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Tennis stars féted at the conclusion
of the Volvo Women’s Open
Martina still the darling of the show
Elfi Seitz
The Empress, Chinese restaurant at the Dusit Resort,
was the scene of a private cocktail party held last week in honour of the
for the tennis players, sponsors und organizers of the Volvo Women’s
Open.
 Marion
Bartoli signs an autograph for Khun Sinee as Stephan Heintze looks on.
Most of the tennis stars were there, including Martina
Hingis, her Australian trainer Lisa Chaffey, Conchita Martinez, Vera
Zvonareva and Evgenia Linetskaya, amongst the many other guests and
friends.
Martina was wearing a stunning jeans-outfit, which
emphasised her beautiful figure and no one wondered why she was
immediately surrounded by a lot of people, waiting to have a chat with her
or to pose with her for a photograph.
 Stephan
gets his special autograph from Vera Zvonareva.
Pattaya Mail/Pattaya Blatt was there as well. I
presented Martina with a special printout of the commemorative front page
of the Pattaya Blatt whilst an exact copy was autographed by Martina for
us to keep.
Sponsors received a warm words of gratitude delivered
by Robert Norman, president of Volvo-Car Thailand Ltd, Chaipak Siriwat
vice-president of the Lawn Tennis Association of Thailand of course
Chatchawal Supachayanont the effervescent general manager of the Dusit
Resort. Stefan Heintze, resident manager and management team were also
thanked for arranging an outstanding party for our distinguished visitors.
 Robert
Norman (right) President of Volvo Thailand, conversing with a party guest.
I had a chance to speak with Martina and learned quite
a bit about this charming lady.
Martina Hingis was actually born in Czechoslovakia and
migrated to Switzerland with her parents at the tender age of two.
Martina’s mother, Melanie Molitor, a famous tennis
player herself, started to train her little daughter when she was only
three years old. Of course this was the beginning a fantastic early
career, making Martina a tennis wonder-child. When she was thirteen, she
participated in international competitions and at sixteen she reached the
top of the tennis-world, earning the number one spot. But then
unfortunately, due to an injury Martina had to drop out of active sport.
 Chatchawal
Suphachayanont and Jeffrey Rowe enjoying the party.
But this didn’t mean, that Martina gave up playing
tennis. After several years of not competing, she made a comeback to
active tennis in Pattaya, but unfortunately lost to Marlene Weingartner a
young German player.
Still, one has to admire Martina’s fairness. She was
offered to play the end game without qualifying, but she refused to do so.
She didn’t want to boast of being the superstar, but more so to be one
of the competitors and to impress the public with her skills.
 Lisa
Chaffey in discussion with Chaipak Siriwat.
Martina’s mother owns and operates a tennis-academy
in Schindellegi near Zurich, and Martina quite frequently helps train the
130 tennis students.
Most of Martina’s time is now busy with demonstration
tennis games and a lot of advertising, under close supervision and
management of the young and pretty Lisa Chaffey.
 Not
to miss out, Hans Spoerri, Area Manager of the Siam City Hotels &
Resorts, presents a bouquet of flowers to Martina, who in his own words
‘is such a lovely girl’
In her spare time, Martina loves to ride horses and is
the proud owner of a few steeds. She finds her peace and rest there
amongst those elegant creatures, refueling her energy and power in the
midst of nature.
It was a pleasure meeting Martina here in Pattaya again. Her natural
and refreshing manners show that even though she was a star in her very
young years, she is still a down-to-earth and sweet human being.
Conchita
Martinez, a person of beauty and confidence.
Martina,
signs the front page of the Pattaya Blatt and presents it to a proud Elfi
Seitz, the editor-in-chief as Chatchawal and Stefan beam with satisfaction
at the success of the Volvo Women’s Open 2005.
Pattaya welcomes in the Year of the Rooster
Ariyawat Nuamsawat
Every year Thais of Chinese descent celebrate the
traditional lunar New Year in grand style and this year was no exception.
Festivities began in the morning with ceremonies taking place at city
hall.
The 50
meter long dragon twirls around the revered statue symbolically spreading
strength and power to the people of Pattaya.
