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Dance day at Assumption College Sriracha dazzles mums and dads
Some of Assumption’s younger
students perform the hottest moves.
Proud parents watched their children take part in a
dazzling dance festival at a school near Pattaya.
All of the 4,100 students from Assumption College Sriracha took to the stage
recently. Students spent weeks rehearsing and choreographing their routines
ahead of the annual show.
 The
Assumption school band is in fine form.
The first day of the event saw the school’s youngest students, from
Kindergarten to Prathom 3, take to the stage, watched by their parents.
The following evening, more parents arrived to watch every class from
Prathom 4 to Mathayom 6 put on a performance.
Songs ranged from modern, with tracks from the Black Eyed Peas, to
traditional Thai dance, complete with classical Thai costumes.
The show was hailed a success by Assumption’s Brother Director, Suraksit
Sukchai, who said, “Every year we encourage all our students take part in
the show, as it helps give them confidence and teaches them how to work
together as a team. … The parents were delighted with the dancing.”
ACS has a special English Programme in nearly every year group, and teaches
many children from the Pattaya area.
IPU delegates visit Pattaya Orphanage
Paul Strachan
The Pattaya Orphanage last week welcomed the Baroness Garden of Parkes
and MP Robert Goodwill, who were here in Thailand as members of the British
Inter-Parliamentary Union delegation taking a brief tour of the Kingdom.
Some obviously very fit,
although handicapped, young men perform a wheelchair dance for the
delegation.
The IPU was founded in 1889. It is a world-wide organization of
parliamentarians working for peace and co-operation and seeks to establish
friendship and co-operation between parliamentarians so that the views of
ordinary people have a better chance of influencing events.
The delegation had a hectic schedule since arriving in Thailand on Monday
February 13 - visiting the River Kwai, the war cemetery, the grand place
and the tsunami identification centre.
However, the Baroness and MP Goodwill used some of their own free time to
visit the Pattaya Orphanage – they were accompanied by Somporn Sararat and
Panya Kotthen, members of the Thai government.
Reverend Lawrence Patin and Brother Denis Gervais of the orphanage welcomed
the delegation, and Reverend Patin gave the delegation a quick overview
about the happenings there.
In her speech the Baroness explained that she wanted to visit the orphanage
first hand, as it is a very important cause, not only to her but also to
Cheri Blair, the British prime minister’s wife.
The visitors were treated to a display of Thai dancing by some of the young
girls from the orphanage, who were radiant in their traditional outfits.
For the second part of the show, some obviously very fit, although
handicapped, young men performed a dance in wheelchairs showing their
determination and skill as they moved in time with the beat of the music.
Although pressed for time, the delegation was taken into the orphanage to
see the children in their cots. The Baroness and MP Goodwill chatted
casually with the staff before making their way for a quick visit to
Triumph Motorcycle (Thailand) and then back to the UK via Bangkok
International Airport.
The Baroness Garden of Parkes
and MP Robert Goodwill, accompanied by Somporn Sararat and Panya Kotthen,
members of the Thai government visit the Pattaya Orphanage to see
first-hand how they might help.
A chance encounter brings joy
to Camillian Center residents in Rayong
Paul Strachan
Norman Vernon, aged 69 of Heaton, England, was walking along the beach
in Jomtien and started a conversation with a man called Geoff Hughes.
Norman told Geoff that he had been coming to Thailand for several years and
would perhaps like to do something for one of the orphanages in the area.
Geoff, who coincidentally does voluntary work with an orphanage, told
Norman, “I will take you to somewhere very special,” and with that he took
Norman to the Camillian Social Center in Rayong.
 A
very proud Norman explains how the Center reached out to him.
The center cares for 40 children who are orphans of AIDS/HIV parents,
children of AIDS/HIV parents or AIDS/HIV infected. Norman was deeply moved
by the children at the center, whose lives are so sadly affected. He said,
“The youngsters just knock me out. They are so happy even though they know
what’s going on. I’ve been to the center three times and they’re always
pleased to see me. They love to be hugged and held and the center is a very
special place.”
On his return to England, Norman was determined to help these children.
Although now retired, Norman’s background in the world of entertainment and
amateur football meant that over the years he had built up a whole
community of kindhearted people who assisted him in different fundraising
projects. So now he focused on raising funds for the center back in
Thailand that had struck a chord with him. He organized an event in the
Moat House in Bolton town center, which included dinner, an auction, a
raffle, and night of entertainment.
 Norman
and Steven Williams prepare to hand over ‘Puppy’ piggy-banks to all the
children.
Norman is now back in Thailand and has been busy at the center overseeing
the conversion of a former classroom into an entertainment room for the
children, which has been named ‘The Kindness Room’. Doors have been fitted,
new fans and lighting installed and mosquito screens have being replaced on
all the windows. The room has been redecorated and Norman has bought a 42
inch LG Plasma TV and matching DVD player.
The opening celebrations of the room were held on Saturday February 18,
with a party for the children. The funds raised also paid for a party on
Christmas day when Norman and friend, former international rugby player
Brian Harrop from Warrington, gave the children each a goody bag containing
a Christmas card, a 50 baht note, toys, chocolate, fruit, drinks, etc. Also
included was a Santa hat, with thanks to Jean Brierly, which was a hit with
the children as they wore them all day from 3 in the afternoon until 10.30
at night.
 Father
Giovanni holds down Eddie as he acts as patient and Norman tests out the
new drill.
Two local dentists have offered to treat the children’s teeth but the
center needed to provide a chair and equipment, which cost over 265,000
baht, so Norman contacted a friend of his, Eddie Quinlan, who runs ‘La
Tableaux’, a top restaurant chain in Tokyo. Eddie organized an auction on
New Years Eve and raised 200,000 baht. Now the room is complete with the
hi-tech equipment needed to tend to the dental health of all the children
in the center.
Father Giovanni, who oversees the center, told us that these kind donations
would make a vast difference to the children. The dental room was a huge
step, as there is sometimes problems getting treatment for those who are
HIV positive and the Kindness Room with its large TV would bring happiness
to the children. Father Giovanni said that when the kids are happy, they
respond better to the medication.
The team from Pattaya Mail on TV went down to meet Norman, Eddie, Father
Giovanni and the children and to witness the opening of these two great new
additions to the center. The show will be aired on Saturday February 25 on
Sophon, Jomtien, Chonburi and Sattahip cable networks.
Norman would like to thank all his clients and friends in Thailand, Japan,
the U.S. and in the U.K. for all their kind donations and support. He is
very happy to have met Father Giovanni, Georgina and Paddy at the center
and most of all the children.
Norman officially opens The
Kindness Room with Father Giovanni looking on.
The Children at the Center
rehearse their song.
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