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Sports & Adventure in Phuket, Thailand
Looking for a real holiday? A real break? For challenge?
Adventure? Fun & excitement? Then look no further ... Join the Sports
& Adventure Camp at Dulwich International College in safe, healthy and
beautiful Phuket for the experience of a lifetime! No need to waste your
time in endless traffic jams, inhaling foul exhausts or mooching around
mind-numbing shopping malls. There IS an alternative!
 A
bird’s eye view of Dulwich International College’s huge Phuket campus.
For four weeks between July 4th and July 31st, 2004,
Dulwich International College once again opens its superb campus to boys and
girls of all nationalities from around the world aged between 8 and 15
looking for action, challenge, fun, new friends ... and a wonderful holiday
experience in the magnificent environment on and around the idyllic island
of Phuket.
The need
for (safe) speed can be quenched on the sports & adventure camp.
The unique Sports & Adventure Camp offers a
tremendous mix of team sports (soccer, basketball, volleyball, rugby),
individual sports (tennis, badminton, cycling, golf), water sports (sailing,
snorkeling, water-skiing, rafting, scuba) and adventure (rock climbing,
camping, mountain biking, abseiling) as well as go-karting, paintballing,
cable-skiing, elephant rides, barbecues and parties. The adventure
excursions include exploration of the beautiful flora and fauna of southern
Thailand as well as ample opportunities for swimming, snorkelling,
water-skiing, rock climbing and diving.
 When
the action heats up, nothing better than snorkelling in crystal blue
waters...
One participant had this to say: “I knew this was going
to be a great adventure and I decided to go for it. Every day was full of
fun and excitement and by the time I went to bed I was so tired I fell
asleep right away and when I got up I was ready for another busy and
exhausting day! One of the most tiring but really interesting activities was
sea kayaking in the Andaman Sea. Another weekend we went to Khao Sot
National Park. This park was full of natural beauty and there was a raging
river where we went tubing; that was like white-water rafting except the
raft is only made for one person so you have to depend on yourself. This was
great fun and a good adventure. There were not only good things about Khao
Sot ... there was no electricity and there were lots of creepy-crawlies in
the rain forest. This really added to the adventure of the camp. I also got
the chance to water ski as well as cable ski, which was fantastic. I had
never done this before and I enjoyed myself very much. We all made great
friends and I think this is one of the greatest camps a person could
visit.”
...or
even splashing about with your friends.
The Sports & Adventure Camp costs 70,000 bt. for the
full four weeks (inclusive of all tuition and coaching, accommodation, trips
and excursions, meals, local transport and laundry). The camp is also
available in weekly units at a cost of only 18,000 bt. per week.
Those who join the camp will return home refreshed and
invigorated with many wonderful memories to see them through the year ahead.
Enrolment is limited. Register your children with the college now for the
Experience of a Lifetime!
For more information contact the college: Tel: +66 (0) 7623 8711-20
(#1106) or +66 (0) 2512 0466-7; email: [email protected] or
[email protected]; website: www.dulwich.ac.th
GIS Sponsors Learning Disability Seminar
On Sunday May 9, Garden International
School and Rayong English Programme School, in conjunction with the
Bangkok Rayong Hospital, held a seminar to inform interested parents about
learning disabilities.
Dr. Somchart Suttigarn spoke at length about learning
disabilities, in particular, Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD).
 Garden
International School and Rayong English Programme School, in conjunction
with the Bangkok Rayong Hospital, held a seminar about learning
disabilities.
ADD affects approximately 4% of the population. It
becomes evident at around the age of 3 and is characterized by
hyperactivity. Children afflicted with ADD find it difficult to stay still
or concentrate on one task, even for a short period of time. In most cases
this leads to learning difficulties and often, problems later in life.
Dealing with ADD children can be very difficult and requires a thorough
understanding of the disorder by both parents and teachers.
Garden International School supports equitable access
to learning by all students and the opportunity for all students to pursue
their goals in all aspects of their education. Special needs students are
integrated into classrooms with their age and grade peers. Integration
involves placing students with special needs in classes and then providing
them with the necessary support, accommodations and adaptations,
determined on an individual basis, to enable them to be successful in
achieving personal goals.
Garden International School has a Special Education Needs (SEN)
department headed by Anne Prediville, (B.A. {Hons}, Dip. Ed. {SEN}), who
has 36 years of teaching experience, mostly involved with SEN students.
Asian University enters its sixth year
The Asian University of Science and
Technology celebrated its sixth anniversary with a lavish buffet, cocktails,
speeches, and musical entertainment at the Hotel Plaza Athenee in Bangkok on
Wednesday, May 12.
