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Elephants! We need
YOU!
With yet another “Elephant Enterprise” going down
the financial hole, we have to look at the welfare of these noble
creatures and what is happening to them in Pattaya.
With logging having been reduced drastically, many
families that relied on the efforts of their working elephant have found
that their source of sustenance has dried up. In desperation, many of
these people have come to the cities to look for work in the tourism
industry for themselves and their animals. In turn, entrepreneurs have
seen that they can also make some money by selling the services of these,
now homeless, people and their beasts.
 Shed
a tear if you will for these magnificent symbols of old Siam. Better yet,
lend a hand by visiting the Royal Garden Resort’s woodcarving exhibition
at the end of this month.
However, proliferation has been the name of the game,
and there are really now too many elephant enterprises for them all to be
viable. The entrepreneur can easily pull up his stake and leave, licking
very little wounds. Unfortunately for the elephant and his mahout family,
it is not as easy.
The Friends of the Asian Elephant (FAE) realise the
plight of these poor people and their faithful elephants, doomed to
roaming the cities at night to put on “tricks” for tourists while
treading the streets of the capital, in constant threat of injury from the
mechanical monsters, trucks and busses. These animals are not designed for
the urban life, no matter how “cute” it looks having an elephant
ambling down the congested streets of Bangkok. Certainly, there have been
statutes enacted to forbid this type of thing - but we are talking about
people’s lives and elephants’ sustenance.
There is no easy answer to this problem, but at least
the FAE is one group that understands and tries to help the noble
elephant, the symbol of old Siam. The FAE and the Mai-Mai shop in Bangkok
are making it possible for you to assist as well. Commencing on the 27th
of this month and running through to the 5th of December there will be a
dynamic woodcarving exhibition in the lobby of the Royal Garden Resort.
Presenting the works of the Baan Chang Nak woodcarving group will be the
master carver Petch Viriya, a man who has spent many years just observing
the elephants so that he can produce the most life-like and realistic wood
carvings of these animals. He will demonstrate wood carving techniques
every day between 10.30 a.m. and 8.30 p.m., techniques that will amaze you
with their intricate detail reproduced in the cassia wood.
There will also be auctions of some of these items with
the proceeds going to the FAE to continue their worthwhile work.
YOU can help our elephants. Make a note in your diaries to visit the
Royal Garden Resort’s woodcarving exhibition. Marvel at the
craftsmanship and mull over the future welfare of Thailand’s elephants.
We know you will care too.
Critstina
Bien-Betourné to star in charity concert
Celebrating His Majesty the King’s 6th
cycle
by Elfi
Pattaya’s residents are in for a treat. The music,
the style, the beauty and the sensational voice of Cristina are coming to
town. Cristina, the charming and versatile chanteuse, for whom music has
become a way of life. In fact, her life is music and music is her life.
Throughout her career, she transcribed music into reality and transformed
reality into music. In her performances, the audience can mirror her soul
and feel her sincerity. Cristina’s various facial expressions compliment
her crystal clear voice which promises to awe the audience and carry their
hearts and souls into another world, a world without problems, a world
filled with love and happiness. Her face is a medium for an interplay of
feelings that readily shift from one shade to another, depending on what
her song expresses. Her body moves in harmony with her face and hands to
create total harmony and communication with her audience. Cristina’s
mellifluent voice is very flexible, striking a wide range of pitch that
can easily interpret any melody to suit and soothe one’s mood. It paints
varying hues of emotion to give justice to the songs. Cristina’s knack,
to completely interpret her songs, makes her belt out with ease any kind
of tempo from slow to mellow to rock.
 Cristina started to sing at the tender age of 10. She
went on to complete music and singing lessons, as well as theater acting,
dancing, directing and production workshops in Teatro Philippines. In 1985
she embarked on her professional singing career as Cristina Bien. It
didn’t take more than a year before she was “discovered” and was
offered a stint abroad at the Beijing Hotel in China. Later she joined
musical bands as a member-vocalist and accompanied them to many different
places, such as Singapore, Thailand, Oman, Dubai, Al Ain, Abu Dhabi,
Bahrain, Turkey, London and Paris. Reflecting on her successful
international career as an entertainer, she simply says: “I believe it
is a confluence of singer’s blood (she belongs to a musically inclined
family) combined with determination, hard work, discipline and of course,
luck. My parents always encouraged me, taught me to aim high and work hard
to achieve that goal.”
