OUR COMMUNITY
HEADLINES [click on headline to view story]: 

The Bay Il Ristorante Italiano celebrates 2nd anniversary

Rotary Club and US Military give Nikom-Sang-Ton-Aeng Rayong 3 School a shiny new coat of paint

PILC opens new look building at Rayong School

Spanish Winemaker’s Gala Dinner

A-One Royal Cruise Hotel sets sail

Aussies head Northshore

The Bay Il Ristorante Italiano celebrates 2nd anniversary

Chatchawal Supachayanont (far right), general manager of the Dusit Resort, with Jakrapong Vitayasirikul, director of F&B (far left), Executive Chef Hans Peter Held (5th from left), Italian Chef Giuseppe Zanotti (6th), and guests.

Cristina De Vera
Wines and ‘Via Venetos’ flowed with bites of Italian aperitifs when The Bay Il Ristorante Italiano recently celebrated its second year anniversary.
Dusit Resort Pattaya’s general manager, Chatchawal Supachayanont said that the event was organized to give thanks to The Bay’s loyal customers and to give honour to The Bay’s kitchen and wait staff for continuously seeking means to improve the quality of the Italian restaurant’s food and service. The Bay was recently awarded by Thailand Tatler as one of the best restaurants in Thailand after only two years in business, recognizing its high-end Italian cuisine and the spectacular view of Pattaya Bay.
At the helm of one of Pattaya’s finest dining venues is Italian Chef Giuseppe Zanotti. Chef Giuseppe has been serving creative Italian dishes with The Bay’s a la carte menu and monthly promotions.
Chef Giuseppe approaches every creation with the passion and concentration of an artist and some of his ‘masterpieces’ include steamed prawn salad with heart of artichoke, parmesan shaving and lemon dressing; Tortelli Piacentini with spinach, ricotta filling and butter sage sauce; Grain-fed Angus beef tenderloin with rucola mash, Siciliana spinach, Parma ham and gravy sauce. For dessert, he recommends chocolate mousse with dark cherry sauce.
When one guest was asked what he likes about dining at The Bay, he said, “It’s the atmosphere and the food that easily makes The Bay a standout in Pattaya’s highly competitive dining scene. You can never find a restaurant in Pattaya that comes close to The Bay’s exceptional setting.”
Hotel guests and loyal diners of The Bay were treated to ‘Via Veneto’, a cocktail named after one of the most famous roads in Rome, and is composed of cognac, sambuca, lemon juice, egg white and sugar syrup, as well as Italian treats such as Polenta with anchovies and tomato sauce, sun dried bread with salami, and crabmeat ravioli with shitake lobster sauce.
In 2004, The Bay was completely redesigned, providing different dining experiences in its modern beachside setting. Guests can choose to dine in air conditioned comfort or at the terrace for al fresco dining overlooking the bay. Since it opened two years ago, the focus of The Bay’s kitchen has been on authentic Italian cuisine with a modern twist.
The Bay Il Ristorante Italiano is located at Dusit Resort, Pattaya. It is open every day from 11 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. and from 6:30 p.m. to 10 p.m. For reservations, please call 0 3842 5611-7 ext. 2270.


Rotary Club and US Military give Nikom-Sang-Ton-Aeng Rayong 3 School a shiny new coat of paint

John Botting
Rotary Club of Taksin-Pattaya Press Officer
After lengthy planning, finally the day came when the Rotary Club of Taksin-Pattaya held their largest ever joint project with the visiting US Navy. Three ships were involved this time. The sailors and marines came from the USS Juneau, the USS Harpers Ferry and the USS Essex. These ships where here for Cobra Gold 06, and their crews were eager to be part of the Community Relations (Comrel) project our club set up for them.
On Tuesday May 26, Charter President Peter Thorand led a convoy of 3 buses to the Nikom-Sang-Ton-Aeng Rayong 3 School, for the purpose of renovating some of the classrooms there.

Thanks to the US Military and the Rotary Club of Taksin-Pattaya, Nikom-Sang-Ton-Aeng Rayong 3 School received a shiny new coat of paint.

