HRH
the Crown Prince opens the ceremonial curtain, to reveal the RVYC
signboard inaugurating the new clubhouse.
The
Varuna terrace, with HRH seated at right and the Royal Laser evident in
foreground.
The
crown prince blesses the craft.
The
Prince sprinkles lustral water onto his new Laser.
Santi
Kanchanapundhu and club founder Walter Meyer present a package of souvenir
books to the Crown Prince.
Flag
Commodore Santi Kanchanapundhu pays homage while HRH the Crown Prince
signs the guest book.
Peter Cummins, Pattaya
Photos by Suchada Tupchai
In what was a thoroughly regal affair, HRH Crown Prince
Vajiralongkorn last Thursday officially opened the splendid multi-million
baht new Royal Varuna Yacht Club, built on its choice seaside property at
Kasetsin Beach, South Pattaya. Before an assembled crowd of ministers,
Royal Thai Navy officers, Palace and Pattaya City officials, and a large
number of Royal Varuna members, including a number of past club
commodores, HRH the Crown Prince activated the ceremonial curtain,
revealing the Varuna logo, thus officially opening the club.
Led by Royal Varuna founder Walter J. Meyer and 24th
Flag Commodore, Santi Kanchanapundhu, the Varuna membership presented HRH
the Crown Prince with materials on the club development and pertinent
history.
Then the Prince moved over to a new Laser dinghy,
mounted on the beautifully-adorned club terrace, bedecked with flowers and
the Royal Household insignia on yellow flags, and formally accepted this
gift from Royal Varuna, carrying the Laser International number 181056.
As HRH sprinkled the traditional lustral water and
placed a garland on the craft’s bow, a magnificent Pattaya sunset cast a
warm, golden glow over the most impressive ceremony.
Along with First Commodore Walter Meyer (1957-1964),
nine former Royal Varuna Commodores participated in the ceremonies,
namely, in chronological order of their incumbency: sixth, Angelo
Gualtieri (1972-1974); eighth, Albert Chandler (1975-1977); ninth, Bob
Kennedy (1977-1979); 10th, Peter Cummins (1979-1980); 15th, Peter Herning
(1989-1991); 16th, Peter Hudde, (1991-1993); 21st, Rut Subniran
(1998-2000); 22nd, Don Mackenzie (2000-2002); 23rd, Robert England
(2002-2004) and, of course, the present Commodore Santi Kanchanapundhu who
took office in November 2004.
Designed by Australian architect Peter Harper, this
splendid facility not only advances and promotes yacht racing and marine
activities in the Kingdom, but it also adds a classical dimension to the
Jomtien-Pattaya city-scape. With its spectacular - yea, almost Roman -
design, the Royal Varuna Club-house presents a spacious, open, gleaming
white structure facing Koh Larn in the west, sitting atop a rolling
expanse of green sward to the half-moon private beach lapping the shore.
Once again, history was to play an important role in
the annals of Royal Varuna. For example, sixth Commodore and present
Honorary Treasurer, Angelo Gualtieri, recalled that it was on 14 September
1968 when Their Majesties, the King and Queen came to the present site to
inaugurate the then-new clubhouse - 36 years ago.
An even more significant parallel was in December 1969,
when the Varuna membership presented His Majesty with a Fireball, to
celebrate his birthday. The Fireball was, at the time, one of the sleek,
fast racing craft, very popular world-wide.
Now, 35 years later, the King’s son has been the
recipient of one of the world’s most populous dinghies - the ubiquitous
Laser, numbering some 200,000 in more than 60 countries.
And to pursue this one step further, it is probably
Princess Patcharakitiyapha, the daughter of the Crown Prince who will
avail herself of the Laser, having come to Royal Varuna several times
before, to go sailing in this type of craft, where she displayed
considerable nautical skill, in spite of her youth.
On the night of the official opening, with such a
gathering of club elders and commodores (many featured in both these
categories), the folklore - like the wine - flowed copiously.
Tales of the early days (a Pattaya of yore that hardly
anyone today would know) were vivid and both Walter and Angelo well
recalled the magic days when all the Thai Royal Family - including the
Crown Prince - would go sailing off the then Varuna Marine Club, on a
pristine Pattaya Bay with translucent waters.
Walter Meyer remembered how it all started, with a
simple advertisement in the “Bangkok Post” in May 1957, which read:
“Boating friends wanted to form a boating club. All interested write to
Box...”
Thereafter, a meeting was held at the then Cosmopolitan
Restaurant on Sathorn Road with Roberto Maestrini, Robert (Rachiman)
Gintzburger, HSH Bhisadej Rajani, Sid Watkins and Walter, to “launch”
on the first of July, 1957, the Varuna Marine Club, dedicated to promoting
all forms of marine and water sports.
It was with much regret to learn of the passing of
Rachiman, only recently. Bearing the club number one, Rachiman did not
live to see the great accomplishment evidenced at the gala opening.
Now, with a membership hovering at a record level of
some 450, Walter views the move to the present site (in 1967) as
“absolutely correct; I am personally delighted.” He added, “Varuna
has at least another 30 years to enjoy it ... with an expanding
membership, enabling more people to enjoy the best place in the vicinity
of Bangkok.”
Thank you Walter.
Incumbent
(24th) Flag Commodore Santi Kanchanapundhu addresses the Crown Prince.
James
Padungkit,(left) club manager and wife Ajur with the Gualtieri family,
Papit, Angelo and Pieri.
Present
and past commodores with their wives.(l-r) Jittima and Santi
Kanchanapundhu, Sandra and Robert England and Mrs. and Richard van den
Heuvel.
The
contractors and the 22nd Commodore, Don Mackenzie, with wife Cheryl (2nd
left).
Commodores
all (l. to r.): Cummins, Kennedy and Herning.
A room
with a view: after the ceremony, a traditional Varuna “Happy Hour” at
the sea-side bar.
Happy
Hour, Varuna style, (l-r) Mrs. Van den Heuvel, Ursula and George Rothstein
and the lovely Raine Grady.
Ursula
Lehner and Mr. Van der Marell enjoying a drink at the Varuna seaside bar.
Two
lovely ladies Karyn Walker and Catriona Lowder enjoy the sunset.
Varuna
Club landlord, Pongstorn Sangruchi (standing left), Peter Cummins, Robert
Kennedy, James Padungkit, Ms. Meyer, Wolfgang Minderjahn and RVYC founder
Walter Meyer (seated left).
Peter
Malhotra toasts founder Walter Meyer, while club members join in.
