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HM King Carl XVI Gustaf of Sweden attends World Scout Jamboree in Sattahip
World Scouting - more than just a merit badge
Brendan Richards
During a private visit to the site of the World Scout
Jamboree, HM King Carl XVI Gustaf of Sweden made an extraordinary trip to
the Royal Thai Navy Golf Course in Sattahip. The event was Thailand’s
first Scout Foundation Royal Golf Tournament to raise funds for the
development of scouting around the world.
His
Majesty King Carl XVI Gustaf of Sweden thrilled the scouts and their friends
at Sattahip when he visited some of the water sports activities. Later he
presented winners of a charity golf tournament trophies he personally
selected. The event raised 1.6 million baht for the World Scout Foundation.
(Photo courtesy Victor C. Ortega / Mondial du Scoutisme)
King Gustaf is honorary president of the World Scout
Foundation. The foundation provides 25% of the budget for scouting
activities worldwide that focus on youth development and education.
Foundation director John Geoghegan said, “The focus of
the world-wide scout movement comes under 2 themes: peace and reconciliation
and the promotion of understanding among communities. It’s no longer just
pitching your tent in the bush and roughing it.”
(L to
R) World President of the Scout Association Dr. Marie-Louise Correa from
Senegal, golf tournament organizer Sutham Phantusak from the Woodland’s
Resort in Pattaya, Dr. Jacques Moreillon, secretary general for the World
Organization of the Scout Movement, and Jan Olav Aamlid, scout leader and
Baden Powell Fellow at the golf tournament in Sattahip.
The
beautiful trophies presented at the tournament were selected by His Majesty
King Carl XVI Gustaf of Sweden.
John cited an incident in Rwanda and Burundi where scout
leaders called for refugees that had been scouts to assist in the
reconciliation process and help the local communities.
This was equally echoed through the words of Dr. Jacques
Moreillon, secretary general for the World Organization of the Scout
Movement. Dr. Jaques said, “When everyday is a struggle to survive,
community service activities take on great importance.”
His
Majesty King Carl XVI Gustaf of Sweden awarded the championship trophy to
the “Luk Khunying” team.
HM King
Carl inducted Kanit Wanichote into the Baden Powell Fellowship.
HM King
Carl was presented with a surprise gift, the ball used in the soccer match
between Sweden and Thailand in 1997. “Unfortunately,” the King said,
“Sweden won 8-0.”
The Scout Foundation, through its Baden Powell fellows,
aims at assisting and educating scouts from developing countries. There are
Baden Powell fellows in 66 countries - Thailand boasts a membership of 72
members, led by former Thai Airways CEO Thamnoon Wanglee, and is the most
active chapter around the world.
This assistance is being accomplished through a number of
programs made available through fundraisers, such as the golf tournament
played last Sunday, which raised 1.6 million baht (US$37,000). To enter the
tournament, each team of five players paid 50,000 baht, and had the option
of paying 120,000 baht per team for the privilege of being granted an
audience with King Carl. Monies raised at the tournament went towards the
World Scout Foundation. Another fundraiser held in New York just over two
months ago raised US$1.2 million for the scouting movement.
Egon
Nielson from Pattaya is awarded a new golf set from Sutham Phantusak after
Egon won the grand prize in the raffle draw.
Tournament
organizer Sutham Phantusak (center) admires the beauty of the trophies with
World Scout Foundation director John Geoghegan.
Last Sunday’s golf tournament director, prominent local
businessmen Sutham Phantusak said it was a great honor to organize such an
event. 150 golfers played on the south and east courses at Plutaluang, and
were especially fortunate to experience the attendance of HM King Carl
Gustav, who also selected the trophies for the tournament.
The trophies featured the World Scout Foundation and the
King’s personal emblem beautifully engraved on crystal.
Prior to the awards presentation, HM King Carl gave
crystal plaques in appreciation to organizers of the event. A new Baden
Powell fellow, Kanit Wanichote was also inducted into the organization.
The presentation of the trophies proceeded with the team
‘Luk Khunying’ winning 1st place with a total of 288 strokes, followed
by the team led by Amorn Rojansukpruek with 290 strokes. Individual golfers
in the A, B and C flights were also awarded trophies.
HM King Carl was then presented with a unique gift - the
soccer ball used when Sweden played Thailand in 1997. During his speech,
King Carl joked, “Unfortunately, Sweden beat Thailand 8 -0.”
