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North Star Library opens next to Pattaya Orphanage
Pattaya is to see the opening of a new privately funded
library on January 21, with the official ribbon cutting for the new North
Star Library to be held on Saturday, January 29 at 6:30 p.m. This exciting
project is a donation from Pattaya resident, Arlette Cykman, who has
generously provided not only the funds for the building, but also the books
from two extensive collections, which belonged to her late mother, Vera
Cykman, and her long-time friend, Maxine North.
 The
two ladies in whose honour and memory the library was built: Vera Cykman
(standing), ‘Star of Siam’ and Maxine North (seated) founder of Polaris.
“I wanted to create the library as a lasting souvenir
to the memory of my mother, Vera, and her very good friend, Maxine North,”
explains Arlette. “Both the ladies spent most of their lives in Thailand,
they loved to read, had many books, and I wanted to put their books to good
use. The idea suddenly came to me to build the library for the benefit of
the whole of the Pattaya community.”
Maxine North and Vera Cykman were two very well known
figures in Bangkok business and society. Maxine came to Thailand from
America with her husband over 55 years ago, and after being suddenly
widowed, went on to establish the first-ever water bottling company, Polaris
Water. Among her many philanthropic ventures, she restored the Celadon House
in Chang Mai. She was also a founder of the American Chamber of Commerce and
the Foreign Correspondents Club.
Vera Cykman, Arlette’s mother, came to Thailand in
1949, originally for two months, and stayed for the rest of her life! She
opened the first ready-made dress store in Bangkok and went on to open
stores in the USA and Hong Kong. Eventually she was exporting wholesale
garments throughout the world from her base here in Thailand. She was a
close friend to Jim Thompson, who would seek her advice on suitable textiles
for the export market, and with whom she loved to go shopping for antiques.
On their retirement, the ladies decided to move to
Pattaya, living next door to each other and being cared for by Vera’s
daughter, Arlette.
“The name of the library, North Star, is an
amalgamation of the two names – North for Maxine’s family name, and Star
from my mother’s business, Star of Siam,” says Arlette.
The library is situated adjacent to Pattaya Orphanage,
and as well as the book collection, will also provide a meeting place for
community activities, such as reading and painting workshops and summer
programmes for children and young teens from the Orphanage and the Street
Kids projects. The building has also been specially designed for disabled
access.
Another benefactor has also been involved. Thanks are due
to the Rotary Club of Jomtien-Pattaya which, to mark their centennial
anniversary, gave a generous donation in conjunction with Copeland
Corporation, a division of Emerson Climate Technologies, to provide and
install the air-conditioning units, which has ensured the building will be
the perfect temperature for not only visitors, but also the books housed
within.
The library collection is an eclectic mix of classic and
modern-day fiction and reference books, with a large collection of astrology
and numerology tracts, a favorite subject of Maxine North’s, and an
archival collection of Siam Society literature. Whilst most of the books are
in English, it is hoped to further develop the foreign language section, and
to increase the number of children’s teaching books. There are also many
videos, and the trustees of the library are hoping in the future to acquire
a burner to transfer these to DVD for easier viewing.
Arlette is a long-term member of the Pattaya
International Ladies Club, and members of that group will manage the day to
day running of the library. Volunteers will staff the center during its
opening hours, which is initially planned to cover a few days per week. To
begin with, visitors can read the books on the premises but once the library
is established, for a small fee, members will be able to borrow the books to
take away on loan. Discounts and reduced fees will be offered to students
and other groups to enable them to partake.
One of the PILC members, Judie Payne, has offered to look
after the running of the library once it opens, and is presently hard at
work with other members sorting, cataloguing, and stacking the books.
“Whilst we have a large collection with which to open the library,” she
says, “we would be delighted to receive donations from the public to build
up the collection. We are particularly looking for hardback books in good
condition, on almost any subject, foreign language books and particularly
books for children which we could use for story telling sessions.” Anyone
with books, or any other items they would like to donate, can contact Judie
on her mobile telephone number of 07-9390237, or visit the library at its
location next to Pattaya Orphanage.
With the opening of the new library, it is hoped that this ambitious
project will soon become a popular and well used part of the Pattaya
community.
Asia Pacific Scout Jamboree
slated for Eastern Seaboard
Dr. Iain Corness
Preparations are well underway for the 25th Asia-Pacific
Regional Scout Jamboree, reported the director of international relations,
Sutham Phanthusak, to a packed meeting of the organizing committee, held at the
Woodlands Resort.
