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Vietnamese groups agree to revive Scouting
The Vietnam Scout National
Council and the Vietnam Scouts are working together to revive Scouting in
their country.
After a long absence of Scouting in Vietnam, two Vietnamese
Scout groups agreed to officially meet and work together to revive Scouting
in their country. This formal agreement was made at the historic meeting
held on January 1 at the site of the 25th Asia-Pacific Regional Scout
Jamboree in Had Yao.
The two Scout groups, namely Vietnam Scout National Council and the Vietnam
Scouts, met with World Scout Committee member Habibul Alam and key officials
of World Scouting in the Asia-Pacific Region headed by Eric Khoo, who
expressed his gratitude on seeing the two groups agreeing to work together
in reintroducing Scouting to young Vietnamese people.
After identifying the current situation of possibilities of merging their
strengths, the two groups agreed to follow the eight-point agreement signed
by both parties. Some of the highlights of the agreement are to convene
joint meetings and to work together in drafting the constitution and by-laws
based on the principles of the World Organization of the Scout Movement.
The signing also became a symbolic and touching moment when the two groups
intensely expressed their sentiment with a Vietnamese song, stirring
emotions of everyone present in the room. The song puts across this message:
“We have only one way, One way to the truth, The truth is the peace, The
peace means living in nature.”
- World Scout Bureau/Asia Pacific Region
Happy to meet, sorry to part … happy to meet again
APR Young Correspondents
The final curtain fell on the 25th Asian Pacific Regional Jamboree at Had Yao on
the evening of Tuesday the 3rd of January, closing an eventful chapter in our
lives that has been full of fun, adventure, happiness and friendships for 12,000
scouts from around the region.
A week together, which saw development of close relationships, bonding the
hearts of all the children and adults from different nations, cultures and
traditions into one.
The closing ceremonies were indeed really grand. The Minister of Education, Mr.
Chaturon Chaisaeng was even there to bid us farewell.
We dressed in our best outfits and sang and danced and were cheered on by more
than ten thousand scouts in the arena. We quickly exchanged badges, souvenirs
and addresses. We took photographs of each other. It was all such a matter of
urgency now, as there was so little time left. “Why didn’t we feel like this the
whole week?” we thought to ourselves confused. “Why now?”
As the sound of the singing and the pace of the dancing slowed down, reality
slowly crept into our hearts, for we knew very well then, that the hour was
getting closer to when we would all have to go our separate ways.
Our hearts beat faster and our breaths came in short hard bursts, because we
were finding it very hard to control our emotions.
We looked at each other’s faces and saw the same feelings of pain and longing
that we had. We smiled at each other as if to say, “I love you and I will never
forget you.”
Our hands touched and then we hugged … and wept.
We consoled and assured each other saying that this was just a separation for
only a short period of time, because as scouts we will surely meet each other
again at the next jamboree, be it regional or the world jamboree. That is the
trait of a scout … we will always find each other again.
As the final official act we saw through our tearful eyes, our beloved Camp
Chief Sutham Phanthusak hand over the APR Jamboree flag to the representative of
the Philippines, where the next APR Jamboree will be held in 2009.
Hey guys, guess what … we’ll be happy to see you again in the Philippines.
Hurrah!
Pattaya Mail proudly produces Had Yao News
Pattaya Mail was commissioned to
produce and publish the Had Yao News for the duration of the APR Asia Pacific
Regional Jamboree held from December 28 to January 3.
During this period the Pattaya Mail team covered the news and events of the
jamboree, rushing the stories and pictures back to our editorial offices so that
the papers could be ‘made up’, printed and delivered every other day.
The photo here shows Pratheep ‘Peter’ Malhotra, MD of Pattaya Mail presenting a
‘hot off the press’ copy of the Had Yao News to Dr. Eduardo Missoni, secretary
general of the World Organization of the Scout Movement (WOSM).
The Had Yao News can be read on the Internet at www.pattayamail.com/hadyaonews
Sikh community makes donation for victims of Southern floods
Leader of the Sikh community in
Pattaya Amrik Singh Kalra made a donation of clothes and drinking water to the
Pattaya Volunteers to be handed over in support of the flood disaster in the
South. The donation, collected from the people of Pattaya, was made at the Siri
Guru Singh Sabha Gurdwara, the Sikh temple, on Soi 17.
Banglamung’s elderly residents enjoy 2006 New Year Party
Pornchai Kulkusol, director of
the center, gives prizes to performers who demonstrated their dancing skills on
stage.
Narisa Nitikarn
Banglamung Old People’s Social Benefits Home held a New Year party titled “Good
Luck for the New Year”. More than 170 residents of the home participated in the
celebrations.
