Prime Minster arrived, and was kicked off with a speech by Pitak Intravitayanon, the Head of the Organizing Committee.

Then the ‘Amazing’ fireworks were lit which spelled out ‘Amazing Central Region’ in both Thai and English script. This was followed by the parade passing by the Prime Minister’s dais, led by the orchestra of the Chonkanlayakul School of Chonburi.

Beautifully simplistic, this float from Petchburi Province showed the true spirit of the Central Region of Thailand.

Pattaya’s float consisted of staff from the Thai House Restaurant dressed in traditional Thai costumes. About 20 people stood on an 18 wheel truck that had been decorated in the shape of a dolphin playing in the waves. There was also a ‘Year 2K Buffalo’ which was driving a scooter in the shape of a satellite dish made of bamboo.

The many imaginative floats from the other provinces taking part in the festival treated the sparse crowd to a true representation of Central Thai culture. The floats most praised were those of Chonburi and Chainat.

After all the floats had passed the Prime Minister, he proceeded to the Central Festival Center in a train from the Khao Kheow Zoo.

Attendance was a bit sparse at the opening ceremonies, but it still caused many traffic problems due to roads being closed between 14:00-19:00 hrs. on North Pattaya and Pattaya Central roads to accommodate the parade.

The purpose of the festival was to show Thailand’s Central Region’s rich cultural heritage to the world. To accomplish this, the festival was divided into ‘events’:

1. A seminar of local leaders concerning tourism at the Grand Sole Hotel.

2. A demonstration of the potential for tourism in each province by holding cultural performances and various events. Products particular to each province were also on display.

3. The encouragement of commerce. Stalls were set up which displayed goods and local crafts from each province. Tour companies were also present under the aegis of the Tourism Authority of Thailand. This was held at the Pattaya Festival Center.

Pattaya was chosen as the venue for the festival to promote our wonderful resort city to the world. It was expected that the festival would make money in two ways; the holding of the festival itself and the tourists drawn by the promotion it provided. The festival was a way of accomplishing this without having to send government promoters overseas as it would all be advertised through the festival here.

But it seems that the festival did not accomplish these goals. Local residents showed very little interest, most likely due to the poor promotion, and tourists that did attend did not understand the performances.

The tourists also seemed to be bored and frustrated due to the road construction which has turned the city into a veritable mud well.

It was fortunate that the event featured a one hour telecast of the opening ceremonies. The telecast did not meet expectations, however, as it was edited so that the parade was not seen in its entirety but rather divided into two episodes.

The main people who watched the parade were the participants who gawked at the floats from other provinces. Very few people were on the streets to watch the parade.

This is sad, as the participants had made their best efforts in creating beautiful floats. The main viewers were ‘ocean ghosts’, as both sides of the street were empty. This reporter counted less than one hundred people in attendance.

There was more interest during the second half of the parade, as entertainment venues had opened and tourists and staff came out to see what was happening.

To further complicate matters, the commentary during the parade was of the type one would call, ‘stating the obvious.’ The language lacked color, imagination and was flavorless. Interesting information and anecdotes could have been related instead of describing what people were seeing themselves.

The truly pathetic thing was that although there was commentary in two languages with two commentators, there was only 1 microphone.

Even though this could be referred to with an old Thai saying ‘hunting grasshoppers on an Elephant’, it still was a success for the Tourism Authority of Thailand in that it was accomplished.

Even though quite a bit of criticism was levied at the event, this is natural. If people don’t praise, they complain.

Australia, Japan win at Pattaya

Story and Photos by Peter Cummins

Australian sailors dominated the Asian Pacific Laser and Laser Radial Championships just finished at South Pattaya. The Queensland Casey siblings won two of the three events, with Brendan Casey winning the ‘Gold’ fleet and sister Alison fighting off a strong challenge from the Japanese women’s team to win the Radials. Japan’s Eiji Hirao carried Asia’s pride, winning the ‘Silver’ division.

Competitors select their krathongs: a different kind of full moon for most.

It was a nervous race committee, under organizing committee chairman and Royal Varuna Yacht Club Flag Commodore Lawnin Crawford, watching the unsettled weather of the early days, finishing races in dying winds and darkness falling. Then the North-easterly Monsoon blew in, on schedule and the regatta took on a new dimension.

To a person, the participants from eight countries of the region commended the organizers in the highest terms: from the race committee out on the sea for 10 hours a day, to David Wales beavering away in the race office to ensure quick, accurate results, to the International Jury working both on and off the water to ensure fair hearings for all.

The social scene included a "Pattaya Mail" sponsored Loy Krathong, a reflexology clinic, and even a Swiss Alpernhornist playing haunting mountain airs of the mountaineers.

Peter Cummins reports

Australian siblings Brendan and Alison Casey, with convincing wins in their respective divisions, took the top honours of both the Asian Pacific Laser ‘Gold’ and Laser Radial Championships back to their Queensland home waters last Sunday.

