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Loy Krathong brings out the crowds
100,000 visitors join in the fun
Guests gather round for
the lighting of a kom loy at Alangkarn Theater.
“Loy, Loy Krathong…” The
dancing was beautiful at the Dusit Resort Pattaya.
Dominik Stamm (center), GM
of Amari Orchid Resort & Tower presents prizes to the winners of the
hotel’s Miss Loy Krathong pageant.
City hall took part in a
young Nang Noppamas contest at the Central Festival Center.
Rene Pisters, Ploy and
their Nang Noppamas float (loy) their krathongs at Thai Garden Resort.
The beautiful Nang
Noppamas pose at the Amari Orchid Resort & Tower.
The setting was
spectacular at the Thai Garden Resort.
Many of the lasses at the
beer bars around town dressed up in their best Loy Krathong outfits.
Mayor Niran
Wattanasartsathorn presents a prize to one of the krathong contest
winners in Naklua.
The little Nang Noppamas
contest was a big hit at Mike’s Shopping Mall.
Achana Sintwongse Na
Ayudhaya (left), managing director of the Montien Hotel, Pattaya
presents first prize to the hotel’s Miss Loy Krathong, Miss Siriporn
Suwanphoem.
Thai Garden Resort’s Loy
Krathong beauties were breath-taking.
This little Nang Noppamas
is ready to loy her krathong in Naklua.
Beautiful girls from the
Manhattan Restaurant give customers a Thai welcome.
Traditional dancing right
at your table at the Dusit Resort Pattaya.
Jomtien Boathouse put on a
great Loy Krathong party.
Some of the area’s best
krathongs were entered into the contest in Naklua.
Alexander Haeusler, GM of
the Royal Cliff Beach Resort presents the winner’s prize.
The locals enjoyed
shooting off a little fireworks, even though it was against the law.
Ariyawat Nuamsawat
Local and foreign tourists in great numbers celebrated Loy Krathong in
Pattaya on November 5. Crowds congregated along Walking Street, around
Bali Hai Pier, and along Pattaya and Jomtien Beach Roads, which affected
traffic flow but advance planning ensured the traffic kept moving.
Estimates are that more than 100,000 tourists participated in the
festivities.
Thai and foreign visitors alike joined in the fun, buying krathongs that
had mostly been made from natural materials including banana leaves and
flowers. The krathongs were selling for between 30-200 baht depending on
size and shape. Some were made from bread.
Other than the general hectic atmosphere in the streets and on the
beaches, the hotels and beer bars organized Loy Krathong activities
offering dinners, and events such as Little Miss Loy Krathong pageants.
Staff and participants dressed in Thai traditional attire to add to the
atmosphere.
Some traders ignored the ban on fireworks that was implemented to
prevent fires and were selling them in large numbers even after numerous
police raids.
Moon River Pub recorded in the annals
of the Pattaya entertainment scene
Celebrates 10 years as the night owls’ favourite haunt
Elfi Seitz, executive
editor of the Pattaya Blatt and Peter Nordhues present a basket of
flowers to Rene and Ploy Pisters flanked by Sanich Benjaman (left) Exec.
Assistant Manager and Brigitta Herkner (right) Guest Service Manager.
Never a dull moment, Rene
is overwhelmed by Jazz, Sue and Ploy.
Ten years ago as Pattaya was a smaller budding
business community and tourism was at a slight decline, entrepreneurs
were anxiously searching for new ideas to attract visitors from Thailand
and many parts of the world to their establishments. They knew that this
town needed something that would enhance the positive image of the new
Pattaya, something that would divert the attention of tourists and
residents from the old representation associated with the old Pattaya.
 Gen.
Boonkerd Wanwaree and Rene seem happy as Ploy cuts the birthday cake.
It was during this vital period of Pattaya’s history that the
proprietors of the Thai Garden Resort in all their wisdom and foresight
forged forward and created what is today considered to be one of the
most popular music and dance establishments in the eastern region of
Thailand, namely the Moon River Pub.
To relive the historic event that transpired a decade ago, Rene Pisters,
the effervescent general manager of the Thai Garden Resort kicked off a
5-day marathon of celebrations commencing on October 17 to mark the 10th
anniversary of the Moon River Pub.