 University
council chairman, H.E. Anand Panyarachun thanked the university’s
benefactors during the university’s 6th anniversary celebration.
University council chairman, H.E. Anand Panyarachun and
university president, Dr. Viphandh Roengpithaya were on hand to greet those
in attendance and deliver their respective reports on the progress of one of
Thailand’s newest institutes of higher education.
Noteworthy among the guests and celebrants were
Ambassador Klauspeter Schmallenbach, the head of delegation of the European
Commission to Thailand, Jose Bustinza, charge d’affaires, Embassy of the
Republic of Peru, Thorsten Einsingerich, charge d’affaires, Austrian
Embassy, Dr. Oskar Andesner, commercial counselor, Austrian Embassy, and
John Clapp, commercial counselor, Canadian Embassy and his wife.
Other VIPs attending the celebration included Khunying
Kalaya Sophonpanich, director of Imperial Technology Management Services and
M.R. Pridiyadhorn Devakula, governor of the Bank of Thailand.
In his anniversary report, Dr Viphandh reviewed recent
initiatives by the university to offer overseas learning experiences to its
scholars. Students graduating with undergraduate degrees in Engineering, for
example, may choose to follow postgraduate studies at Imperial College
London, as well as other foreign destinations.
In a program known as Study Abroad, overseas learning
experiences are also made available to qualified Asian U. students before
graduation. Overseas study destinations available for students during their
third year include the University of British Columbia (UBC) in Vancouver,
Sydney University in Australia, the University of Auckland and the Auckland
University of Technology in New Zealand.
For the past three years the university has been
providing overseas academic experience in the form of a summer program of
student exchange with Vienna University of Economics and Business
Administration. University officials hope that auxiliary overseas learning
opportunities such as these, along with Asian University’s emphasis on a
total English domestic learning environment will attract cost-conscious
students who might otherwise consider taking on expensive four year
commitments to overseas studies.
Dr Viphandh also reported on the university’s latest
initiative. “Assumption College at the Asian University in Jomtien” is
designed to prepare Mathayom level students for the rigors of university
level international studies. In a joint educational program with Assumption
College, Sriracha, 60 Mathayom 4 students will fulfill their academic
requirements in an innovative program known around campus as “The
College.”
This new program began on Monday, May 17. Students reside
and attend classes on Asian U’s Jomtien campus. These students will
continue to progress through Mathayom 5 and six while the program admits new
Mathayom 4 students annually. The intent of the program, according to Dr.
Viphandh, is to help improve students’ performance in core subjects and
facilitate their transition to Asian University or any institute with
similar academic standards.
In his remarks, council chairman, H.E. Anand Panyarachun
offered warm thanks to the faithful patrons of the university who have given
generously to ensure the continuing fiscal health of the organization during
its formative years.
In particular, Anand recognized regional business tycoon,
Andrew Yau for his longstanding and continuing financial support of the
university through scholarships and generous regular cash donations.
Anand also expressed gratitude on behalf of the
university to Chote Sophonpanich and Khunying Kalaya Sophonpanich. Chote is
the son of the founder of Bangkok Bank. Khunying Kalaya, an Imperial College
alumnus, is a director of Imperial Technology Management Services (ITMS) the
body that was established to raise the initial funds needed to build the
university facilities. The couple was cited for their long-time support and
financial investment in the University.
Finally, a long-time friend of Dr. Viphandh, Yos
Euarchukiat was also recognized by Anand for providing financial support.
When Yos was CEO at the Bank of Asia, he arranged for university support in
the name of the bank. He is currently the chairman of the board of CPB
Equity Co., Ltd. (a.k.a. Toon Ladawan in Thai) which is under the Bureau of
the Crown Property. Recently Yos arranged university support in the name of
CPB Equity. He is in the process of injecting a very generous sum as a
university shareholder.
Asian University with the cooperation and support of
Imperial College London first opened its doors to 50 courageous students in
1998. The appearance of the new university coincided with the severe
economic crisis in Thailand and the region. According to Dr. Viphandh, the
growth of admissions during the first six years of the University’s
existence has been slower than anticipated. Nevertheless, to date, 136
students have successfully completed their studies at Asian U, 102 with
master’s degrees, and 34 with bachelor’s degrees.
The Asian U. campus is situated on the 331 Highway southeast of Pattaya,
its 200+ rai campus set among beautiful rolling hills. On a clear day, the
scenic coastline of Pattaya and Jomtien can be viewed in the distance from
the University campus.