Lasers of the Silver Fleet blast off the start line.

Japan’s Eiji Hirao redeemed the Asian competitors in this hotly-contested event, by winning the third division, the Laser ‘Silver’ which was sailed concurrently during last week from the first to the seventh of November.

The Australians swept all before them on South Pattaya waters taking the top five places in the Championships raced off the Royal Varuna Yacht Club in a variety of conditions which gave the competitors a sample of the many ‘faces’ of the Gulf prior to the arrival of the North-Easterly Monsoon.

49 competitors came to Pattaya from seven countries of the Asian Pacific region, to join a contingent of 10 Thai sailors for this week-long regatta - the first single-handed Laser championship to come to Thai shores for 14 years. Australia sent 12, India 4, Japan 22, Korea 3, Macao 2, New Zealand 4 and the United States 2.

21-year-old Brendan Casey, one of Australia’s best two Laser sailors, had already earned entry in the forthcoming Laser Worlds in Melbourne next January prior to coming to Thailand, and is regarded as a likely selection for the Sydney Olympics, just eighteen months from now.

Japan’s Naomi Kusuda takes the big seas with much gusto.

Big sister Alison, six years his senior, is currently Australian Laser Radial champion and these two registered seven first placings each in the 10 races counted of the 12 sailed at Pattaya.

The "full rig" Laser fleet, after eight races, was divided evenly into two separate fleets of 23, the top scoring group comprising the Gold and the bottom half, the Silver.

The Laser Dinghy

The Laser dinghy, for those not familiar with yachts and yachting, was designed by US yachting journal editor Bruce Kirby and launched in January, 1971. It is a strictly-controlled small (4.2m), light (63kg), one-design class for single handling and numbers in the hundreds of thousands in some 80 countries world-wide. There are about four hundred based at various clubs throughout the Kingdom, with the majority along the Eastern Seaboard at the Royal Varuna and the Royal Navy Yacht Clubs in Pattaya and Sattahip.

The Laser made its debut as one of the chosen one-person classes at the 1996 Atlanta (Savannah) Olympiad and will be one of the main fleets on Sydney Harbour in 2000.

Aussies, Japanese teams enjoy the "Pattaya Mail" Loy Krathong hospitality.

The Laser Radial has a smaller sail area than the "full rig", comprising a 5.76 square metre sail compared to the 7.06 sq. m. regular. As such, it is favoured by, though not exclusive to, female sailors who, naturally lighter and smaller, find the larger rig very difficult in stronger winds where the Laser is not all that user-friendly.

The Asian Pacifics: Hard-Fought

Nevertheless, although the Caseys took away the titles, their successes were hard fought, with parents Norman and Carol up from Queensland watching every move of their offspring from the vantage point of the upper deck of the committee boat anchored mid-stream.

Tension was high in the Gold camp at the start of the last day’s races 11 and 12. Although Brendan had virtually consolidated his first place at the end of the previous day, nevertheless the other top sailors of the Aussie team were hard upon his transom and two bad performances could have taken him out, though his pre-selected berth for Melbourne was safe. He had a disastrous 23rd - uncharacteristically last - placing in the penultimate eleventh race but another first placing for the twelfth assured him of the title and sealed the fate of his compatriots.

Four more Aussies trailed him home, as Mark Tonner, Tim Shuwalow, Jon Holroyd and Anthony Merrington, second to fifth respectively, had just two points separating them.

Those lovely krathongs: floating away like a laser.

A consistent performer at the regatta, USA’s Bill Hardesty placed his sixth place wedge between the relentless Antipodean sailors keeping Team New Zealand’s Joshua Newman, Simon Small and Cameron Dunn in seventh to ninth, with a rapidly-improving Korean sailor, Ho-Kon Kim, 10th. Thai sailors, Royal Thai Navy’s Verasit Puangnak and Royal Varuna’s teenager Patrick Helms - both Laser national champions at various times - were 15th and 17th respectively.

In the Radials, Alison had a very tough battle with Japan’s Hisae Komori, especially earlier in the regatta when the winds were unstable and, apart from some sudden, vicious rain-squalls, rather light. However, by mid-way, the North-Easterly obliged, blowing in at 25-knots plus and Alison was out of sight, revelling in the harder conditions, more like the waters off her native Queensland coast. But the group of Japanese lady sailors performed very well indeed, especially during the strong winds which taxed their light, small physiques to the limit.

Oh, that sinking feeling - a Japanese Radial sailor hopes to re-surface.

Hiroko Okumura, Minako Tachibana and Bianca Helms, Thailand’s undisputed Laser Lady champion (at the ripe old age of 16), were third to fifth, respectively. Thailand’s other Radial entry, Alexis Welsh was twelfth.

The two men who challenged the women, Japan’s super light-weight Tatsuya Kusumoto was seventh and India’s personable Ramesh Vashhani held the ‘pride of place’ at 13th. For Ramesh, it was all so new: the first time he had ever sailed on the sea (rather than the lake of his home state) AND the first time he had challenged a team of formidable women sailors.

