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Panorama pool rakes in 50,000 baht
Tim Durrell presents 50,000
baht to PGF chairman Richard Burk.
The pool competitions at Panorama bar on August 15 and 16
attracted 70 players and made a profit of 50,000 baht for Pattaya Gay
Festival funds and its principal charity fund Heartt 2000.
Thanks are due to 21 sponsors who provided prizes for the tombola,
especially USA Mike, and to the many people who supported the Boyztown
event. Here, Panorama’s Tim Durrell makes the donation to PGF chairman
Richard Burk of Amor Restaurant.
PCEC learns more about
Thai culture and Buddhism
Anu Set addresses the PCEC.
A busy programme was presented at the Pattaya City Expats
Club (PCEC) meeting on Sunday August 12 at Henry J. Bean’s.
The morning got underway with the week’s MC Roger Fox welcoming the morning’s
main speaker Anu Set. Anu is a 38-year-old American who has been a monk at Wat
Dhammakaya for 4 years. His previous profession was that of a graduate computer
engineer having gained a masters degree in computer science. The PCEC has an
ongoing desire to develop an understanding of Thai culture and Buddhism and this
morning’s talk served this aim very well. As expected Anu provided a very
interesting and enlightening talk.
He related how, from an early interest in Buddhism, he progressed to the
monkhood, giving up his career along the way, as he considered this goal to be
of more importance.
In particular he provided his experiences of meditation stating that through
meditation the mind can be cleansed which results in a high degree of relaxation
and ability to concentrate. He reminded the attendees that all physical things
have a centre of gravity and are balanced. The mind too must be balanced.
Anu then led a fifteen minute meditation session which was enjoyed by all the
attendees.
The meeting agenda returned to earth with the reminder that the Thai population
would be voting for the new constitution on August 19th. An English translation
of the proposed constitution appears on the PCEC website (see later).
Chairman Richard Smith announced that the next visit to the UBC studios in
Bangkok was to take place on Tuesday 14th.
Resident PCEC computer guru, Richard Silverberg, then provided his ‘Website of
the Week’ spot. This week Richard had chosen thaivisa.com. He explained that
whilst the website does, as its name suggests, provide comprehensive information
regarding visas, there is also a large amount of other very useful information.
For example, the website is excellent for the latest news in Thailand. There are
also a number of forums which allow individual topics to be discussed to which
there are currently 48,000 registered members. The URL of thaivisa is
www.thaivisa.com.
The regular Open Forum was then underway led by Bob L’Etoile and Harry Sigworth
who appear to have become the PCEC’s resident comedy duo. As usual this proved
to be the usual lively and entertaining session.
For more information regarding, not only PCEC Sunday meetings but also the many
mid week activities, please see the Community Happenings section of Pattaya Mail
or, for more details, visit the Club’s website at www.
pattayacityexpatsclub.com.
One flew over
the cockatoo’s nest
If the parrot could speak, he
might be saying, “Hey, in Thailand we ride on the left hand side,” or “Left
a bit, left a bit!” One can only hope that the parrot doesn’t have a taste
for crisps as he and his master ride along on their cycle made for
(cocka)two. Meanwhile, at the start of the day’s jousting tournament, the
approaching driver suddenly realizes he’s forgotten his bird.
(Photo by Prince Mahlotra)
Commart to offer IT goods
at bargain prices
Commart motorbike riders,
wearing helmets to promote safe riding, set out to also promote the upcoming
IT event.
Narisa Nitikarn
September 5 to 9 will see the staging of Commart Pattaya 2007, an exhibition
devoted to new advances in information technology at PEACH, in the Royal
Cliff Beach Resort.
A briefing for the expo was held at PEACH on August 2, with the seven
co-organizers represented, namely Pathom Inrodom, general manager of AR
Information and Publication Co Ltd; Verawat Khakhay, deputy mayor of Pattaya
City; Chaiwat Charoensuk, director of the Tourism Authority of Thailand
Central Office Region 3; Dr Auoychai Jitawet, director of the Information
Technology Center, Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs); Dr Datchaneeporn
Prukwattananon, marketing program manager of Intel Micro Electronics
(Thailand) Co Ltd; Nattawat Chayakul, vice president for partnership
marketing of Krungthai Card Pcl; and Sathaporn Wongbencharat, director of
the transport division, Nakhonchai Air Co Ltd.
Pathom said that the Commart IT Expo had been very successful in Bangkok,
and that a survey had been undertaken of the Eastern region before deciding
to hold a similar event in Pattaya. He said that along with the IT
professionals working in this region, on the consumer side people between
the ages of 25 and 30 have a keen interest, especially in notebook
computers, and have a lot of purchasing power.