On arrival, the Marriott Hotel charity group and Rotary Club of Taksin-Pattaya Treasurer Hans Schaad greeted the 120 sailors and marines.
The visitors formed 6 task groups and selected classrooms for repainting. Within two hours the task was almost completed; the only thing that held us up was that we ran out of paint. So, 60 liters more were ordered and delivered. By noon we managed to complete our task, the 5 classrooms and the cafeteria including the cement floor where shining with a new coat of paint and the classrooms looked new and fresh.
This was not all, however. The visitors brought some gifts for all kids to enjoy; namely two complete sets of new computers including printers and speakers, etc. To top it off, for the small ones in the kindergarten there where toys and some nice clothing. Sports equipment was handed to the sport teacher and certificates of appreciation exchanged.
Everyone enjoyed a nice meal, again provided by the Marriott Hotel & Spa.
The kids put on a lovely Thai dance show for the visitors, and the visitors gave them a roaring round of applause for this performance.
This has been the fastest renovation project anyone in our club has witnessed, thanks to the visiting sailors.
We hope that they come back next year, as we have a lot more schools in need of their help.


PILC opens new look building at Rayong School

The whole happy gang of children, teachers and benefactors pauses for a photo on the occasion of reopening the school after its renovation.

Suchada Tupchai
The Nikom School in Rayong proudly took possession of the new look colorful school building thanks to the invaluable assistance from Pattaya International Ladies Club. The opening ceremonies took place on school grounds and were attended by students, teacher and PILC members led by Helle Rantsén, PILC Welfare Chairperson on June 5.
Helle and her team were given a warm welcome by teachers and students as they opened the new classroom.
Pornthip Tippwat, acting school director told reporters, “The PILC has provided aid to the school for just over a year. Past projects they have done include helping the children and buying shoes for them. This has enabled the children to take more pride in the schoolwork and in their attitudes along with a number of other activities. In April, we began renovating of this building. The base color chosen was a green theme. The facelift has given new life to the old building, providing the children with better leaning environment. Just a like new.”
Heller Rantsén, PILC Welfare Chairperson revealed, “I feel this is a very special day for everyone that we can reopen the building with its new look.
“PILC raises its funds through kind donations given to us throughout the year, or from companies or private persons given to us at our holiday bazaar in October and our grand ball in November. This time the donation of 200,000 baht towards the Nikom 9 renovation was given to PILC by a member of PILC and her family. This was a gesture deeply appreciated by all involved.”
Helle went on to say that renovations began in April this year and were completed at the end of May.
“It’s an opportunity to provide a colorful environment for teachers and students,” said Helle, “on behalf of the PILC I can say that we feel very happy to be a part of this project as part of helping the community,” added Helle.
Apart from the ceremonies to open, the building PILC members donated school bags and snacks to the children before touring the new classrooms and planting trees.
The school is located in Nikom Pattana district of Rayong and caters to students from Nursery school to year 6. There are five teachers caring for 130 students who come from low-income families. The school has faced problems with the upkeep and maintenance of basic amenities and necessities such as adequate bathrooms, drinking water and lunches for the children. They have been forced to rely on the generosity of the private sector and charitable organizations, such as the PILC, to help improve facilities.
Helle finished by saying, “Nikom 9 School is a very poor school in a very poor area. It doesn’t have a computer room or a sound lab, which are normal facilities at ordinary Thai primary schools. After the opening on the 5th of June I was taken to the toilets and asked if I could help to renovate them, which were indeed in need of repairs. Who knows? There might be another kind sponsor out there who would like to support a very special school for 130 pupils in need of new toilets.”


Spanish Winemaker’s Gala Dinner

By Miss Terry Diner
A senorita, several bottles of wine and a seven course dinner, and all for under B. 2,000. Sounds extremely romantic for someone on a budget, does it not? But that was the promise from the Royal Cliff Wine Club for their Spanish Winemaker’s Gala Dinner, and they met the challenge full on. Even without a senorita it would have been a bargain, considering there were six wines to be drunk (not including the reception Cantico Moscato Spumante Italian wine – however rather sweet for some) and such gourmet items as pan-seared Atlantic scallop and spice-encrusted tuna sashimi, or roasted capsicum cream soup with Alaskan crabmeat!

Ekachai Mahaguna introduced two Chilean wines from the Underraga label.
The president of the Wine Club, Ranjith Chandrasiri, spoke to the Pattaya Mail TV about the method of selection of both wines and food. This is a rigorous process, and not just a case of guessing that this would go with that, and vice versa. The wines are sampled and their individual characteristics noted, and then Walter Thenisch, the executive chef of the Royal Cliff Beach Resort is consulted, who with his staff, puts together a menu proposal to go with the wines, and this is then sampled before it is to be presented to the Wine Club members.
This latest dinner showcased Spanish wines, especially those from the Marques de Riscal vineyard, and this is where the senorita came from, with Eloisa Suazo from the export department of the winery coming from Madrid for the evening. She spoke briefly on the history of the vineyard, which was founded in 1860, and by 1895 it was winning medals in the international wine shows. It is still an award winning winery, and Eloisa described the four different wines that would be sampled that evening.