HM went on to say, “Thank you for this gift and I will
take it back to Sweden. This is a fantastic achievement for golfing and the
scouting movement and staying at the campsite the last two days has been a
memorable experience for me. The children have had a wonderful time and it
is a tremendous achievement for Thailand and scouting.”
King Carl then bid his farewells and chatted to a few
scout leaders before returning the Yao Beach campsite.
Jamboree organizers who were present echoed the King’s
feelings that the site in general was very well prepared and the thousands
of scouts were enjoying themselves immensely throughout the jamboree.
Dr. Jacques Moreillon, secretary general for the World
Organization of the Scout Movement was, however, critical of some of the
local government departments, saying that the lack of interdepartmental
cooperation and infighting had given international organizers quite a
headache; a case of the left hand not wanting to recognize what the right
hand was doing.
However, all deemed the 20th World Scout Jamboree a
tremendous success for the ones who really made it all possible - the scouts
themselves. These young people who are dedicated to honor and achievement,
generosity and good will are the true future of the world.
Scouts refuse to surrender to the heat
Participate in various activities
Suchada Tupchai
The 20th World Scout Jamboree at Had Yao, Sattahip came
to a climax on January 7. All together 11 days of hardship, friendship,
cultural exchange, endurance, and many lessons about life were shared and
will be well remembered by the scouts as well as the organizers of the event
and the press.
Water
sports activities were amongst the most popular as a way to beat the heat.
Not all
the scouting activities were strenuous...
“Roughing
it” on the beach - one of the many advantages of holding the jamboree in
Thailand was the chance to get a tan in January.
If you might have been wondering what the scouts were
doing to keep busy at the jamboree, wonder no more. The campers were kept
busy throughout the days, as the camp had 9 main booths of activities in
which all scouts participated. The first one was called the Global
Development Village which was based on health, environment, human rights and
world peace concerns, and representatives from UNICEF and UNESCO were
present to give scouts information on these subjects.
The second interesting section of activities was called
the Crossroads of Cultures offering 8 different topics including arts,
music, drama, language, food, uniform or dressing, local sports, and
religion, in which specialists from the Art Performance Department of
Thailand gave useful information about each topic.
The next booth was the City of Science, in which there
were 4 themes for the scouts to learn more about, including computers and
robots, information and communication technology, biology, and earth and the
universe.
The forth activity booth was Face the Waves which
included rafting, diving, sailing, rowing, windsurfing, and different types
of beach sports. The kids were carefully attended to by professional
trainers of various sports clubs and associations.
The next booth was called Our Heritage, and was divided
into 5 different categories including agriculture, environment, industry,
manufacture and scout-hood.
Scouts
received a real treat when HM King Carl Gustaf of Sweden visited their camp.
That
might be a white flag, but she isn’t surrendering to the heat, just taking
a break and putting some water back into her system
Scouts
from around the world got a taste of Thai culture with the many exhibitions
set up at the Jamboree.
Another activity was Community Action Day. Scouts got to
travel to different rural areas in Chonburi and Rayong to participate in 36
community development projects.
The eighth activity was Exploring Nature in which scouts
had a chance to trek on 300 different tracks that had been prepared for
them, and all got closer to nature.
The last was Free Time Activity where scouts joined
together to play games on the beach and did some mountain biking.
The activities most enjoyed by the scouts were the water
sports, such as snorkeling and rowing. Scouts were usually seen playing in
the water to escape the burning sun’s rays and get cooled down. Shore
guards said that all scouts were in safe hands since it was mandatory to
wear life vests when they were swimming. Only minor injuries were reported.
Scouts were not discouraged by the heat. They all joined in creating
equipment to be used in the Habitat for Humanity Thailand and Habitat for
Humanity International projects, which will help needy families in poor
areas. They came here determined to lend a helping hand to improve the
society they visited, and they certainly succeeded.
Rotary Club of Jomtien Pattaya hosts Pattaya’s first Money Mile
A success for education scholarships
“Education is the road to relieving poverty” and the
Rotary Club of Jomtien Pattaya’s last project for 2002 was the Money Mile,
which was declared a huge success for the inaugural event held in Pattaya.
More than 64,000 baht was received from public donations. The project, part
of the December push for fundraising was held on Sunday, December 29 along
Beach Road from 11 a.m. till 6 p.m.
President
Bruno Keller going through the planning stages of the Money Mile.
