|
Sattahip Foundation provides scholarships for students from Theologians Examination Center
Pacharapol Panrak
827 students attending the Theologians Examination Center
in Sattahip recently received a total of 565,700 baht in scholarships to
help them further their studies.
(Seated
from left) Monk Pratheep Woranayok, Abbot Prakru Wiboonthammabarn, and Vice
Admiral Weeraphan Ngork-Ngarm, along with revered monks, officers and local
VIP’s present scholarships to deserving students.
Vice Admiral Weeraphan Ngork-Ngarm, chief commander of
Sattahip Royal Navy Base, represented the Sattahip Foundation when the
scholarships were presented to the chosen students.
Pratheep Woranayok, a monk from Nakhon Nayok, Prakru
Wiboonthammabarn, Sattahip chief monk and Sattahip Temple abbot, officers
and local VIP’s attended the presentation.
The Sattahip Temple chose these 827 students as they had
all passed the theologian’s examination for the 1st, 2nd and 3rd levels.
Seventy-four scholarships totaling 112,000 baht were
awarded to 3rd level students; 152 scholarships totaling 76,000 baht were
awarded to 2nd level students; 281 scholarships totaling 121,000 baht were
awarded to 1st level students; 37 scholarships totaling 115,200 baht were
awarded to pre-college students; and 283 scholarships totaling 141,500 baht
were awarded to primary and secondary school students.
To support the Bali School, the Sattahip Temple gave
60,000 baht, Udon Thani Temple gave 20,000 baht, Yai Intharam Temple gave
10,000 baht, and Koh Kaew Suwannaram Temple gave 10,000 baht for
scholarships.
The Sattahip Temple awarded scholarships to students as
well. This scholarship money was donated by people at the Sattahip Temple
and religious followers interested in supporting education.
The foundation was set up to fund and motivate well behaved students who
achieve good grades and to help low income families further their
children’s higher education.
The 11th Boy-Girl Sea Scout Assembly held in Rayong
Camp assembly pays tribute to HRH Queen Sirikit
Pacharapol Panrak
About 40,000 Sea Scouts and superiors participated in the
11th Boy-Girl Sea Scout Assembly held last week at Mahasurasinghanart Camp in
Rayong.
 The
Scouts march past Vice Admiral Wirat Damrongcharoen, who presided over the
opening ceremony.
Vice Admiral Wirat Damrongcharoen, Royal Navy Marines
commander representing Admiral Sampob Amarapal, commander in chief of the Naval
Forces, presided over the event’s opening.
Witthaya Boriboonsrap, president of the Sea Scout Club, and
chief organizer for the Boy-Girl Sea Scout Assembly explained the origins and
objective to the club: “The Sea Scouts were first established during the reign
of Rama 7 and have been together for 70 years now. The Royal Navy is their main
supporting unit, which backs the Sea Scouts in progressive development. This
activity directly and indirectly helps young people develop patriotism for the
nation, instills loyalty and pride in their homeland and teaches them how to be
good citizens and make valuable contributions to society,” Witthaya said.
The Sea Scout activities are held twice a year at different
places around Thailand under the Royal Navy’s control. Their motto is: “The
Sea Scout is the best, be loyal to Her Majesty the Queen for alliance, love,
harmony between the scouts, and believe in the Royal Navy.”
The participating Scouts shared their experiences from their
respective schools which gave the group a great opportunity to learn more about
their fellow Thais and exchange ideas.
Witthaya said, “The Royal Navy realizes the importance of peace in the
kingdom and supports the Scout activities with an aim of teaching the youngsters
how to live, work and play together in an atmosphere of harmony and tolerance.
At the camp meetings they learn to love and respect each other and form firm
bonds of friendship. These camps help them achieve better understanding of what
it means to be a Thai citizen so they can grow up to be good citizens and live
together in peace.”
Navy Wives Club and children release turtles into the sea
Sea turtle population is declining in Sattahip waters
Pacharapol Panrak
The sea turtle population is still declining in Sattahip
waters, but there is hope, thanks in large part to the attention local
clubs and officials have been paying to preserve them.
Major
General Mrs. Woranut Buangbon, president of the Naval Wives Club and
permanent secretary for the Ministry of Defense, leads her club members in
the release of turtles back into sea.
Human interference, i.e., encroachment into their
breeding and egg laying grounds, along with poor fishing practices, are
leading to a significant decline in all local sea life, especially the sea
turtle. Some species have already become extinct.
