Vibration Management Seminar at Asian U.

Asian U Homecoming

Help the Jesters ‘Care for Kids’ - Ways that you can help

Boot camp for youth aims to tackle the problem of the wandering homeless

Vibration Management Seminar at Asian U.

Asian University recently hosted a seminar titled “Fundamentals in Vibration Management”. The seminar was a partnership between Kistler, Dewetron, Asian University and the British Chamber of Commerce Thailand. The audience included representatives from several local industries and academic staff from Asian U and elsewhere.

Kuno Marschall (left) and Paul Bland

The speakers and audience were welcomed by Dr. Michael Gregory, vice president, Academic Affairs and Dr. Apichat Tungthangthum, dean of the Faculty of Engineering at Asian U, who also introduced the three speakers.

The first speaker was Kuno Marschall, MD of Kistler Instruments Pte Ltd, Singapore, and technical advisor for Asia. Marschall stressed the importance of knowing what you want to measure and why. He showed many different applications for different methods for measuring vibration, and other criteria.

Prasert Prasertworanan, a technical support engineer from Dewetron, explained some of the different systems for Data Acquisition and analysis.

After a short break, Prasert Prasertworanan, a technical support engineer from Dewetron, explained some of the different systems for Data Acquisition and analysis. After a brief lesson on FFT (Fast Fourier Transformation) analysis, he provided the audience with information on some of the features of the available software and some of the many practical applications.

The third speaker was Dr. Paul Bland, head of the Mechanical Engineering Department at Asian U. He gave a presentation on condition management, making particular reference to a project carried out by two of the third year mechanical engineering students at Asian U.

The afternoon was concluded with a question and answer session with all the speakers, and the opportunity for several members of the audience to participate.

It is planned to have more similar technical seminars in future.

Asian U Homecoming

Former students, distinguished guests and faculty members joined together last Sunday for the Annual Asian University Alumni Homecoming Dinner at the Royal Bangkok Sports Club. Overlooking the beautiful racetrack with the Bangkok skyline in the background, the event was a chance to get together with old and new friends, to catch up on news, and to network with prominent people.

Alumni and distinguished guests met at the Royal Bangkok Sports Club for the annual Asian University alumni homecoming dinner.

The event was hosted by Dr. Viphandh Roengpithya, the president of Asian U. The keynote speaker was the governor of the Bank of Thailand, M.R. Pridiyathorn Devakula, who is also a generous benefactor of the university. The governor talked about the great need for a renewal of ethics in the business world. Listening to his speech were many distinguished audience members, including Anand Panyarachun, chairman of the Asian U board of directors.

Following the governor’s speech, the three faculty deans gave speeches, including an emotional presentation by the dean of Engineering, Dr. Apichart Tunghangthum, in which he recalled the founding of the university and recognized many of the students from that time in the audience.

Finally, the alumni took the podium and talked about what was happening in their lives. Currently there are Asian University alumni all over the world, including those studying for post-graduate degrees as far away as in Germany and the United States. Those working have jobs with many international companies such as General Motors, Exxon and Thai Airways.

The evening wrapped up with promises to meet again next year. It is expected that each year the event will become larger as the pool of Asian U graduates grows.

Help the Jesters ‘Care for Kids’ - Ways that you can help

Mike Franklin

It is the sum total of the help and support given to the Jesters ‘Care for Kids’ Charity Drive, no matter how large or small, that enables us to give the maximum benefit to the many children in need. Whatever the level of help, it is never enough and the ‘caring’ is never complete, so if you can help in any of the ways suggested it will be greatly appreciated.

The Jesters Children’s Fair at the Diana Garden Resort & Driving Range is on Sunday, September 11.

There are ten ways to help the Jesters ‘Care for Kids’ Charity Drive 2005 that benefit the children’s charities and projects on the Eastern Seaboard.

* Make a donation by cash, check or donate online

* Donate a Grand Raffle prize or Auction item for the Jesters Pub Night on Saturday September 17

* Advertise in our Children’s Fair Program guide.

* Rent a food or merchandise stall at the Children’s Fair on Sunday September 11

* Donate a case of beer, or just buy the 2005 event T-shirt.

All easy to do, by contacting us direct, by email, or online at our website, www. care4kids.info

More detail follows with website links to help you find out more…

1. Be a Corporate or Personal sponsor. Our main source of donations at four levels:

• Platinum Bt.100,000

• Gold Bt. 50,000

• Silver Bt. 25,000

• BronzeBt.10, 000

To see the benefits associated with each level go to corporate_sponsorship@ care4kids.info

2. Join the ‘Pledge for Kids’ Program. An alternative program where you can donate an amount between 500 and 2000 baht monthly over a 12-month period. There are 5 levels:

• Corporate Gold Pledge Bt.2000 per month

• Corporate Silver Pledge Bt.1000 per month

• Personal Gold Pledge Bt.1000 per month

• Personal Silver Pledge Bt. 500 per month

• Good Samaritan Pledge: a one-time only donation

For more details, pick up a brochure around town or go to: www.care4kids.info/pledge/index.htm

3. Make an Online Donation at our website www. care 4kids.info and click the icon at the top of the homepage.

4. Donate a Grand Raffle Prize or an Auction Item. We always need more Grand Raffle prizes and Auction items to make the Jesters Pub Night event a huge social and fund-raising success. More information at JCD2005 @care4kids.info

Event T-shirts are on sale now, 300 baht each or 2 for 500 baht.