In the Silver fleet, Japan’s Eijo Hirao kept out Aussie Peter Heywood by a very narrow margin - a great performance, however, considering that he missed the first race. After these two were India’s Arjun Pradipat, Japan’s Hitoshi Kawato and first Thai sailor, Royal Thai Navy’s Chulapong Chanyim, third to fifth.

Pattaya Again

For most of the competitors from outside the Kingdom, the 1998 championships were a first time to Pattaya, though a few of the organizing committee, particularly Australia’s International Laser Class Association official Paul Millsom and International Judge Mark Pryke, are, by their own admission, "Pattaya repeaters."

Paul, in fact, was at Pattaya when the first-ever Laser event came to Thai shores, with the Asian Laser and World Masters Championships sailed this same month 14 years ago in 1984. "Very little has changed," noted Paul. "Apart from the first two days of this event, when the unsettled weather patterns gave the race committee some bad moments, the North-Easterly Monsoon was the same strength. The sea is somewhat more polluted, but still basically the same waterway and the Laser dinghy is virtually unchanged."

Even the results, Paul observed, "are much the same this time as in 1984 when eight of the first 10 were also sailors from Australia and New Zealand."

At the delightful awards ceremonies held at the Varuna Yacht Club last Saturday there was a loud call for more. Pattaya for a Laser World Championship - SOON!

The Social Side - The Thai Way

It was most fortuitous that the beautiful Loy Krathong ceremony came on the full moon night of Tuesday 3 November, half-way through the regatta. Sailors normally associate a full moon - apart from their romantic instincts, that is - with the biggest rise and fall of tides in the monthly cycle: vital knowledge for a competitive sailor.

Thus it was a delighted group of people who, for the first time, selected their krathongs and floated them off the Royal Varuna beach-front. The full moon took on a new dimension. The launching of the tiny, sparkling krathongs was second nature to these sailors who, countless times, have launched their little dinghies from innumerable shore-lines around the region.

It was the Loy, Loy Krathong ramwong which caused a little bother, especially for some of the Southern Hemisphereans whose huge hands are not all that supple.

Pattaya Mail to the rescue: as sponsor of the Loy Krathong night, the Eastern Seaboard’s finest newspaper supplied prodigious libations of Carlsberg which loosened the big Aussie and New Zealand digital extremities and worked wonders with their legs, perpetrating some fine renditions of the ramwong.

Another Thai touch was the establishment of a foot massage at Varuna whereby many of the weary sailors, race management and spectators availed themselves of the expert reflexology courses offered.

Not quite so Thai was Alois Schildknecht who appeared at the Awards ceremony with his gigantic Alpernhorn and soon coaxed the Royal Thai Navy band into some fine accompanying sounds to the moving Swiss mountain music of the horn.

I know that many of these competitors will not wait for a Laser Worlds - or any other such event - to be held in Thailand. Many will be back to Pattaya as soon as they can.

Pattaya, the early years

by Dolf Riks,

Not too long ago I was asked by a gentleman, who also happened to be the editor and publisher of this respected weekly clarion, why I did not write more about the history of Pattaya. "After all," he said, "you have been here for about thirty years."

At the PATA Ball. From left to right, Madame Suzanne, Dolf Riks and Alois Fassbind.

This is undeniable so, as I arrived on the beach in February 1969 during that disastrous conflict now known as the Vietnam War. History is however a funny thing. When you are in the midst of an earth shattering event you do not seem to realise its significance and only much later, looking back objectively, one starts to get the picture. It took me over fifty years to write about the Second World War and its consequences. Although we had many Americans on the beach that were either directly involved in the Vietnam conflict by being pilots of bombers, or on R & R (Rest and Recreation), or indirectly involved by working for the maintenance of the air base at Utapao, some of my best friends were morticians and young people working for the Chase Manhattan Bank branch on the airbase.

Every afternoon the big B 52 bombers, returning from their missions over Vietnam, would fly over Pattaya preparing to land at the Utapao airbase in Sattahip. As I recall there where usually nine, flying in V formation, but sometimes when there had been casualties, the number was less.

It wasn’t until I read "A Bright Shining Lie", a brilliant account by New York Times’ correspondent Neil Sheehan that I finally realised how dreadfully stupid and avoidable the whole tragedy had been, but that was years later.

One day in late February 1969, after a hazardous trip along the old highway from Paknam to Cholburi, I arrived with a truck loaded with my household belongings, plus two children, all girls, and the maid from Bangkok, at the gate of Charlie’s Hideaway on Soi Kanchanavit, which changed names later to Soi 5 in North Pattaya. The restaurant was situated at the exact spot where is now the Carlton Hotel. The second road was a sand path without streetlights and the beach road navigable with a car, but barely so.

The Beach in front of the Dolf Riks Restaurant in South Pattaya before the advent of Chalia.

