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To Sydney and beyond -
Kakadu Beckons
Story and Pictures
by Peter Cummins
With all eyes focusing on Sydney for the Olympiad which
opens in mid-September, the Australian Government estimates that some
130,000 visitorswill pass through the Sydney “gateway.” Tourism
officials hope that many of these will take time to visit other parts of
the vast continent. “Pattaya Mail” special correspondent Peter Cummins
was recently Down Under and visited Kakadu, Australia’s “Top End” in
the Northern territory. He has prepared this story to encourage people to
visit this unique, beautiful and truly historic region.
It is highly accessible from within Australia, by
plane, coach or train and from outside with direct flights to Sydney, via
Darwin, from many points.
 A
termite mound: note the relative height from the person on right
A DAY AT KAKADU
We boarded the flat, shallow-draft aluminium boat at
the “Yellow Water” landing, one of the countless waterways of
Australia’s magnificent Kakadu Park. This breath-takingly beautiful
Nature Reserve of some 20,000 square kilometers (about 12, 500 rai), is
situated 200 km. from Australia’s northern-most metropolis, Darwin in
the Northern Territory - affectionately known as the “Top End”. There
he was, standing in the stern of the eight-metre craft, Jim, our guide for
the day - all two metres of him - the epitome of the Aussie “outdoor
hero”. Jim could have just walked off the location of “Crocodile
Dundee”. Mick Dundee, the fearless “croc. hunter” of the film, was
to make the great Australian ‘outback’ in the Northern Territory,
familiar terrain to millions of people around the world and to make
millions of dollars for Paul Hogan - Mick’s ‘alter ego’ - an Aussie
building painter-turned-actor. Jim, with a craggy face turned to leather
by the pitiless Territory sun, was wearing a khaki shirt, covering the
upper reaches of his large body. Long ‘shorts’ and white sox pulled up
to his knees (in the old British colonial style), covered most of the
rest. A thin cigarette, which he had deftly rolled with one hand, was
clenched between yellow teeth and his huge feet were encased in hiking
boots. The whole vision was topped by a WWII-vintage “digger’s” hat,
with a down-turned brim festooned with fly-repelling corks jumping around
in the wind.
 A
Kakadu ‘denizen’ about to take off
But, the ‘chef-d’ouevre’ must have been his feet.
As I looked at these tremendous pedal extremities, I mused that I sail a
dinghy, not much bigger than his boots, on the open waters of the Gulf of
Thailand. There were 20 of us, plus Jim, setting out to explore, as much
as a day would allow us, a little of the vastness of the reaches of
Kakadu. Two of the sixteeen charming ladies aboard were French and were
chatting animatedly. I was able to follow the conversation which went like
this: “ Mon Dieu, nous sommes venue ici de voir quelques animaux
exotiques,” dit l’une a l’autre. “Maintenant, en regardant M.
Jacques, je pense qu’il ne fait pas necessaire de quitter le port en de
voir une. C’est lui,” elle repondit. Translated roughly it went
something like: “My God, I thought we came here to see some exotic
creatures. Looking at Jim, it is not necessary to leave the port to see
one; it is him!” But even as the two demoiselles collapsed into
uncontrollable laughter, I think Jim had “the drift” of their
conversation, so to speak, for his retaliation was as swift as it was
humourous - at least to the four men on board. Jim, who was to prove an
excellent pilot and guide, was easing the boat along between the river
banks, already resonant and pulsating with vibrant, brilliantly-hued bird
life. Suddenly, there was a rasping sound, as though we had grounded. No,
it was Jim, croaking between teeth clenched around his cigarette butt:
“There’s yer first croc - and it’s a sheila,” he announced. Sure
enough, just a few metres away was a crocodile, basking in the mud at the
river’s edge, its huge mouth agape, revealing a fearsome array of
razor-edged teeth. “Pardon me, but is ‘sheila’ a breed of
crocodile?”, one of the Japanese on board asked ever so politely, in
excellent English. “Well, you could say that,” retorted Jim, laughing
so much at his own witticism, that he lost the cigarette stub.
 That’s
a female croc: the mouth is open...
While he was busy rolling another one, a local tourist
in the group enlightened the Japanese by informing him that ‘sheila’
was archaic Aussie slang for female - usually the human kind! “Ah so! it
is a female croc, then,” said the Japanese, most eloquently, very
pleased with himself that he had slipped so easily into the vernacular.
“But how do you know that it is a female, then?” one of the girls
asked Jim, sensing a joke at the expense of collective womanhood. She was
dead right, of course. “That’s easy,” said Jim guffawing, his
cigarette hanging off his bottom lip, “Its mouth is open, isn’t it?”
If Queen Victoria had been aboard the good ship Jim-Jacques, she would
have unquestionably risen to the defense of female honour with a
well-placed, “We are not amused” aphorism.
 This
bush is teeming with bird-life but hard to see for an untrained eye
The French girls, on the contrary, found Jim’s little
pantomine hilarious and resorted again to the Gallic mode which translated
something like “This species is not only unique but it can also
speak!” Thereafter, multi-culturism, for which Darwin is justly famous,
reigned supreme aboard Jim’s craft. At this point, the ‘croc sheila’
seemed to have decided that the human race was just too much to take for
too long, closed its mouth with a great ‘clunk’ and promptly went to
sleep.