Friends, family, guests and loyal patrons packed ‘ye ole’ barn like
structure of the pub to eat, drink, sing and dance to augur in another
10 years of delight and amusement at Pattaya’s favourite pub.
Art Suppawat entertained the guests in his inimitable style, vowing the
girls with his wit and charm, not to mention his good looks, only to be
almost outdone by the hot singers of the Power Jam band.
Through the sound of music and laughter, Pattaya Mail reporters were
able to take Rene to the side for a chat. He said, “Ten years ago, the
pub was conceptualised as a hut style venue, which has proven to be a
successful idea.
“There was never any need to change this concept,” he said. “The main
attraction is as always the live band, which performs in the evening.
Bands from Trinidad and Tobago, Malaysia, Colombia, and of course from
the Philippines have performed here.
“Our young band Power Jam from the Philippines has been playing here now
for over one and a half years.”
During the course of the evening guests were pleasantly surprised, but
not so for close friends of Ploy Pisters who was also celebrating her
birthday. Pandemonium broke loose as the whole house roared out the
happy birthday song for this delightful double header.
It was a night to remember and Rene proved once again that not unlike
Henry Mancini’s immortal song that goes “Moon River, wider than a mile,
I’m crossing you in style someday” that the Moon River Pub will be
thriving and giving pleasure and happiness to night owls who are after
the same rainbow’s end, waiting around the bend, for many years to come.
Yes, we’ll be there for the next celebration, Moon River and me.
James, Rene, Graeme, Ploy
and Sam celebrating side by side.
Art Suppawat and the Power
Jam Band liven up the party.
Well known Pattaya
residents join in the celebrations.
Grant Thornton shows combined foreign chambers the way ahead
Unfortunately, not all of them were listening
Dr. Iain Corness
Grant Thornton Thailand hosted a foreign chambers networking evening on
the Eastern Seaboard for the members of AMCHAM, AustCham, BCCT and the
Thai-Canadian Chamber. This was held at the Pattaya Marriott Resort and
Spa, and was very well attended, as you would imagine, with members from
four chambers present.
 Dr.
Iain Corness (left) chats up Peter Walker (right), Partner of Grant
Thornton.
Grant Thornton are certified public accountants and international
business consultants, and one of the partners, Peter Walker, gave the
group the results of their International Business Owners Survey (IBOS),
which was taken this year. This is the fourth such survey, and by now
has accumulated some very pertinent data for business owners world-wide,
and for Asia in particular. The Asian countries that participated
included Mainland China, Hong Kong, Japan, Malaysia, the Philippines,
Singapore, Taiwan and Thailand, and the world total was 7,000
businesses.
By looking at regional differences, it has been possible for Grant
Thornton to provide a ‘snapshot’ of the local business community, and
business owners can compare their performance and ways of doing business
against the more successful countries in the Asian region, and in fact
globally.
 (Left
to right) Andrew Hamilton, partner of Grant Thornton; Assoc. Prof.
Katherine Jenkins, rector of Webster University Worldwide; and Andrew
Homan, Partner of Grant Thornton discuss the education situation in the
region.
Some of those differences were very telling. The surveyed Thailand
businesses focused on costs and were downright pessimistic. Thai
business owners crying that the bottom line was being adversely affected
by high fuel costs (84 percent as compared to ASEAN peers at 51
percent), increased domestic competition (78 percent as opposed to
ASEAN’s 47 percent) and currency fluctuations (60 percent as opposed to
ASEAN’s 30 percent). On the pessimism scale, only 9 percent of
Thailand’s business owners were optimistic about future business,
compared to Singapore’s 61 percent level of optimism.
Other telling parameters included Thailand’s (lack of) readiness to get
on the Chinese and Indian bandwagons, with almost half the Thai
businesses expecting a decrease in their business returns because of
China. Pessimism reigns supreme!
It is obvious that the old adage still holds true – “If life is handing
you lemons, open a lemonade stand!” but Thai business owners are
forgetting this.