Thankfully, however, there are people who are in a
position to help, who also care about this problem. As far back as 1950,
the Thai Naval Department organized a sea life conservation project. Since
then, the Royal Navy Sea Turtle Conservation Center has been developed and
is attempting to bring back the sea turtle population. The center now
operates under the auspices of the Air Force and Shore Guard Center and
their units in Sattahip district.
Publicity helps. The more people that become aware of
the problem, the more people might do to help solve it.
Last week, in an effort to promote the cause as well as
teach children its importance, Major General Mrs. Woranut Buangbon,
president of the Naval Wives Club, who also happens to be permanent
secretary for the Ministry of Defense, led 30 of her club’s members and
their 200 children on a visit to the Royal Navy Sea Turtle Conservation
Center.
Jalajerd Yuwanangkul, vice-president of the Navy Wives
Club, and Captain A-Non Darasawat, a support commander for the Air Force
and Shore Guard Units, welcomed the entourage and presented a talk on the
importance of saving the turtles, whose numbers are declining due to human
interference and fisherman who don’t know about sea turtle conservation.
The group visited the turtle ponds, which have many ages
of young turtles, from newborn up to adolescent turtles that are ready to
be released into the ocean.
After visiting the turtle ponds and the facility, and studying the sea
turtles, the group took part in the rewarding activity of releasing mature
turtles back into their natural habitat off the shores of the Air Force and
Shore Guard Unit facilities.
A short discourse on Loy Krathong meanings and traditions
According to the history written by King Mongkut in 1863, the Loy
Krathong festival has its roots in ancient Brahmin culture, going back some
700 years. The spirits of the river were given offerings which were sailed
in the river in small boats (krathongs) and in this way the owner of the
krathong would gain absolution. This was a Brahmin belief.
The small boats fashioned by the beautiful and talented
Nang Noppamas, the daughter of a Brahmin priest and wife of King Phra Ruang,
were notable for their construction and beauty. It was this king who then
dedicated the krathong to the memory of the Buddha, and decreed that the
event would be called Loy Krathong and that it should become an annual
celebration to commemorate the skill and beauty of his consort. In this way
he lifted it out of Brahmin culture and installed it into the accepted
Buddhist way of life. This is the reason that the krathongs now carry three
incense sticks representing the Buddha, the Dharma and the Sangha.
During the Loy Krathong Festival, people decorate their
krathong with flowers, joss sticks and candles which will then sail away,
taking with them bad health, bad luck and unhappiness.
Lanterns are well-known symbols in the Loy Krathong Festival, too, being
used to decorate houses and temples in worship of the guardian spirits.
There are four kinds of lantern used in the festival: the hand-held rabbit
lantern, the hot air balloon lantern (kom loy), the hanging lantern for
religious worship, and the spin lantern installed at the temples. The belief
in lanterns is that the lights inside compare with the wisdom the people
will gain in the next life.
Sikhs plan community service
during Gurpurab celebrations
Pattaya orphaned children and the aged to benefit from this act of benevolence
Anniversaries associated with the lives of the Sikh Gurus are referred to
as Gurpurabs (festivals). Of these the important ones are the
birthdays of Guru Nanak and Guru Govind Singh and the martyrdom days of Guru
Arjun Dev and Guru Teg Bahadur.
 Guru
Nanak, the founder of the Sikh faith, was born in a Punjabi village (which
is now in Pakistan) in 1469. His birth anniversary, or Guru Nanak’s Jayanti,
which falls in the months of October-November (Kartik), is
enthusiastically celebrated by Sikhs as Gurpurab.
In Pattaya the celebrations started on Wednesday November
24 with a three-day Akhand Path in which the Granth Sahib (the
holy book of the Sikhs) is read continuously from beginning to end without a
break. Conclusion of the reading coincides with the main day of the
festival, which falls on November 26.
Sikhs and Indians of other faiths in Pattaya will make a
special pilgrimage to the Siri Guru Singh Sabha Gurdwara (Sikh
temple) in Soi 17, where special programmes are being arranged and kirtans
(religious songs) will be sung. Langar or community lunch will
also be offered in the gurdwara. The Langar is open to people of all
walks of life and of all faiths. Local volunteers serve it with a spirit of
Seva (service) and Bhakti (devotion). Free sweets and langar
are also offered to the general public outside the Gurdwara.
Amrik Singh, head of the Sikh/Indian community in Pattaya, invites people
of all faiths to join him in making meritorious donations at the Pattaya
Orphanage, the Banglamung Home for the aged and the Karunyawej home for the
disabled elderly.