Cristina confesses that she was greatly influenced by
the style of Tina Turner and by the singing power of Patricia Kaas, a
well-known French singer. Actually, one could describe her voice as a
mixture of Tina Turner, Whitney Houston, Celine Dion and Mariah Carey.
Albeit she has her own way of dishing out musical selections and her every
performance is a ‘coup de maitre’.
Christina married Laurent, took time off to become the
proud mother of two sons and put her international career on hold. Only
occasionally, at charity concerts, has she performed again.
Cristina now lives in Pattaya and is a well-known
member of society. Not because she is the wife of Mercure’s GM Laurent
Betourn้, but because of her own intriguing personality. She joined
the Lions Club of Pratamnak and several other organizations. She is known
as a talented dancer at the Sunbeam Dance Club, having also performed in
TV shows for them. More than that, Cristina is a sensational singer and
quite a lot of people in Pattaya know that! What they don’t know is
that, just a few years ago, Cristina was one of the most famous stars in
the Philippines.
Cristina is not only a gifted entertainer, but also a
person with a lot of feelings for other people’s problems. Being a
member of the Lions Club of Pratamnak gives her the opportunity to help in
many ways.
Cristina Bien-Betourn้ has agreed to perform at a
charity concert at the Moon River Pub on December 1st. The Lions Club
Pratmanak, the Moon River Pub, Pattaya Mail and the Filipino Community are
supporting the show entitled “Cristina & Friends in Concert”. This
concert is being held to raise money for the club’s charity projects,
and most significantly it is a celebration to commemorate His Majesty the
King’s 6th cycle, which is just 4 days after the concert. Cristina, who
admires His Majesty the King of Thailand for being a true father to his
people and for his never-ending effort to solve their needs, tries to help
in her own way and to do good in his honor.
“Cristina & Friends in Concert” will certainly
be one of the grandest events in the musical scene of Pattaya. We in
Pattaya and the surrounding region are privileged to witness the rebirth
of a star! Encore, Cristina!
Tickets for this charity concert are available at the Moon River Pub,
tel. 370 614-6, at the Pattaya Mail office, tel. 411 240-1, the Lions Club
of Pratamnak, tel. 429 719 and the Filipino Community, tel. 426 191. The
price for this concert is more than reasonably set at Baht 600 including a
welcome drink and a sumptuous dinner buffet.
Family Land helps the
elderly
Atrachai Dileut and Chong Cho Yong from the Family Land
Company tourist attraction in Pattaya arranged an evening meal for the 360
residents at the Banglamung Home for the Elderly located on Sukhumvit Road
on 1 November.
The Pattaya Family Land Company runs a tourist
attraction that portrays the everyday village life, handicrafts and
customs of seven different minority hill tribes from northern Thailand,
including the E-Kau, Meo, Yao, Kariang, Akha, and Sakai lifestyles, all in
a realistic setting. The recently established tourist attraction plans to
take 5% of their proceeds and put them towards various charities in
Pattaya that help the handicapped, orphaned children and the elderly.
 Atrachai
Dileut (left) and Chong Cho Yong from the Family Land Company presented
10,000 baht to the Banglamung Home for the Elderly according to the
company plan to regularly present a portion of their profits to needy
causes in the area. Family Land also arranged an evening meal for the 360
residents.
Banglamung Administrator, Miss Khanmuang Buanaksawakul
told the visitors from Family Land that the plans for the Banglamung Home
for the Elderly were implemented by Her Majesty Queen Sirikit in the year
1967 and opened the following year. The Banglamung Home for the Elderly
was the first facility of its kind. It began with a combined effort from
the government and the private sector to construct the 15 buildings in use
today.
Elderly persons age 60 and older with no other living
relatives to support them or in a situation unable to get help from
elsewhere can apply for residence at the Banglamung Home for the Elderly,
providing they are not physically or mentally handicapped and without any
communicable disease.
The home provides basic necessities, including medical
attention provided by hospitals in the local area free of charge. The
elderly persons at the home engage in various activities and work
according to their abilities and skills such as gardening, planting
flowers, and conducting ceremonies on Buddhist holy days and national
holidays.