NATURE AT HER BEST
What followed, for me certainly, was a most rewarding
communion with Nature at her unspoiled best, with a vast range of flora
and fauna, thriving and free in a natural habitat. As a “city slicker”
product of several of the world’s metropolitan ‘concrete jungles’,
my only real contact with Nature’s animals has been at various city
zoos. I was fairly sure, however, that, at a place like the Bronx Zoo in
New York, the real animals were outside the cages!
 An
Aboriginal spirit
Kakadu teems with more than 650 species of birds. an
unknown number of crocodiles and other amphibious reptiles, fish in the
millions, kangaroos, koalas and assorted other marsupials - a whole
Noah’s Ark-load of Australian fauna. As we glided along the various
rivers and tributaries, Jim pointed out many sights which the untrained
eye would miss. He regaled us with a steady stream of anecdotes and
accounts of the history of Kakadu which, fortunately, was designated as
one of UNESCO’s (United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural
Organization) World Heritage Sites.
THE ENVIRONMENT - ALWAYS SACRED
The name Kakadu is derived from a flood-plain language
known as “Gagudju” spoken in the region and Kakadu’s emergence as an
environmentally-precious area, closely resembled another which took place
100 years before, at the other end of the earth.
In 1853, the Indian Chief Seattle of the Puget Sound
tribe (in the north-west corner of the USA) sent his reply to the “Great
Chief in Washington who had sought to acquire two million acres (five
million rai) of tribal lands for $150,000". In 1953, Bill Neidjie, an
Aboriginal Elder of the Bunitj people, heard the demands of the “Great
Chief in Canberra” and the cacophony of competing interests for a
parkland from one side and uranium mining rights from the other. Both
these leaders of their respective indigenous peoples, a century apart,
were striving to save their sacred lands. Environmentalists and
anthropologists have regarded Chief Seattle’s reply as a blue-print for
environmental protection which is still valid today: “If we sell you
land, you must remember that it is sacred,” he proclaimed.
 Reflections
of life and times of the people
“Teach your children that it is sacred and that each
ghostly reflection in the clear waters of the lakes tells of events and
memories in the lives of my people,” Chief Seattle insisted. “Man did
not weave the web of life; he is merely a strand in it. Whatever he does
to that web, he does to himself,” the Chief concluded.
What a remarkable similarity Bill Neidjie’s reply to
Canberra bears to Chief Seattle’s: “Our story is in the land; it is
written in those sacred places,” Bill wrote. “Children will look after
those places. The ‘Dreaming Place’ you cannot change, no matter who
you are. No matter you rich man; no matter you king (sic). You cannot
change it,” Bill Neidjie warned the Powers-that-be.
Kakadu Park has been leased by the Commonwealth of
Australia from the Bunitj people and the Government has guaranteed to
preserve the area as a natural park, to be savoured and enjoyed by all
Australians in perpetuity.
HISTORY - THE GREAT LEVELLER
I thank you Bill Neidjie for presenting me the
opportunity to see this truly remarkable area. History is the great
leveller of mankind and to see the pre-historic aboriginal rock art, is to
enter a time warp. To examine drawings which predate the Pyramids by
15,000 years, is a humbling experience, to say the least. Kakadu contains
the world’s oldest collection of rock art. Furthermore, Aboriginal
occupation of the Alligator River area around Kakadu, encompasses a time
span impossible to grasp. For 40,000 years, the indigenous peoples have
wandered these river plains. When Moses was leading the exodus out of
Egypt, the Aborigines had already occupied their region continuously for
more than 200 centuries. When Christ was embarking on his ministry in
Galilee, the original ‘Australians’ had been on the continent for more
than 230 centuries.
When Captain James Cook landed on “Terra
Australis”, to claim the unknown land for his British masters in 1770,
he was, really, a little late. The Aborigines had already been there for
some 38,000 years. My single day at Kakadu was ludicrous in the time frame
of Kakadu history. But, it was a marvellous and rewarding experience. As I
bade farewell to Jim and the rest of the group, I felt even less
significant than usual. I was overwhelmed - as were all of us - by the
awesomeness of Kakadu, the landscape and its timeless history.
“It must be preserved at all costs,” one of the
group said, to which one of the demoiselles added, sotto voce “Jim,
too!”.
The “Pattaya Mail”
Promotes Environmental Protection
The “Pattaya Mail”, since its inception, has always
pursued a policy of promoting environmental awareness. A well-illustrated
double-page spread entitled “PATTAYA: is it too late or can we make a
difference, “ published in June, 1998, made quite an impact. But that
was a “one-off” albeit, forceful article. Probably the best approach,
however, to helping the contribution to a cleaner environment has been to
embrace yacht racing, as an ideal medium to this end.
Peter Cummins reports
THE ‘MAIL’ COMES OF AGE
The “Pattaya Mail” has reached the ripe old age of
seven and, by the time most people will have finished reading this
week’s issue, many of them will be ‘partying’ with us, to celebrate
our birthday at the splendid Napalai Ballroom of the Dusit Resort Pattaya.
 Aussie
& Japanese teams enjoy the ‘Pattaya Mail’ Loy Krathong hospitality
When I was a tiny lad (I have ALWAYS been ‘tiny’
but, sadly, I can no longer pass for a ‘lad’) at school, I was
thrashed regularly for insubordination and a spirit which rebelled against
‘rote’ learning, a punishment inflicted upon Tasmanians by the Irish
Christian Brothers. Nevertheless, one of the few things I can remember
being taught was that an average child reaches the “age of reason” at
seven (whatever that REALLY means!). Well, Peter Malhotra’s ‘child’
has now reached the ‘age of reason’ and it has certainly come a long,
long way in these brief seven years. From a paper cobbled together by
Peter’s sheer will-power and determination in the early stages, the
“Pattaya Mail”, for the last two years has been awarded the “Best in
the East” title, by the unanimous vote of the Mass Media Association of
the East. Since that very first one steamed hot off the printing press on
the 23rd of July, 1993, some 364 issues of Pattaya’s first
English-language newspaper, have been published and distributed far and
wide. That would make it a ‘daily’, if it was compressed into one
year. Maybe it will become just that, somewhere down the line!
