|
PATA looks to ‘WOW’ Factor and more CSR Initiatives
Closing ceremonies prove to be a good start
eTN TravelPress
Photos by Pattaya Mail
Closing speakers at the 55th PATA Annual Conference pinpointed poverty
reduction, enhanced charitable efforts and corporate social
responsibility as the keys to the travel industry’s success in the year
ahead.
 Mechai
Viravaidya, chairman, Population & Community Development Association
presented a speech on New Opportunities for Asia Travel and Tourism.
“The tourism industry can reduce the number of people living in poverty
more than the United Nations and more than any government can,” said Dr
Mechai Viravaidya, Chairman of the Population and Community Development
Association (PCDA).
Dr Mechai’s speech, titled, “The Privatisation of Poverty Reduction”
said business creation, not welfare, was the key to poverty reduction.
He said a welfare culture created “dependency”, while business enhanced
skills and enabled people to borrow money for much needed investment.
 Mayor
Niran welcomes all honored guests during the lunch Pattaya City hosted
for the delegates.
He called for hotels in rural areas to sponsor villages. Hotels should
buy products such as vegetables from their village, donate funds for
tree planting and help teach skills such as food preparation as part of
a charitable knowledge transfer programme.
Dr Mechai said the PCDA and others have had success in persuading the
Stock Exchange of Thailand (SET) to donate 30% of its profits to
charities and encourage philanthropic activities among SET members.
The social activist, a former government minister, said such policies
were indicative of a new era of social responsibility by companies.
 Juthamas
Siriwan, governor of the TAT welcomes all honored guests.
Assuming the role of 2006-2007 PATA Chairman, Richard Beere,
Director-International Marketing, Tourism Australia, said his role would
be to help establish PATA as an acclaimed source for “travel industry
leadership, advocacy and tackling big issues through consultation and
evolution, not revolution”.
Beere said, “Our mission is to have everyone say ‘Wow! That’s great!’ to
everything that PATA does.”
Closing ceremonies included a cocktail dinner at the Siam Bayshore Hotel
and a closing evening reception at the Royal Cliff Beach Resort.
Peter de Jong (right),
president and CEO of PATA, presents a souvenir to Nobutaka Ishikure,
chairman PATA Japan Chapter.
Ibrahim Yusuf, ambassador
of Indonesia welcomes all guests.
The guests all enjoyed the
music show performed to welcome them.
An Indonesian woman helps
Peter de Jong, president and CEO of PATA, put on and bind a symbol of
Indonesia.
Beautiful shows provided a
good break from the workshops and conferences during PATA in Pattaya.
Colors of Indonesia
Honored guests with the
colors of Indonesia.
Honored guests participate
in Thai cooking activities.
A pretty team welcomes
guests.
Kamala Sukosol presented a
fabulous show.
Moderator, Ms Keshini
Navaratna, International Communications Consultant, Broadcaster and
Journalist.
Kamala Sukosol received
many flowers from honored guests in appreciation of her performance.
Honorable guests of PATA
took many photos with actors from the Ramayana story.
Delegates and friends were
mesmerized by the Beauty Beyond Dreams Show from Indonesia.
Aussie WMD: A howling success
Peter Cummins
It was a superb show again at the Royal Cliff Beach Resort, with the
Grande Ballroom packed to capacity and the superbly-decorated arena
reverberating to the strains of Howling Wolves – and, I swear, it was
not even a full moon.
It was the first Wine Maker’s Dinner of the year – and it was great. The
Howling Wolves was the vintage of choice, developed in the first-class
vineyards of Western Australia’s Margaret River.
 Roy
Tan, director of business development, Howling Wolves Wines Group,
addresses the club.
In his usual polished, knowledgeable and erudite manner, deputy managing
director of the Royal Cliff and president of the highly-acclaimed RC
Wine Club, Ranjith Chandrasiri welcomed all to yet another “fabulous
evening of wining and dining excellence”. That it certainly was!