Consultations with agencies, organizations and other individuals
interested in assisting the activities and affairs supporting the basic
necessities at the Home for the Elderly are always welcome. For more
information call (038) 241121, fax 241759.
Loy Krathong Festivities
20 November
Royal Garden Resort celebrates
in style poolside with a grand Thai buffet, long drums, Thai classical
dances and live music by their resident band. Krathongs will be offered to
every guest to float around 10:00 p.m. Price for adults is 800 baht,
children 400, all prices are net.
Siam Bayshore will hold its party at their Bali Hai
Restaurant close to the beach. Thai classical dancers, beauties joining the
Miss Loy Krathong contest and a live band will entertain you for the price
of 750 baht net, including Krathong.
22 November
Amari Orchid Resort
celebrates
in their tropical gardens with a sumptuous Thai buffet and seasonal
delicacies, while an acrobatic long drums group and the duo Bert & Belle
will entertain. Krathong floating and grand fireworks display will be held
on the beach at the end of the event. Price, including Krathong is 590 baht
++.
Ambassador Hotel starts its party at 7:00 p.m. Thai
classical dances and a live band will entertain between the BBQ &
Seafood Gala buffet. Net price, including Krathong is 500 baht for adults,
children under 130 cm height 1/2 price.
Bangsaray Club’s Loy Krathong party will be
complete with live entertainment, full buffet BBQ, fireworks and Krathong
for every guest. Price: baht 650 per person.
Central Wong Amat Hotel’s party is at Beach Taley
Restaurant from 6:30 p.m. onwards. Gala buffet, Krathong and classical dance
show for 550 baht net.
Delaney’s Irish Pub’s Loy Krathong party will
have a jungle theme. All the staff will be dressed in Traditional Thai
costume, with a beauty pageant at 10:30 p.m., with the best dressed member
of staff being voted for by the guests - one drink one vote. Full Thai
buffet, as much as you can eat for 145 baht, plus Happy Hour all night.
Party starts at 6:00 p.m. – runs until late. Krathongs for sale will be on
display.
Green Bottle Pub has a few offers: 1. Open 1 bottle
of Famous Grouse - receive 1 set free mixer plus a polo shirt. 2. Spend 500
baht to receive a free Krathong. 3. Wear any kind of Thai dress and receive
a free Krathong plus a souvenir.
Little Hill Clubhouse & Restaurant will prepare
Krathongs to float in their pool for all guests who come for dinner on the
22nd November.
Montien Hotel will have a delicious buffet dinner,
traditional Thai entertainment, dances and a Noppamas Queen Contest
poolside. The event starts at 7:00 p.m. Tickets for adults cost 550 baht
net, for children under 12 - 300 baht.
Pattaya Park Resort is celebrating this festival at
the Water-Park from 18:00 onwards. Krathongs are for sale at the entrance.
Entrance fee 100 baht. At midnight there will be a concert with the most
famous and handsome Carabao and his group, so better watch out for your very
own Miss Noppamas.
Royal Cliff Beach Resort is holding an elegant Gala
Dinner Buffet poolside from 7:00 p.m. onwards. The price of baht 750 net
includes Thai buffet dinner, Krathong, cultural shows, Krathong contest and
Miss Noppamas contest.
Rosie O’Grady’s has two live bands playing, a
special Irish stew for 220 baht and some free Krathongs. Starts at 6:00 p.m.
Siam Bayview Hotel celebrates with a buffet dinner
and Krathong floating.
Thai Garden Resort starts the event at 7:00 p.m. with a welcome
cocktail, followed by a sumptuous Thai/International buffet, long drum
show, high tech acrobatic show and classical dances. 550 baht for adults
and children according to their age, also includes Krathong.
Hank is 2!
Henry J. Bean’s Bar and Grill is now 2 years old -
doesn’t time fly when you’re having fun! And Having Fun is what all
the guests did to welcome Hank down at HJB’s last Saturday. Yes! Hank
got there!
 Singing
Happy Birthday while Chonburi Governor Sudjarit Pachimnan cut the cake,
ably assisted by Pattaya Mayor Pairat Suthithamrongsawat as Amari Orchid
Resort General Manager Pierre-Andre Pelletier emcees.