National bicycle caravan arrives in Pattaya
Project promotes good health for Queen’s 72nd birthday
Decha Chalermyart
A bicycle caravan, organized to celebrate HM the Queen
72nd birthday, arrived in Pattaya on November 11. Over 50 riders turned up
at city hall, led by 60 year old Supalerk Panthong, who has pledged to ride
his bike over the entire kingdom of Thailand in 72 days to honor his beloved
queen.
The
riders paid their respects to King Thaksin monument.
At city hall, Mayor Niran Wattanasartsathorn and city
council members warmly welcomed the caravan. The 50-plus riders gathered to
pay their respects at the King Thaksin monument, after which they took a
rest, and enjoyed refreshments provided by city hall.
Supalerk Panthong organized the bicycle riding project to
celebrate the Queen’s 72nd year anniversary, to revive riding bicycles as
healthy exercise, and to reduce gasoline consumption and pollution for
public health.
Income from this project will be given to the Phitsanulok
Education Department in Region 1, which will be used to develop and
modernize small rural schools to match standards found in big city schools.
Funds from the bike ride will also be donated to support Thailand’s
national bicycle riders’ team.
Thailand’s national bicycle-riding project started on
August 10 and will end on December 3. It commenced in Tak province and
continued passing through many provinces until arriving in Pattaya, which is
the 50th province they have entered. The caravan will continue through
Chonburi Province and end their ride in the Sungai Golok district of
Narathiwat Province. At the conclusion, the riders will have visited 76
provinces and covered a total of 8,289 kilometers.
Supalerk Panthong is the president of the Bicycle Riding Club, and his
motto is “Riding through different towns”. Supalerk was the first person
in Thailand to ride to all 76 provinces in 2002 in 143 days. This is his
second ride, and he intends to travel through the entire country within 72
days. The number 72 is significant to him because this year commemorates the
72nd birthday of Her Majesty the Queen.
Scooby’s Bar
This bar, whose “guvnor” is Gary from London, was opened about 7
months ago in the rapidly developing Soi 2, Jomtien Complex off Thappraya
Road.
It is a typical single 4-storey shop house located next
door to the Thai Blind Massage Institute. The bar boasts a big screen TV for
live sports, cold draught beer and attractive hostesses.
 What
makes Scooby’s different on a Sunday afternoon is the English pub
atmosphere generated largely by the fine free barbeque laid on by mine host
from 2.30 p.m. to 6 p.m.
Like-minded souls gather here to enjoy the food and drink
while “putting the world to rights”, comparing the latest performance of
their favourite football teams and looking forward to the possibilities of
the next match. No doubt, from overheard snatches of conversations, there is
also some wheeling and dealing taking place.
This is a pleasant place to relax and socialise, particularly on a Sunday
afternoon.
Charity Club of Pattaya holds annual charity event for AIDS patients
Fundraiser for Camillian Center and Street Kids of Pattaya
Christina Boden
The Charity Club of Pattaya, led by Malcolm and Christina
Boden, held its annual charity dinner on November 13 at Casa Pascal on
Second Road. Every year the club organizes a dinner to support AIDS
patients. Tickets to the dinner sold at 1,500 baht per head and the
fundraiser was well-attended by kindhearted and generous members of the
community.
 Christina
Boden joined Elvis Presley on stage.
The event was packed with fun filled activities including
a raffle offering great prizes for the lucky winners, including free hotel
rooms, coupons for free meals at various local restaurants and special
entertainment shows. But no one forgot that the night was all about raising
money for the drop-in center for the Street Kids of Pattaya and for the AIDS
patients residing at the Camillian Center Rayong.
The evening kicked off with a gastronomic dinner provided
by Casa Pascal. A hilarious Elvis impersonation show left the audience
rolling in the aisles. The event concluded with a charity auction of goods
including a beautiful hand crafted teak Thai wall hanging, vintage port
wine, Quinta Di Noval 1970 and a Samsung 29" color TV.
Everyone enjoyed the sumptuous buffet and free bar whilst
being entertained by the fabulous Mike Gerard and a lady with a big bottom!
(You had to be there!)
Deva on Thepprasit Road donated a traditional teak wall
hanging for auction which raised 7,000 baht, with the last bid going to
Donna & Bernie Pollard.
Tesco Lotus (North Pattaya) donated a 29” flat screen
T.V. for auction. TV kleptomaniac Georgios Joannou won out with a final bid
of 15,000 baht.
Ron Hall from the U.K. Club auctioned a bottle of 1970
Dows vintage port to raise funds for a Christmas party and presents for the
children at the Camillian Center in December, which raised 18,000 baht and
was bought by Georgios Joannou, who thought it was another TV.