YACHT RACING AND THE ENVIRONMENT
Over the many years that I have been a freelance
photo-journalist, I have gravitated towards coverage of yachting, cruising
and related marine-sports which, I consider, are the most
environmentally-friendly of our myriad sports, pursuits and past-times. I
have always been impressed with the Mail’s concern for the environment
of the Eastern Seaboard - specifically Pattaya - reporting diligently on
all kinds of abuses - physical and moral. Thus when Peter asked me to join
the “Mail” as a special correspondent, I saw the opportunity of
promoting yachting specifically, and Pattaya, generally, from the vantage
point of the wonderful ambience it offered to furthering the the marine
leisure sector, at no cost to the environment.
 Rotting
and festering road-side garbage dump of a back soi
The “Pattaya Mail”, of course, gives great coverage
to all kinds of sports, through news items of the Pattaya Sports Club of
which Peter is the incumbent president. A total page is dedicated each
week to forthcoming events and much space is allocated to illustrated
coverage of each individual competition.
 Pattaya
Mail MDPeter Malhotra commends a Volvo Winner
For the yachting sector, the “Mail” has contributed
so much, not just a weekly coverage of racing and activities at
Pattaya’s Royal Varuna Yacht Club, but has also undertaken sponsorship
of several international regattas which have come to our shores, the most
recent being the Volvo Fireball World Championships held last March. Over
several years, the “Mail” has supported successive Thai teams going to
various venues of the biennial South East Asian Games and the more recent
Thirteenth Asian Games in December 1998, where the yachting was held at
Sattahip. Sponsorship of the “Pattaya Mail” night and a coverage of
the event astounded the participants in the Asian Pacific Laser and Laser
Radial Championships, held at Pattaya, November 1998. Coming from eight
countries of the Asia-Pacific region, the more than 50 participants showed
great enthusiasm for the great double-page illustrated spread, many copies
of which went back to their respective countries: an excellent promotion
of Pattaya. The children, too, have all benefitted from extensive
“Pattaya Mail” coverage of their sailing activities, be they in the
form of training camps, racing in Royal Varuna Club events or national
championships. The Eleventh ASEAN Optimist Championships, held off the
Royal Varuna Club, in October 1999, featured a “Pattaya Mail”-
sponsored race and evening. Again - and this time with two double-paged
illustrated stories - the message of a benevolent, user-friendly Pattaya,
went thoughout the ASEAN bloc.
 Visual
pollution: Sign boards at the mouth Soi Yamato over 20 years ago; the
start of the downward spiral
Finally, it all came together at the Volvo Fireball
World Championships, held at Pattaya last March: the environment and yacht
racing as fellow- travellers along the ecology route. The headlines of
that particular issue of 7 April 2000, read: “The ‘Pattaya Mail’
promotes marine sports as a panacea for Pattaya’s troubled environmental
problems.
And here is an extract from that very-well received
article: “The just-finished Volvo Fireball World Championship, held off
the Royal Varuna Yacht Club, South Pattaya, was an outstanding success. It
was certainly well covered by the “Pattaya Mail” in both the written
and audio- visual format.
 Vice
Admiral Sombat Chaiyasap presents the trophy to new champ of the ASEAN
Optimists
The “Pattaya Mail” co-sponsorship of this
international event which brought more than 100 sailors, supporters and
regatta managers to Thai shores again portrayed, with the positive
publicity, a lasting image of Pattaya - and of Thailand to the
world-at-large. But, it was much more than that. During the regatta, the
“Pattaya Mail” -sponsored race, Managing Director Peter Malhotra went
to the Royal Varuna Yacht Club to distribute the day’s prizes. In
addressing the group, Peter pointed out that the “Pattaya Mail” is
totally dedicated to the environment and regards yacht racing as one of
the most environmentally-friendly pursuits.
Using only the resources of Nature, yachting is a major
contributor to the conservation of Pattaya’s fragile eco-system which
has already come under severe attack from ill-planned development and
exploitation of the waterways, beaches and coastal areas. “It is
time”, Peter pointed out, “that we all learn from such an event as the
Volvo World Championships” and he commended, in the highest terms, the
Royal Varuna Yacht Club which, for more than four decades, has been the
major organizer of regattas and water sports in the once-beautiful area of
Pattaya-Jomtien. Peter emphasized the ongoing co-operation between the
“Pattaya Mail”, the Mayor and the City Administration, the Royal
Varuna Yacht Club and a number of the resort hotels - such as the Dusit
Resort, the Royal Cliff, the Royal Garden, the Siam Bayshore, the Thai
Garden Resort and many others which are all dedicated to bringing Pattaya
back to her once-pristine state.
Peter also had high praise for “Volvo’s commitment
to promoting sports and outdoor activities”. He noted that by bringing a
world championship to Pattaya’s shores, the International Fireball
Association and the sailors thereof were creating a fine precedent:
“They leave no flotsom or jetsom in their wake,” he pointed out,
somewhat lyrically. “Such a sport as sailing is ideal for a Pattaya
striving to improve its environment; it sets a great example for all to
follow”, Peter added.
