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Praise for renowned King Rama VI on King Vajiravudh Day
Chatchanan Chaisree
Vice Admiral Weerapan Ngokngam, chief of Naval
operations, acting on behalf of Admiral Sathirapan Gaeyanon,
commander-in-chief of the Naval Forces, led officers, police officers,
representatives of the business community and the general public in a
ceremony to commemorate the passing of King Rama VI on November 25, King
Vajiravudh Day.
Vice
Admiral Weerapan Ngokngam, chief of Navy Operations presides as servicemen
present a wreath to pay respect to King Rama VI.
The King, who was born on January 1, 1880, was the 29th
prince of King Rama V, and was the first Prince of Queen Sripatcharindhara.
He passed away on November 25, 1925.
He established the independent Naval Department and
provided an additional Naval warship, the Royal Navy’s Pra-Ruang, which
was the first Thai ship to go to war.
King Rama VI also allocated land in Sattahip Harbor to be reserved for
Thai people and another plot for the Naval Forces to establish the present
Sattahip Naval Base, which he considered an appropriate area for sea
defenses. The Naval Forces use this base for the anchoring and maintenance
of their vessels to this present day.
International Disabled Day observed at Karunyawet Home
Ariyawat Nuamsawat
International Disabled Day is observed each year on December
3, as a United Nations initiative, and in Thailand each year from November 5 to
December 3 a series of activities is arranged under the auspices of the Thailand
Disabled Revival Committee.
Mrs.
Kwanmuang Bowornatsawakul, deputy head of Social Development and Welfare and
other dignitaries cut the ceremonial ribbon for International Disabled Day.
A special day was held on November 23 at Karunyawet Home for
the Disabled, in Banglamung. Opening presenter was Mrs Kwanmuang
Bowornatsawakul, deputy head of the Social Development and Welfare Department,
under whose responsibility the home lies.
 Mrs.
Kwanmuang Bowornatsawakul, deputy head of Social Development and Welfare
presented rice and necessary utensils to the participating physically challenged
families.
Activities included a donation of money to 10 disabled
families, and the presentation of two wheelchairs. The Vocational Redemptorist
School in Pattaya and Karunyawet showed their abilities with a dessert making
demonstration, nail painting, and different plays. Over 200 people attended the
activities including department heads and representatives of disabled
organizations.
Kwanmuang said that this organized activity should help disabled people in
communities and disabled people from different social welfare programs to have a
chance to meet each other, and to cooperate in activities, exchange knowledge,
and understand the rights they have within their own communities.
Had Yao camp ready for 15,000 Scouts and Guides to arrive for Jamboree
Chatchanan Chaisree
Had Yao is ready to greet the many thousands of Scouts and
Guides who will be arriving for the 25th Asia Pacific Regional Jamboree at the
end of this month.
The media were recently given a tour of facilities, and upon
arrival first gathered with 30 students and teachers from Singsamut School to
lay wreaths in memory of King Rama VI, who established the Thai Scouts on July
1, 1911 at the Royal Page School, which is now Vajiravudh College.
The mass
media gathered for a photo with the committees and the Singsamut School Scouts
after paying respect to King Rama VI.
Prapatpong Saenarit, chief administrator of the Jamboree,
then led the way to Had Yao Camp in Sattahip.
Thailand, via the Ministry of Education and National Scouts
Department, is hosting the event. The Jamboree is expected to bring in 15,000
Scouts and Guides, of whom 7,000 will be from overseas and a further thousand
will be commanders and volunteers.
 Deputy
Minister of Education Piyabutr Chonvijarn visited the camp and was greeted by
Jaruk Srilert, director of Nonthaburi Pittayakom School.
The Jamboree participants will pay a fee in accordance to
national income. Scouts from developing countries will pay US$200, and those
from developed countries $300.
Amongst the activities will be a Globalization Village
featuring science and technology, art and culture, and health and hygiene. There
will also be activities relating to Scouting tradition, such as a route march,
community development, water activities, and visual education.
 All
the duties, such as cooking, cleaning and organizing, are divided equally in the
camp.
The camp is divided into four areas, for Scouts, Youth Red
Cross, Girl Guides, and service personnel.