Students from Pattaya Schools participating in Interact
(Rotary for juniors), Rotarians and volunteers joined forces to collect
money from residents, tourists and businesses for the benefit and education
of the region’s underprivileged school children.
Money was collected by 4 fixed ‘Cashier Teams’ and 8
‘Roving Teams’, one of which was from Ada Yueng of Hong Kong who
spontaneously offered to collect money for the fundraiser. Every team was
composed of a Rotarian plus 2-3 Interacters and 3-5 schoolchildren from
Pattaya Schools 1-10.
Kees Pepperkamp scored the largest result with 13,100
baht, followed by Marlies Fritz & Erika Keller with 11,000 baht.
The
more the merrier.
Staff
from a nearby restaurant got in on the Money Mile by pledging their support
for the children in the region.
Students
from the Huey Pong ‘Angalung Orchestra’ on the beachside stage.
In exchange for cash contribution, donors received a
colored money coupon which was pinned on money bars in the central section
of the Money Mile: gold for 1,000 baht, silver-gray for 500 baht, red for
100 baht, blue for 50 baht and green for 20 baht. These coupons were then
placed along the money mile to signify the donations.
The children were the real stars of the day, as more than
30 children and staff from the Child Welfare & Protection Center in Huay
Pong, Rayong provided entertainment throughout day, including an Angalung
Orchestra and several dance performances plus two Muay Thai Boxing
performances.
Muay
Thai display attracted a great numbers of onlookers.
Interact
member receiving a donation from a tourist.
Some of
the many performers participating.
MCs announced the day’s activities in four languages,
Thai, English, German and French in order to rally support from passersby
and encourage them to give a little to help the future of children in the
region.
The day was considered a great success, not only for the
project but proving that Eastern Seaboard businesses and residents, yet
again, are willing to join forces and support the community in which they
live.
However, such events could not have been possible without
valuable sponsorship from Rtn. Marlise & her husband Heinz Fritz who
donated and built all equipment for the collecting teams, plus the Hard Rock
Hotel, which not only provided the stage and sound equipment, but also
donated food for 150 children.
Other important sponsors were Hans G. Mueller, Copeland
Thailand, Ambiance Hotel, and the Ge Laurant Foundation, Rotarians from The
Netherlands, Ib Ottesen, Asian Sense Company, Roger Sperranza & Lou
Holub, and Swiss Airlines, Big Horn Restaurant, Eurodesign, Bruno’s
Restaurant, Sahib Tailors, BUPA Insurance, and by Rotarians Jan Olav Aamlid
and Martin Brands. Each made generous financial contributions to the
project.
The literacy rate in Thailand is 93.6%, one of the
highest in Asia. Mandatory schooling covers primary education only. Since
1997 there is a tuition-free schooling system covering a period of 12 years,
i.e. including junior high school.
This great initiative has given Thai children more access
to higher learning. In terms of total cost, however, it should be mentioned
that parents must always pay for school (and scouting) uniforms, books,
binder, pens, school lunches and transportation. This applies both to
primary and secondary education. These tuition related expenses are on
average 1,500 baht (at present US$/euro 35) per child, per year.
Young
‘Mai’ supported the education program with the help of grandma and
grandpa, of course.
Kees
Pepperkamp and his team took in 13,100 baht for the day.
Roving
team collecting funds.
For low-income families, many have monthly incomes not
exceeding 4,000 baht or US$/euro 0.95, and often even less, especially
‘one-parent’ families. This represents an enormous burden, further
complicated by the fact that they usually have several children of primary
and secondary school age.
The result is that children from such parents are usually
taken from school as soon as possible. Not for lack of intelligence to
continue their studies, and not for lack of interest from parents and
children for such education, but simply because there is no money for it.
As with all Rotary Community Projects, 100% of all
proceeds will go to this noble cause. There are no fees or charges for
administration, or for management and control, as all such activities are
carried out by qualified, non-paid volunteers.
In short, between the Money Mile and the Rotary Bowling
Tournament, a net of 387,000 baht was raised with an additional 43,000 baht
still expected in the very near future.
In total this will provide the $10,000 needed to start a $36,000 Matching
Grants project which (at the current TRF exchange rate) has the aim of
raising 1,500,000 baht for 1,000 much needed scholarships.
Pattaya Animal Welfare Foundation (PAWS) 2002 Stray Animal Demographics
During 2002, 475 animals, including every one of the
stray dogs that could be captured around all of the 14 temples and
associated schools within the city limits of mainland Pattaya, completed the
spay/neuter, recovery, and return process. PAWS is now working on a
prioritized basis on 20 designated neighborhood zones within the city.