GM of the Amari Orchid, Pierre-Andre Pelletier welcomed
everyone wearing his pith helmet, while the delightful Tippawan was
delightful in a French matelot’s beret. Dominic, of the billiard table
legs fame, wore a fetching black beanie to set off his outfit. It was, of
course, a crazy hat night, and many of the guests joined in the fun with
similarly strange headgear. One Scandinavian young man was even seen
dancing with a cane bread server on his head, held on with his bootlaces!
 Benna
the lucky winner of the Lucky Draw will get to travel on Bangkok Airways
to Koh Samui.
There were fun games outside for the youngsters (and
some not so youngsters) with lighters, T-shirts and Carlsberg glasses to
be won. The BBQ chef did a rip-roaring trade while the lady in the
Carlsberg draught tent was certainly not under-employed.
The nice people from BJ wine cellars were there with a
wine tasting of the J.P. Chenet wines, which were voted as not a bad drop
at all by the Pattaya Mail Channel’s presenter, who was seen clutching a
bottle of the Cabernet Syrah at the end of the night.
Inside, it was all go. More funny hats and a huge
“Uncle Sam” shaped cake, which was expertly sliced at the appropriate
moment by the Governor of Chonburi himself, Sudjarit Pachimnan. He was
ably assisted by Pattaya Mayor Pairat Suthithamrongsawat and Chonburi
parliamentarian Chanyut Hengtrakul.
 The balloon man was there and a cartoonist, sporting a
wonderful nose and an even more wonderful hat! Some guests from Australia
on their first visit to Thailand were so impressed they are coming back
next year for Hank’s 3rd while another couple from California said they
were just so happy with Pattaya (and Hank’s of course), that they too
had booked again for the Y2K.
The Beatles played, Elvis sang and the guests all
danced their cares away while waiting for Hank. Lucky door prizes were
drawn, songs were sung, dancers took turns to out-do each other on the
dance floor and it was a great birthday for Henry J. Bean’s Bar and
Grill.
Of course Hank got there! Unfortunately the newspaper columnists had
gone to bed by then, but Pierre-Andre said he came, and Pierre-Andre
wouldn’t lie, would he!
YWCA Happy Family Day
gives sponsors chance to meet their children
The chapter president of the Pattaya Young Women’s
Christian Association (YWCA), Khun Premrudee Jittivuthikan, together with
her associates, was seen welcoming 400 disadvantaged children and their
sponsors at the Happy Family Day at Mikes Department Store last week.
Happy Family Day is a child welfare project of the
YWCA. Khun Premrudee explained, “We are really mindful of the needs of
the children from the poorer families. Today is also an opportunity for
the sponsors to meet with the children and ask them directly about any
problems they may have.”
 The
strength of our endeavors.
A team of doctors, dentists and nurses were there from
the Bangkok Pattaya Hospital to lend their support with free medical check
ups. Khun Premrudee said, “It is good to see so much response, but we
still need a lot of help. We really need the Minister of Education down
here to solve our problems. We find sponsorship for approximately 330
students from poor and very needy families, but that is just the surface.
Pattaya has two faces you see, one is a luxury seaside resort with
high-rise buildings and the other face that many people do not see is
shocking poverty. The YWCA is looking for help and ways to solve this
community problem.”
 Council
Member and Chairman of Chonburi Parliament Chanyut Hengtrakul (left) and
Mother Santhana Mekawarakul, one of the main supporters of the group.
Family Day Project Background
The Family Day Project is one of many ongoing
activities sponsored by the YWCA Pattaya Chapter. It was established in
1990 by the first chairman of the Pattaya Chapter, Suwana Surachatkraisorn.
The project was started to assist disadvantaged
children by giving them educational support to help them grow into
responsible adults. The project supports the government’s policy to
prevent child prostitution and drug addiction.
The project was developed further by looking for
after-school employment for promising students. However, although this
part of the project did meet with some success, it was only administered
for one year due to lack of sponsors. The project continued on with school
lunch support, which is still on-going to this day.
 Health
examination by medical personnel from the Bangkok-Pattaya Hospital.