The owner, Charlie Cattanach, a retired U.S. Army officer, was a colourful character, one of a collection of similar legendary local expatriate personalities. Charlie, a most amiable and amusing gentleman, but with no business sense at all, had the absurd idea that he could let me run the Hideaway, while he with his wife and four children moved to Switzerland to retire. Being a novice in business myself, I believed that this was plausible.

The same beach a couple of years later.

There were three other privately owned restaurants on the beach, "The Nipa Hut" run by Colonel George serving Mexican fare, located where is now La Gritta Restaurant on the North beach. At the seaside on the South Pattaya strip was "The Coral Reef", a restaurant with class and atmosphere and adjacent to it, the Outrigger, a bar and restaurant, decorated in the style of the South Sea Islands. The late, most talented Ed Headley and his partner Suthep Iemsakul owned the latter two. On the corner of South Pattaya Road and Beach Road was a big Tamarind tree in the middle of the intersection, on the corner of which is at present the building which houses World Gems. That was the location of another what one could call "eatery" called the Seagull, housed in a disused boathouse. The Seagull served hamburgers, pizzas and other dishes while it featured a jukebox with evergreens, and in between, the American owners, Bunny and Walt Kasdorf, played mainly American Western country music. The only first class hotel in Pattaya was the Nipa Lodge, now called the Nova Lodge on the corner of Beach Road and Central Road.

June 1972. A meeting of the Thai Hotel Association. Standing from L. to R. Siegfried Schreiber, Mathee Chutima and the manager of the Oriental Hotel Bangkok Mr Kurt Wachtveitl.
Sitting, from left Tom Gowman and his fiancé, Alois Fassbind, Penny Wachtveitl, Charlie from Charlie’s Hideaway, Suthep Iemsakul, Peter Mueller and Ed Headley.

After a couple of months it became clear that the arrangement with Charlie was a folly and he told me that unless I had an alternative, he had to let me go. With no place to call home - I had given up my house in Bangkok - this was not a very bright prospect. Fortunately, Bonny and Walt Kasdorf wanted to lease out their Seagull Restaurant and after a bit of paint, draperies for the huge aquarium windows, removal of the jukebox and a few other changes, we opened for business on the 24th of August 1969 under the new name of "Dolf Riks Restaurant".

Although with no experience to speak of, we were a success from the beginning and soon became known as Dolf Riks at the "Big Tree, after the old Tamarind tree in the middle of the intersection of South Pattaya Road and the Beach Road." On Saturday nights people tended to drive into this tree, as it had no warning lights and until it was finally cut down, there were several accidents, some of them with serious consequences. From the restaurant’s doorway, I took some pictures of the beach and the fishing boats. This was before a man by the name of Chalia, a most obnoxious person who used to supply drinking water to the village on Gogh Lahn, built a lean-to, which, in spite of several protests against it, spread out like a cancer. He constructed a long pier for the fishing boats and was known for his criminal behaviour. Like many other shady characters in those days, Chalia was shot one day and a few years later his son followed. The eye sore, an enormous beer bar complex, right next to the police box is still there for anybody to see.

One early morning the Friends Club, also on the strip in South Pattaya, went up in flames, killing several poor women locked up behind iron grills. Others escaped by jumping into the sea. Meanwhile, Pattaya was changing. The Pattaya Palace opened up under the able management of Alois Fassbind and his friend Bruno Forrer and the Ocean View Hotel followed with Siegfried Schreiber at the helm. The Royal Garden was the domain of the American Military and much different from the first class hotel it is now. Among other facilities it featured a small PX store.

It was in those days that a beauty pageant was organised and the commander of Utapao was invited to sponsor the affair and be present at the event. We, the Dolf Riks Restaurant, sponsored one charming lady who, however, never made it to the finale because she lost her balloons that were bought on the premises and given as a sign of appreciation. I believe her name was Nit or something. All of us restaurant and hotel people were sitting in the second row with the commander and his staff in the front row when the show started, but what the commander had not been told was that the contestants were boys and not girls. Great was the embarrassment for the top brass and the American airforce. After one of the fair damsels fell of the ramp being deadly drunk, the delegation left in a huff while we, who knew the true nature of the event, were very much amused indeed.

Another notable event was the PATA (Pacific Area Tourist Association) ball in the old Sheraton Hotel on Suriwong Road in November 1971. I believe it was Alois Fassbind who came up with the idea that we from Pattaya should all go dressed up as South Sea Islanders, and so we did. At that time the famous Susanne Beleuvre had joined us on the beach in what is now the La Gritta and we were the talk of the town for days. I had to borrow a wig from Nellie, Susanne’s friend, and with a lot of acrylic paint we all looked like a bunch of New Zealand Maories which had gone insane. The party lasted deep into the night and I messed up the bathroom when I washed off the paint and discovered that outside of the bath tub there was no drain.