Mike Gerrard, entertainer extraordinaire, managed to turn
the tables on charity officer Christina Boden who normally manages to
capture someone at the charity dinner on camera. Mike also saved the day by
stepping into the breach free of charge when the entertainment booked for
the evening canceled.
The evening was another success for the Charity Club of
Pattaya and the final tally came to 122,960 baht for the children of the
Camillian Center and the Street Kids of Pattaya.
Special thanks goes to the following sponsors: Indian By
Nature; Captain’s Corner; Kilkenny; Amari Orchid & Henry J Bean
Pattaya; Edelweiss; Tiffany’s; Dusit Resort; Bruno’s Restaurant; Sofitel
Khon Kaen; Lotus Crystal; Mermaid Diving School; Massic Travel; Classic
Tailors; Tower Inn Hotel Bangkok; Sofitel Bangkok; Horseshoe Point; Tesco
Lotus North Pattaya; Hyatt Hua Hin; Amari Watergate Bangkok; Evergreen Hotel
Bangkok; Rabbit Resort Jomtien; Pan Pacific Hotel Bangkok; Deva; Marriott
Resort & Spa Pattaya; U-thong Inn and Carrefour.
There are still prizes to be collected: ticket number
0306 - meal voucher for Edelweiss, and ticket number 0349 - a 2,000 baht
meal voucher for the Bay Restaurant at the Dusit Resort.
Email the Charity Club of Pattaya at ccop1@yahoo. com if you would like
to know details about the next charity event.
Rayong Ladies Circle House Building Project
As a result of their work in feeding the poor in Ban Chang, members of
the Rayong Ladies Circle (RLC) have become aware of the terrible housing
conditions some of the sick and elderly of the district have to endure.
 83-year-old
Yia Dam moved into her new home in October 2004, thanks to members of the
RLC Welfare Committee.
Last month the RLC built a house for an elderly lady in
Ban Chang at a cost of 30,000 baht from their own funds and generous private
donations by some members.
Yia Dam is an 83-year-old woman who lives alone and has
no relatives to support her. Besides the 300 baht she receives from the
government each month her only other income comes from collecting and
selling brushes which are made into the typical Thai floor brushes that
abound in the area. In October 2004 she moved into her new home, thanks to
members of the RLC Welfare Committee. Her new house was built close to her
first home so she can remain in her community. The house, which took two
weeks to build, is made from bricks that are plastered on the outside and
while basically a one room design, it does have a separate inside toilet.
All building work was completed by local tradesmen and the materials were
purchased directly by a local person to keep the costs low. At a final cost
of 30,000 baht the house is not lavish but it is a palace to Khun Yia Dam.
The fact that 30,000 baht (which is ฃ400 or 600
euros or US$750 or AU$1,000) could make such a difference to this old
lady’s life inspired them to form the Rayong Ladies Circle - Ban Chang
Building Project in order to seek donations from private individuals and
businesses to leave a lasting legacy for good for many needy families in
this community.
They now have identified a number of families that are
living in dire conditions and urgently need new homes. Not all are in
locations that can be built as easily or cheaply as this first house.
Dependant on location, the current costs are between 30,000 and 50,000 baht
to build a new house - not a mammoth sum when you consider the positive
life-changing impact it will have on the recipients!
To raise the necessary funds the RLC is asking
individuals and companies to consider sponsoring the cost of a new home for
a poor family in the Ban Chang area. They suggest getting children, family
and friends involved in the fundraising. They are asking people to consider
making a donation in place of presents at Christmas or for birthdays in full
or in partial cost of a new house. The contribution would be acknowledged by
a Certificate of Appreciation. Sponsors of complete houses would be
recognised by having the house dedicated in their company or family’s
name.
For more information contact Ms. Helle Rantsen, Rayong Ladies Circle,
P.O. Box 40, Ban Chang Post Office, Rayong 21130, Thailand. Tel. (home) 0
3888 0765, Tel. (mobile) 0 1636 8165 or email: esben @spt.inet.co.th
1,000-plus post offices prepare for flock of paper bird
Birds accepted free of charge
Post offices have a wealth of experience in handling letters and
packages, but over the coming days they will be faced with a new task - how
to send a flock of around 62 million origami birds.
A total of 1,076 post offices nationwide will display
5,000 posters urging the public to fold the birds as a goodwill gesture for
the people of Thailand’s troubled southern border region. Members of the
public will be able to hand their folded birds to post office officials
without having to pay any postage costs.