Ranjith was quick to refer to the “Reception” wine which was a Howling
Wolves White Shiraz vintage 2004 and, certainly had a “mixed reception”
– though, certainly, no howls - from the wine dinner participants, and
the ‘maestro’ himself, told the assembly what it was all about.
“The 2004 White Shiraz is a ‘blush’ white wine produced from Red Shiraz
grapes grown in the Margaret River area in Western Australia,” said
Ranjith. “This wine is produced with minimum skin contact creating the
blush colour and a palate of rich fruit compote, plums and sweet spice
braced with lime, citrus and summer stone fruits,” Ranjith continued.
 In
his usual polished, knowledgeable and erudite manner, Ranjith
Chandrasiri welcomed all to yet another “fabulous evening of wining and
dining excellence”.
“In France, Blush Wine is called Rose or Blanc de Noir (meaning white
wine made from black grapes). Blush Wine is an American generic name
given to wines that vary in color from pale pink to salmon,” Ranjith
pointed out.
Such wines are generally produced from red grapes, by quickly removing
the skins from the juice after the grapes are pressed. This technique
stops the transfer of color from the dark pigments in the grape’s skin,
and the wine continues its processing as for white wine.
Introduced in the United States in the late 1970s, blush wines found
popularity in the early 1980s as the white-wine boom took off and
producers searched for a channel for the red-grape surplus.
 Royal
Cliff MD Panga Vathanakul, Chan Vathanakul and Pattaya Mail MD Peter
Malhotra discuss the future of tourism in Pattaya.
Personally, this writer rather liked the Blush Wine, having become
somewhat addicted to Rose Wines during various sojourns in Europe
though, he admits that he preferred the Portuguese Mateus Rose which was
a little effervescent and, served chilled, made a very nice social wine.
As we members of the Wine Club have come to expect, the Ballroom was
beautifully decorated, with ice carvings of wolves set around the
perimeters and, even, butter carvings of the ‘howlers’ on each table,
along with red/white grape flower center-pieces and candles.
 Alexander
Haeusler, general manager of Royal Cliff Beach Resort and his lovely
wife enjoyed the evening immensely.
A delicate six-course meal was prepared by Royal Cliff “Chef-in-Chief”,
Walter Tenische and his (t)rusty crew toiling in the galleys, the whole
evening being serviced by the most elegant white-gloved staff, waiting
on the tables.
Managing director of the Royal Cliff Beach Resort, Panga Vathanakul made
post-prandial presentations – a standard gesture of Thai hospitality –
to the delight of the evening’s principals.
Ranjith acknowledged, with much gratitude, the generosity of the
evening’s co-sponsor Vanichvathana Co. Ltd., and their contribution to
the success of the event, George Barbier who represented the
Vanichvathana company.
“I would also like to acknowledge the presence of the Howling Wolves
Wine Group director of business development, Roy Tan who launched into
vivid details about the wines, hardly being able to stop smiling when he
showed his Oriental penchant.
The menu was superb, and consisted of the following:
The white-gloved staff
provided the kind of service one would expect at such a high glass
event.
Chilled and peppered beetroot soup with orange
flavoured prawn tail; Napoleon of crabmeat laced with red curry
mayonnaise on iced pineapple and celery froth; Warm goose liver flan
with vanilla crust accompanied with a brioche slice; Whole roasted
Australian veal loin marinated with rosemary and thyme served on truffle
flavoured mashed potatoes and ‘Howling Wolves’ red wine reduction; King
Island double brie cheese with candied tomatoes; Royal praline tart on
mango coulis with 24 K golden chocolate Baileys pralines; Freshly brewed
coffee or tea served with cinnamon, apricot and chocolate biscotti,
finished the dining side of the gala.
Wines served on the night were: Howling Wolves Margaret River White
Shiraz 2004 (Blush wine); Eight Vineyard Margaret River Semillon 2004;
Howling Wolves Margaret River Semillon Sauvignon Blanc 2004; Eight
Vineyard Margaret River Merlot 2003; Howling Wolves Margaret River
Cabernet Sauvignon 2003; Eight Vineyard Margaret River Shiraz 2002;
Howling Wolves Margaret River Shiraz 2003.