Hundreds of residents joined the mayor, his deputies
and city council members on Wednesday morning to usher in the year of the
Rooster. The ceremonies, held in front of King Taksin the Great monument,
saw city officials present offerings to the deities as well as pay
respects to the former Thai King, as the disciples of Luan Phu Tim from
Rayong performed traditional dragon and lion dances.
Mayor
Niran Wattansartsathorn, his deputies and city councilors pay homage to
King Taksin the Great.
The lion dance, in particular, is an important
tradition and the dance is an important part of the Chinese New Year
festivities. If well performed, the lion dance is believed to bring luck
and happiness.
The
little Buddha dances with the golden lion and finds amusement in
tormenting it with a fan.
Once completed, a parade wound its way to the Sawang
Boriboon Foundation in Naklua back along Pattaya Beach road to Jomtien,
wishing good luck to residents along the way. The procession ended at
Pratamnuk Hill with a spectacular display of dances and ceremonies at the
Kromaluang Chumporn Khet-udomsak Monument culminating in the igniting of
thousands of firecrackers.
The festivities and ceremonies drew a great deal of
interest from residents and tourists alike as the region celebrates the
Chinese New Year.
Pattaya Mail wishes all our readers ‘Kung Hei Fat Choi’
Sharon Tibbits re-elected as president of PILC
Pattaya International Ladies Club recently held its AGM
at the Hard Rock Hotel on Pattaya Beach Road. The AGM was held during the
monthly luncheon get-together and was an opportunity for Club members to
elect the committee for the coming year.
Sharon
warmly thanked all the Committee members for their stalwart work during
2004. At left is Helle Rantsen.
President of the PILC, Sharon Tibbits, addressed the
members with a roundup of the year’s activities, and reports were heard
from the various sub-committee chairs for Treasurer, Special Events,
Membership, Activities, Hospitality and the Secretary. Voting took place
to elect the new committee, and the Club was delighted to unanimously
approve Sharon Tibbits as president for the second year running, and to
welcome Dinnie de Vries as the new Membership Secretary and Joan Nygrin as
the Newsletter Editor.
 Outgoing
treasurer Kylie Grimmer, Joan Nygrin and Liz Shepard.
Sharon warmly thanked all the Committee members for
their stalwart work during 2004, and reviewed the many projects and
programs that PILC has contributed to during her time in office.
“Everyone gives their best to their job. And it has
been a pleasure to work with all the committee members, and their helpers,
during the year. The Club continues to go from strength to strength, and
will shortly be reviewing the charitable projects undertaken, including a
special project to assist the victims of the tsunami in Southern
Thailand,” Sharon said.
(l-r)
Sharon, Av Khanijou, the new Vice President, Arlette Cykman, the darling
of the club and Judy Hoppe, who carries on as secretary.
The ladies then went on to enjoy a fabulous meal,
courtesy of the Hard Rock Hotel, whose very efficient team and charming
staff helped to make for a memorable event.
The Pattaya International Ladies Club committee for
2005 is as follows: President: Sharon Tibbits, Vice-President: Avnindar
Khanjou, Secretary: Judy Hoppe, Treasurer: Chitra Chandrasiri, Activities:
Roseanne Diamente, Newsletter Editor: Joan Nygrin, Membership: Dinnie de
Vries, Welfare: Helle Rantsen, Hospitality: Rita Cromwell, Special Events:
Arlette Cykman.
Anyone interested in joining the Club, or newcomers to the area who
would like some help in settling in, are welcome to call the group’s
president, Sharon Tibbits, at tel. 038-306135, or the Hospitality
co-coordinator, Rita Cromwell, at tel. 038-435579.
Charity Club of Pattaya raise funds to built shelters for Tsunami affected children in the south
Members of the Masonic Lodge Pattaya West
Winds gathered at the Captain’s Corner Restaurant, Thappraya Road, along
with Expat and Thai friends at the fund-raising dinner organized in
conjunction with Christine and Malcolm Boden of the Charity Club of
Pattaya.
 Middy
Campbell talks about his experiences in Phuket, helping to erect the first
shelter.