The Family Day activity this year received a great deal
of support from the Bangkok-Pattaya Hospital through health examinations
for the students and care for their basic needs. Mike’s Shopping Mall
provided the location to conduct the day’s activities. Pattaya City’s
education office and the Banglamung District primary education office
provided assistance in coordinating the various schools, 33 in all,
supported by the project. The Pattaya Sports Club and 148 individual
donators provided a total of 331 children with educational assistance.
A letter of gratitude
My name is Miss Nuanjan Phimjan and I would like to
express my thanks to everyone for providing the educational support from
the YWCA for myself and other children. I attend school at the
Phimjaemwichason School in Huay Yai Sub-District, Banglamung. I am in my
first year of secondary level schooling (M-1). I have been fortunate to
receive educational assistance starting when I attended my third year of
primary school.
During my second year of primary school I was involved in an accident
that caused me to lose sight in my right eye. When I entered into my fifth
year of primary school I received assistance from the YWCA Bangkok-Pattaya
Chapter, which replaced my damaged eye with an artificial eye, which has
greatly improved my life. I wish to thank everyone and I promise to repay
the kindness by dutifully attending my studies and becoming a responsible
member of society.
Interfet Ship Loaded in
Record Time
by Ms. Raquel Romero
While Pattaya celebrated the country’s constitution
day, units of Thailand’s Task Force 72 in cooperation with JUSMAGTHAI,
the Royal Thai Navy, the United States Military Sealift Command and the
U.S. Army 599 Transportation Terminal Group, spent theirs loading the MV
Clipper Cardiff, a Military Sealift Command chartered vessel, with
equipment and material desperately needed in support of Thailand’s
participation in International Force East Timor.
 Heavy
cranes were needed to bear the burden of lifting heavy equipment.
The ship was loaded and set sail in 48 hours, a record
time in what is a first mission of this type for the Royal Thai Armed
forces. The person responsible for the RTA vehicle coordination was Royal
Thai Supreme Command Colonel Seth Navacharoen. Colonel Seth was
responsible for making sure the convoy of over 180 military vehicles and
equipment made it to the port on time to be loaded out for use in Dili,
East Timor.
 The personnel making sure that the safe load out was
conducted were United States Army Sergeants Kelly Hill, Solomon Moody and
Dian Vaz. Colonel Lance Booth, Chief JUSMAGTHAI, was in charge of the
supervision and liaison coordination which included air and sealift
support. LCDR John A. Romero was the Officer in Charge in Sattahip for
sealift support with Captain Larry Redmond assisting. Major Dave Teel and
Captain Scott Elder were responsible for air logistic support being
conducted out of Dong Muang.
 The importance of having the load out conducted in a
timely fashion was critical in order to get the equipment down to East
Timor as soon as possible and allow the personnel driving the vehicles
into Sattahip some time with their love ones prior to their deployment.
Captain Chapman, Master of the Clipper Cardiff, stated that the
operation went very safe and smooth with only minimum delay because of
rain. He was very impressed by the professionalism displayed by all to
include the stevedores, which were working at an incredible pace to
support Thailand’s participation on this important Peace Keeping
Mission.
Visitors bid adieu to
Bangkok traffic
by Imtiaz Muqbil, Executive Editor Travel Impact
Newswire
On December 5, one of Asia’s most exciting cities
will launch an overhead mass-transit system that will bring back visitors
and give a major boost to business and MICE travel.
One of Asia’s most exciting cities with an
unfortunate but well-deserved reputation for choked traffic will get a
major shot in the arm with the December 5 opening of an overhead mass
transit system. A total of 51 major hotels and dozens of shopping
complexes and tourist spots will be major beneficiaries of the system when
it opens on the auspicious 72nd birthday of King Bhumibol Adulyadej.
The 23.5-kilometre first-phase of the Bangkok Transit
System (BTS) is expected to vastly increase visitor mobility on some of
the sprawling metropolis’s two most commercially important thoroughfares
for both business and leisure travel - Sukhumvit and Silom.
Chronic traffic congestion has been a major problem
affecting tourism in Bangkok, where average length of visitor stay has
dropped from about four days to two days in the past few years. Visitors
find it difficult to get around. Many complain about taxis and tuk-tuk
(trishaw) drivers more keen on taking passengers to the nearest jewellery
shop or massage parlour than to their desired destination.