Celebrations!

by Harry Flashman

Happy Anniversary! Happy Birthday! Congratulations on your engagement, graduation, marriage, baptism! Have a great vacation! The list of celebration events is endless, isn’t it? Have a look in your own family album and you will undoubtedly get all sorts of memories - here’s Graham when he graduated, Bill’s birthday, Wendy’s wedding or even Freddie’s funeral.

Some of these events are very important and deserve to be recorded in such a way that people looking at the photographs many years later will be able to imagine the event.

Unfortunately, so many times all that people take as the memorable photograph is a person standing in a solitary position way off in the distance. As far as showing what the celebration was - in five years time no-one will know what it was!

Here’s how Harry Flashman goes about taking memorable photographs. The secret here is to think ahead and make yourself a checklist.

Let’s imagine you want to record a significant birthday. What do you need to show? Firstly you have to show that it is a birthday, not just any old party. Secondly you have to feature the person with the birthday. Thirdly you have to show who came to celebrate the birthday and fourthly any significant gifts that were received. Even the cat will have by now established that you cannot incorporate all those elements in one photograph. Not taking enough film is the biggest mistake the amateur makes in photography!

Here is the type of list I would draw up for myself if taking photographs for your child’s birthday -

1. Shot of birthday boy looking at a birthday card (close up)
2. Birthday boy opening present (close up)
3. As above with parents and friends standing around (wide angle shot)
4. Mother placing candles on birthday cake
5. Father lighting candles
6. Blowing out the candles
7. General shots of people singing and clapping
8. Happy time shots

Note that all these shots are designed to set the scene, show the participants and nominate the "star". There are varied shots, some close up, some group shots and together they make a package called "Billy’s Birthday".

Now when you come to put them in the family album you have a nice group of pictures which many years later will continue to say "Billy’s Birthday", unmistakably.

So next time you are going to photograph an important event, buy a complete roll of film (gasp!) and plan your shots, take them deliberately to the plan and be amazed at how much better your results will be!

Step Right Up!

I was sitting in McDonalds in Royal Garden, looking through the window watching a group of tourists taking photographs to record their Amazing Holiday in Thailand. They posed in front of the photographer and took turns in being the shooter or joining the group to be shot. The theory was fine, but I know that the end result will have been totally disappointing to all of them. Why? Because they didn’t stop to think about the background for one and they didn’t get close enough for two.

Do you know the rubbish bin outside McDonalds? That’s where the group posed themselves! Great shot for your holidays - here we are around a rubbish bin! All they had to do was walk across the street and they would have been able to have a shot saying here we are on a tropical beach with parasols, boats and palm trees.

The camera position was so far away that they had groups of people walking through between the photographer and the subjects. So their end result will be tiny little people in an awful surroundings!

Plan your shots and get in close!

Travel Well: Ao Prao Resort Koh Samed

by Mary Mac

There is no need to fly off to the Caribbean or even to Southern Thailand to discover an unspoilt idyllic island hideaway. Ao Prao is the best side and best kept secret of Koh Samed. It is hidden away on the opposite side of the island from the pier and backpackers - and the inevitable rubbish.

Ao Prao is sheltered by the mountains behind and it faces the sunset over a bay of the clearest of seas.

There are four ferries a day from Ban Phe Rayong, a calm forty minute trip this time of year. There is no jetty, a lighter comes out to meet the ferry and transports all to shore. This is a plus for there are no noisy diesel belching boats tied up at a pier. However, the unwary can get a little damp jumping from the back of the lighter on to the beach. Wearing swimmers helps, or insist on being carried.

Ao Prao is still postcard perfect, no continuous parade of hawkers, no insistent jet-skis, just white parasols and deck chairs on the beach, and peace and tropical green.

There are small sailboats, canoes, mountain bikes, along with snorkeling and scuba gear to hire for the more energetic. For certified divers there is a whole selection of PADI adventure programmes, including a 3 hour introductory course for 3,000 baht, to a three day advanced open water course for 13,000 baht. Contact the resort dive shop

However, the resort does not have a gift shop so it is advisable to pack your own book, sunscreen, and mosquito repellant. The National Parks Guide of Thailand has this to say, "Malaria is still a slight danger on Samed, especially if you sleep in the rough. To avoid crowds do not plan visits on public holidays." Accommodation rates are cheaper also midweek than weekends. "The peak season for visitors from abroad is August, December and January. You may also want to stay away then too."

The Guide also states, "The lesser mouse deer, monitor lizard, bandicoot, long tailed macaques, varied squirrel, and 21 species of birds may be found on the islands."

Accommodation at Ao Prao Resort is in beautiful air-conditioned bungalows, right on the beach with own bathrooms and small verandahs. Baht 4000 includes breakfast and ferry trips.

Ao Prao is on the secluded western side of the island where there is good swimming. You are provided with a map and it is only an easy twenty-minute hike to the other touristy side of the island, if you just can not resist the bright lights. There are great views at Ao Giew, Ao Wong Duean, Ao Phai and Had Sai Keaw to be found just by roaming along the itinerary starting from the beach end. If you want to see still perfect corals contact the resort reception who will arrange for you to explore them at Ao Giew. Their brochure has this to say, "If each one of us ignorantly picks up only one stone and a piece of coral, Koh Samed will slowly be destroyed. If you want to keep something just keep it in the pictures and memories. Do not take anything that nature has long created from Koh Samed. Let them lie there for our next generations to appreciate." I immediately put back the pebbles and shells I "found".