It was, indeed, another evening of superlatives - undoubtedly the best
value in town - and, at this press time, Ranjith and Chintra are Down
Under, soon to visit Tasmania which has always been famous for its own
Howling Wolves (Devils or Tigers!). Our own Royal Cliff Wine Connoisseur
will be sampling some of the Tasmanian vintages – none as old, of course
– as the vintage Tasmanian writing this piece.
Nice bouquet, interesting
taste, yes, this is a fine wine…
(L to R) Vithanart
Vathanakul, Sarah Ball, Thongsin Ball, Keith Ball, Chan Vathanakul,
Royal Cliff MD Panga Vathanakul, Pattaya Blatt Editor Elfi Seitz and
Pattaya Mail MD Peter Malhotra pause for a moment to drink in the
atmosphere and have their photo taken.
The service at the Royal
Cliff was excellent.
Wat Chaimongkol holds Wan Lai water pouring festival for the elderly
Members of the public
crowded to Wat Chaimongkol to attend the water pouring ceremony for
prosperity.
Many people attended the
water pouring ceremony.
Pattaya councilors
attended the water pouring ceremony for prosperity.
A country music band
cheered up the people and prompted many feet to start tapping.
Narisa Nitikarn
Wat Chaimongkol in South Pattaya gathered 60 Buddhist monks and 19
elderly people from the Pattaya local community for a Wan Lai water
pouring ceremony on April 19, one of several activities arranged by the
temple over the Songkran period.
Amongst the local personalities attending were Chanyuth Hengtrakul,
elected member of parliament for Chonburi Zone 7, Mayor Niran
Watthanasartsathorn, and chairman of the Cultural Assembly for
Banglamung Surat Mekhawarakul.
Other Songkran activities prepared by Wat Chaimongkol included a
slippery-pole climbing contest, a tug-of-war, and a competition knocking
down kerosene cans. Each winner received a prize of 3,000 baht.
The temple gathered monks from nine other temples including Wat Koh Larn
and Wat Kokkeenorn for the water pouring ceremony, which was accompanied
by traditional long-drum music.
Diana Group’s Bartender Contest helps upgrade staff skills
Ariyawat Nuamsawat
Four hotels within the Diana Group participated in the Diana Group
Bartender Contest 2006, with assistant director of the Tourism Authority
of Thailand Region 3 office Akaravich Thaepasit presiding.
 Akaravich
Thaepasit, assistant director of the Tourism Authority of Thailand
Region 3 presents the award to Nattapong Chaitong.
Bar staff from Diana Inn, Diana Garden Resort, Diana Millennium House
and Diana Dragon took part, with cocktail mixing, an Irish coffee
competition and a Miss Bartender Contest included in the event. The
organizing committee also had special prizes on offer for the best
cheerleaders and the press favorite. The winner of the Miss Bartender
Contest was awarded a trophy, cash and a sash.
The contest was organized as an example of business service activities
in the low season and to help maintain the standards of food and drink
within Diana affiliate hotels.
 Chinthana
Wachachote, Head of Pattaya education presents first prize to Nampung
Yaempojana, Miss Bartender.
Winner of the Diana Group Bartender Contest was Diana Garden Resort,
Miss Bartender went to Diana Garden Resort, and Best Irish Coffee also
went to Diana Garden Resort. Best Cheerleaders went to Diana Millennium
House and Press Favorite went to Diana Inn.
Managing director of Diana Group, Sopin Thappajug said that the Diana
Group Bartender Contest was held for the first time in April last year
and included coffee milk shakes and fruit cocktails. The event attracted
interest from guests and customers, and this year the event was made
more international with the aim of further developing staff skills.
Team champs Diana Garden
Resort with Nattapong Chaitong bartender champ and Nampung Yaempojana
Miss Bartender.
Diana Garden Resort won
three main prizes in the second Diana Group Bartender Contest 2006.
|
