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Hearts opened from all over the GKN world
by Sharon Tibbitts
I had the pleasure and honor of accompanying my husband Peter Tibbitts
and Boonnarong Petchsongkram on January 14, 2006 to Kumpoun fishing village
in the Suksumran branch provinces of Ranong, Thailand.
 The
women in the village were happy to see us again.
GKN employees worldwide donated money to support the victims of the tsunami.
It was now time to deliver the final portion of the 70 boat engines to this
fishing village. On this visit we brought along 50 engines and long tail
drives.
GKN Driveline Thailand had been to the aid of this small fishing village
from the very beginning. The employees gathered on the Monday following the
Dec 26, 2004 tragedy. Boonnarong Petchsongkram and all of GKN employees
collected many items, then he and his family drove 14 hours in a van that
GKN provided to the fishing village on 29th of December arriving on the
30th. They were the first to arrive in that area and the people of the
Kumpoun Village were very grateful to receive fresh water, food, and other
emergency items. Since they were so distant from the Phuket area, they had
not received any aid.
After that day, Boonnarong’s heart could only see the
thankfulness and the great need in his people’s eyes. Upon returning he
shared his family’s experiences with GKN management and the word was out for
the great need of this small fishing village in Southern Thailand. That was
when the giving started from the GKN employees worldwide. To date the
following is what has been given to this village from the hearts of GKN
employees:
* Food, drinking water, clothing and cash were delivered on Dec 30, 2004,
only 4 days after the tsunami destroyed the lives of this small fishing
village.
* Three houses were built and completed by May 2005
* Units of fishing boat engines in May 2005
* Twenty sets of fishing boat driving units in May 2005
* Twenty sets of fishing equipment in May 2005.
* Fifty sets of fishing boat engine + driving units given to the tsunami
disaster victims on January 14, 2006.
GKN will continue monitoring Kumpoun village, their re-establishment of
families and livelihood. This undertaking was an incredible task not only
due to the fast response for the regional peoples needs but it also shows
how GKN Driveline the world over treats locals no matter where they are. “We
Care.”
Peter and Boon, shown here
leaving the airport, are ready to deliver the goods.
The boat engines arrived
safely and are being put to good use.
Skål Presidents visit Pattaya
to observe preparations for World Congress
With the forthcoming world congress of Skål International to
be held in Pattaya October 15-20 this year, local hotels have been gearing up
for the influx of the delegates and their partners, expected to exceed 1,200
people.
Matanyah Hecht (left) and Uzi
Yalon (2nd right) are welcomed by Mayor Niran Wattanasartsathorn (2nd row
center) and members of the local Skål chapter.
The congress will be held at the Pattaya Exhibition and Convention Hall, with
the delegates housed at hotels all over Pattaya, giving them the opportunity to
evaluate the facilities being offered in our tourist oriented city.
Honorary President of Skål International Uzi Yalon and Immediate Past President
Matanyah Hecht, were warmly welcomed by Pattaya Mayor Niran Wattanasartsathorn,
Deputy Mayor Verawat Khakhay, Mrs. Panga Vathanakul, the managing director of
the Royal Cliff Beach Resort as well as by the local Skål International members
including Andrew Khoo, the GM of the Hard Rock Hotel; Stefan Heintze the
resident manager of the Dusit Resort, Paisan and Deborah Bundityanond of the
Rabbit Resort, Peter Malhotra, managing director of Pattaya Mail, Alexander
Hauesler the general manager of the Royal Cliff and his deputy, Ranjit
Chandrasiri and Dr. Iain from the Bangkok Pattaya Hospital.
 Mayor
Niran presents Matanyah with a Pattaya City 2006 calendar.
The welcoming dinner was held in the award winning Rossini Room, and all of the
Skål members were very pleased to see the interest shown in Pattaya by the two
Skål International presidents.
During their visit the two presidents of the international organization also
took the opportunity to review medical facilities, which are an integral part of
the well-being of delegates and their families attending the 67th Skål World
Congress here in Pattaya.
The presidential pair were taken through the Bangkok Pattaya Hospital by Dr.
Iain Corness, the hospital’s consultant to the International Department, who was
very pleased to show the visitors this world-class facility.
Matanyah and Uzi were very impressed with all the up to date equipment available
at the hospital, with Metanyah expressing the opinion that it was as well
appointed as any hotel, in addition to its primary function as a tertiary
hospital.
Dr. Iain Corness (left) shows off
the world-class facilities at the Bangkok Pattaya Hospital.
Hard Rock Hotel presents funds to Camillian Social Center
HIV/AIDS patients to benefit from charitable donations
Father Giovanni (2nd right)
receives a cheque for 600,000 baht from Andrew Khoo (2nd left) flanked by
Siritorn Kraivisutsap (right), director of marketing communications, and
Pratheep Malhotra (left) MD of Pattaya Mail.
On December 2, 2005 in a grand ceremony of lights and
fireworks the ceremonial Christmas tree was lit up at the Hard Rock Hotel. This
unique Christmas tree adorned with red ribbons, symbolizing awareness of AIDS
victims, marked World AIDS Day and also signified the beginning of the Christmas
season with an emphasis on the Hard Rock ethos of “Love all, serve all”.
That annual event heralded the start of a fund-raising drive to support HIV and
AIDS sufferers in the Eastern region, including babies who have contracted the
disease from their mothers during pregnancy. The obvious choice to be the
recipient was Camillian Social Center for AIDS victims.