The new US$55 million BTS will solve most of these
problems, and indeed revolutionise the way the industry does business. It
will allow visitors to get from the far corners of the city to
river-landings, launching off points for the popular river tours. Shopping
centres and department stores will be able to launch city-wide marketing
campaigns aimed at the tourists.
Hotel sales and marketing directors will no longer need
to focus on attracting corporate business from within a two- to three-kilometre
radius of their properties, which they formerly had to do as traffic
congestion made it useless to cast their marketing nets further afield.
Conventions and meetings business is expected to rise
with delegates being able to stay comfortably and cheaply in hotels
further afield from the venue hotel. The Queen Sirikit Convention Center
will benefit, although it will require delegates to take a short taxi ride
to get to the nearest station, which is still better than taking a taxi to
the hotel itself.
Fares will range from 15-40 baht (about US cents 25 to
US$1), depending on the distance travelled. The electric railway system
will generate no pollution, operating from 6:00 a.m. to 12:00 midnight
every day. The operating company estimates a daily volume of about 652,616
passengers. The tracks are on viaducts supported by pillars about 12
metres above the ground. The space between the pillars is being filled up
with trees and shrubs, alleviating what many local city planners are
calling a terrible eyesore effect.
The system initially will use 126-seat, three-car
trains, rising to six-car trains as popularity grows. In peak periods, 735
passengers will be able to stand at a density of 6 passengers per square
metre. Stations are located about 800 to 1,000 metres apart. Access to
them will be by stairways from the street to the concourse which will be
below the platforms.
An automatic fare collection system providing single
ride and stored value tickets will be used. The automatic fare collection
system has been designed to cater for the System’s possible ticketing
integration with other mass transit systems that will link with BTS in the
future.
The tourism industry has reacted with glee. Tour
operators and hoteliers note the increased flexibility and opportunities
it will give them to totally re-jig their product planning opportunities
without having to factor in the traffic. Business travellers will be able
to increase appointment punctuality. Brian Harries, General Manager of the
Sheraton Grande Sukhumvit, has already had the name of the BTS station
next to his hotel printed on the hotel’s advertising. Local map
companies and visitor guidebooks are incorporating the system’s routenet
into their publications.
Edward Mirza, general manager of the Novotel Siam
Square, said: ‘’This is going to be a wonderful selling tool for us.
Many of our visitors who are from Europe, Japan, Australia and other such
places where there is a public transportation system will find it easy to
use that in Bangkok. It will also be very easy for business travellers to
get around, especially in terms of time management. When they say they
will be at a place in 10 minutes, they will be there.’’
Mr Thierry Douin, GM of the Siam Inter-Continental,
said: ‘’We lost business for many years while the station was being
constructed right outside the hotel. But now with Central station (the
main interchange between the two lines) on our doorstep, we are launching
a campaign to position ourselves as the best-located hotel in
Bangkok.’’
Mr Douin said the BTS would also be a major blessing for attracting
evening functions and cocktail parties. People will be able to leave their
cars at their places of work, get to whichever hotel is hosting the
function and return to their cars to get back home. That alone,
substantially will ease evening rush-hour congestion in Bangkok quite
substantially.
Life Force
The Shrimp... Friend or Foe?
By Tracy Murdoch
 Many people avoid shrimps as they are high in
cholesterol. People with high cholesterol are thought to be at a great
risk of developing heart disease. So the shrimp gets bad press!
However, the innocent shrimp is a good source of
protein and essential minerals. Although it has high cholesterol, you
should remember that it is not the cholesterol in food that raises your
cholesterol level, it is saturated fat. Cholesterol is a wax-like
substance that is essential for life and is made in the liver daily. Many
factors affect your cholesterol level, including your genes, stress,
smoking, alcohol and of course saturated dietary fat. Perhaps you should
think about these factors first before taking shrimps off the menu!
I hope you enjoyed (or are enjoying) the shrimp festival in Pattaya.
Just think about how these little guys are cooked. Enjoy them hiding in
rice dishes or on their own in a full coat of armour.
Copyright 1999 Pattaya Mail Publishing Co.Ltd.
370/7-8 Pattaya Second Road, Pattaya City, Chonburi 20260, Thailand
Tel.66-38 411 240-1, 413 240-1, Fax:66-38 427 596; e-mail: [email protected]
Updated by Boonsiri Suansuk. |
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