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Making merit by donating blood
Narisa Nitikarn
Making merit does not always involve visiting a temple,
for donating blood is a very valuable way of helping your community.
At Mike Shopping Mall on Beach Road, nurses from Somdet
Prabaromrajthevi Hospital, Sriracha, under the care of the National Red
Cross were present to receive blood from local citizens and visitors. More
than 140 donors participated in the programme, which ran from 11 a.m. until
2 p.m.
 Giving
blood is a great way to make merit.
One of the Red Cross officers told Pattaya Mail
that Mrs Santana Mekhawarakul, assistant to the managing director of Mike
Shopping Mall, had contacted the organisation to come and set up a booth at
the mall. Santana’s intention was to make merit for her late husband, and
she aimed to do it every year.
The officer said that most of the blood that they had
received was types O and B. He said right now the Red Cross more than
welcomes all blood groups, with no preference. He said that people who are
going to donate blood should leave out alcohol consumption for at least 24
hours prior to the donation, and should have had a minimum of six hours
sleep the night before. He said they also should avoid taking antibiotics
before the contribution. It is suggested that a regular donor takes a break
of three months until the next contribution.
On the day, the hospital team prepared beverages for
donors such as milk, mineral water, and juice. Blood packages were
transferred to Blood Service Centre 3 in Chonburi province. Donors were also
presented with a pin of appreciation from the Red Cross.
Chief financial officer of Mike Shopping Mall, Ms Aranya
Sutheenitasawong, was a donor. She told Pattaya Mail that she had
donated her blood to the Red Cross for eight consecutive years and she felt
very fulfilled and happy. She said she considered donating blood a great
merit to make.
Advice given for the golden years
Suchada Tupchai
Over 200 people, including housewives and health
volunteers, gathered at the Public Health Centre on May 20 for the Golden
Age campaign.
Thanisara Aromchouen, a nursing officer at the health
centre, said this educational meeting for public health matters was to be
held during the third week of every month. The main meeting was in
preparation for elderly people, those at the golden age, to give advice and
guidance on health, mindset and relationships with those around them, so
that they can be happy in their old age.
Thanisara
Aromchouen, nursing officer at Pattaya public health centre, introduced
activities to the attendees.
Dr Suchada Mongkolchai, an obstetrician at Phyathai Sriracha Hospital,
gave a talk and distributed leaflets concerning advanced age. Stress at an
advanced age should be accepted by the family, and activities to relieve
irritation for some golden age people should also be undertaken, said Dr
Suchada. This includes taking care of some decreases in health efficiency
including weakened bones.
Wildlife centre breeds animals and releases them back into the forest
Ariyawat Nuamsawat
Khao Chi-On forest stretches across two districts,
Banglamung and Sattahip, and is the subject of a conservation order that is
intended to overcome the depredations of mankind that have greatly reduced
its flora and fauna over the years.
 A
gibbon, also abandoned when it became an adult.
Various government departments are involved in the
restoration of the forest, including the Department of Irrigation,
Department of Lands, and the Department of Forestry.
Khao Chi-On was declared a no-hunting area in 1985. Part
of the no-hunting programme is the Yanasangwararamworawiharn Temple project,
a Royal initiated project to conserve animal species. The area covered is
around 3,000 rai, most of the terrain being virgin forest with limestone
hills and mountains, and many small and large caves. Elevation is between 90
and 318 metres.
The no-hunting scheme is being undertaken to conserve and
nurture the forest’s wildlife, and is also part of ecology tourism
development being conducted in cooperation with the Banglamung Wildlife
Research and Breeding Centre, which was established in 1983. The centre
collects wild animal species and acts as an educational and distribution
point, as well as being a venue for public relaxation.
 A
Malayan bear abandoned when it grew from being a cub to an adult.