The vice minister for education, Kwang Robkob, was equally as
upbeat at the meeting, saying that he had every confidence that this would be
the most successful jamboree yet. The five international Scout participants
echoed this sentiment, with the European representative, Jorgen Rasmussen,
publicly applauding what he called “The re-investment in the Asia-Pacific
region,” where the Thai government was in fact subsidizing Scouts from the
neighboring countries of Burma, Laos, Cambodia and even Vietnam to join the
jamboree which will be held from December 28, 2005 through to January 3, 2006.
Vice
minister for education, Kwang Robkob (centre) with the organising committee
members.
The Scouting event, which is expected to see 7,000 overseas
Scouts joining 8,000 local Scouts, will be held at the Had Yao campsite at
Sattahip. A campsite review was carried out by Commissioner Sutham Phanthusak,
along with local Scout identity Jan Olav Aamlid, along with Jorgen Rasmussen,
and they reported to the meeting that the venue was in good condition, and would
easily be ready in time for the expected influx of overseas Scouts.
(L-R) Dr.
Iain Corness, Sutham Phanthusak, a naval officer, Jorgen Rasmussen and Jan Olav
Aamlid inspect the site of the APR Jamboree at Had Yao in Sattahip.
The jamboree director, Dr. Prapatong Senarith, received
reports on such items as logistics, services, security, transportation and
catering, and said that he was extremely pleased with the progress so far.
The Eastern Seaboard should begin preparing itself at the end of this year
for a group of 15,000 young people who live by the motto “Be Prepared”!
Pattaya administrators and business community ring in the New Year
Suchada Tupchai
Pattaya City administrators, led by Pattana Chalermchat,
president of the Community of Executives in Pattaya, along with the Community
Members Association met for the 2005 New Year’s “Community of Executives in
Pattaya Association” event at the Diana Golf Driving Range at the Garden Lodge
Hotel. They were welcomed by Sopin Thappajug, managing director of the Diana
Group and executives from many hotels in Pattaya. Mayor Niran Wattanasartsathorn
presided over the opening of the event.
Mayor Niran
Wattanasartsathorn and members from the Community of Executives in Pattaya
Association celebrate the New Year.
The association maintains a union of people including
executives and associated people in Chonburi Province in cooperation with those
who are linked with government departments and the labor sector.
The association helps people find jobs, provides social
welfare, defends the rights of laborers, provides social insurance, and connects
people with executives in job searches. This includes executive members who
donate money to various community charities.
Twenty thousand baht was donated to the SOS Rice project,
which is a project to help the poor and underprivileged. The funds allow
disadvantaged people to attend the event and celebrate the New Year.
A grand buffet was laid out for all who attended and music and dancing was
provided for entertainment. A lucky draw was held and everyone enjoyed a fun
filled atmosphere of goodwill and fellowship.
Burapha University students visit Pattaya Mail on field trip
Staff Reporters
First year Communication, Social and Human Science students
recently paid a visit to the Pattaya Mail. The group was welcomed by
staff members and given a guided tour of the company. The aim of their visit was
to learn about news gathering and journalistic duties.
The Pattaya Mail Publishing Company, which publishes 3
newspapers (Pattaya Mail and Chiangmai Mail in English and the Pattaya Blatt in
German), has attracted numerous groups from learning institutions throughout the
region.
After their
tour, the group stopped outside for a photo with Primprao Somsri, (left) Suchada
Tupchai, Pattaya Mail editor (2nd right) and Tony Malhotra (right).
Students were told of the various duties and pressures of
working in a newspaper. They listened eagerly and asked many questions which
were answered by senior staff at the paper.
Burapha
University students took a guided tour of the Pattaya Mail and listened to
Primprao Somsri relay important information on the operations and news gathering
duties.
They left enlightened and confident in the knowledge that
what they had learned is pertinent to their course.
The Pattaya Mail has welcomed a number of groups over the past year,
each having their own unique set of questions and answers. As the company moves
into its twelfth year, we are happy to welcome more students and assist their
path to knowledge.
Tropical Bert’s Beach Bar - a sunset escape
On Tuesday afternoon, January 4, Bert and Pu Elson held the grand opening of
Tropical Bert’s Beach Bar in Soi Regent Marina after taking over at the
beginning of December what was formerly known as the 60s Bar.
The bar was full as golfers floated in after a day out on the
course for a regular PSC Tuesday game. Golfers and guests were greeted with the
traditional shafted swine and a selection of food laid out by the host.