Peter also noted that the “Pattaya Mail” continues
to co-ordinate with the city fathers in such promotional and ecologically-
sound ventures as the “Pattaya Festival” which, for the inaugural
event in April, 1999 included a yacht race from the Royal Varuna facility
to finish in front of the Royal Garden on Beach Road. The race held just
prior to Pattaya’s own Songkran festivities, serves as the medium for
bringing to the attention of all Pattayans, the emphasis on yacht racing.
It is intended to bring the sport, which is usually held a long way
offshore and, hence, not really noticed, closer to all Pattayans,
emphasizing the fact that it is one of mankind’s cleanest activituies -
a message which is heeded, hopefully, by the crowds who come to see the
action close-up.
FCCT VISITS
Now, as the “Mail” turns seven, we shall have
another - the third - visit to the city by many members of the Foreign
Correspondents Club of Thailand (FCCT) who will help us celebrate in
style. The newshounds will also inspect the Water Treatment Plant, for the
third time; visit various City facilities; and, as usual, close out their
weekend with a round table discussion at City Hall which - also, as usual
- promises to be rather lively.
Malaysian Grand Prix
Tickets for the Malaysian Grand Prix have just become
available in Thailand, and it really is a case of “First in - best
dressed.”
The Sepang Circuit which held its first GP last year has
been praised widely for its design and facilities. Costs in building it have
been put at around 70 million USD, and the Malaysian government considers
that it is an asset worth keeping. Being very close to Kuala Lumpur, access
is facilitated by regular busses to the circuit and there is more than
adequate vehicle parking on site as well.
 The
covered grandstands were very popular last year, so the organisation has
built six new covered areas, one in front of turns 1 and 2, one opposite the
southern grandstand overlooking turns 12, 13 and 14, the third is opposite
the tower for views of turns 6 and 7, another looking over turns 10 and 11,
yet another in the “Village” area close to turns 7 and 8, and the last
is a viewing area with tent cover facing turn 9 with a good view of almost
70% of the track.
Costs are much as last year, though there are some slight
increases. The most expensive is reserved seating in the Diamond stand at
USD 420 covering Friday, Saturday and Sunday. However, if you are on a
budget, the least expensive covered area is only USD 105 for a three day
ticket and you can get in for as low as USD 26 for a Sunday only ticket on
the Hill Stand open area.
Getting there is easy - you can fly or there is even an
organised caravan driving through to KL and return ex Bangkok. To reserve
your tickets and arrange how you want to get there, give my old mate Captain
Sitthichoke a call at the Asia Offroad Centre (038) 431 672, or 01-855 4858.
He can handle all aspects and is totally reliable.
Emirates celebrates its
second Cargo Airline of the Year award
Considers to buy two mega Airbus A3XX
For the second year running, Emirates have won the
overall Cargo Airline of the year 2000 title at the prestigious Cargo
airline of the year awards ceremony in London, held annually by Air Cargo
News.
Emirates SkyCargo, which achieved increases during the
financial year just ended of 26 per in tonnage carried and 28.4 in revenue,
also won two sub-categories: Best Cargo Carrier to the Middle East (for the
12th year running) and Best Cargo Carrier to the Indian Subcontinent (for
the third time). Emirates was also named cargo Airline of the Year by Air
cargo news for 1994/5. Following the presentation, Ram Menen said: “We are
thrilled to have won this title for the second year running. It is a great
honor and I thank everyone who voted for us. We have started the new century
in the way we want to continue-providing the best service possible to our
customers.” Emirates has revealed that it is evaluating the addition of
two mega-capacity Airbus A3XX freighters to its fleets as part of its
recently-announced expansion plans, with delivery of the first freighter
variant in 2007.
The announcement, made by Emirate Chairman, HH Sheikh
Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum, marks a recognition that the airline will face a
growth in demand for cargo space in the future that is greater than its
planned growth in the core capacity offered in the holds of passenger
aircraft. Sheik Ahmed’s statement looks further ahead to delivery of the
A3XX in 2006 and 2007. He said: “I have told the Chief Executive Officer
of Airbus Industrie that Emirates should be considered and launch customer
for the A3XX. We would require five aircraft for delivery in 2006 and 2007
and five more option aircraft subject to contract. We are also considering
the inclusion of two A3xx freighters as part of our order.”
The Emirates Group achieved overall profits of 4.7
billion Baht (447 million Dh), surviving a difficult year of rising fuel
costs, low-fare wars and millennium paranoia.
Sheikh Ahmed’s statement came as he gave the annual
results for the Emirates Group for the financial year April 1, 1999 to march
31, 2000 in which the airline’s capacity grew by 22.9 percent to 3,284
tonne-kilometers.
The airline saw total revenues of 54.6 billion Baht
(5,125.9 million Dh), up 15.1 on the previous year. Revenues from cargo and
related products grew by 28.5 percent to 8.9 billion Baht (844 million Dh).
Tonnage carried increased by 26 percent at 269,919 tonnes with particularly
strong growth between Europe and the Pacific Rim, in part reflecting a
recovery from the Far East Crisis of 1998/9. Cargo’s contribution to total
airline revenues rose from 15.2 to 17 percent, one of the highest in the
industry.