Grant Thornton’s IBOS is a yardstick that local businesses can use to
their advantage. Unfortunately many members of the chambers missed the
importance of this survey, being more interested in chatting up the
ladies and eating the (wonderful) food supplied by the Pattaya Marriott,
than in listening to Peter Walker’s address. In fact, at one stage, the
sponsor of the evening had to call for quiet in the room, to be able to
continue his address. A sad state of affairs.
One would think that three
docs, (left to right) Dr. Iain Corness, Dr. Marie Therese Claes, dean at
the Asian University Faculty of Business; and Dr. Richard Shainwald,
international marketing and public relations at the University of
Charleston, South Carolina U.S.A. would be engaged in intellectual
conversation.
(Left to right) Phichayut
Singhalaksana, repatriation manager of John Allison Monkhouse Co., Ltd.;
Jeanne M. Leonard, officer manager for the economic counsellor of the
United States Embassy; and Richard L Leonard, J.D., tax consultant of
Four Wings Mansion take a break from the event to pose for a photo.
(Left to right) Neil
Maniquiz, marketing executive at the International Marketing &
Communication Division of Bangkok Pattaya Hospital Co., Ltd.; Dominik
Stamm, general manager of Amari Orchid Resort & Tower; and Michael
Goetz, executive assistant manager of Amari Orchid Resort & Tower enjoy
the food and drink.
(Left to right) Colin Cousins, country
manager of Four Winds International Movers; Malcolm Scorer, chairman &
CEO of Watermark Capital Management Limited; Tirachart Charuvastra,
Consultant of Sukhothai Associates Inter Law Co., Ltd.; and Paul
Wilkinson, general manager, Eastern Seaboard of Four Winds International
Moving Limited are obviously enjoying the evening.
(Left to right) Gornragan
Phankhum, Marketing and development executive of Moody International
(Thailand) Ltd.; Jitra Wongjuan, client account manager of AA Insurance
Brokers Co., Ltd.; U-Tain Pongprapas, GMS sales manager of Crown
Relocations; and Pichitra Niphondkit, corporate account manager of Crown
Relocations represent the next generation of movers and shakers.
(Left to right) Steve
Johnson, director of Water Engineered Technologies (Thailand) Limited;
James Crocker, international marketing director of Kingfisher
International Relocations; Darren Hindle, business development manager
of AA Brokerage Co., Ltd.; Brendan Richards of AA Insurance Brokerage
Co., Ltd.; and Jeffrey Burrows, senior partner of Watermark Capital
Management Limited. Are all smiles during the evening.
Teresa Soroka,(left)
consultant for Credenda Associates; Stephen R. Beaver, (2nd right)
director of admissions for Webster University Worldwide; Bruce and Judy
Hoppe;(2nd & 3rd right) and Sue K (right) of PMTV enjoy the evening.
(Left to right) Larry
Peak, managing director of Peak Systems International Co., Ltd.; Dr.
Christopher Oates, managing director of Agro Food Resources (Thailand)
Co., Ltd.; Tim Gladwin, managing director of Sallmanns (Eastern
Seaboard) Limited.; and Simon Matthews C. Eng. MIEE, general manager of
Manpower.
Kilkenny’s pub night raises fund for Charity Club of Pattaya
(Back row, left to right) John Morgan PM,
Paul Strachan, Harpic, Peter Malhotra and (seated, left to right) Gavin
and David Garred are a handsome crew.
It was all about having fun and raising
funds for charity, optimised by Mike, Tony and Middy, members of LPWW.
Som Fisher charms John Morgan into buying a
lot of raffle tickets.
Guests frantically check their tickets
hoping to win a prize, as the numbers are called.
(L to R) Malcolm and Christina Boden present
the proceeds raised last month at the Charity Gala Night to Kevin Fisher
and RWM Michael Johnston of Lodge Pattaya West Winds for their charity
projects.
On Friday October 27, the Charity Club of Pattaya
held another of its successful pub nights, this time at Kilkenny’s Irish
Bar on Walking Street.
Originally the pub nights were planned to raise funds for a classroom
that the club was building in Kleang Rayong, which has since been built
and handed over.
