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Enjoying the day at
Nong Nooch Tropical Garden
Helle Rantsén
Welfare chairperson PILC
It was a rather nervous welfare chairperson who woke up
on Monday the 25th of April. On that day the PILC and Marriott Hotel
“Spirit to Serve” group had invited 90 children from the Redemptorist
Children’s Home for a wonderful day in the topical gardens at Nong Nooch.
90
children from the Redemptorist Children’s Home had a wonderful day in the
topical gardens at Nong Nooch.
As it turned out, I had no reason to be worried. With
help from 14 caring staff members from the Marriott Hotel, 10 professional
staff members from the children’s home and 7 members from PILC, and the
fact that the children are very well behaved, convinced me that next time we
could easily take 1000 children.
The interesting Thai cultural show with elephants, boxing
and dancing caught the children’s imagination. After this show, while
enjoying an ice cream, we all watched the elephant show and it is amazing
what tricks these elephants can do: play football, paint pictures and give
brave visitors a massage.
It was at last time for lunch; well you get hungry
watching all these shows. It was a very tasty Thai lunch enjoyed by all.
After all that food, you need a walk in the garden and that is just what the
children did after we had said goodbye to each other.
A wonderful day enjoyed by all was over until next time.
Diana Group plays it cool with coffee and fruit contest
Narisa Nitikarn
Sopin Thappajug, managing director of the Diana Group,
inaugurated the Coffee and Fruit Contest 2005 at the Diana Inn on April 21.
Wannapa Wannasri, Pattaya’s chief education officer, along with
representatives of public and private organizations and hotel guests joined in
the fun.
Committee
members Charoen Kasemsantitham, Sopin Thappajug, and Wanna Wannasri stand in for
a photo with the contestants.
The contest had been devised as a way of developing hotel
personnel skills in food and beverages, and in creating cooling refreshments for
the summer season. Assistant general manager of the hotel Khomsan Seesam led the
organization, with the judges presiding over two contests, namely cold coffee
and fruit creations. In addition to taste they were looking at presentation,
preparation, a graceful style of service, and personal charm of the staff.
Great amusement arose over tactics used by bartenders and customers, and by
the encouragement of their supporters. The Diana Inn team took the winner’s
place for the Cold Coffee section, while the Garden Resort was runner up for the
fruit creation and the front waiter prize. Each winning team received a total of
over 6,500 baht in cash.
Pirates of Pattaya
strut their stuff
Ariyawat Nuamsawat
April 23 at the water spring area of the Royal Garden Plaza
in Pattaya saw a swimsuit show under the theme Pirate Young Blood.
Hot, sexy
models in bikinis helped draw crowds into the air conditioned Royal Garden
Plaza.
Led by top designers and models from Ford Model and Lips
Magazine such as Nicky Theerakul and Miew-Jiraporn Rodprasert, the show opened
at 6 p.m. There was a stage performance with a dance team, and then the models
came on to parade the fashionable swimwear in front of an appreciative crowd of
100 or more tourists.
Public relations manager of the Royal Garden Plaza Wichai Lertritthichai said
that activities such as this are held to help promote tourism in Pattaya, and to
attract visitors into the air-conditioned comfort of the mall with sexy
swimsuits and attractive models.
Second Annual Jomtien Songkran Swimwear Contest
Various establishments in Jomtien Complex along with La Luna from Sunee Plaza
put on a spectacular show in a Super Songkran Street Party, with no water in
evidence!
The audience of some 300 was royally entertained during the
evening with shows from Starr Treff, Zodiac 12, Exxit and La Luna. Exxit,
Dick’s Café, Jomtien, and Poseidon did the catering and bars, ably
supported by the boys from Duo House due to open soon in Jomtien Complex. The
evening also witnessed the 72nd birthday of Audrey, a long-time supporter and
visitor to Thailand.
Madame
Perron from Australia presented the prizes to the winners of the Second Annual
Jomtien Songkran Swimwear Contest.