Eloisa Suazo described the four different wines that would be sampled that evening.
Following her speech, Ekachai Mahaguna, the MD of Cannon Pacific, expounded further, saying that he was proud of the fact that his company was overseeing the official launch of the Marques de Riscal range, and the Wine Club members were the recipients! He also introduced two Chilean wines from the Underraga label, being a Chardonnay and a Pinot Noir, which were to be drunk that evening.
Speaking to many of the members and guests, it was apparent the regard that is held for Executive Chef Walter Thenisch, who after all these years, never seems to repeat himself. And I must add, comes up with some superb dishes. The third course of pan-seared Atlantic scallop and spice-crusted tuna sashimi on butter poached celery stems with soffritto sautéed chanterelle mushrooms and dried cranberries, on a piquant blueberry sauce was a flurry of tastes and textures. Brilliant! The main course was a grain mustard and honey coated premium rack of lamb served on a Marques de Riscal red wine reduction, while we sampled (or quaffed heavily) on my favorite wine of the evening, the Riscal “1860” Tempranillo, Castilla y Leon 2004, a very smooth red with some noticeable tannin and great after taste.
Discussing the various wines with Ekachai Mahaguna (a very approachable and knowledgeable man), he highlighted the fact that wine appreciation is an individual concept. Whilst I loved the Riscal, it was probably the Marques de Riscal “Reserva” Rioja 2001 which was the most popular by acclaim that evening. This wine had been described by Eloisa (the senorita in residence) as being an “excellent vintage”.
These wine dinners are also very relaxed affairs, and it was noticeable that many diners took the time between courses to walk around the tables and discuss their preferences with others, and with senorita Eloisa and Ekachai.
The service staff was flawless as usual, as we have come to expect at the Royal Cliff Beach Resort, and probably the only mildly jarring note was some background Italian music, rather than airs from Andalusia!
You can contact Ranjith at the Wine Club by emailing [email protected]. Whilst the number of members has grown almost exponentially in the few years it has been in existence, Ranjith let it slip that there could be a few vacancies shortly. If you are interested in good food and good wines (and you do not have to be a connoisseur), I do recommend your joining this very friendly group.


A-One Royal Cruise Hotel sets sail

Somchai Ratanaopath, managing director of A-One, introduces his new Boat Music management team.

A-One Royal Cruise Hotel set sail last Friday with the cocktail opening of the Boat Music Place. During the festivities, Somchai Ratanaopath, managing director of A-One, took the opportunity to introduce his new management team.
The atmosphere was set for party as people danced to the music of the live band, who played a wide variety of favorites. The lobby was decked out with tables of delicious buffet of Western, Japanese, Vietnamese, and Thai along with deserts of all description to suit all tastes, and the drinks flowed all night.
The Boat Music Place is a perfect place for parties as it is spacious, and has one of the largest dance floors in Pattaya, surrounded by comfortable lounge suits to relax in between dancing. The soft lighting is perfect to add a touch of romance for any occasion. The beautifully decorated modern Karaoke Hall is a great place to have fun and meet new friends and the private or VIP rooms are great for your own private party.


Aussies head Northshore

The Australian Chamber is holding its next Sundowners on the Eastern Seaboard on June 23 at the Northshore Penthouse on Soi 5 Beach Road Pattaya commencing 6 p.m. This venue is the new Raimon Land PLC Grade A project and they are the main sponsors for the night. The catering sponsor will be the Amari Pattaya. With the food being overseen by their executive chef, the nibbles will be superb, says Miss Terry Diner, the Pattaya Mail’s food critic.
The Eastern Seaboard Sundowners are AustCham Thailand’s Pattaya business networking function. It is a great opportunity for members and guests of the Chamber to meet, network and exchange views in a social environment. The organizers even advise you to arrive on time to take full advantage of the networking opportunities.
AustCham also encourage members to bring along colleagues and business associates to the networking event. We also suggest Australian members invite their Thai counterparts, business associates and friends and vice versa. Member Cost: THB 300, Non-member: THB 750. Enquiries to [email protected]