The money raised from this pub night and the last pub night at the Queen
Victoria Inn on November 11 will be used to organise a Christmas party
for the 54 children at the Camillian Centre, a home for children and
orphans affected from birth by HIV/AIDS.
The night started around 7.30 p.m. and went on until late into the
evening, with guests being entertained by Metropolis with the cost being
taken care of by Kilkenny’s.
Of course the Charity Club had a raffle which raised 20,500 baht.
Kilkenny’s donated a bottle of spirits and meal vouchers for the auction
and wine for the raffle. Others that donated to the raffle were Tata
Young Enterprise, Mini Golf Pub, Queen’s Restaurant and Bar Jomtien,
Ebon, Globetrotters, The Munch Shack, Art Café and Dusit Resort Gym.
The Charity Club of Pattaya would like to thank Stewart Fraser at
Kilkenny’s for making the Charity Club so welcome; and its friends and
supporters.
| The finale of the pub nights will be on
Saturday November 11 at the Queen Victoria Inn Soi 6, the
official home of the Charity Club of Pattaya. Contact Malcolm
097441040 or Christina 095454185; [email protected]
or visit the club’s web site:
www.charityclubofpattaya.bravehost.com |
Joint Chambers of Commerce Thailand meets with Immigration officials
Summary of meeting 9 Oct 2006
Immigration:
Maj Gen Pongdej Chaipravaj RTP, Commander General Staff Division
Pol Col Supamith Duangpamorn, Superintendent 2
Pol Maj Unananvaekjit, Inspector Subdivision 2
Pol Maj Krisdakorn Klinkesorn, Inspector Subdivision 2
Joint Foreign Chambers of Commerce:
Peter van Haren, JFCCT, Chairman
Barry Petersen, Australian Chamber of commerce
Mr. Keisuke Matsumoto, Japanese Chamber of Commerce, Secretary General
Mrs. Roongtiva Manothirakul, Japanese Chamber of Commerce, Secretary
Mr. Thomas Gerber, Swiss Thai Chamber of Commerce, Executive Director
Subjects discussed
a) Tourist Visa
b) Non B Visa extension
c) New kind of Non Immigrant Visa
d) Ninety day Reporting
e) Resident Permit for retirees
f) Resident permit , requirement of Thai Language
g) Business visa for short term business without work permit
h) One Stop office Labour and Immigration at the Labour Ministry site
A) Tourist Visa
The new regulations have to be understood as following:
during 6 Months the person can only remain 90 days in Thailand, so the
immigration counts per day, upon each entry the persons get 30 days,
until the 90 days are used up. [30 x 3 days is possible]
B) Non B Visa Extension
Earlier, the Visa issuance and renewal were categorized in
three groups according the size of share capital and /or corporate tax
paid, the larger ones in group A, middle one in group B and smaller ones
(share capital less than 10 Mio / corporate tax less than 3 Mio) in
group C, with most smaller companies assigned to group C, where the visa
extension was granted only max 30 days for the first 3 times, then 1x 9
months when applying for 1 year visa.
This A-B-C-Group Qualification as been canceled and only 2 groups exist
now:
Group 1: all companies with share capital =2 Mio or higher, and equity
above 1 Mio (and the other criteria’s fulfilled) => 1x 30 days for
consideration, then 1x 11 months
Group 2: all companies with 2 Mio share capital but equity below 1 Mio:
the immigration considers case by case, and if the company attaches to
the application feasible reasons why the equity is below 1 Mio the visa
can still be granted. The official at the immigration counter has no
approval authority, he only has to collect and check the documentation,
and if ok, accept it and forward to higher ranks for approval or
rejection.
C) New kind of Non Immigrant Visa
Khun Maj Gen Pongdej Chaipravaj informed that foreigners can
now obtain a 3 year multiple Non Immigrant Visa with multiple entry at
every Thai embassy or consulate abroad for a fee of 10’000 Baht,
granting the traveler a period of max 90 days in Thailand per arrival.
Details can be found of the website of the Ministry of Foreign affairs.
Khun Pongdej suggested to contact the Thai embassies in the foreign
countries to find out what kind of documentation is required for
obtaining such a visa.