PAWS
friend, Anna Maria from Milan, Italy, providing some on-site affection for a
2-month-old puppy, and through her donation a legacy of tender loving care
for stray animals.
Wat Chai had the highest number of stray dogs which were
sterilized at 101. Second and third place fell to Wat Po and Wat Nong Yai.
62% of all of the sterilized animals were female, 38%
male. From temple to temple the female percentage of the population ranged
from 42% to 73%.
81% of the total sterilized population was friendly (not
aggressive, scared, or nervous). Within this category, 58% were male and 42%
female. Very few animals required professional tranquilizer darting.
70 of the dogs or 18% were puppies. 66% of the puppies
were female, and 34% male, paralleling the sex of the general population.
99% of the animals were mixed breed. Those that were not
included a male and a female Black Labrador, a male German Shepherd, a
female Doberman, and a male Rottweiler. The male Black Lab was the largest
dog sterilized, weighing in at 50 kilograms.
The oldest dog was an estimated 8 years of age, nicknamed
Deal, and coincidentally the first dog sterilized by PAWS. This
battle-scared male veteran from Wat Po was missing his right eye and many
teeth, had several fresh wounds which had to be treated, and yet was very
compliant and companionable.
Make one of your New Year’s resolutions a generous
donation to PAWS. Without your help the foundation cannot continue!
Those interested in PAWS may contact the foundation through the following
email address: paws_pattaya@ hotmail.com or leave a voice mail message at
(06) 058-1665.
Throw your glasses away!
(Or don’t make a spectacle of yourself)
Ask anyone who is forced to wear glasses, because of
shortsightedness, astigmatism, or sometimes even aging, if they like wearing
them and 99.9% will respond that they would do anything to throw them away.
Unfortunately for the majority of these people, the wearing of simple
contact lenses is not the answer, as the misshapen eye will not respond to
contact lens correction. So up till a few years ago, all these people were
doomed to have heavy glasses perched on their noses.
Then came the advent of the Laser, and the advanced
technology that came with the use of the various types on living tissues.
Suddenly it became possible to “re-shape” the eyeball and the spectacle
owners could throw their glasses in the drawer and never use them again. For
these people it was a dream come true.
Unfortunately, all this technology comes at a high price,
and not just to cover the exacting training of the medical specialists who
do this corrective treatment, but also the sheer start-up capital costs of
the laser equipment itself. However, the Bangkok Pattaya Hospital has just
brought this treatment into the realms of the very affordable, by offering a
50% reduction on the laser surgery during January.
This has been made possible by the opening of the new
LASIK Centre at the hospital, and as an introductory offer, LASIK surgery
for two eyes is only 30,000 baht. This includes follow-up visits and any
further enhancement during the first 12 months.
Not everyone is suitable for LASIK treatment and
detailed, thorough evaluation is necessary. This takes up to 3 hours and
there are procedures that have to be followed.
1. Soft contact lens: stop wearing the lenses 3-7 days
prior to evaluation.
2. Hard or semi-hard contact lens: stop wearing the
lenses 7-14 days prior to the evaluation.
3. Eye drops will be used to dilate the pupil for the eye
examination, which will cause blurry vision for 4-6 hours.
- Bring sunglasses with you
- Do not drive by yourself
If you wish to see if you are a suitable candidate, now
is the time to get the evaluation done, and reserve your surgery with the
50% reduction. For further details contact Pattaya LASIK Center, Bangkok
Pattaya Hospital, tel. 038 427 777 or fax 038 427 770, email: [email protected]
There are interpreters for English, German, Italian,
French, Spanish, Swiss, Finnish, Korean and Japanese available.
Tips for improving your odds of getting a “good old bottle of wine”
By Ranjith Chandrasiri
There is a catch-22 for wine lovers who have really
caught the bug: the more desirable a wine is, the harder it is to get. And
harder it is to get, the more desirable it is.
When the wine plays hard-to-get, you have to play
hardball. You have to look beyond your normal sources of supply. In this
game your allies are the wine auction houses, wine merchants and shops in
other cities and the wineries themselves.
Several forces conspire to frustrate consumers who want
to get their hands on special bottles. First, some of the best wines are
made in ridiculously small quantities. Although quality and quantity are not
necessarily compatible in wine making, at the very highest echelons of
quality, there usually isn’t much quantity to go around.
