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Overseas students learn about Thai culture
at Asian University summer school
Dr Marie Therese (left), Dr
Astrid Kainzbauer and Dr. Viphandh Roengpithya deliver their messages to the
students.
Dr. Vip proposes a taost to
the success of the programme.
By Susan Joyce
Last weekend Asian University welcomed 73 students from 13 different
countries to its Summer University. The students will be based at the
university and at the Welcome Jomtien Beach Hotel during their three-week
stay, and will attend lectures on Asian culture, history and business.
 Sue
K. interviews Dr. Vip for PMTV.
They will also have a taste of Thai culture, with a chance to learn cooking,
Thai dance, massage and many other aspects of Thai life. The students will
visit Wat Yan and hear about life there from the head monk, and elephant
riding, Thai boxing classes and a visit to Bangkok are included in the busy
schedule.
At the opening ceremony on Monday 10 July at Asian University, the students
were greeted by the non-academic staff dressed in traditional costumes along
with children from a local school, who danced and sang, and placed garlands
around the necks of the visitors.
Many of the European visitors have never been to Asia before, and were
impressed by everyone’s friendliness, as where the others who are from
countries as diverse as Mongolia, Bhutan and Sri Lanka.
The auditorium was abuzz with
students from many countries.
The students had assembled on Sunday night at the hotel,
and many had stayed up to watch the World Cup final. Monday was down to
serious business with a talk about education and benefits, and a brief
history of the university from its president Dr Viphandh Roengpithya.
Dr Vip, as he is affectionately known, after greeting the
delighted visitors in a variety of languages, spoke on what had inspired him
to open this international university in the Pattaya area, and what are the
crucial factors needed to run a university of this scale.
Dean of the business faculty Dr Marie Therese and the faculty’s associate
dean Dr Astrid Kainzbauer spoke about the programs offered by the
university. Astrid first met Dr Vip in Vienna, and he invited her to come to
Asian U. Astrid wanted to offer a Summer University for foreigners to learn
about Thailand and the region, not just doing business here, but also the
culture.
Consequently, in addition to the intensive core subjects in management and
economics, the program is also designed specifically to expose students to
Asian culture, philosophy and business practices.
In addition to a full academic program, Summer University students can
choose excursions and other extracurricular activities planned during their
stay. The activities are designed to promote interaction between students,
staff and local people.
The visitors thoroughly
enjoyed the welcome,Thai style.
Robots take to the soccer field in junior challenge
Mark Beales
Footballing robots to rival Ronaldo scored a major hit at a hi-tech show
at Assumption College Sriracha, when students from schools across
Thailand, Japan and Singapore gathered for the International Junior
Robot Challenge and Exhibition 2006 that took place from July 6-8.
 Robot
1 + 2: Assumption’s dancing robots took top spot in the competition.
Students made ingenious robots that competed in football games, where
the machines battled to push a ball into the opposing goal.
Mechanical dolls danced on a stage while other robots made their way
through an obstacle course.
There was also a “robot rescue” where robots carefully sensed their way
through an obstacle course.
Minister for Science and Technology Dr Prawit Ratanapetya opened the
event.
Eric Tan, president of the Robojunior Society in Singapore, saw his
teams compete in the one-to-one and two-to-two football competitions.
 Robot
3: Singapore students battle it out in the Robo Soccer tournament.
Six students from two schools in Singapore were selected to come to
Thailand for the event. The Robojunior Society is a voluntary group
aimed at encouraging youngsters to get involved with robots.
Tan said as well as being fun there was a strong educational element to
creating robots. “It’s not just about being academic, there’s a
practical side to this and it’s interesting to watch so many people
looking at the robots here.”
Takaharu Kawano, managing director of Japan Robotech, agreed. “Since the
foundation of the competition we have been working with Assumption
College,” he said. “Last year we were number one and two so this year we
had to come to defend our titles.
“The students like to build robots as it helps them learn and they can
see when a dream comes true thanks to their own ability.”
 Robot
4: Two of the students from Singapore who visited Assumption for
the ’robo challenge’ .
Four Japanese students from different schools came to Assumption College
Sriracha for the robot competitions.
Kawano was impressed by Assumption College Sriracha and how the event
had been organized.
The winner of the Robo Soccer 1-1 Tournament was NO-R, while Knomakai
scooped top spot in the 2-2 competition. Team SG-MF-O1-A won the Robo
Rescue, while Assumption’s Eight Cylinder Engine team won the Robo
Dancing Tournament, and will be presented with a trophy given by His
Majesty the King.
“The event was a fantastic success and it was wonderful to see so many
young faces working so hard to make their robots the best,” said
Assumption College Sriracha’s director, Brother Surasit Sukchai.
Assumption College Sriracha is the largest school on the Eastern
Seaboard of Thailand, educating more than 4,400 students.
The Jesters Children’s Fair & Family Day is coming very soon
Lewis Underwood
Our signature event of the 9th Annual Jesters ‘Care for Kids’ Charity
Drive, the Jesters Children’s Fair, is less than two months away.
Our yearly Family Day, on Sunday, September 10th, will once again be
held at the Diana Garden Resort and Driving Range just off North Pattaya
Road, the 6th consecutive year that the Diana Group have hosted the
event.