The carrier is currently expanding and updating its fleet
by gradually retiring its Airbus A310 and A300 aircraft and replacing them
with Boeing 777-200s and 300s, A330-200s. In addition, six A340-500s are due
for delivery in 2002 and 2003.
Last year, the airline launched a state-of-the-art cargo
automation system, SkyChain, which made Emirates the first airline in the
world to introduce Internet bookings on a real-time basis from anywhere by
anyone and with a lead-time of 250 days. Cargo customers can use SkyChain to
check schedules and space availability make bookings and trace and track
using the Internet or e-mail.
The launch of SkyChain, offering the world’s first
internet-based booking facility for cargo space, was a highlight of the
year. The ongoing development of SkyChain will continue to play an integral
part of customer service. Substantial investment is planned in automated
systems, which will enable and support e-commerce during the current
financial year.
The main driving force in the future development of
Sky/Chain is to ensure that it is web-enabled and available online to add
greater transparency at all levels of trade.
ISR Exchange Students
Program
During the past school year The International School of
the Regents (ISR) has continued to form close relationships with schools in
England and Australia and develop the ‘exchange students’ program.
 Penny,
Laura and Holly from Burgess Hill School in England enjoyed their ISR
exchange student experience, which included time at ISR’s outdoor
education center on Koh Chang.
The program is, in many instances, a two-way scheme.
Students from ISR have the opportunity to participate and spend time at
schools in England or Australia. Throughout the year, ISR also welcomed
students from schools in England, Australia, New Zealand and Estonia. These
students, usually in secondary school, become part of ISR’S Boarding
family, and participate fully in the daily life of the school,attending
class and also joining in after school and weekend sporting and cultural
activities.
Some visiting students have been fortunate enough to
experience first hand ISR’s new outdoor education center on Koh Chang, one
of Thailand’s beautiful islands, just off the coast from regional center,
Trat. Students visit Koh Chang for a week and are involved in a range of
outdoor activities including kayaking, hiking, snorkeling and orienteering,
all under the expert guidance of ISR’s outdoor Education specialist, Mr.
David Nathan and his tea. As well, all students participate in the
day-to-day chores of being on ‘camp’-including cooking meals.
Penny, from Burgess Hill School in England, and one of a
group of 3 girls who visited during the year found the week on Koh Chang the
highlight of her 3 week stay at ISR. “It was just great to be on such a
beautiful tropical island and try lots of new things like kayaking. I’ve
never done anything like that before-it was a real challenge!”
ISR students have also had the opportunity to travel
abroad and widen their experience of the world with stays at schools in
England and Australia. Four Year 6 students particularly enjoyed being part
of the Oakwood School community in Chichester, England. Here, students
stayed off-campus with families and had a real taste of living in England.
Exchange programs offer students an immensely valuable
learning experience. Students are introduced to another culture and their
view of the world is widened and changed by these cross-cultural
experiences. Students also grow in terms of acquiring greater independence
and social skills. For students who don’t speak English as their first
language the exchange offers a chance to consolidate their language skills.
Thought for the week: If
we can’t motivate others, how do we build a motivated team? Part 2
by Richard Townsend,
Corporate Learning Consultant
http://www.orglearn.org
To continue from the last bulletin... to INSPIRE is the
key. After we...
I nform... N eutralise and
S hhh... (to give a clue to the anagram), we need to; Praise people for
their efforts. Such an easy thing to do... so inspiring and uplifting... so
often neglected. I saw Tiger Woods interviewed not long after he had won the
2000 US Open. He was reflecting on his past and noted one of the things he
remembered most from his past was when he received praise from those he
admired and respected (Nicolas & Palmer). If a highly motivated and
successful performer of Tiger Woods’ caliber gets a boost from external
praise imagine what it can do for a mere mortal staff member who sees you as
a mentor and top performer. Well you must be a top performer that’s why
you where chosen as the leader... I hope! It is also important to praise the
effort even if the result falls short of expectations, then and only then is
when an effective leader explain what can be done better next time.
Include all appropriate staff members in the decision
making process. Ask others for their advice and opinions. Give credit for
good ideas and promote an attitude of each individual’s ownership of the
work group’s goals and processes. Particularly include followers/team
members in any positive
outcomes or major wins and any accolades or glory that
result. Respect those around us. Effective leaders know that in life there
is very little that is either good or bad. When we want to inspire we need
to develop the maturity and wisdom that will enable us to resist being
judgmental. That is not to say we don’t need to make decisions or
judgements regarding the best way forward. Primarily for motivated staff we
need to acknowledge that everyone’s job, perspective and feelings are just
as important as our own. If we can’t stop being judgmental regarding
another’s beliefs, values and attitudes... don’t lead... follow.
Encourage others to do their best or ‘be all they can
be’ and help each of those we lead to reach for their personal goals.
Remember, the basic motivation principle... ‘people do things for their
reasons not ours’ and we as leaders need to invest time in getting to know
what our team members want. To inspire staff we need to help them align
their personal goals to company goals. Then we must reinforce the validity
of their desires and then let them know how we will help then achieve their
dreams. Inspirational leaders set the pace with their own high levels of
motivation, demonstrated enthusiasm and positive attitude toward the people
that work with them as well as their own careers. The payoff... an inspired
team that works at their personal best for their own reasons to attain
personal goals that will ultimately help us achieve ours.
Worth a thought!
