This is, of course, unconfirmed but in my almost three decades of membership in the Royal Varuna Club, I have not seen numbers like this - even for world championships, New Year or whatever.

It was Thursday, the 29th of March, when disadvantaged children from the Pakkred Home, their guardians and a big contingent of Rotarians from Bangkok South, led by our illustrious founder Walter L. Myer – almost 450 people in all - descended upon Royal Varuna for the fifth annual "Kids Out". This story was covered diligently - of course! - in full by the Pattaya Mail, Volume IX, #14 (06 April, 2001).

Nevertheless, hardly had the convoy of 12 buses and a big fleet of cars left the club premises when a rally of Zafiras from the General Motors facilities at the Eastern Seaboard Industrial Estates, cruised in with 50 staff for a dinner and party at the Royal Varuna’s splendid seaside area.

The manager and the Varuna staff were "magnificent", noted Varuna House chairman Hans Wiedmann who, like myself, was present and most impressed with the way the staff reacted to the huge numbers, especially the difficulties of catering to the children from Pakkred.

It all started from an NPM (rather than an NPL), the former meaning a "non-performing engine" - and it WAS not in a Zafira - in fact, it was not even in a car; it was in a boat. John Tuttle from General Motors and Clayton Wade of Premier Homes saw their dream outing to Koh Larn fade with the engine; so to be at least seaside for lunch, they called me and came to Varuna.

John and his wife were enthralled with our environs. "Why don’t you have your GM staff party here, John?" I asked him. "Why not," was his instant reply.

As it was a private party, I cannot write anything about it, except to submit a night-photo - a rare shot of Varuna, I would think. Of course, Hans and I, Varuna-style, did visit the scene and, being forcibly cajoled, did imbibe in some GM refreshments. All I can add is the comment by one GM senior executive, Ellis Varnado, who told the whole gathering, "This club and the perfect location are the best-kept secret of the Eastern Seaboard".

Anyone interested in something similar, a birthday party or any type of celebration should address any enquiries to Royal Varuna Yacht Club, 286 Moo 12, Phatumnak Road, Nong Prue, Banglamung, Cholburi 20260. Tel. (038) 306291; (038) 250116, fax (038) 250115, e-mail: [email protected] Attention Khun Phataphong Polvises, Club Manager. Please note, however, any such occasion for a non-club member, can be held only Monday through Thursday, if Monday is not a public holiday.

Meantime, visit the Club web-site: http://www.royal-varuna-yacht-club.com and "upcoming events": http://www.royal-varuna-yacht-club.com/coming.htm

An Environmental Investigation Agency Press Conference will be held at 11 a.m., Tuesday, June 12 at the Foreign Correspondents’ Club of Thailand.

The Environmental Investigation Agency (EIA) will launch their report "Thailand’s Tiger Economy" at the FCCT at 11 a.m. on Tuesday, June 12. Senior EIA campaigner Debbie Banks will speak after showing a video about the report.

The report will highlight Thailand’s inadequacy in enforcing legislation to ban illegal trade in tiger parts and products domestically and internationally.

The Fountain of Life Foundation has teamed up with the BEC Language and Culture School to give some young women a chance to earn a living outside that of Pattaya’s entertainment business. The BEC School offered an intensive full day massage course, free of charge, to the women from the Fountain of Life Foundation, in the hope that they will take what they have learned from the course to build a career in Thai massage.

Ms. Wanna teaches her charges the ancient art of Thai massage

This is the very first time these two organizations have come together to create such an intensive program, but from the attentive and curious faces of these women, it hopefully will not be the last.

The women learned both the technical and practical aspects of Thai Royal massage in the seven hour long course.

"With the basics they have learned," said Wannaanong Chinsathapornchock, the managing director of the BEC School and teacher of the course, "I will do all that I can to help these women find ways to apply their newly acquired skills."

Apparently the wines from the Chardonnay grape are now the most popular whites in the world. With this in mind, the Royal Cliff Wine Club, under the tutelage of Ranjith Chandrasiri (the resident manager of the Grand and the Pattaya Mail’s wine writer) will be offering a tasting of 13 Chardonnays from all over the world at the club’s next meeting on Friday 15th of June.

The award winning wines to be sampled come from Robert Mondavi and Heitz Cellar in California; Leeuwin Estate, Tyrrell’s and Yalumba of Australia; Joseph Drouhin, Brac Dela Perrieres of France; Antinori and Pighin of Italy; Villa Maria of New Zealand; K W V of South Africa; Santa Carolina of Chile and Santa Ana of Argentina.

The tasting will commence promptly at 6.30 p.m. to allow the tasting to finish by 8 p.m. Members must reserve their places for this special tasting, and those enquiring after membership should contact Ranjith via email - [email protected] or [email protected]