The 16 contestants disported themselves and displayed Vinegar
swimwear to best effect to persuade the members of the audience to purchase
roses. This worked effectively and eventually saw Kim from La Luna awarded the
first prize of 5,000 baht, Noy from Exxit 1st runner-up and a prize of 3,000
baht and Ood from Duo House 2nd runner-up with a prize of 2,000 baht.
Madame Perron from Australia efficiently presented the prizes. Various
donations were received during the evening and will be presented to HEARTT2000
and PGF charities.
Sunbeam Hotel stages paradise celebrations
Suchada Tupchai
A grand celebration was held at the Sunbeam Hotel on the
evening of April 23 to mark the hotel’s 15th anniversary.
Chanyuth
Hengtrakul, MP for Chonburi, gives an opening speech.
Hosted by Sunbeam managing director, Rungthip Suksrikarn, and
with Chonburi MP Chanyuth Hengtrakul as honoured guest, the celebrations
included Pattaya police superintendent Police Colonel Somnuk Changate, TAT
Central Region 3 director Chattan Kunjara na Ayudhaya, and many other well-known
personalities.
Rungthip
Suksrikarn and Prasong Suksrikarn celebrate Sunbeam Hotel’s 15th anniversary.
The evening was held under the theme “Sunbeam’s Welcome
to Paradise” and guests were encouraged to dress in white. They were welcomed
with cocktails and a music band on the first floor before being ushered up to
the new swimming pool on the third floor, which is designed to a Balinese style.
Rungthip
receives a gift from the YWCA Bangkok-Pattaya.
Managing Director Rungthip Suksrikarn spoke about the
hotel’s success since it opened on December 27, 1990. As a small city centre
hotel, it was advertised under the concept of a city resort. To celebrate the
15th anniversary, said Rungthip, the hotel has been greatly upgraded with a
budget of 50 million baht to provide different room styles, namely superior,
deluxe, standard and suite, and to provide new facilities for Thai and foreign
guests.
Chanyuth Hengtrakul congratulated the Sunbeam Hotel on its success and
continuous development, even during the current economic problems. A giant cake
was divided amongst guests and champagne corks were popped. The evening ended
with a performance by singer Viyada Komarakul na Nakorn.
Traditional water sprinkling ceremony for Pattaya Mail seniors
Pattaya Mail employees gathered on April 23 for the traditional water
sprinkling ceremony that is conducted around the time of Songkran as blessings
for company seniors.
Pouring
scented water on the Pattaya Mail administrators in accordance with Thai
tradition. The employees also received blessings from the elders on this
occasion.
Those receiving the blessings of fragrant holy water were
managing director of Pattaya Mail Publishing Co., Ltd. Pratheep ‘Peter’
Malhotra, Thammayit ‘Marlowe’ Malhotra and Supattra Samleekaew or Pa Taew,
chief accountant.
 Peter
was also presented with a surprise cake for his recent birthday.
Pratheep, who was also presented with a surprise cake for his
recent birthday, said that Pattaya Mail has now been publishing for
almost 12 years. This is an energetic year, he said, and all employees should
think that the company belongs to everyone, cooperating together and growing as
the company grows.
Sprinkling water on elders is a tradition from ancient times to pay respect
and ask for pardon for misdemeanors in the past such as acting and speaking
improperly. It also signifies the repaying of kindness to elders, teachers and
other respected people.
Talented Danish artist from Rayong
displays exhibits at Art
Café
Danish Marianne Hvass Kure, who now resides in Rayong, is a multi-talented
artist in the world of painting. Not only does she produce everything from
abstract works of art through to portraiture, but she is also equally at home
with the sketcher’s pencil, French crayons, charcoal, water colour brushes or
oils on canvas.
 Her
most recent exhibition opened at Jo Stetton’s Mediterranean style Art Café on
Soi 6 in Naklua, drawing a large crowd of patrons, and this exhibition runs
until May 8. A silent auction is being held, with bidders submitting bids in
sealed envelopes, and the proceeds from this are very generously being donated
to the Rayong Community Centre.