3rd Annual Jesters
‘Care 4 Kids’ Charity Drive
Eastern Seaboard Community unite to ralse
funds for his most worthwhile project
The success of last year’s charity drive, both the
children’s fair held at the Royal Cliff Beach Resort and the fundraising
evening at Delaney’s Irish Pub proved that the unity of our community is
as strong as ever. We all have the same sentiments when it comes to helping
underprivileged children.
Sister Jienjit and Sister Joan two very hard working
volunteers at the Fountain of Life wish to thank you and request you to
again join in this year’s charity drive.
Dear friends and supporters of all children in need,
Please Join Us in support of the 3rd Annual Jesters
‘Care 4 Kids’ Charity Drive Souvenir Program Guide.
The Fountain of Life Center in Pattaya run by The Good
Shepherd Sisters of Thailand would like to extend their gratitude to past
sponsors and give thanks in advance to the sponsors of this years’ Jesters
‘Care 4 Kids’ Souvenir Program Guide. Your invaluable support through
advertising in the program is just one of the many efforts to help make the
Charity Drive a success every year.
Your support through advertising in the Program helps to
contribute to the much needed funds that enable the center to meet the
challenging demands for resources required for teaching the children to
read, write, learn mathematics, plus a nutritious meal and any medical or
dental needs which might occur.
Over the past year attendance at the center has increased
by 30%. The facilities have been expanded and the building has been
renovated, but all this comes with a price. With your generous contribution
the center will be able to continue to meet all these demands.
This year the Jesters ‘Care 4 Kids’ Charity Drive
Fair will be held on September 16, in the beautiful grounds of the Amari
Orchid Resort in North Pattaya. The program will serve as the entrance
ticket to the fair and as a guide to all of the activities being held on the
day including a map showing where all the different stalls will be located.
Not only will this program serve as a helpful guide on the day but it will
also provide everyone with a treasured memoir of the combined efforts of the
whole community that come together each year to make the Charity Drive a
success.
Please join us in supporting The Fountain of Life Center
and all the wonderful services we provide for these underprivileged
children.
Kind Regards
The Fountain of Life Center
Sister Jienjit
Sister Joan
UNICEF IN THAILAND: A
journey of fifty years
Book review
by Peter Cummins
The book, “UNICEF IN THAILAND: A journey of fifty
years” was officially launched by H.E. Anand Panyarachun, UNICEF
Ambassador to Thailand and former Thai Prime Minister, at the UNICEF
building on 4 April, 2000. Dedicated to Thai children throughout the
Kingdom, with the blessing of His Majesty the King, the book was published
as a tribute to His Majesty, on the occasion of his sixth-cycle,
seventy-second birthday last December.
“UNICEF”, as the introductory chapter points out, was
a product of post World War II idealism. “It began as an urgent appeal to
ease the suffering of millions of children affected by the war, regardless
of what their war-time role had been. From the very beginning, it was agreed
that the needs of the world’s children should be kept above politics and
this is the foundation on which all of UNICEF’s policies continue to rest
to this day.”
 This
has been strongly reiterated by Ambassador Anand who, in one of his many
statements promoting the work of UNICEF, pointed out rightfully that “I
think the advantage UNICEF has over other UN agencies is that it is one of
the very few that is not politicized”. Author Steven Martin, by his own
admission, came to UNICEF with no excess baggage (to coin a phrase): “I
knew almost nothing about the organization; I was not even sure what the
acronym meant.” That, in this reviewer’s opinion, was a decided
advantage, for it allowed Mr Martin to “start at the start of the
journey” and take us, the readers, along the highways and byways of the
progress of this remarkable UN specialized agency, with a clear and
objective narrative.
Gamini Abeysekera, Representative UNICEF Thailand Office,
who has been the motivating force behind production and publication of
“Journey”, in his Foreword, acknowledged UNICEF’s gratitude for the
cooperation and assistance of the Royal Thai Government which “has
provided shelter to many members of the United Nations family. UNICEF being
one of the first, was established in 1948,” Gamini pointed out.
Through the kind Patronage of the Thai Royal Family and
courtesy of the Royal Thai Government, as is clearly shown throughout the
pages of the book, UNICEF’s role in Thailand has precipitated a dramatic
fall in mortality rates. Far fewer children are now malnourished and
literacy rates have increased exponentially.
The author has succeeded admirably in charting UNICEF’s
course from its early mandate to furnish emergency relief, to its present
focus of providing financial and technical assistance to children and
children’s programmes, both within Thailand and around the region.
UNICEF’s permanent river-front secretariat, on
Bangkok’s Phra Athit Road, in the lively and colourful Banglamphu
District, has been the depository of a vast array of source materials to
which the author had access. Furthermore, Mr Martin has utilized a large
number of resources, particularly the people who stud UNICEF’s history and
who have contributed their time and efforts to further the cause of
children. Official documents, news reports, interviews and an endless supply
of anecdotes bring to life the panorama which is UNICEF.
A precious collection of black and white, as well as
sepia, pictures greatly enhances the story-line and many quotes, memorabilia
and reproductions contribute to a comprehensive - and highly comprehendable
history. Various chapters deal with the specifics of UNICEF programmes, such
as: Eradicating scourges: Yaws and Leprosy; Assisting the Village Midwife;
Health, Nutrition and Education;Building Partnerships for the Benefit of
Children; Empowering the Powerless: Child Rights; and, A Say in Their Own
Future: Child Participation.
The section “Time Line” is a diary of UNICEF
achievements from 1948 to the present, giving a fine overview of what this
organization has achieved over 50 years and, no doubt, will continue to
achieve for the next 50.