The animal breeding is done for conservation and
protection, care being taken not to adapt them to civilisation but to
release them back into the wild where they will flourish unaided. The centre
supports the living costs for the animals it breeds. Many of the animals
with the wildlife centre are there because they were originally being
illegally traded. Amongst them are over 1,000 bears, deer, barking deer,
monkeys, gibbons and crocodiles.
This year the plan is to release around 200 animals back
into the wild, and meanwhile the number of people infringing the law by
dealing in wild species is decreasing.
Thitikorn Kittinan, head of the Khao Chi-On no-hunting zone, said that
the public loves nature and is opposed to its destruction. The wildlife
centre, he says, will help people understand more about animals and help
them towards an even greater appreciation of nature.
New hotel regulations come into effect
Hotel management has until June 10 to complete all changes
Suchada Tupchai
Amendments to the laws governing the hotel sector were
announced at a meeting chaired on May 21 at the Royal Cliff Beach Resort by
Chairuek Dittaamnart, deputy permanent secretary at the interior ministry.
Amongst those present were over 300 hotel operators and representatives of
the Thai Hotels Association (THA) and the Pattaya Business and Tourism
Association (PBTA).
 Chairuek
Dittaamnart, interior ministry deputy permanent secretary, chaired the
meeting informing business owners on the updated laws governing hotels.
Chonburi Governor Pisit Ketphasook told the assembly that
the legislation had been updated in 2004 and brought into effect as of May
12 this year. The previous regulations were drawn up in 1935.
“It is important for all relevant government officers
and hotel operators to understand the new rules,” said Pisit. “This
includes correct legislation and licensing, and the province has worked with
the PBTA to inform businesses on the legislation amendments, since Chonburi
has 263 hotels that are fully registered to carry out this type of
business.”
Chairuek said that the 2004 legislation varies greatly
from the former regulations. They have been put together by senior
government officers and ministry officials as well as private enterprise and
hotel operators. The changes include managing the business: under the new
laws the manager must be qualified and have the appropriate documents. Room
rates must be clearly displayed as part of the licensing requirements. The
licensing period has been altered from one to five years.
Hotels must inform the registrar of management changes
within 30 days and have until June 10 to complete all changes. The new law
also enables unlicensed or unregistered businesses to apply for relevant
permits and have one year to file the necessary applications. Penalties are
heavier, with those failing to follow the regulations being handed down face
heavy fines and jail terms or both.
Anand Narknikhom, head of the hotel and entertainment
section of the investigation and information office at the department of
local governance, who also presented information at the meeting, said that
the new laws focus on three main areas, namely hotel owners, customers and
guests, and economic contributions to the nation. This is just one of the
aims to effectively govern and promote business as well as those managing
the hotels, he said.
One hotel operator who spoke to reporters said, “I feel that this new
legislation is up to date and very clear. It may well help the business and
increase standards in Thailand’s hotel business. If the results remain
upbeat I would like to see the government work closely with the private
sector in earnest in maintaining the standards and ensuring that hotels
remain at that level. Government officers must create a better and equal
system of controls and balances.”
Fame of the blind masseuse spreads
Susiree Chanchailert, owner of Susiree Sauna Herbal Steam
Bath, said she first had the idea of employing blind masseuses when she was
travelling in Suphanburi, a rural province in central Thailand. She met many
blind people on her travels there, and felt that by training them to become
qualified masseuse and employing them in her own business, she would be
playing a constructive role in their lives.
Blind
masseuses at Susiree Sauna are gaining wide reaching acclaim.
Susiree opened her sauna steam bath business 15 years
ago, and in that time she has employed over 60 sight-defective masseuses,
who also have the opportunity to live on the premises.
The majority of her customers, she said, are from Norway,
England, the United States of America, and Germany. More and more of them
are getting to be regular clients, and she is finding that business is
increasing by word of mouth. Her customers are interested in the fact that
the employees are blind but expert masseuses, and they tell their friends
about it.
Susiree said she derives a great deal of satisfaction in
providing work and a community spirit to people who otherwise might find it
difficult to earn a living.