The occasion was both a fund-raiser and celebration of
the first temporary school/temple built at Kamala Beach (full story and
photos in last weeks Pattaya Mail - Vol XIII Iss. No. 4-January 28-pages
28-29-30)
With more help and funding the members of the Masonic
Lodge hope to have another school in place in Phangna District.
Those who were present saw the video presentation of
the programme presented by Dr Iain Corness on the construction, breakdown,
transportation and reconstruction of this easily transportable building.
 Dave
Doll presents Sriamporn (Jum) with her lucky draw prize.
Kevin Fisher, Richard (Middy) Campbell and Dave Doll
were on hand to explain what had been achieved and encourage more help and
donations for the next project to help get the children back into a normal
routine after the devastation inflicted by the Tsunami not only on the
physical buildings but on the lives of the survivors. Help in building the
school is great therapy and to get back into a learning situation will
focus the children on a future beyond the restructuring of their lives and
community. The song tells us that, we are the world, they are the future
and the two are inextricably tied together.
 Som
helps Middy and David Garred draw some prizes.
Special thanks go to Ib Ottesen for making the venue
available for the large gathering, the better to understand and realize
what a great job the volunteers did in such a short time. No one, except
the designers, could comprehend how the building could be constructed so
quickly. Thanks to Ib for the gift of many kilos of essential clothing,
which he gave to Christina and Malcolm to be sent down in the next
consignment to the South.
 David
holds up the Pattaya Mail as Peter tells the audience exciting stories
that the three musketeers (Dave, Middy and Kevin) experienced at Kamala
Beach.
Malcolm and Christine had also gathered together a
number of items to be used as prizes in the lucky draw, which raised
40,000 baht. Peter Malhotra also pledged to double the amount raised from
sales of the Pattaya Mail at the event and private donations were also
pledged to help raise the next USD 8,000 for the building of the second
school.
The work goes on and with it the hope of recovery. Donations to help
with this initiative are still being grateful accepted. Contact David
Garred Tel: +66 4 755.3100, email d_garred@yahoo.com or David Doll:
drd@loxinfo .co.th or Middy Campbell: middy@loxinfo.co.th
Ib
Ottesen donates clothing to Malcolm and Christina Boden for the victims in
the south.
Dave
Doll explains the finer points of the shelter construction as shown on TV.
PC Classic sponsors donate funds to tsunami victims
Preparations underway for the 11th Charity Sailing on March 26, 2005
By Peter Cummins
Sponsors of any event - be it sporting, an anniversary,
birthday or, simply, a ‘fiesta’ – always like to know where their
funding has gone. Transparency is the key to this mutual trust between a
donor and a recipient who, to maintain such confidence, must be
accountable.
The 10 th
Pattaya Mail PC Classic Royal Cliff Beach Resort International Regatta
held in May 2004, raised a considerable amount from a long list of
generous sponsors, including the two principals in the regatta title,
sharing the funding among many charities.
Panga
Vathanakul, (3rd
right) chairperson of the PC Classic 2004, presents a donation of 100,000
baht from the proceeds of last years race to Judy Hoppe, (2nd
left) president of the Rotary Club of Jomtien-Pattaya. These funds were
spent for the building of shelters and temporary classrooms for the
children in the tsunami-affected south. Others in picture are (l-r) Dennis
Stark, Jon Tellefsen, Peter Cummins (PC himself), Alexander Haeusler and
Peter Malhotra
Channelling disbursement through the Rotary Club of
Jomtien-Pattaya, the regatta organizers were most happy to announce that
beneficiaries of the event’s proceeds were distributed throughout 2004
and up to last week, almost all aimed at disadvantaged children and
included: “Happiness Camps from Teachers to Students”; the Kasemsook
Movement, aimed at fostering ethics and moral rectitude in young Thai
students; support (IT equipment) for the Chonburi Juvenile and Family
Court Observation and Protection Centre (the Remand Home); a contribution
to the Royal Varuna Yacht Club and a substantial amount for the Tsunami
victims.
This last – and most recent – was the timely
contribution to the vast numbers suffering from the disaster at Phuket.