Joe Stetton’s restaurant, with its Greek and Mediterranean
food, has been mentioned in the “Tattlers Thailand Restaurant Guide” as one
of the best restaurants in the Kingdom, which is a very noteworthy achievement.
In addition to this, it is set in peaceful gardens with plenty of trees and has
the feeling of privacy, without being enclosed. For this reason it has rapidly
become Pattaya’s meeting place for well educated, cultured clients, who enjoy
the relaxed ‘al fresco” atmosphere, and the company of not only people of a
western culture but also the artistic Thai people in the region.
Patrons and art lovers flocked in at 7 o’clock to enjoy the
pre-dinner drinks after a warm day, and they were eager to see what lay beneath
the bright red sashes that were removed by our local artist, Marriene Hvass
Kure, at 8 in the evening. One notable guest was the recently appointed director
of Pattaya’s Tourism Authority of Thailand, Chattan Kunjara na Ayudhaya, who
said it was good to see the effort being made to promote Pattaya as a cultural
city. After the unveiling, the guests were treated to a meticulously prepared
array of delicious Mediterranean and Greek dishes, plus a delightful selection
of western and Asian food.
From left:
Lucia Regina Rangel-Nascimento, Chattan Kunjara na Ayudhaya (the new director of
Pattaya’s Tourism Authority of Thailand), Marianne Hvass Kure and Jo Stetton
on opening night.
Marianne Kure was born in Denmark, where she first started
sketching on discarded tiles from a nearby building site when she was only a
very small child. Her parents recognized her unusual artistic talents and gave
her basic art materials; after that there was no holding her back.
She still kept painting for the many years that she worked as
a teacher in order to earn an income. At the age of 28, Marianne decided to make
art her true profession, with pencil and crayons eventually giving way to oils.
In the last 3 - 4 years she has done a lot of Chinese calligraphy; this being
very precise water colour like work produced on very fine paper, in which the
paints do not run or bleed, as is the case with traditional water colour
painting.
Marianne Hvass Kure has traveled widely in England, USA,
Tanzania, Kenya, Malaysia, and Thailand, picking up art techniques and
inspiration from all of these diversified cultures. She likes to paint from her
heart and let inspiration guide her.
Marianne says that she often sees the character in a
person’s face. She can remember this with great accuracy, so that months later
she can recall the image to use in a particular painting.
Art Café owner Jo Stetton and Marriane Hvass Kure are to be commended for
their contribution to furthering culture in our region. For those of you who
want to get away from the party scene and spend some quality time, then make an
effort to attend these art exhibitions, as they are very interesting and you
meet a lot of friendly, well educated people of both Asian and Western origin.
Don’t be shy, there are many new friends just waiting to meet you when you
next visit the Art Cafe, which is located at the far end of Soi 16 in Naklua.
Eastern Seaboard Networking at Jameson’s Pattaya
The newly established Jameson’s Irish Pub, Pattaya, was the welcoming venue
for the British Chamber of Commerce networking evening on April 22. The evening,
sponsored by Jameson’s, was well attended by a large number of members and
guests representing business and commerce in the broadest sense.
 Greg
Watkins, BCCT executive director, Kim Fletcher, Jameson’s Landlord and Stephen
Leather, famed writer and regular Pattaya visitor at the Nova table during the
networking night at the pub.
Jameson’s landlord Kim Fletcher welcomed everyone to the
pub and introduced his team before making his way through the thriving crowd.
The regulars were out in force through the evening, as were
many new faces on the networking scene.
 Brian
Reid (left), Pattaya Panthers’ captain and Foster Wheeler man, chatting about
the rugby 10s with Paul Wilkinson (center), Four Winds International and Tamara
Park, also from Foster Wheeler.
New faces at the event saw Bill Gasson and his yachties out
in force to promote the Top of the Gulf Regatta. Even famed writer and regular
Pattaya visitor Stephen Leather was seen at the Nova table enjoying a few ales
and talking about his newly released book “Soft Target”.