A collage of photographs at the end of the book, traces
the many people whose lives have been woven into the UNICEF tapestry, to be
perpetuated. A poignant contribution is from the children themselves, in a
series of oral vignettes, which are called “Children’s Voices”, placed
throughout the text. “If I were an adult, I would never underestimate a
child”; “If I were an adult, I would help the handicapped children and
try to make life easier for them” are two examples.
Perhaps Prime Minsiter H.E. Chuan Leekpai sums it all up
in his message produced in the book: “We in Thailand believe that
investment in human resources, starting with children, is our country’s
best defence and the best hope for its future.” P.M. Chuan’s thoughts -
like UNICEF’s goals - are universal.
The book is 124 pages long and is available from the
UNICEF Office for 19 Phra Atit Road, Bangkok 10200, Thailand. The cost is a
modest Baht 360 (US$ 9.95), in soft cover format. Buy a copy and help a
child - somewhere.
Dining Out Half Yearly
Review
With this being the anniversary edition of the Pattaya
Mail, Miss Terry and the Dining Out Team felt that it was worthwhile sitting
back and reviewing the Dining Out year to date, to steal some statistical
terminology. And what an interesting half year it has been. Eleven regional
cuisines have been experienced, with the majority having been Thai, ranging
from roadside to five star, next most plentiful were the UK restaurants,
followed by “international” cuisine and Italian, then German, Indian,
Japanese, Belgian and Mexican. If nothing else, this shows the fantastic
spread of restaurants in Pattaya. Every national cuisine will be represented
somewhere.
Looking back at the first six months of this new
millennium year, I ran through the list to see how many the Dining Out Team
actually returned to later for “private” dining. These I share with you,
as perhaps a guide to consistently good food. As some writers to the Pattaya
Mail have ventured - when any restaurant knows we are coming, it would
certainly be on its toes. Or it should be!
The following restaurants we have returned to on more
than one occasion. Please do not take these as being the “best”, as the
revisiting always shows a personal bias towards one cuisine or other, but
you can take it that The Dining Out Team enjoys the food and the restaurant.
One very regular haunt has become New Orleans on Soi
Pattayaland 2. Always excellent food and some interesting new additions to
the menu. Steak Lao on Beach Road, is where we take all newcomers to
Pattaya. Brilliant Thai food and not too hot when you ask them! Another very
regular hang out for the Team is the Il Mulino pizza place on the
Pattaya-Naklua Road. Inexpensive, happy staff and good pizzas.
When we are dying for some good British food we often
make for the Pig and Whistle on Soi 7. Consistently top quality and
excellent atmosphere. Another very regular stop for the Team is Delaney’s
Pub on 2nd Road. It is very hard to go past their carvery, and Miss Terry
has been known to sneak back on a Wednesday night for the Mexican evenings,
just to have some of Robbo’s margaritas.
Going a little up-market and into the international
cuisines, we have dined at Hans Banziger’s Caf้ Paradise 2nd Road,
on several occasions and never been disappointed. The OlaLa complex on Soi 7
has seen us return too, and the new blackboard specials are good eating and
great value.
In the German cooking area, Madame favours the Zeppelin
on Beach Road for their pork knuckle (huge), while Miss Terry has returned
more than once to Haus Munchen on the Pattaya-Naklua Road for the pepper
steak in cognac sauce!
Another very regular place to find the Team is the
Captain’s Corner for the Texan BBQ. At B250, still one of the best value
meals in town.
And for the best value Sharks fin? We will often turn up
at the Shark Fin restaurant on Pattaya 3 Road, near the North Pattaya Road
intersection. A funky little eatery that is well worth a visit. A tiny
little single shop house almost opposite the driving range.
Of course, there are many other places where we eat out,
but were not subjects of the Dining Out reviews so far this year, so have
not been mentioned. There are also some places that have been recommended to
us by other diners, and we are slowly going through that list as well, but
of course, restaurants that do invite the Dining Out Team to review their
establishment go to the top of the list!
Finally, to those who say, “Where’s Bruno’s (in my
opinion, the gold standard), where’s La Gritta, where’s XYZ restaurant
etc,” this was just a half year review, remember. With over 300
restaurants in Pattaya we can only do 52 a year!
Pattaya Animal Welfare
Society (PAWS)
The condition of the stray animals that roam the streets
here makes me frankly ill. That is why I worked extremely hard and against
massive local indifference to set up PAWS, Pattay Animal Welfare Society,
The main aim of fundraising is to build an animal refuge, then eventually
training and educating the youngsters on compassionate and humane companion
animal care in Pattaya. I have come out in print as saying it is immoral to
keep pet gibbons and monkeys. I expect and try to encourage responsible bird
and animal ownership by all my readers. That is the little bit I can do for
this society’s creatures. I absolutely do not advocate cruelty to animals
or birds or humans or indeed any creature (including husband’s) in any
form. I firmly believe that how you treat your environment and all the
creatures in it, reflects on your own humanity. I defend the right to own
companion animals and teach others how to do so in a responsible manner.
Kind regards, Mirin MacCarthy, Jomtien Beach Pattaya
City.
[email protected].