Ben Adisti Travel, Jomtien can arrange transportation and accommodation. Telephone (038) 231602 for more details. It is one of the few island resorts where you will be seriously tempted to stay on forever.

Tooth Talk with Dr. Tooth

Compiled by Dr. Tooth and the staff
from the Bangkok Pattaya Hospital Dental Center

We would like to welcome the readers of Pattaya Mail to the first installment of this column. This column will try to advise and educate the Pattaya community on subjects relating to dental health, while at the same time doing it in a light and, if the readers would pardon the pun, tongue and cheek manner.

Sources of the questions for this column come from patients and non-patients alike via direct correspondences, telephone calls, and from plain stopping by the Bangkok Pattaya Hospital Dental Center.

This being the inaugural column, please do try to forgive any editorial hiccups that we may have overlooked. In addition, any comments from readers on how we can improve this column would also be welcome.

Dear Dr. Tooth,

I was in your office several weeks ago with my lady friend for a checkup and to have my teeth cleaned. I was too embarrassed to ask you a question about the source of my lady friend’s mouth odor in her presence. Don’t get me wrong, she is a beautiful, caring person and I love her dearly, but her mouth smells awful. Please tell me how she can be helped and where the smell is coming from.

David from Jomtien

Dear David from Jomtien,

Thanks for the letter and congratulations on your letter being selected for the first installment of this column. I can understand your concerns for your friend’s health, because besides being a possible source of social stigma, bad breath or halitosis may indicate a more serious health problem. There are mainly two sources of bad breath: local and systemic. Systemic factors play a rather small part and are mainly digestive in nature, but can be an indication of something serious and should not be overlooked. In most cases, however, the cause of halitosis is local. Among these are the presence of decay, plaque, calculus, periodontal disease, faulty restorations, infections, ulceration, and other oral pathologies. These factors are generally the end result of inadequate or ineffective oral hygiene (i.e. not flossing and brushing as instructed) and not visiting the dentist at least twice a year for a checkup and prophylaxis cleaning. The unpleasant smell comes from retained food debris that over time mixes with saliva (along with digestive enzymes found in saliva) and bacteria. This potent mixture called plaque will start to decompose causing tooth decay and gums to be irritated. So, in essence, if you can control plaque via flossing (once daily) and brushing (at least twice daily) and seeing your dentist twice a year, your breath should be non-imposing.

However, should the cause stem from the fabulously tasteful, but sometimes rather pungent dishes found here in the Kingdom, our advice would be to remove the culprit as thoroughly as possible and chew mint leaves (called "Saranay") and drink plenty of milk. The mint leaf contains a chemical that helps neutralize many spices while the milk will help coat the stomach thus reducing the severity of anything that may be coming back up from that area.

Hospital seminar touches on sensitive area

Treating sexual dysfunction with medicine

On October 31st, the Bangkok-Pattaya Hospital held a seminar entitled ‘Healthy Hearts and a Healthy Sex Life’.

Two well known physicians lectured at the seminar. Dr. Wanchai (Seri) Nairakseri, a Urological surgeon from the Somdej Hospital in Sriracha who is also an advisor on Urological Surgery at Bangkok-Pattaya hospital, and Dr. Ularn Jenboworn, a cardiologist resident at Bangkok-Pattaya Hospital.

The seminar was moderated by Ms. Songsri Rungchawala, Head of the In-Patient Department of Nursing at Bangkok-Pattaya Hospital. Ms. Songsri has a Master’s Degree in Nursing and administration from Burapha University.

The content of the seminar dealt with sexual dysfunction which may occur after a man has gone through a serious illness.

Dr. Seri informed the audience that the four major causes of this most distressing condition are high blood pressure, diabetes, heart disease and stress.

Surveys and statistics by the Urological Association of Thailand show that up to 40% of Thai men experience sexual dysfunction. Fifteen per cent of this group suffers from erectile dysfunction (also known as ‘impotence’) and seeks help from a physicians, psychiatrists and urological surgeons.

This problem is most prevalent in men ages 40-60. Men over 70 years of age unable to attain erection is usually due to age.

There are many ways to deal with this problem. Treating any emotional problems and being more careful of one’s physical health are the two most common treatments.

There are many new types of treatment which can help in more dire cases, including urethral suppositories and medications which stimulate the male organ. The trade name of this oral medication is Viagra, which has received worldwide publicity. No surprise, the doctor who formulated this most desired of drugs won the Nobel Prize for medicine.

In the near future a new ointment will be on the market which is a very ‘quick action’ drug. Users are warned not to be over-enthusiastic as ‘too much too soon’ can lead to side effects such as spinal problems and cramped muscles.