The public can visit Had Yao Camp to view some of the
activities. Opening times for visitors is from December 29 to January 3, with
two periods per day, 9:30 a.m. - noon and 1:30 p.m. - 4 p.m. Entry fee is 20
baht for Thais and US$1 for foreigners.
The media was taken around Had Yao Camp to see the readiness
for activities and the facilities, which include telephones, an internet cafe, a
store, a bank, and a food center.
Deputy Minister of Education Piyabutr Chonvijarn visited the camp on the
morning of Sunday November 27. About 600 students from Nonthaburi Pittayakom
Secondary School also came to tour the camp.
New ballooning attraction gets up, up and away
Staff Reporters
A new attraction for tourists is about to open in Pattaya,
with hot-air balloons that will take visitors high above the city. Pattaya
Mail reporters enjoyed a preview of the balloon ride, courtesy of Terapat
Tunsuka, air operator of Flying Media, and Hans Funk, general manager of
Funk’s Ballonfahrten.
 Hans
Funk and his crew fill the balloon with hot air.
Terapat said that the balloon was supposed to go up the
previous week but it was too windy. Today the weather was perfect and small
balloons were sent up to test the atmospherics. Then the full-size balloon was
filled with gas and made ready for lift-off at 6 a.m.
Hans Funk gave reporters a briefing and said that ballooning
is safe. He then took four reporters 400 meters up into the sky, with the whole
of Pattaya in view. Hans said that flights would normally last one hour but due
to the strong winds he would have to take the balloon down after 45 minutes.
 Sunrises
are spectacular when seen from the vantage point of a hot air balloon.
Balloon tours are a new venture in Pattaya, and even though
and balloons haven’t been popular in Thailand, they are popular abroad. Flying
Media hopes that their official opening will take place on December 24. Two
balloons will be available with flights at 5:30 a.m. The best time to fly is
between November and March as the wind isn’t too strong and there is no rain.
Anyone interested can visit www.pattayaballoon.com or call 04 078 7989
Hans is able
to somewhat steer the balloon by pulling on ropes.
Elephants delight with tributes to HM the King on Royal birthday
Patcharapol Panrak
A spectacular display of elephant skills was arranged by Nong
Nooch Gardens to show foreign tourists the importance His Majesty the King’s
birthday has for Thai people.
A clever
young elephant presents flowers to an image of the HM the King.
The elephants took part in a parade and presented flower
garlands to an image of His Majesty. Baby elephants presented garlands to Phlay
Bird, 29, who is the only elephant to have sired 15 offspring, thus expanding
the park’s elephant population.
The event attracted wide interest from foreign tourists. Nong Nooch holds an
event like this every year, when the elephants present flowers to fathers who
bring their children to the park, as December 5 is also Fathers Day.
Pattaya Gay Festival 2005
Allan D. Sherratt
With the ever-increasing workload on Dr. Philippe (his
patient base now exceeds 1100), the demands on funds raised are even more
stringent. Many personal donations of drugs and money are received by Dr.
Philippe throughout the year but the committee of the Pattaya Gay Festival
decided to try and maintain a monthly donation of 250,000 baht this year.
 The
happy winners at Bruno’s Restaurant.
Last year they were able to maintain their previous level
of 200,000 baht a month and in the light of that success chose to trust that
they would be able to raise the increase with the help and generous support
of more sponsors and seeking to save in expenditure in whatever way possible
for the various events.
This they managed to do and as the final four days
started they had already donated 2.8 million baht to HEARTT2000 and raised
2.7 million. The aim was to try to cross the 4 million baht figure by the
end of the Joint Boyztown Street Party.
This year the Final Four Days took on slightly different
format. The start saw two (or maybe three) locations for the start-up
parties. Jomtien held a party in Jomtien Complex rather than the joint beach
party many had come to know and love, despite the sand in the socks, among
other places!
The venue had been successfully used for previous gay
parties but this time a sad sight were the many Cheap Charlies who chose
rather than pay 250 baht for a drink and privilege of supporting the charity
event, to watch the shows free by standing in the roadway to the car park.