 Bert
and Pu are ready to serve families at their new place by the beach.
Bert, who has been in Pattaya for a few years said, “I
always said if I ever owned a bar by the beach I would call it Tropical
Bert’s... We’re a family bar with some decent pub grub and of course the
golf every Tuesday a great start.”
Bert and his wife Pu said the place has undergone renovations
and according to a number of guests is looking much better. Bert plans to
renovate the floors above, turning them into apartments for rent. “We’ll
start renovations on the second floor next month and turn it into an apartment.
It already has a sea view from the balcony,” said Pu.
The afternoon’s activities were transformed as the golfers
handed out technical prizes and engaged in the buffet and liquid refreshments
before the auction took place.
Bernie Tuppin, Pattaya Sports Club (PSC) charity chairman
received 18,500 baht from the auction to go towards the PSC tsunami relief
effort in the south of Thailand. In fact Bernie left for the province of
Pang-nga at midnight on Tuesday with 8 Sawang Boriboon trucks to deliver donated
items.
Bert’s Tropical Beach Bar is located on the beach side of Soi Regent Marina
in North Pattaya.
Russian Orthodox Celebration of Christmas
Whilst the rest of
Christendom was celebrating the Epiphany or the coming of the wise men to the
infant Christ on January 6, the Orthodox Church celebrated the birth of Christ
and as has become the tradition, a Russian Orthodox celebration was arranged at
the Royal Cliff Resort in the suitably decorated Siam Ballroom, attended by over
100 Russians and a few foreign observers.
PCEC provides help for tsunami survivors and helpers in the south
Two minutes silence was observed at the beginning of the first Pattaya City
Expats Club (PCEC) meeting of 2005 in remembrance of those lost in the disaster
in the south, their relatives, and aid workers tirelessly helping to bring order
out of the chaos.
PCEC members
donate 50,000 baht to Mayor Niran to go towards the relief effort in the south.
A number of Pattaya City Expats Club members had responded
quickly and readily during the recent “Battle on the Beach” boxing promotion
sponsored among others by Drew Noyes, the ex-chairman of the club, and his
company Pappa Co, Ltd., and Andre Machielsen’s Master Safety Company, when
some 70,000 baht was handed to Mayor Niran for distribution in the South.
Other members brought items to the meeting to be handed on to Christine and
Malcolm from the Charity Club of Pattaya to be taken down to Phuket the next
day. Donations were also received amounting to another 50,000 baht which was
given to Mayor Niran in his office on Tuesday January 4.
Huay Pong children receive rice and essentials on Children’s Day
To help the celebrations for Children’s Day at the Huay Pong facility in
Rayong, Kevin and Mark from the Throb and Splash show bars in Pattaya organized
a special event on Friday January 7 to raise money to buy rice and essential
articles for the children.
Some of the
youngsters help unload the pick-up with Mark and the performers.
On Saturday, January 8, some of the performers went with Mark and Kevin to
Huay Pong to present the gifts and entertain the children with some of their
routine.
TOT launches 008 international dialing in Pattaya
Rates as low as 6 baht per minute
Suchada Tupchai
Lotus North Pattaya was the scene for the Telephone
Organization of Thailand’s (TOT) launch of its new competitive international
dialing code. Dr. Surapong Suebwonglee, information and communications
technology minister presided over the launching ceremonies.
 Lovely
ladies provide service and information at the launch of 008 international
dialing in Pattaya.
The new service, which began as small promotion, was so
successful TOT launched it full time, offering discount rates to 151 countries
around the world. Rates start from 6 baht per minute up to a maximum of 32 baht
per minute. Instead of dialing the usual “001” to get out of the country,
dial “008”; all other aspects of the number you wish to call remain the
same.
Mayor Niran
Wattanasartsathorn welcomes and presents a gift to Dr. Surapong Suebwonglee,
information and communications technology minister, who presided over the
ceremonies at Tesco Lotus North Pattaya starting the TOT’s 008 international
dialing service.
Dr. Satit Limpongphan, TOT Corporation Plc board chairman
revealed that the TOT is placing itself in a strategic position in the
marketplace with the new low rates. “We now offer the 008 service to 151
countries and are able to provide low rates with the use of Voice-Over IP
technology, which enables more information to flow through the current
communications system, “said Dr. Satit.
The launch in Pattaya was attended by local dignitaries from
city hall and drew a great deal of interest from residents.
For more information of the service call the TOT Contact Center on 1100.
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