 Six
days before Jesters Pub Night at Jameson’s on Saturday 16th September,
the Children’s Fair will be replete with the colossal bouncy castle and
slide, children’s arcade, climbing wall, pony rides, children’s raffle,
organized kid’s games, a wide variety of stalls offering world wide
cuisine, children’s activities and sales of a diverse assortment of
knick knacks, books, second hand goods and handicrafts items. On stage
there will be a variety of entertainers and performers, including music,
dance, magic, comedy and much more.
The activity and entertainment program for the day has still to be
finalized and there are opportunities for additional participation and
involvement
Opportunities to participate in and
support the Jesters Children’s Fair
Entertainment: We need individual performers or groups
for our stage program
If interested please call, 01 3444680.
Advertisers for our Fair Program guide:
Full color page (6” x 8.25”) @ 7500 baht; half page @ 4000 baht.
Please email us at [email protected].
Stallholders: Food stalls @ 2500 baht; Non-food stalls
@1500 baht
School stalls are free. If interested book a stall on our site:
www.care4kids.info.
Beer Tent donations: In August we will be looking for
donors of cases of canned
beer, or 700 baht equivalent. Beer sales on the day of the Fair
typically cover the complete cost of the fair set-up.
As a warm-up to the Jesters Children’s Fair, and a wonderful
family day for all to enjoy, here are some photos from recent
fairs.
We look forward to seeing you on Sunday, September 10th at the
Diana Garden Resort & Driving Range, North Pattaya. |
Fire drill at Redemptorist Vocational School focuses on help for disabled
Kanathat Chantrsiri
explains safety and protection measure in the event of a fire.
Narisa Nitikarn
Redemptorist Vocational School for the Disabled held its second
annual fire drill on July 2 and was supported by the Fire And Rescue
Association Thailand (FARA).
Father Worawut Saraphan, the licensee of the school and deputy director
presided over the arrangements, and a total of 50 took part.
Head of FARA, Kanathat Chantrsiri had devised a fictional scenario in
which a fire had broken out on the fourth floor of the wheelchair
building, which is both school building and dormitory. There were 60
people in the building at the time of the fictitious fire.
The drill was organized to teach all procedures in the event of a fire,
from first sighting through to evacuation procedures. After the drill
Father Worawut praised the participants and presented a gift to the
speaker.
“Fires can break out at any time and care should be taken at all times,
especially with the disabled who need constantly to practice escape
drill procedures,” said Kanathat.
“Because of the varied types of disability at the school, those who are
self-mobile are able to reach the fire escapes unaided, but the
wheelchair-bound are unable to use the fire escapes and thus the
training emphasized on teaching this category to get away from the smoke
as quickly as possible.
“Those who are able to move unaided should assist those suffering
disabilities which impede mobility to get away from the smoke, as 80
percent of all fire deaths result from inhaling smoke and where the
victim usually dies within the space of four minutes.”
A resident is lowered from
the 4th floor where the ‘fire’ had broken out as another occupant is
rushed out of the danger zone.
Don’t worry if your child has limited concentration, says doctor
He or she could become the next Einstein
Ariyawat Nuamsawat
If your child appears to be having learning problems at school, or
difficulty in reading, he or she may in fact have exceptional creative
abilities, parents heard during a seminar at Bangkok Pattaya Hospital
early this month.
 Child
d development psychologist Dr Somchart Suttikarn.
The seminar, presented by child development psychologist Dr Somchart
Suttikarn, described ways in which to help children who suffered from
limited concentration and dyslexia, and was attended by parents and
teachers from Banglamung, Sriracha and Sattahip.
Dr Somchart said that school is where children spend more than 60
percent of their daily lives, so part of their development is school
related, whether it be speaking, learning, and other developmental
aspects.
Children with limited concentration are normally naughty and cannot stay
still, are not good readers and writers and have learning difficulties,
but studies have shown that the right side of the brain is often highly
developed in such cases, and it is this part of the brain that controls
imagination, creativity, art, scientific research, music, sport and
physical movement.
 Your
child could grow up to become a genius.
“Edison, Einstein, Da Vinci, Newton and even Tom Cruise all had reading
difficulties during their childhood,” said Dr Somchart
Bangkok Pattaya Hospital held the seminar to pass on techniques on how
to teach children with limited concentration for implementation in the
classrooms and also provide teachers with correct procedures. Parents
and guardians can also help to bring out the potential in their
children, starting by having conversations with them and keeping them
away from the TV.
Southern youth leaders visit Turtle Conservation Center
Children from the south
had a fun time learning about nature and wildlife at Sea Turtle
Conservation Center.
Patcharapol Panrak
The Narathiwat Youth Leader Camp Project brought 40 youth leaders
from the South for an educational visit to the Sea Turtle Conservation
Center at Sattahip, which is under the command of the Royal Thai Navy.
The June 30 visit, led by deputy director general of the Navy Civil
Affairs Department Captain Praprutporn Aksornmat was part of a Navy
program to promote peace and understanding amongst the people of the
South by demonstrating the common objectives all Thais have, in this
case the conservation of nature and wildlife.
Rear Admiral Chaiwat Iamsamutr, commander-in-chief of Air and Coastal
Defense Command and other high-ranking officers were on hand to welcome
the kids and to make their visit a most memorable one.
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