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Rotary Club Eastern Seaboard’s far-sighted fund raising leads to eye operations for at least 700 people
On July 14 the Rotary Club
Eastern Seaboard was granted an audience with Her Royal Highness Princess
Galyani Vadhana, the elder sister of His Majesty the King, who is the
honorary president of the Princess Mother’s Medical Volunteer Foundation.
Elfi Seitz
During this past year, the Rotary Club Eastern Seaboard,
in coordination with other organisations, collected 2.6 million baht to
donate towards eye care. 2.5 million baht was presented to the Princess
Mother’s Medical Volunteer Foundation, which performs cataract surgery
throughout Thailand. The rest of the money was used to buy the necessary
sunglasses and bags.
Donations were as follows: 920,000 baht was given by Mr
and Mrs Renee de Vaan, who passed this on in the name of their Rotary Club
of Pijnacker-Nootdorp, Netherlands; 490,000 baht came from the Embassy of
the Netherlands in Bangkok, 220,000 baht from the Rotary International
District 1600 in the Netherlands, 170,000 baht from renowned Pattaya
resident Gerard Lemmers, 80,000 baht from the Rotary Fund to Avoid Blindness
in the USA, 40,000 baht from the Rotary Club Eastern Seaboard in Pattaya,
and 740,000 baht from the International Rotary Foundation as Grant.
On July 14 the Rotary Club Eastern Seaboard was granted
an audience with Her Royal Highness Princess Galyani Vadhana, the elder
sister of His Majesty the King, who is the honorary president of the
Princess Mother’s Medical Volunteer Foundation, to present the funds.
Nine members of the Rotary Club Eastern Seaboard, Alfred
K๖ster, Hans-Gnther Mueller, Jan van Velthoven, John van
Zantvoort, Marliese Fritz, Renato Porzio (the club’s new president),
Stefan Ryser, Yuparpak Jankhiew and charter president Martin Brands, took
part in this audience. Delegates of the foundation joined them, namely
chairman Dr Pramukh Chandavimol, Dr Supachai Chotibutr, Prof Visuthe
Tansirikongkol, and Prof Prakob Thongpiew.
Martin Brands said in his speech to Her Royal Highness
that his club is happy to be able to help people in the Kingdom. He also
passed on, in the name of his club, best wishes for Her Royal Highness’s
recent 82nd birthday.
Martin said that with the 2.5 million baht, the club can
help provide eye operations for at least 700 elderly patients, who otherwise
could not have afforded it. Because of these operations, the elderly folks
are able to see their relatives and the world clearly again.
Martin reported to the Princess the many programmes of
his club and also thanked all the organisations and private people, along
with the doctors. “During the coming year the Rotary Club Eastern Seaboard
will raise at least 14 million baht, mostly put together through
international funds and the hard work of our members. At the end of this
calendar year that should lead to a lump sum of approximately 24 million
baht.”
Her Royal Highness graciously thanked Martin Brands and
all persons present, and asked the charter president many questions.
After the audience, the delegation went to the Pacific City Club for
dinner. In a relaxed atmosphere Prof Dr Visuthe Tansirikongkol received the
Paul Harris Fellowship, the highest award of Rotary Club International, for
all his good work and his determination.
Thailand bids farewell to Austrian Ambassador Dr Herbert Traxl
Elfi Seitz
Many guests went to the Dusit Thani to bid farewell to His
Excellency Dr Herbert Traxl, the Austrian Ambassador to Thailand, as well as to
his wife Shovana and his son Ishan.
 His
Excellency Dr Herbert Traxl, the Austrian Ambassador to Thailand, and his lovely
wife Shovana say a fond farewell to their friends in Thailand.
For the last time, Dr Traxl took care of his guests, making
them feel very special as he always did. Austrian specialities filled the buffet
tables and superb Austrian wines were served, much to the guests’ delight.
As a special farewell present, the outgoing ambassador had
invited the St. Florian Boys Choir, who were on a tour trough Asia, and who are
the most famous group in Austria and around the world after the Viennese Boys
Choir.
Dr Traxl said in his speech that he is sad to have to leave
Thailand, but on the other hand he is looking forward to his retirement. He
added that much of the time will be spent travelling between Vienna and New
Delhi. “My son is living in Vienna, studying there, and I myself still feel
very much at home there. But my wife Shovana lives and works in New Delhi.
Therefore we will continue doing what we have done all these years and travel
from one place to the other.”
The ambassador said that the internal political mission of an
ambassador is highly important, but that human relationships are more important
to him. “I will never forget the friends I have made here, be it in Bangkok or
in Pattaya, and surely I will come to visit them once in a while on my way from
or to New Delhi.”
With tongue firmly in cheek the ambassador ended his speech
by saying: “Farewell speeches are always quite boring and therefore I will let
the St Florian Boys Choir speak for me.”