Secondly, wine buying is a competitive sport. If you are
the first, you get the wine and the next guy doesn’t. These days, buying
highly rated wines is especially competitive. When a wine receives a very
high score from critics, wine lovers have just got to get the wine. A
feeding frenzy results, not leaving much for Johnny-come-latelies.
Finally, most wines are sold by the winery just once,
when the wine is young. In the case of some fine wines, such as top Bordeaux
wines, wines aren’t yet at their best. But most storeowners can’t afford
to store the wines for selling years later. This means that properly aged
wines are usually hard to get.
So, how do other wine lovers get their hands on special
bottles of wine when you can’t? You got to be a bit of a gambler to
acquire and drink a good old bottle and you can improve your odds of coming
up with a winner by following a few easy tips.
* Buy from reputable wine merchants and auction houses.
They often know the history of their wines and most likely acquired the
wines from the sources that they trust.
* Trade with knowledgeable wine friends who know the
storage history of their wines.
* Stick to well-known wines with a proven history of
longevity.
* Inspect the wine if you can. Look at the ullage (the
space between the wine and the cork). Ullage of an inch or more can be a
danger sign indicating that evaporation has occurred, either from excessive
heat or lack of humidity - both of which can spoil the wine. On a very old
wine, say 35 or more years old, an inch of ullage is quite acceptable.
Another sign of poor storage is leakage or stickiness at
the top of the bottle, suggesting that the wine has seeped through the cork.
* Inspect the colour. A white wine that is excessively
darkened or dulled or a red wine that has become quite brown, can be
oxidized or too old. (Hold the bottle over a penlight/flashlight to check
the colour of red wines). Colours for red wines and Sauternes can be tricky
sometimes; the wine can show quite a bit of brown and still be very much
alive. If you are not sure about the colour, get advice from someone who
knows about older wines before plunking down your money.
* If you buy by phone or fax, ask your wine merchant to
physically look at the bottle and describe its fill level and colour.
* Be wary if the price of the bottle seems too low.
Often, what appears to be a bargain is a damaged or over-the-hill wine.
* Ask wine knowledgeable friends or merchants about the
particular wine that you are considering buying. Chances are that someone
will be familiar with it.
Ranjith Chandrasiri is the resident manager of Royal
Cliff Grand and the founder the of the Royal Cliff Wine Club, Royal Cliff
Beach Resort, Pattaya, Thailand. Email: [email protected] or [email protected]
Royal Cliff Wine Club kicks off another sterling year to remember
To welcome the New Year and to show our appreciation for
your continuous support, the Royal Cliff Wine Club would like to invite all
members to a cocktail reception and wine tasting on January 18 at the Grand
Ballroom of the Royal Cliff Grand. Starting at 18:00 hrs, the event is
exclusive to members and showcases a selection of exquisite wines plus
executive chef Walter Thenisch’s popular royal canap้s.
2002 was indeed a remarkable year for the wine club,
aside from celebrating the 1st anniversary, the club hosted well-attended
and highly praised winemaker’s dinners and wine tastings throughout the
year with your kind patronage.
It could be remembered that these occasions were graced
by world-renowned wine and gourmet luminaries including Michelin Star Master
Chef Davide Scabin, Chateau Branaire managing director Philippe Dhalluin,
(congratulations to Mr. Dhalluin who has recently become the consultant /
head winemaker for the prestigious ‘Chโteau Mouton Rothschild’),
Baron of Barossa Valley and Wolf Blass Wine’s Chief Winemaker John
Glaetzer, fast-rising Hardy’s of Australia winemaker Chris Darling,
Chateau Raymond Lafon owner Jean Pierre Meslier and World Champion Sommelier
Marcus del Monego.
This month’s event on January 18 will undoubtedly be
the commencement of another sterling year for the Royal Cliff Wine Club with
fabulous events already in the final planning stages.
Kindly note that limited seating will be offered at this
event that is both free and for members only. Prior reservation is strictly
required. Please reserve your seats early.
The Royal Cliff Wine Club is still accepting members. For
applications or inquiries, please call (66) 038-250-421 ext. 2782 (from
09:00 to 18:00 hrs) or Guest Relations at ext. 2007 or 2037. Email wineclub@
royalcliff.com
The Royal Cliff Wine Club and the Royal Cliff Beach
Resort wish you a prosperous New Year!
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