This direct assistance has helped the Freemasons (Lodge Pattaya West
Winds), the Grand Lodge of Western Australia, the Rotary Club of
Jomtien-Pattaya, Mr Marten Webb of the UK, Jesters MC, Sportsman Inn, the
Charity Club of Pattaya as well as the Sea and Oilfield Services Company
and individual sponsors, construct the first of desperately needed
shelters, in this instance at hard-hit Kamala Beach.
Several Pattaya-based professionals, David Doll, Middy
Campbell, Kevin Fisher, David Garred and John Richardson moved in quickly
with a “hands-on” operation, seeing clearly the urgency of the crisis.
Within days, they had planned and constructed the first of many
pre-fabricated planned shelters, transporting the components by truck to
Kamala Beach and, with the assistance of many willing locals, including
monks, a new, substantial school and prayer center was “up and
running”. (The progress of these relief shelters has been clearly
documented by successive issues of the Pattaya Mail)
Thus, the regatta committee has been very proud of what
has been done for people in need and sincerely thanks last year’s
sponsors who include: Ambrose Wines, Associated Press, the Jomtien
Boathouse, Bartercard, Boon Rawd Brewery (Singha Beer), Capital
Television, the Carpet Master, Coca Cola, Emerson Climate and
Technologies, Nestle (Thailand), the Pattaya Blatt (German language
newspaper), the Pattaya International Hospital, Swiss International
Airlines, Rieckermann Thai Engineering, MS Maker and Supply and the LCB
Container Terminal 1 Ltd.
Now, focus is on the upcoming 11th
Pattaya Mail PC Classic Royal Cliff Beach Resort International Regatta, to
be held off and at the newly opened Royal Varuna Yacht Club, South
Pattaya, on the 26th of March
2005.
It is fortuitous, too, that well-known personality Judy
Hoppe, has agreed to be Chairperson of this year’s PC Classic, for Judy,
among her many charity works and as a result of her personal attributes,
has done much for the community here, especially through the Pattaya
International Ladies Club and as the incumbent President of the Rotary
Club of Jomtien-Pattaya.
Already, Judy has designated Tsunami victims as the
principal focus of regatta proceeds, which again, hopefully, will have
considerable sponsorship, and, as in previous years, funds will be
allocated through the Rotary Club of Jomtien-Pattaya, this year being the
100th anniversary of the
founding of Rotary International. Brian Sinclair-Thompson, Regional
Manager of Swiss International Airlines, has already pledged support for
this year’s event.
Another early starter for 2005 is Hans-Dieter Westphal
who, last year with Rieckermann Thai Engineering, this time has pledged
support from his new company, Retech Energy Company which is a most
appropriate sponsor for this yacht-racing event.
The Royal Varuna Yacht Club as the venue of choice,
this year enters its own “fourth cycle”, being founded in 1957 and 40
years ago, was honoured by His Majesty the King of Thailand who bestowed
Royal Patronage on the Club.
Just a month ago, HRH Crown Prince Vajiralongkorn
presided over the official opening of the splendid new Clubhouse, adding a
remarkable and spectacular edifice to the Jomtien-Pattaya cityscape.
Thus, the 11th
Pattaya Mail PC Classic will be held in fine style, supported by the
Club’s illustrious neighbour in the adjacent bay, the Royal Cliff Beach
Resort which has been a perennial sponsor of this yacht race which Royal
Cliff MD Khun Panga Vathanakul considers a most
“environmentally-friendly activity”.
In fact, the Royal Cliff’s Royal Wing and Spa has
just been named “environmental champion” by TUI AG’s Environmental
Management team. That sits well with the PC Classic yacht race,
representing one of mankind’s cleanest pursuits.
The Pattaya Mail will publish up-dates of
developments in this year’s PC Classic.
Any enquiries and further information can be addressed
to: Judy Hoppe Tel: 01 862 1788: e-mail: judy_hoppe@ yahoo.com.- Alexander
Haeusler, at Royal Cliff, Tel. 038250421; Fax. 038250513; e-mail:
alexander@royalcliff.com - Pratheep “Peter” Malhotra (Pattaya Mail)
Tel, 038411240-1; Fax, 038427596. e-mail: pcclassic@pattayamail.com.
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