Susiree Sauna Herbal Steam is located on Soi 20, or Soi
Ping Pah, on the Pattaya-Naklua Road. It is open between 8.30 and 22.00, and
service fees are between 60 and 250 baht.
In addition to the massage service, customers can experience a facial and
body rub and herbal steam bath. The herbal steam bath section is divided
into many small booths fitted for individual customer use.
500 schoolchildren prepare for Mother’s Day musical extravaganza
Narisa Nitikarn
Pattaya will be celebrating Mother’s Day on August 12
with a grand musical extravaganza featuring 500 talented schoolchildren from
Pattaya, Banglamung and Sattahip, who will perform traditional Thai music to
honour the 73rd birthday of Her Majesty Queen Sirikit.
Deputy Mayor Wattana Chantanawaranont called a meeting
with the heads of participating schools at city hall to begin the detailed
planning. Wattana said that one particular concern is that the children
might need to rehearse at weekends and consequently would need assistance
from their teachers. A large hall will be needed to accommodate all the
children at one time, and he suggested Pattaya School No 2 or Wat Chong Lom,
where there is enough room for all the participants.
During the month of July, Wattana said, the children will
rehearse at the actual venue where the event will take place, namely the
newly completed public garden next to Royal Cliff Beach Resort on Pratamnak
Hill. Wattana said this would help iron out any technical problems that
could occur on the actual day.
Wattana asked the school heads to give him a list of
participants so that a certificate presentation can take place after the
show. He also requested them to submit a detailed budget covering
transportation and catering funds so the city can compensate the schools if
needed.
On the day, Thai-Issan Club members will also present a
show on a different stage.
Beachfront activities to mark World Environment Day
Vimolrat Singnikorn
World Environment Day will be observed in Pattaya on June
3, two days before the official event, with a series of activities organised
by the health and environment department at the beach opposite Soi 4.
Conducted between 8 a.m. and 4 p.m., the activities will
include painting, a quiz, a free haircut, advice on recycling used
materials, and entertainment on stage with an environmental theme. There
will also be a donation of robes to Suankaew Temple.
The United Nations first set June 5 as World Environment
Day in 1972, as a way of raising awareness and educating people on
environmental matters.
For more information please contact the Public Health,
Hygiene and Environmental Department in Pattaya City at tel. 038-429374-5
ext. 307.
EVA resumes Hawaii service
Passengers can make reservations now for EVA’s resumed
service to Honolulu by calling the nearest EVA ticket office or their travel
agent or by going online to www.evaair.com. Starting on June 25, EVA will be
flying from Taipei to Honolulu on Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday using a new
Airbus A330-200 configured with enhanced economy and the carrier’s
upgraded top cabin class, Premium Laurel.
Passengers from Bangkok will connect with a flight in
Taipei; EVA flight BR22 will depart Taipei’s Chiang Kai-Shek Int’l
Airport at 7:10 p.m. and arrive in Honolulu at 11:15 a.m. the same day.
Return flight BR21 leaves Honolulu every Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday at
12:25 p.m., arriving back in Taipei at 4:55 p.m. the following day, and
connects BR61 to arrive in Bangkok at 10 p.m.
The travel market within Asia is thriving and Hawaii is
an extremely attractive destination for honeymooners, groups and many
vacationers. The Honolulu route is expected to be one of EVA’s busiest
during the coming peak summer travel season.
The technologically advanced A330-200 EVA will use on the
Hawaii route is configured with 24 seats in Premium Laurel Class and 228 in
economy and equipped throughout with individual audio/visual on demand
systems. Passengers in Premium Laurel will enjoy extra roomy, molded
lie-flat seats and all the comforts and amenities of today’s most advanced
top cabin class.
EVA first launched Hawaii flights in 1994, and although
the load factor was very good, it was faced with heavy demands in other
markets. As a result of fleet deployment considerations, EVA put its
Honolulu route on hiatus in Sept. 2000.
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