The Thai expression ‘to die on the breast is better than falling in a well’, was also discussed. This expression, coined hundreds of years ago, means that a heart attack from over enthusiastic sexual congress is a much better way to die than any other, explained by Dr. Ularn. The helpful physician said that intercourse was no problem for men with heart problems. The good doctor added that no unusual contortions or excessive gymnastics should be attempted, though. He said this should be strictly observed when a man is with a new sexual partner, as the urge to prove one’s prowess is often a cause of injuries.

The ointment will cause an erection lasting 30-60 minutes. Users are warned that the medicine causes heart activity to increase, and if abused can lead to cardiac collapse. Those who are not sure whether they have heart problems should have an Electro-Cardiogram before using this medicine. Always follow the instructions of your physician.

There is less stigma connected with erectile dysfunction in men at present which pleases doctors. This openness stops the use of expensive, ineffective and often dangerous untested remedies.

There were over 70 men and women of all ages who attended this seminar.

Those experiencing the problem discussed at the seminar may contact Bangkok-Pattaya Hospital every day for consultations.

Charity Jazz at Royal Garden

For many years, the staff and management of the Royal Garden Resort have personally visited and supported the cause of the Banglamung Home for the Aged. At present, they are in greater financial need than the hotel alone can give. Therefore a Charity Jazz Concert, featuring the famous and internationally renowned "Tin Roof Jazz Band" from Denmark, will be held on November 14th starting at 7:00 p.m. in the Ballroom of the Royal Garden Resort. The program will be held in association with Pattaya Mail and the Pattaya International Ladies Club.

The Tin Roof Jazz Band from Denmark will perform at the Charity Jazz Concert on November 14th starting at 7:00 p.m. in the Ballroom of the Royal Garden Resort.

A ticket for the event, including a welcome reception, an International buffet, the "Happy Jazz" music entertainment - and a lot of dancing, will only cost B 250 per person. 100 baht from every ticket sold will be donated to the Banglamung Home for the aged. For reservations call 412 120-3.

Successfully Yours: Pierre-Andre Pelletier

The often photographed, charming Pierre Andre Pelletier of the Amari Orchid Resort has had his dedication rewarded at last. Pierre-Andre has just received the most prestigious award that the International Hotels and Restaurants Association Worldwide bestows, "Young Hotelier of the Year."

Presented with the award at the International Convention in Manila last month, which attracted 400 attendees worldwide, Pierre-Andre was asked how he felt about the honour. "In one word: younger," he laughed, "and secondly, grateful to the company that gave me the opportunity."

At the hotel industry convention, hosted by a different country each year, awards are presented to two young hoteliers, one man and one woman who are under thirty. The senior awards are chosen from the Independent and Corporate hotels. Worldwide applications are reviewed and decisions made in Paris prior to the annual convention.

Pierre-Andre claims to have forgotten the contents of his application, with easy Swiss diplomacy he dismissed the question, "I can’t really remember what I said. It was just a C.V. and our opinion on industry challenges. I just filled it out and sent it off. I was not expecting to win so I did not even keep a copy," he grinned.

Pierre-Andre was to the manor born, with his parents having a 700-seat restaurant in Lausanne, Switzerland. It was not because of parental pressure though that he chose the hotel industry. "I’ve just loved it since I was a small boy. It was in my blood," he said.

Surprisingly Pierre-Andre took his equivalent of college training as a chef at the Intercontinental Hotel, before attending the famous hotel management school, L’Ecole Otelier de Lausanne. "Why? Because you have to understand what happens at the bottom. Only then do you understand people and respect them for what they do."

Pierre-Andre moved from Switzerland six years ago and spent one year with the Oriental Hotel in Bangkok and the last five years with the Amari Resort Group at Pattaya. One of the biggest challenges for him was moving to Thailand. "To make something from nothing is very difficult, especially in a new country where no one knows you or your family," he smiled.

I could not resist asking whether it was unusual for someone of his age to be in such a responsible position as a resort manager with over three hundred staff. Again Pierre-Andre neatly side stepped, "I have been asked that many times, it has nothing to do with responsibilities. You just have to have the vision and the energy and the willingness. I was fortunate the Amari Hotel and Resort Group gave me the chance to develop myself. Without that I would not be here."

His plans for the future: "I want to continue doing what I love - being married to the ‘otel. It is a beautiful family," he grinned. Although diplomatically evading all personal questions and claiming no outside interests, Pierre-Andre is content to explain what success means to him. "From the instant I wake up every day, it is putting myself into a new and different challenge to succeed. Success is a continuous process, it is a never ending circle."

His advice to youngsters who want to succeed in the hotel industry is, "You must have love, energy, vision and loyalty. We aim to make people happy and to give more than guests’ expectations. For that you have to have love."

Pierre-Andre is indeed a man married to his position, which has all the indications of a long and happy partnership.