Despite the pleas from the stage they maintained their vigil. However, those
who were inside the compound enjoyed food laid on by Dick’s Caf้,
pleasant staff on the drink’s service, shows from Over the Rainbow, Exxit,
and the Sisters and a chance to cheer on those who attempted the limbo
competition.
Of course the main part of the evening was the Wigstock
Competition which had drawn a large number of competitors. The second of the
four days was the usual gala dinner at Bruno’s, raising as ever more money
without the thumbscrews coming out of Jim’s wardrobe. The Pattaya City
Fathers had decreed that this year there would not be the usual World AIDS
Day parade on December 1st as they had held another function the previous
day so a Mr. PGF Competition was held at Throb/Splash show bars.
In Jim’s words, the main events organizer, “It was an
incredible 4 days and indeed an incredible year. I would personally like to
thank all the participating venues and the staff involved. A big thanks to
Mark, David and Alfie for tonight’s efforts. And a big thanks to the Throb
Showboys and my very own Divas and Dudes. It’s great fun working with
them. But mostly I want to say a very special thank you to every single
person who has so generously given time after time no matter whether it was
a large or small donation and supported a very worthy cause. It was all
greatly appreciated and I wish you all a very Merry Christmas and a very
Happy New Year. Without giving a detailed breakdown I can advise an approx
figure for the night’s fund raiser would be 690,000 baht.
The figure for the last four days is approx 1,200,000 and this would take
us to approx 3,890,00 in total for 2005, nearly 300,000 up on last year. The
full 2005 accounts will be published soon.”
Hard Rock organizes party for Banglamung senior citizens
Narisa Nitikarn
Hard Rock Hotel lit candles to bless His Majesty the King
on Fathers Day, December 5, and offered a meal to the residents of the
Elderly Home in Banglamung, who were invited to the hotel.
The
administrators, hotel employees and all the guests had a wonderful time at
the Hard Rock Hotel celebration in honor of His Majesty the King’s
birthday.
Andrew Khoo, general manager of the Hard Rock Hotel, gave
a welcoming speech to the visitors, and there was a show of traditional
dancing such as Takataen Phook Bow and Phoochai Nai Fan put on by staff and
trainees. After the shows the senior citizens enjoyed a meal, and then came
a karaoke break for guests and hotel management alike. Receiving a special
round of applause was a song from Urs “Mee” Mosimann.
When the time came for the candle lighting ceremony to
bless His Majesty the King the hotel turned on the television for the live
program so the ceremony could be held at the same time as the observance in
Bangkok. The hotel prepared the candles and distributed them to the visitors
in a moving ceremony.
Hotel management took photographs with their guests afterwards and
accompanied them to the cars that would take them back to the Banglamung
Elderly Home.
Students graduate from Redemptorist Vocational School
Ariyawat Nuamsawat
The Redemptorist Vocational School in Pattaya presented
graduation certificates to students who completed their studies, and wished
them well with their chosen careers.
 Fr.
Lawrence Patin, Redemptorist Center director and priest of St. Nikolaus
Church presided over the event and presented certificates to graduating
students.
Father Lawrence Patin presided over the event, which was
attended by Sister Pavinee Pichaisrisawat, Redemptorist School director,
school supporters, parents, employers and a total of 65 graduating students
from 2004.
Duangdoaw Yothasri, assistant school director at the
management and financial department said that this year there were less
graduating students than in previous years because the electronics course
took 1 ฝ years in the past, but has been extended to two years now to
support the labor market, which emphasizes skill and ability to produce
electronics spare parts to work in the big industrial size devices.
“Some of these graduating students came to study in May
2003, and some of them finished and have already started working since March
this year. Some of them just finished their course last September. Lots of
them participated in the sports competition and brought the school and
Chonburi province the Thailand championship for the ninth consecutive year.
Some of them will be in the field work team, traveling abroad and being
Thailand representatives for sports competitions and subject skills on the
world stage,” said Duangdoaw.
He added that the students had been active in community
services, repairing equipment, helping at youth computer classes, teaching
motorcycle taxi drivers English, and canvassing during the election.
“We feel that their occupational skills, moral principles, moral
philosophy and sacrifices of their personal interests established during
their two years of study will make them ready to carry on Father Ray’s
wishes from the Redemptorist School,” said Duangdoaw.
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