The Boys Choir from St Florian in Upper Austria, under the
supervision of their teacher Ms Schuber, tour leader Mr Gruber, and the
conductor Mr Farnberger, sang songs from their repertoire, bringing tears in the
eyes of many Austrians and receiving thunderous applause for their brilliant
performance.
The dean of the diplomatic corps, His Excellency the Ambassador of Laos Hiem
Thommachan, conducted in the name of all his colleagues a farewell address to Dr
Traxl and his family. He regretted very much that the popular Austrian
ambassador had to leave and wished him all the best for his future life. He then
presented a gift from all the ambassadors in Thailand.
Traditional rush reed matting takes its place with waterfalls, peppers and gems as
homegrown Chantaburi attraction
Chatchanan Chaisree
Producing the Chantaburi rush reed mat is a very ancient
skill in which the raw material is converted by a process that has been handed
down from father to son through countless generations.
Uncle
Somboon and Anti Suriya, Chantaburi rush reed mat producers.
Suriya Kaenchan teaches neighbors all of the ancient tricks
of production, from cutting the rush and jute plant growing beside the rice
field through to spinning, coloring, slicing, designing and weaving.
The large mat that results is then cut into smaller pieces,
hemmed, and reassembled or combined with other pieces. This makes a
well-proportioned mat that can be folded small for convenience and carried
anywhere.
Suriya also creates other items with the rush matting, rather
than just using it for sitting or lying upon. Products include handbags, tissue
boxes, briefcases, hats, pails, slippers, jewelry boxes and document trays.
The Community Development Department is promoting the rush
reed mat group of Bangsrakao sub-district for their 5-star OTOP handicraft
product made from natural material. They have also received a plaque from Prime
Minister Thaksin Shinawatra for commercial development.
They are proud of their mat weaving tradition, and are happy in an occupation
that brings in additional income by using entirely local agricultural products.
Herbal success story reflects growing interest in traditional medicine
Chatchanun Chaisree
As interest in healthy living and the use of traditional
therapy and herbalist remedies grows, more people are developing an interest in
the herbs themselves, and even in growing them.
 Udom
and his wife.
Udom Lodwan, president of Agro-Thai Herbs and Old Style
Pharmacology, began studying traditional Thai medicine more than 10 years ago,
and has collected more than 200 herbs that he has planted in a 30-rai area at
Porn Udom Herbs Garden, in Sattahip. Udom uses the herbs, which include roots,
tree bark, flowers, leaves and fruit, to mix potions and to see how they work in
modern scientific terms.
Most of the herbs are from Thailand, and in addition to
medicinal treatments Udom is able to make items such as citrus shampoo,
mangosteen soap, and a skin cream from cucumber.
Udom said that initially he had begun his project simply for the pursuit of
knowledge, but the growing interest in his results and popularity of his
products led to the formation of Udom Herbs, which has recently received OTOP
classification.
Mercure Pattaya opens for business
Mercure Pattaya opens in Thailand’s fast growing resort
city, with Pattaya continuing its resurgence as one of the country’s top
leisure destinations.
Mercure Pattaya is located between Second and Third Roads in
South Pattaya close to the city’s prime dining and entertainment areas.
The
hotel’s pool provides a spectacular reflection of the hotel.
The 245-room hotel has a large outdoor swimming pool and will
add the Spa Pavilion in early August. There are also three meeting rooms for up
to 30 participants each for corporate meetings and events.
It opens with the M Caf้ Thai and Chinese Restaurant as
its main restaurant, adding three more outlets in the coming months to offer
guests the choice of four outstanding dining options. In early August Cappuccino
Italian Terrace opens, and the Bistro French Wine Bar featuring French
provincial cuisine and wine sold at cost prices will follow in early October.
Ray’s Place American Bar lounge area is open now for guests to enjoy a
relaxing evening cocktail, but it will add live entertainment and a tapas menu
in November.
Cappuccino,
one of the beautiful FB outlets at the Mercure.
Mercure Pattaya’s prime location is ideal for leisure
travellers and golf enthusiasts; with access to over 22 championship calibre
golf courses all just an hour’s drive from the hotel.
General manager, Christophe Vielle, said the hotel’s
opening was well timed with the destination’s growing popularity with
international and domestic visitors.
“Pattaya has grown up as a leisure destination, offering
some of Thailand’s finest golf courses, attractions and tour options. There is
a very strong interest from families looking for value for money accommodation
in the Pattaya area.”
To cater to this growing market demand the hotel will open 12
family rooms before the end of July, each with double beds for the parents and
bunk beds with slide for kids, cartoon wall paper and Playstation 2 game
consoles.
“Mercure Pattaya will be popular with overseas customers from Europe and
around Asia Pacific who are familiar with the brand, but it will also be very
attractive to our Thai clientele who want international standards at a fair
price,” Claveau added.
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