Pornchai Kulkusol, director of the center, blessed the elderly and gave prizes
to those who performed on stage, after which everyone enjoyed a meal and played
games. Everyone had a great time.
Almonds for charity
on Walking Street
Members of the Rotary Club of
Taksin-Pattaya were out in force along Walking Street selling almonds.
Members of the Rotary Club of Taksin-Pattaya again this year were out in
force along Walking Street, as they have been for the past four years, selling
almonds. Rotarians Erwin and Susi Rohmer from Switzerland, as usual, retuned
back from home bringing with them 100 kg of almonds, which the two then cooked
in front of King Seafood. As before, all proceeds from the “freshly cooked
sugared almonds” were donated to the Rotary Club Taksin-Pattaya projects.
The Rotary Club of Taksin-Pattaya would like to give a big “Thank You” to the
Thai Airways station manager in Zurich who waived the over the limit charges and
made it possible to fly in these almonds from Spain, which, according to a
specialist, are the best in the world for cooking this way.
With Walking Street nicely decorated and many tourists at least once in the
evening walking the length of this street to have a look offered the club a
successful four nights. Many of the tourists now know Erwin and Susie and know
that the Rotary Club of Taksin-Pattaya is here this time of the year and come to
look for the Rotary stand to purchase the freshly cooked almonds.
Almost every member of the club was out selling over the 4 days to support this
major fundraising event. Peter Thorand, Trutz Fiddickow, Charles Evans, Franz
Lochbrunner, Martin van Bree, Jean LeCot, Bob Denzel, Natthakarn Wetphitak,
Danny Schots, John Botting and President Stephan where out there and sold the
almonds as fast as Erwin and Susi cooked them up.
This was again four wonderful evenings of fun and fund raising and much enjoyed
by the participating Rotarians. They raised the fantastic sum of 100,000 baht
over the four days, a really successful event!
Rotary Club of Taksin-Pattaya donates computer to School No. 3
Pattaya School #3 students were
happy to receive two new computers from the Rotary Club of Taksin-Pattaya.
The Rotary Club of Taksin-Pattaya, represented by its President
Stephan Hynert, Club Service Director Eric and Community Service Director Peter
visited Pattaya School #3 and donated two high speed computers to them.
The principal of the school was deeply impressed with the club’s quick
implementation of the project following the school’s request for help.
The Rotary Club is happy to be able to help the children in this school with
learning more computer-based topics.
Planning the 5th Charity Golf Invitational with UNICEF
Mike Franklin
An early planning meeting with UNICEF at Eastern Star Country Club & Resort in
December set the scene for the 5th Khun Anand Panyarachun Charity Golf
Invitational for UNICEF Thailand, to be held on Saturday February 18, 2006.
Organized by Eastern Star, the proceeds from this year’s charity golf tournament
will support UNICEF’s HIV/AIDS Prevention and Care Programme for Thailand and
the Eastern Seaboard.
The planning team featured in the
photo comprises (left to right) Jirapol (operations manager ESR), Mike Franklin
(tournament consultant to ESR & UNICEF), Saradej (general manager ESR), Oui
(secretary), Kajorn and Dhavanee (UNICEF private sector fund raising), Chamnan
(F&B manager ESR) and, behind the camera out of shot, Tony Malhotra (Pattaya
Mail sales & marketing director).
The routine planning of the 2006 tournament has the additional
benefit this year of media planning in the mix, due to generous media
sponsorship by the Pattaya Mail Media Company, and the Point of View Media Group
in Bangkok.
This has considerably extended Khun Anand’s invitation for companies to
participate to a much wider corporate audience in Bangkok, on the Eastern
Seaboard and beyond. Using a combination of Pattaya Mail, Pattaya Blatt and
Chiangmai Mail newspapers, PMTV on three cable channels in Pattaya, Chonburi and
Jomtien; plus the POV Media Group featuring the tournament poster at selected
display sites, and a TV ‘Still’ with voice-over on LCD screen locations in
Bangkok.
His Excellency kindly gave an interview in his Bangkok office and spoke about
the HIV/AIDS situation in Thailand, the forthcoming tournament, and the private
reception and party at his Eastern Star residence by the 14th Green that he will
host on the eve of the tournament. That interview features on a promotional VCD
that is available to prospective sponsors.
For further information, or to request a Sponsor Package, please contact:
Dhavanee Chonhenchob or Suwakun Denprapa, at 02 356 9473, or 02 356 9499
Ext.9576 or 9473 at the UNICEF Bangkok office.
Celebrating New Year with a little “spicy salsa” in Pattaya
Sue K
Salsa is a very popular dance form in Latin America, U.S. and Europe. The word
is the same as the salsa meaning sauce. Who applied this name to the music and
dance (and why) remains disputed, but all agree that the name fits.