A total of 600,000 baht was raised from generous donors, which included staff of
the Hard Rock Hotel, proceeds from the charity dinner and an auction of a large
number of items donated by various businesses.
On January 26, the proceeds were handed over to Fr Giovanni Contarin, the caring
priest at the Camillian Social Center in Rayong. Father Giovanni thanked the
donors for their benevolence, saying, “There is so much suffering because of
this dreaded disease, but thorough your kindness and caring, we can further
manage to give the patients the best of care that we possibly can.”
Andrew Khoo, GM of the Hard Rock Hotel and organizer of the fundraiser, thanked
the sponsors and donors for their generosity saying, “Without your support we
would not have been able to do what we did to help those poor and distressed
people.”
He also thanked the Pattaya Mail, the long-established media partner of the
fundraiser, and all other branches of the press for their support in raising
awareness of the plight of the suffering, which helped in bringing more support
from the general public.
Believe it or not, it will be a hell of a wedding
On Feb. 14, Miss Kanchana
Katekaew, “the Godmother of Scorpions”, will be marrying Bunthavee Chiangwong,
29, who is similarly famed for his expertise with centipedes.
Ariyawat Nuamsawat
Ripley’s Believe It or Not Museum is looking for nine couples to take part
in a wedding ceremony on February 14 which has been named Ripley’s Valentine
Howling Hell of a Wedding.
This irresistible invitation is for a ceremony that will be staged in Ripley’s
Ghost Factory between the hours of 13:00 and 16:00, and the museum’s directors
say it will be the first of its kind held in Pattaya.
General Manager Somphorn Naksuetrong said the event is designed for those who
are afraid of the bad luck that so often seems to surround newly weds and that
it will include a blessings ceremony along with the marriage registration. The
slight difference between the Ripley’s event and a conventional wedding is that
the bride and groom will dress as beautiful/handsome ghosts. A honeymoon suite
is being provided and Ripley’s will meet all the expenses.
So far three couples have already registered. One of them is 36-year-old Miss
Kanchana Katekaew, the “Godmother of Scorpions”, who slept with 3,400 of them
for 34 days and entered into the Guinness Book of Records. She will be marrying
Bunthavee Chiangwong, 29, who is famed for a similar expertise with centipedes.
The couple has been in love for seven years. Their honeymoon photographs should
be a sensation. Ripley’s are still looking for another six couples.
Fly me to Cuba
The Mercure Pattaya is suggesting that there’s more to Cuba
than Fidel Castro and some large cigars. Every Sunday they are presenting their
Cuban BBQ night, with a salad bar, appetizers and Thai and western BBQ seafood
and choice cuts of meat, cooked under the stars as you sit around the swimming
pool. Follow the BBQ with some wickedly indulgent desserts (making Sundays
Sindays!).
 Dig
in; it’s Cuban BBQ night every Sunday at the Mercure Pattaya.
Salsa music plays in the background while you finish your evening sipping
cocktails prepared by their St. Tropez barman.
During the introductory month of February there is a special promotion for this
Cuban BBQ for 455 baht net. Draft beer is only 220 baht per jug, or a full range
of wines is available from both the old and new worlds.
Miss Terry Diner visited the Mercure Cuban BBQ on opening night and is
suggesting that this is certainly a venue worth considering for those Sunday
evenings. Good food and excellent value.
Cremation ceremony held
for Sophon Cable TV
director Sathaporn Chua-Arn
Suchada Tupchai
 In
memory of Sathaporn Chua-Arn.
A cremation ceremony was held at Wat Chaimongkol in South Pattaya
on January 15 at 4 p.m. for Sathaporn Chua-Arn, a director of Sophon Cable TV
and Communication Pattaya Co. Ltd. He had passed away on January 9 at Pattaya
Memorial Hospital, where he had been admitted two days previously. Cause of
death was an aneurism.
A representative of the Royal Household attended the cremation, which was also
attended by Sontaya Khunplome, advisor to the prime minister, Niran
Watthanasartsathorn, mayor of Pattaya City, and Chanyuth Hengtrakul, MP of
Chonburi Zone 6, who hosted the reception afterwards on behalf of Sophon Cable
TV and Communications.
Sathaporn Chua-Arn was born on August 5, 1953 and first married Ms Wanee
Ratchatawattanakul. There were no children from that union. Later he married Ms
Bang-On Suwattanakul, and they had a son, Akkawit.
Sathaporn was a member of the Pattaya Mass Media Club, a director of the Sawang
Boriboon Foundation in Pattaya, chairman of Pattaya CDO Cable Club, chairman of
motor vehicle sports under the Royal Automobile Club of Thailand, and deputy
chairman of the Thailand leg of the Asia-Pacific Motor Rally.
Pattaya Marriott Resort
& Spa rings in Chinese New Year
The gymnastics show put on by the
Luang Poo Meng Disciple Camp to celebrate the Chinese New Year was spectacular.
Vimolrat Singnikorn
Pattaya Marriott Resort & Spa rang in the Chinese New Year with a gala
dinner, a gymnastics show and fireworks on January 28.
The event was held in part to celebrate 30 years of favorable Thai-Chinese
relations.
The party kicked off with 2,000 Chinese firecrackers, which was followed by a
lion dance, gymnastics from the Luang Poo Meng Disciple Camp, and a musical
show.
The evening ended with 55 rockets being fired, as the number 5 represents good
luck. The launching of 55 rockets is an auspicious Chinese tradition to bless
the celebrants and to bring them a full year of good luck by inviting all the
gods and goddesses to protect them.
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