AutoMania: Old Girl Friends

by Dr. Iain Corness

Many years ago I realized that you should never retrace your steps throughout life’s journey. If you don’t believe me - ever bumped into an old girlfriend? A frightening experience! I distinctly remember being rung up by an old flame and arranging to meet after a break of 20 years. She was a ravishing red-head with a superstructure that you could balance soup plates on. The memories of sweaty evenings parked in an MG all came flooding back. I could feel myself start to dribble (perhaps "salivate" could be a better choice of words!) Then in walked this tired old fat tart! "How could I ever have spent so much time bent up double with sexual frustration over that?" I thought to myself. Mind you, she probably regretted the invitation also the minute she saw this tired old guy with receding hair and half the number of teeth that she remembered.

1957 T-BIRD.

The same goes for motor cars too. That vehicle you had, or lusted over, all those years ago should be left as brilliant memories in your mind! Try to re-create the situation and feelings of all those years ago and you will be disappointed.

Mind you, let he who is without sin cast the first stone! I am just as guilty as you are. Many years ago I owned a string of "square rigger" MG’s. How about 15 MG TC’s, 2 TD’s and one TF? Some of those cars were very special - lots of "go fast" modifications, leather straps over the bonnet, raspy exhaust, "Brooklands" steering wheels. Veritable boy racers dreams. And "dreams" is where they should have stayed - but the opportunity to "re-live" the past was presented to me and, like a fool, I took it. A friend rang with the news that he had just bought "the best MG TF in Australia" and would I like to drive it. I went straight over and there it was - blood red and immaculate, the result of four years of painstaking rebuild. It was stepping back in time. The car was a "brand new" 40 year old MG. It was amazing.

I sat behind the wheel and misgivings began to come up immediately. The seat was dead-set uncomfortable. Were they that bad? The Bluemels Brooklands steering wheel was enormous and thin rimmed and not in the slightest "racy". I should have got out right then - but I didn’t, did I?

Away we went for the test drive. Jeezuz! Did first gear really rattle like that? And was this the performance I used to rave about? Talk about disappointment. Its quarter mile times would be beaten by Diahatsu Mira’s these days. A Toyota Corolla has better lateral support in the seats. The MG had the road-holding of a billy cart and the comfort of a poorly upholstered park bench.

I brought it back to the proud owner. "Wasn’t that a blast?" he said proudly. "Yes!" I said, but what I really meant was that the drive had blasted away all my pleasant memories of great times in old MG’s. As stated at the beginning of this article - never revisit old girl friends!

Autotrivia Quiz

Last week was the question about the Aveling Barford. What was it and what was its top speed? Well, along the flat they can actually get up to about 16 KMH and whatever you like downhill. They are of course, British road rollers. Those huge steel wheel devices, complete with worm and tiller steering. A fearsome machine, and not one to challenge to a game of "chicken".

I forgot to mention last week, that the winner of the Coventry Climax Fire Pump question was from Canada. Martyn Callow, a regular Pattaya Mail on the web reader (and Autotrivia Quiz entrant) was first in with the goods. Well done again, and when you get to Pattaya I’ll honour my pledge for that free beer! In the meantime have a Labbatts for me!

Doing it in the dirt!

This snippet is nothing to do with the Pattaya Hash House Harriers. There is a Rally being staged from Bangkok, up to the Mae Hong Son region and return to Bangers over Xmas and New Year. Looks like being a real test of machine (and man) and to show that the team at Pattaya Mail are no wimps, we will be joining the rally for the week of mud-plugging, winching out of bottomless mud, sleeping in pup-tents and generally sweating it out with the pro’s. The event is known as the Silverstone Trans Asia Trophy and will be Thailand’s answer to the famous Paris Dakkar rally, or the Australian classic, the Redex Trial. Next week we will have full details on the event, but at this stage it looks as if it will be a beauty.

The Sultan’s Gift

A couple of weeks back I posed the question as to what car you would like if the Sultan of Brunei offered you any car for you to use. That was the rub - it had to be one you would use daily. Many interesting answers, but the one I picked for a beer with the Doc was from Peter Cabrey, ex Pattaya and now resident in Hawaii. Not that Peter’s choices were mine, but his reasons showed that he is a man who enjoys cars, enjoys "sanuk" and prepared to mix the two! Definitely a man after my own style and deserves a beer. In his email, Peter said, "If I should win please let me know and give my beer to a deserving lush." I am currently reviewing my "lush" list and will choose one shortly!

Peter’s choices were a mint condition 1957 Ford Thunderbird or a 62 or 65 Chevrolet Corvette. His reasons included the fact that, "To explain to anyone under 35 years old that Ford (and Chevrolet) did indeed make classic sports cars and there has been nothing like (them) since or ever will be again. Cruise any boulevard in the USA and you’ll have women chasing you down the street." Keep cruisin’ Peter!

Copyright 1998 Pattaya Mail Publishing Co.Ltd.
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Created by Andy Gombaz, assisted by Chinnaporn Sangwanlek.