Note: None of the attending representatives of the Joint Foreign
Chambers of Commerce have ever heard anything about this kind of Visa.
D) Ninety Day reporting
Immigration explains this rule re-implemented under former
Immigration Authorities bases on a 30 year old law. Khun Pongdej will
investigate possibilities to get it abolished within 6 months.
E) Resident Permit for retirees
This earlier abolished category should be re-implemented, as
under the current situation a retiree hesitates understandably to
transfer all his assets to Thailand if he can only get a 12 month
Retiree Visa and has no guarantee for his further stay in Thailand.
However, Immigration informs that there are no such changes considered
right now.
F) Resident Permit, requirement for Thai Language
As a resident permit is much less than a naturalization /
Thai Nationality, the requirement for the foreigner to speak Thai just
for the resident permit should be abolished, as in most other countries
an international language is sufficient, none requires the native
language for obtaining this status. Immigration informs that no changes
are expected in the near future to abolish this requirement (implemented
4 years ago by Interior Minister Khun Purachai)
G) Business Visa for short term
Worldwide most countries allow foreigner to visit for a short
period of time with a business visa and attend meetings, congresses,
exhibitions, marketing promotions, short working periods etc/ without
having to obtain a work permit. Thailand is the only country in the
world which requires every foreigner to obtain additional to the Non B
Visa also a work permit, even he attends a meeting just for 1 hour.
It was suggested to abolish this requirement in Thailand (in order to
prevent that every honest business man coming to Thailand behaves
illegal from the time of entry).
Thailand should either accept the short term working under the Non B
Visa, or issue easy obtainable Business Visa to such business man.
It is understood that this business visa shall NOT entitle this foreign
person to gain income or employment in Thailand under this business
visa.
H) One Stop Office for Visa and Work permit at the
Ministry of Labor site
JFCCT suggested to keep this very convenient office (allowing
the business people to extend Visa and Work permit at the same location)
in operation, as the issuance of this 2 documents are strongly related
and it is extremely inconvenient to run each time from Immigration to
Labor department and backwards, as it has always to be done at the same
time. The Immigration official informed that the inter – linkage of this
2 will be eased by new regulations of the labor department, which will
issue in the future 1 or 2 or 3 year work permit independent from length
of Non-B visa. Therefore and also due to change in line of command the
office might be closed soon. The JFCCT would deeply regret this closing.
Remarks:
* New info shall be published on Immigrations website within
this week
* The new regulations will be implemented now, and the JFCCT is asked to
give some feedback on the procedures after they were applied for a due
period of time, e.g. 6 months.
Peter van Haren of the Joint Foreign Chambers of Commerce thanked the
Immigration Commander for the very fast feedback on our letter, the
immediate kind invitation to present our thoughts as well as the very
fruitful meeting and discussions today.
(recorded by Thomas Gerber, 9 Oct 2006)
New Visa Regulations per 1 October 2006
The Immigration department released on its website some new
regulations for different visas, see a copy here:
A] Principle and Reason: Because the previous immigration procedures
have not been updated since 1997 the immigration Bureau has improved and
revised the above mentioned in order to provide travelers with our best
services as well as to strengthen national security.
B] Visa Exemption (Visa on arrival): Passport holders from 36 exempted
countries will be able to enter into the Kingdom of Thailand without
visa and remain in Thailand for 30 days per each visit. However the
total duration of stay should not exceed 90 days within a six month
period, counting from the date of first entry.
C] Tourist Visa: Nationals of 40 listed countries may enter the Kingdom
of Thailand with a tourist visa, in accordance with Ministry of
Interior’s regulations, for a maximum stay of 60 days for the purpose of
tourism only. Other nationals may enter the Kingdom of Thailand with a
tourist visa of 30 days.
D] Extension for Business (Non-B-Visa): Foreigners must have work
permit. The business must have registered share capital of at least 2
Million Baht. The business must have enough income to pay the salary of
their employees including all fringe benefits for all foreigners in
their company’s next year account. Total Shareholders equity in the
balance sheet must be more than 1 million baht.
Immigration website:
http://www.immigration.go.th/nov2004/2notice/newpro.html
http://www.immigration.go.th/nov2004/en/base.php
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