Australia Bound - Rotarians make 5 orphans’ dreams come true
B Phillip Webb Jr
International Service Director, Rotary Club of Jomtien-Pattaya
An adventure of a lifetime has unfolded for five very
lucky students from the Pattaya Orphanage. They left Bangkok for Bendigo,
Australia on May 9.
This was made possible by the Rotary Club of Eaglehawk
(Australia) and is part of its “cultural enhancement program”.
 The
children pose together with Phil Webb in front of the late Father
Brennan’s memorial prior to their departure.
Saichon Suklonluea, 18, Orn-kamon Kulsuttichai, 15,
Lalita Paokhua, 15, Atthaphol Samarnpark, 20, and Sulawan Buranansan, 18,
will spend the next 12 months in Bendigo. They will stay with one family for
five months before moving on to another family.
While in Australia, they will attend school and some
Rotary functions, as this will give them a better understanding of the
social standards of another country as well as enhance their knowledge of
the English language.
Prior to their departure, the students were invited to
the Australian embassy in Bangkok. The embassy staff laid on an array of
beverages and snacks, which they tucked into without any hesitation.
When the ambassador, Miles Kupa, entered the room, the
children introduced themselves. Miles, as the ambassador prefers to be
called, personally handed each student their visa and wished them the best
of luck on their journey to Australia.
The
small group that came to bid the children farewell were (from left) Phil
Webb, Father Phillip, Alan Jones, Tim Hague, Peter Malhotra and Khun Lat.
It was a great trip to the embassy and one that will be
long remembered by the students as well as all the embassy staff present.
But the climax came when one of the managers from the
Father Ray Foundation, Tim Hague, received a telephone call. He shared the
good news with the kids that he had just been notified of their departure
date to Australia. They went wild with exhilaration and excitement, laughing
and clapping. To say they were ecstatic would be a gross understatement.
I asked one of the managers, “How were these five
particular students chosen?”
“It was somewhat difficult as we have so many bright
and outstanding children here at the orphanage,” he replied. “But these
students stood out just a little bit more than the rest.
Australian
Ambassador Miles Kupa (2nd right) and Christine McPaul, regional director of
Immigration at the Australian embassy (3rd left), warmly welcome the
Australia-bound children.
“Sending children on a trip is one thing. But when you
realize that these youngsters will not only be representing the orphanage
and Rotary but all of Thailand, we had to make sure we carefully hand-picked
each student to travel to Australia.”
The five students were given a crash course in table
manners along with basic instructions on etiquette and an opportunity to
improve their English skills.
So as these students leave us on their journey of a
lifetime, we hope this experience will be a positive influence on their
young lives and one they will long remember. And when they return, surely
they will share with us the countless stories they have amassed over the
next 12 months.
This detour in their lives will undoubtedly be one they
will long remember and give them a better understanding and perspective of
life. And truly, they will be our “Ambassadors of Goodwill”.
Many thanks are owed to many people for the help they
unselfishly gave to make this trip a reality for these young students. I
apologize in advance if I overlook giving the proper thanks to any one of
them:
First, Thai Airways for donating five round-trip tickets
to the students. This was truly a very generous gesture on their part and
certainly shows a genuine love for the kids.
Also thanks to the outstanding and honorable Australian
ambassador, Miles Kupa, and his staff for providing the assistance required
in attaining the visas.
Christine McPaul, regional director, and Jemma Jackson of
the Australian Embassy for their kindness and help. If you two ladies were
instrumental in providing the snacks, an extra thanks.
To Tim Hague and Alan Jones, part of the efficient
management team of the Father Ray Foundation, for taking time out of their
busy schedules to accompany us to the embassy, along with other things they
did to make this trip possible. I believe, also, they were part of the team
that had the final say in the selection of the students.
And many thanks to Father Phillip, a personification of a
true “man of God” for caring in the tradition of what Father Ray started
way back in 1970. You truly are an inspiration to all with whom you come
into contact. If Father Ray had chosen a successor before he passed away,
I’m sure it would have been you. Thank you for carrying on the tradition
of the Pattaya Orphanage in such a grand and loving style.
Also thank you to Khun Toy for supplying the transport
from the orphanage and back.
Last but not least, a special thanks goes out to the
great folks of the Rotary Club of Eaglehawk over yonder, and to the Rotary
Club Jomtien-Pattaya for putting everything in motion and making this
wonderful experience happen for these five outstanding students.
So Rotary’s motto, “Rotary Cares”, really applies here, doesn’t
it?
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