If other are equally as passionate, one way or another,
please feel free to email PAWS on this issue, on [email protected] or
to myself at [email protected]
Nail in the fence
There once was a little boy who had a bad temper. His
father gave him a bag of nails and told him that every time he lost his
temper, he must hammer a nail into the back of the fence. The first day the
boy had driven 37 nails into the fence. Over the next few weeks, as he
learned to control his anger, the number of nails hammered daily gradually
dwindled down. He discovered it was easier to hold his temper than to drive
those nails into the fence. Finally the day came when the boy didn’t lose
his temper at all. He told his father about it and the father suggested that
the boy now pull out one nail for each day that he was able to hold his
temper. The days passed and the young boy was finally able to tell his
father that all the nails were gone. The father took his son by the hand and
led him to the fence. He said, “You have done well, my son, but look at
the holes in the fence. The fence will never be the same. When you say
things in anger, they leave a scar just like this one. You can put a knife
in a man and draw it out. It won’t matter how many times you say I’m
sorry, the wound is still there.”
A verbal wound is as bad as a physical one. Friends are
very rare jewels, indeed. They make you smile and encourage you to succeed.
They lend an ear, they share words of praise and they always want to open
their hearts to us.” It’s National Friendship Week. Show your friends
how much you care. Tell them “You are my friend and I am honoured! Now
tell this story to every friend you have! And to your family. This was told
to me. Please forgive me if I have ever left a hole in your fence...
St. Gabriel’s
Foundation Alumni to stage CGA Fair
Aimed at Promoting Education Enhancement For Thailand’s
Benefit
The Confederation of St. Gabriel’s Foundation of
Thailand Alumni Association (CGA) is hosting the CGA Fair, a major event
that will showcase St. Gabriel’s Foundation’s involvement of over a
hundred years in enhancing educational and social development in Thailand.
The event will also help promote greater awareness of better quality of
education for the benefit of Thailand.
To be held at the Queen Sirikit National Convention
Center from 29 September to 8 October, 2000, the 10-day event will be
participated not only by the alumni of the 14 educational institutions under
the St. Gabriel’s Foundation but also by a broad spectrum of the general
public.
With the theme “We Serve Thailand”, the fair
comprises two parts. The first includes a host of educational activities,
including, seminars and talk shows presented by prominent personalities,
contests for participating students, and an exhibition on education
displayed St. Gabriel’s Foundation schools. The second is a consumer trade
fair in which many leading private corporations display their wares and
goods. All activities are designed to educate and entertain, and contribute
to enhanced competitiveness of Thailand.
“The development of education and knowledge of
today’s young generation is vitally important to the building of Thai
society with more capable persons who will lead Thailand to a higher level
of competitiveness in the future,” according to Mr. Wallop Chiarawanont,
president of CGA.
“We (the alumni) are proud to be able to able to put
together an event of such significance for the country as a whole,” says
Mr. Wallop.
The alumni of The St. Gabriel’s Foundation have pooled
together to organize the “Edutainment” activities, while TPS Inter expo
is organizing the consumer trade fair. So far, more than 60% of the total
exhibition space has been booked. Subsidiaries of the Chareon Pokphand group
and Srithai Superware are among the major exhibitors of CGA Fair.
Sales of educational materials and consumer goods at the
CGA Fair are to be offered at special prices to benefit a large segment of
the general public.
A large number of exhibitors at the fair is comprised of
the alumni of CGA. “We are indeed grateful to them for sharing the success
they have achieved in their business by showcasing and selling their
products for the sake of the Thai society,” says Mr. Wallop.
The Confederation of St. Gabriel’s Foundation of
Thailand Alumni Association (CGA) was established on 9 March, 1999 The
Association is mandated to develop as well as undertake activities to
enhance education and welfare of the socially disadvantaged people in
Thailand in keeping with the longstanding tradition of the founding fathers
of St. Gabriel’s Foundation colleges.
St. Gabriel’s Foundation was set up in Thailand to
further the benevolent cause of the Brothers of St. Gabriel, a congregation
founded in France by Saint Louis Marie de Montfort. Leading an ascetic life
(foregoing riches, luxury and sexual pleasures) since his youth as a student
during the late 17th Century, the Saint drew many followers through his
religious teachings and work to help the socially disadvantaged. Soon, his
work expanded throughout Europe. Long after his death, the congregation of
the Brothers of St. Gabriel remained active.
In 1877, Father Colombet opened a small school for poor
orphans and street kids that was officially registered as Assumption College
in 1885. Following the expansion of the college, he recruited more Brothers
from France to instruct lessons and the teachings of God to the students.
The work of the Brothers expanded, and branch colleges
were opened. St. Gabriel was opened in 1920. Assumption Commercial College
was opened in 1938. More Brothers from France, Spain and Canada and India
came to Thailand over the ensuing years to devote themselves to practicing
the philosophy of Saint Louis Marie de Montfort. To this day, a total of 14
academic institutions has been established. They include:1. Assumption
College (founded in 1885) 2. Saint Gabriel (founded in 1920) 3. Montfort
College (founded in 1932) 4. Assumption Commercial College (founded in 1938)
5. Assumption Sriracha (founded in 1944)
6. Saint Louis Chachoengsao (founded in 1948) 7.
Assumption Lampang (founded in 1958) 8. Assumption Thonburi (founded in
1961) 9. Assumption Rayong (founded in 1963) 10. Assumption Ubon Rajthani
(founded in 1965) 11. Assumption Nakorn Rajsrima (founded in 1967) 12.
Assumption University of Thailand (founded in 1969) 13. Assumption Samrong
(founded in 1979) 14. Assumption Commercial college Nakorn Rajasima (founded
in 1993).
Copyright 2000 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 Chinnaporn Sangwanlek, assisted by
Boonsiri Suansuk.
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The Rotary Club
of Jomtien-Pattaya
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