Kim Fletcher
introduces some of the Jameson’s team: Ae (left), executive chef, Moo
(center), secretary extraordinaire and Molly, manager.
Mike Franklin was seen with microphone in hand conducting
interviews for television with Greg Watkins, BCCT executive director, Graham
Macdonald BCCT Eastern Seaboard chairman, Peter Smith, Jomtien Cosmopolitan
Lions Club president; Neil Manequiz, Bangkok Pattaya Hospital; and the familiar
Raine Grady from Capital TV.
It was another busy evening at Jameson’s, and the landlord and BCCT were
happy to have a great turnout for the first event at the pub. It will definitely
not be the last.
A masala mix
of movers and shakers at Jameson’s.
Elvis cloned
at the Boathouse!
The Jomtien Boathouse did the local Elvis fans proud last weekend by bringing
Elvis to the stage, not once, but twice in one night with a great Elvis
‘double bill’ starring two Elvis’ (or is that Elvii?)!
 No,
you’re not seeing triple - from left, Elvis Ballard, Dr Iain
Elvis-has-left-the-building Corness and Ritchie Newton.
With his venue in Phuket having disappeared in the Xmas
tsunami, Ritchie Newton, who used to run the Elvis Pub in Pattaya two years ago,
returned per kind favour of Ib and Kannikar Ottesen to feature on the Jomtien
Boathouse stage, bringing with him his Elvis outfits and his booming voice.
However, as the perfect foil, our own local Thai Elvis
Ballard, normally seen and heard at the Captain’s Corner (Wednesdays) and the
Jomtien Boathouse (Thursday and Fridays) was also taking his turns on stage,
presenting his versions of the more melodious Elvis numbers.
However, there was no doubting the appreciation shown by the audience, and as
Elvis himself would say, “Thank you. Thank you very much. You’ve been a
wonderful audience!”
Expat community invited to sponsor a Thai family
at North Star Library
and Community Center
PILC President Sharon Tibbitts and husband Peter have taken steps to help the
Thai community enjoy the new North Star Library and Community Center.
They have sponsored a family of four: Somjet Wongtrakul and
children ranging in ages from 8 - 17 years of age.
Members of
the Wongtrakul family, Nuttapon 14, Thanuth 8, Sonjit and Pornprapa 17, fill in
forms to join the library.
Sharon would like to invite the expat community to find a
Thai family that could enjoy this facility through reading books, using the
children’s room or adult reading area. You can sponsor a family or an
individual child. Each can be part of the joy of reading and partake in the
activities offered there. This is a gift that gives all year round!
The North Star Library currently is open 4 days a week: Mon,
Thur, Fri, 12:00-17:00 and Saturday 10:00-16:00. Children’s story time is on
Saturdays at 10:30 a.m. in English and at 3 p.m. in Thai; movie time on Friday
is 2 p.m.
Phone 038-716755 for more information, or drop by and visit the library for
more information during opening hours. It is located on Sukhumvit Road between
the Eastern Seaboard Business Center and Redemptorist Center. Email
northstarlibrary @hotmail.com
Obituary: Bob Kevorkian
AustCham regrets to advise members that Bob Kevorkian passed away in Bangkok
on 26 April 2005 following a heart attack.
Bob, chairman and managing director of K-Tech Construction
Public Company Limited, has been a long standing member and friend of the
Chamber. He has been a luncheon speaker and addressed members on trends in the
construction industry, an ever changing scene.
The Memorial Service in his honour was held on Friday 29
April at Holy Redeemer Church, Soi Ruamruedee, Wireless Road, Bangkok.
The Kevorkian Family request that instead of flowers,
donations be made to the Kevorkian Foundation as follows:
Kevorkian Foundation
Kasikorn Bank (Rachadapisek Road Branch)
Saving A/C no. 718-2-21836-1
For more information please contact Ms. Janpen Ngoensamut
Mob: 01-567-4643, 06-571-9765 office: 02-264-0669 Ext 140.
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