5. Advertise in the 2005 Souvenir Fair Program Guide. Full page color ads are 7500 baht, and half-page color ads 4000 baht. Please e-mail us to book space at JCD2005 @care4kids.info

6. Rent a stall. Stalls at the Children’s Fair on Sunday September 17 are 2,500 baht for food stalls, and 1000 baht for non-food stalls from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Please book immediately as they sell out fast. Contact us at fair_coo [email protected] to order and/or pay online.

7. Donate Beer. Donate a case of beer (or 700 baht equivalent) for the Jesters Beer Tent. Your donated beer will be sold at 50 baht per can, which increases the value of your donation from 700 to 1200 baht. Contact us at beer_donation@ care4 kids .info

8. Sell or Buy our Jesters ‘Care for Kids’ Merchandise & buy Pub Night Grand Raffle tickets. Event T-shirts @ 300 baht, or 2 for 500 baht, or help us sell Grand Raffle ticket books @ 50 baht per ticket or 12 tickets (1 book) for 500 baht. T-shirts available at the Viking Beachcomber on Soi Pattayaland 2, Jameson’s at Nova Park, and Tahitian Queen on Beach Road. You can help, too, by selling them from your own establishment. They will be on sale at the Jesterwear stall on Children’s Fair Day, or purchase online now. Please contact us at [email protected] for more information.

9. Help us promote our Charity Drive. You can help by displaying our bumper sticker (featured in this article) and posters, by wearing our event T-shirt, or visiting our website. Please contact us at stickers@ care 4kids.info

10. Support our two fund raising events. Support the Jesters Children’s Fair at the Diana Garden Resort & Driving Range on Sunday, September 11 and, six days later, our Jesters Pub Night at Jameson’s Irish Pub on Saturday September 17. Enjoy both events knowing that you are helping underprivileged & needy kids on the Eastern Seaboard.

Grateful thanks for the great support received so far for the 2005 Jesters ‘Care for Kids’ Charity Drive. With your help it will continue and be another record ‘caring’ year.

Boot camp for youth aims to tackle the problem of the wandering homeless

Suchada Tupchai

A pilot project that puts wandering homeless children through boot camp and helps them realize the benefits of becoming responsible community members is being undertaken by the YWCA Bangkok-Pattaya Centre in cooperation with the Supaninit Foundation of Thailand and the Social Welfare Department.

“Pa Noi” Sopin Thappajug (right), assistant judge of the Chonburi Provincial Court for Juvenile and Family Cases speaks with the children.

The camp was inaugurated on July 14 at Wiwat Polamuang School, Sattahip Naval Base, with Deputy Mayor Wuttisak Rermkijakarn presiding. A total of 30 youths between the ages of 10 and 18 are participating in the 30-day project that runs through to August 12.

Nittaya Patimasongkroh, president of YWCA Bangkok-Pattaya Centre, said that the government’s policy is to support the development of Thai society to ensure that everyone lives in a fair and just community, and enjoys equal opportunities for personal development.

Deputy Mayor Wuttisak Rermkijakarn (left) follows the activities program.

As Pattaya is an expanding tourist city, many people travel here to seek work, leading to an unstable situation for many children. Many of them run away from home because of family problems, and they become wandering and homeless. From that situation the children are easily led, or drift into crime. Although the Social Welfare Department will provide a home for them, many of the children run away again and resume their homeless lives.

Nittaya Patimasongkroh, president of YWCA Bangkok-Pattaya Centre, describes the camp’s resources.

The purpose of the camp is to instill a sense of discipline and social skills in the children, so that they can become well-adjusted and responsible members of society.

Project administrators will visit the children at the camp at regular intervals, and will assess the results after training.

For most, this is their first experience with communal camp living.

Deputy Mayor Wuttisak said that this project is the beginning of an attempt to solve a long-term problem. Society in general often doesn’t realize the difficult situations that have caused these youngsters to become homeless at a time when they should in fact be enjoying the security of strong family support, he said.

Ten Hut! Look smart little soldiers.

Redemptorist manager Supakorn Nojar said that in the past the children had been taken to accommodation provided by the Children’s Social Welfare House, but that they had often run away and gone back to their previous way of living. By putting this first batch of children through the camp, it is hoped they will develop a higher social awareness and realize that they too can expect to enjoy satisfying employment and the respect of society if they utilize positive thinking and responsible behavior.

Opening day saw the children dressed in smart blue T-shirts and sweat pants, and with short haircuts. Captain Worawit Rangsansawat, deputy commander of the Air Fighting and Coast Guard Unit, gave the youngsters a pep talk and briefed them on the rules and regulations before they began on what will be a full program of activities.