Since Latin Dance is the fastest growing dance sensation in the world today,
there is now an ever-growing demand in Thailand for the teaching of these dance
styles for the enjoyment of young and old alike. This is why Salsa Amante was
established to serve people in the Chonburi district.
Recently Salsa Amante held a New Year’s party for their students and friends at
their studio in soi Potisarn. Some of the proud level achievers also received
their certificates on that day.
Salsa Amante is operated by trained and experienced Latin Dance instructors,
Jitrapun (Sam) Moore and Nick Verbeek.
Dance lovers can contact them at: 268/5 M6 Potisarn, Naklua, Banglamung, 20150
Chonburi, Thailand, phone/fax studio: 038 726 982, mobile phone Sam: 01 762
5401, mobile phone Nick: 07 148 1905, or email: dancestudio@salsaa mante.com or
visit their website at www.salsaamante.com
Recently Salsa Amante held a New
Year’s party for their students and friends at their studio in soi Potisarn.
Since Latin Dance is the fastest
growing dance sensation in the world today.
Helping people with cleft palates, and more
Allan Sherratt
Professor Dr. Narong Nimsakul, director of the Thai Institute of Modern
Medicine and leader of the Smile Thai Operation Project (STOP), assistant
secretary general of the World Federation of Societies for Laser Medicine and
Surgery, honorary president of the International Society for Laser Surgery and
Medicine and president of the Anti-Ageing Society of Thailand, was recently the
guest speaker at the Sunday meeting of the Pattaya City Expats Club at Henry J.
Bean’s Restaurant at the Amari Orchid Resort.
 (L
to R) Derek the Balloon Man presents the 13,000 baht he raised to Dr. Narong to
continue his work, as Richard Smith, PCEC chairman looks on.
With this incredible list of involvements, the club was truly pleased that he
could honour them with his presence to share something of the work he has done
to deal with the problems experienced by those with cleft palates and the
parents of children who suffer from this disfigurement.
Using a visual presentation it was soon evident that he had made a tremendous
impact on the members. He spoke about the commencement of this project and the
Rotary Club of Bangkok providing the funding for 100 patients, 89 of these have
already been operated on.
Dr. Narong spoke about his work with the King’s Mother and the care she had for
all Thai people, providing medical assistance wherever she went.
With regard to the specific work on STOP, Dr. Narong related that until very
recently any child so born was to be taken by the mother and disposed of as it
was thought to bring bad luck to the village. On the mother’s return she had to
remain for 100 days without contact with the people of the village. It took Dr.
Narong some 5 years to convince people that this was an unnecessary course of
action and that he and his team could provide help.
He also works outside of Thailand in places like the Philippines and Vietnam.
His Laser surgery brings life back to the recipients who are once again accepted
back into society, not having to face the problems in school, or their
workplace. 1 hour and 5,000 baht were the figures given to help give someone a
life again.
Derek (MBE) the Balloon Man had spent the period from October onward performing
his balloon routine and had raised some 13,000 baht which he presented to Dr.
Narong to continue his work. Richard Smith, PCEC chairman, felt that this was an
occasion when anyone else in the audience who wished to make a donation to this
worthwhile cause could have the opportunity to so. 40,370 baht was donated and
given to Dr. Narong. The PCEC hopes to be able to keep contact with him and hear
of the patients who have been helped.
Meetings are help every Sunday at 10.30 a.m. with chance to eat a buffet
breakfast beforehand from 9.30 a.m. For more information about the Sunday and
weekday activities check on the website at www. pattayacityexpatsclub.com
Teak wood and diamond-dust paint create popular artworks
Chatchanan Chaisree
Scenes from Thai literature and mythology carved on teak and painted with
diamond-dust paint are attracting plenty of interest and good sales for a
Chonburi artist.
Pramot Nimnual had the idea of depicting scenes from the Ramayana along with
elephants, dragons and the Thai countryside as a way of increasing his family’s
income. Such was the interest, especially amongst foreign visitors, that a
single piece can earn him 20,000 baht.
A number of different size saws along with the teak and paint are the main
necessities, and Pramot distributes his product in his shop. He said teak is
satisfying to work on because of its golden color and its texture, and despite
the hardness of the wood it is easy to plane and carve. He has recently also
started working on glass. For design, Pramot took his original inspiration from
Sukhothai era works of art.
Anyone interested in the glass paintings and wood carvings can contact Pramot
Nimnual any day on 0 3820 6722 or 09-2521491.
Shop owner Pramot Nimnual poses in
front of his shop.
Some of the designs based on
inspiration from Sukhothai era works of art.
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