The completed birds will then be sent on to Air Force
bases on December 4, before being dropped onto towns and villages in the
southern border region on December 5 to mark His Majesty the King’s
birthday. (TNA)
Obtaining Thai driving licences
For the benefit of those who would like to obtain a Thai driving licence
I will relate my recent, pleasant and successful experience.
Although in possession of a British driving licence I
decided to go for both car and motorcycle licences for peace of mind.
At a clinic, picked at random, two medical certificates
were obtained following a blood pressure test and soundings by the
doctor’s stethoscope. My irregular heartbeat was identified when my pulse
was taken, something I have known for many a year. Only sight of my passport
was needed and the cost of this service was 400 baht, it took about 15
minutes.
From a local photo shop 12 copies of 3 cm x 4 cm colour
photos of my ancient head and shoulders were purchased. The time from taking
the digital photo in the backroom studio to the finished, cut prints was 15
minutes, all for the sum of 240 baht, no documents required.
Immigration officers fill me with fear and dread. Armed
with two signed copies of each of my passport photo page, my visa (12 month,
non- immigrant, type ‘O’) with my arrival visa showing the number, the
title deed to my condo (front and back) and three copies of my photograph, I
approached the counter. I was directed to a lady officer who gave me a dual
language form to fill in. This took less than five minutes to complete the
single page with only the basic requirements: name, passport number, address
and what was it I wanted, and there were four or five options. I identified
I wanted two licences; car and motorcycle.
The first lady officer was occupied when I returned to
the counter but she waived me in the direction of a younger lady official.
My documents were thoroughly checked and she made it clear that only one
copy of each of my documents was required (except the photos). She directed
I return for my authorized papers in 2 hours. On returning, my papers were
ready and presented after I signed the immigration copy. There was no charge
for this service and it took a little over two hours to complete.
Now on to the main Licensing Authority for Pattaya,
located behind the Regent’s School on Highway 36 to Rayong. For this
exercise my Thai translator, who proved to be essential, accompanied me.
We arrived a little after 9 a.m. on a Friday. The section
I wanted was upstairs. Two copies of a two-page set of application forms
were obtained from a clerk and we commenced to complete these. The forms
were in Thai with multiple-choice options. My translator advised me on the
content of each section and within 10 minutes I had completed both sets of
forms (only the front page is relevant, the reverse and the second sheet are
for administration purposes).
To each application set I added the original medical
certificate and the Immigration letter. I also added signed copies of my
passport (photo and visa sections), my English licence (both sides) and
three photos with my first name only printed on the reverse.
I presented all of my documents and requested two
licences, please! The official requested my original documents and I was
given a colour blindness test. This lady advised me that, because I did not
have an International Licence, I would have to undergo “some short test”
in the office behind the counter.
The tests comprised: reaction, distance perception and
peripheral vision. All were very simple and conducted on basic equipment set
up in a corner of the general office.
Thankfully I passed; on returning my papers to the same
lady official I was charged 160 baht for the two licences, given a numbered
ticked and told it might take an hour before my name was called. The time
was 9.40 a.m., we took ourselves across the road for refreshments. At 10.20
a.m. my name was called, my first name!
The final task was to have the licences laminated. Across
the road from the government offices there is a choice of vendors for this
service and the usual digital photo, document copying, etc.
So, within one and a half hours I had my two licences,
total cost 800 baht. The service everywhere was courteous, helpful and
refreshingly efficient.
However, translation of the application form is an
essential. I saw other Europeans struggling with this core aspect of the
application. It was also apparent that without a ‘falang’ licence then
the applicant would have to take the full driving instruction course and
road test.
PILC coffee morning at Art Cafe enjoys record number of attendees
The Pattaya International Ladies Club held their monthly coffee morning
at Art Cafe on Tuesday, November 16. A record number of 78 attendees, both
members and their invited guests, proves the popularity of these meetings as
a chance to get together to meet old and new friends, and to visit favorite
venues around Pattaya.
 Sharon
Tibbitts, PILC president, presents Helen Claridge, outgoing newsletter
editor, with a PILC plaque.
The president of PILC, Sharon Tibbitts, made a short
speech to bring members up to date with club activities, and took the
opportunity to make presentations to some of the ladies who are now sadly
leaving Thailand.
These include Helen Claridge, editor of the club’s
informative newsletter, and Hiromi Shinohara who has volunteered her time at
the “Fountain of Life” for 5 years.
Other important events coming up in the club’s calendar include the
Emperor’s Ball on Saturday November 27 and the Ladies Christmas Lunch at
the Royal Cliff Resort on Tuesday December 7.
|