Commart Pattaya will be selling IT products at very attractive prices. To
attract the crowds there will be a mini concert and the opportunity to win
six Yamaha Fino motorcycles and other prizes. As part of the publicity
campaign, the organizers have distributed 500 crash helmets free to
motorcycle taxi riders and to city employees.
Birthday at the Buchbergers
Elfi Seitz
Two hundred guests turned up at Siam Homes Development on August 4 for the
birthday party of Helmut Buchberger and also of his little daughter
Michelle.
 From
left: Helmut with Michelle and Supawadee have an enjoyable birthday amongst
friends and family.
Helmut has been living in Thailand for 12 years now, and is the executive
director of ABC Asian Business Development Co Ltd, ABC Asian Business
Consulting Co Ltd, and ABC Asian Legal Service Co Ltd.
Dad and daughter made sure that all their guests had a great time, with fine
food and drink, and some good music, with Arthur Bertram at the keyboards
and the strong-voiced duet Richard and DK from the Philippines.
Helmut and Michelle together blew out the candles on their birthday cakes,
to the cheers of everyone present. Despite some dark clouds the weather
played along, helping make the party a great success.
Bikers help disabled boy and foster mother
Patcharapol Panrak
The Thai Visit Club, a group of bikers who campaign against drug use and do
good deeds for the underprivileged, paid a visit to a special lady on
Mother’s Day.
 Members
of the Thai Visit Club and friends donate to the well-being of Rattapon, who
was abandoned by his real parents because of his being handicapped.
Club chairman Santi Bunsomya, 31, together with members of the club rode
their motorcycles from Pattaya City to the house of 59-year-old Mrs Somsri
Bunyarat, who lives at Soi Chaiyamongkon in Sattahip. Somsri is raising a
handicapped child whose name is Rattapon Klunum, and who is 15 years old.
His parents left him alone when he was a baby and he has never been able to
eat any meals other than milk.
Somsri sells grilled chicken in Sattahip Market to earn a living, and from
her income she buys milk, diapers and medicines for Rattapon. On top of this
are her household expenses such as food, water, electricity and rent. She
says she is afraid that as the child grows and his needs increase, she will
not be able to take care of him. She is therefore pleading with the boy’s
natural parents to come and take care of him.
Thai Visit Club, which totals around 150 motorbike riders, brought rice,
dried food, cartons of Ovaltine milk and some money to Rattapon and Somsri
on the occasion of Mother’s Day, August 12.
Santi said the club was formed six years ago, and in addition to helping the
needy, campaigns for safety amongst motorcycle riders, especially the young.
Tree planting marks
HM the King’s birth anniversary
The management of Dusit Resort, Pattaya recently joined
the government of Pattaya City in its tree planting project on Koh Larn to
mark the 80th birthday anniversary of His Majesty the King.
Chatchawal Supachayanont, general manager of Dusit Resort, Pattaya sent the
hotel’s Green Leaf committee to support the city government in planting
200,000 saplings and 1 million seeds to cover a plot of 2,000 rai of land at
Samae Beach.
Green Leaf committee president Prawes Akanimart led the hotel’s 20-strong
staff and volunteers to join the tree planting along with the Provincial
Police in Region 2 and student volunteers from Pattaya City.
“This is a very good initiative by the local government and we fully support
all projects that promote a healthier natural environment. Increasing the
number of trees on Koh Larn will help control erosion and improve the air
and water quality on the island. This is not only good for Pattaya and the
island’s tourism industry but also to provide a better quality of life for
Koh Larn residents,” Chatchawal Supachayanont said.
Dusit Resort, Pattaya has been awarded three times the Green Leaf
certificate with Five Leaves. This certificate is the highest level awarded
to a hotel signifying excellence in environmental management. Green Leaf is
a non-profit organization that awards certificates to hotels for their
commitment to environmental conservation by implementing strict in-house
programs that fosters environmentally-friendly practices.
Dusit volunteers with Mayor
Niran Wattanasartsathorn plant trees on Koh Larn.
Numchai donates hi-fi
to Jesters Party Night raffle
Mike Franklin (right)
interviews Capt. Steve Ponter (left) and Rangsan Ngarmphaiboon (2nd right)
for PMTV.
Mike Franklin
The inimitable Capt. Steve Ponter has done it again and come up with another
notable prize to add to the Jesters Party Night Grand Raffle prize list.
This time from Numchai and the prize generously received from manager,
Rangsan Ngarmphaiboon. The Panasonic DVD Stereo system will blend well with
the other valuable prizes to be drawn on the evening of Saturday 15th
September at Jameson’s.
The Party Night is the final fund-raiser in the Jesters 10th Anniversary
year. For more information about the 2007 ‘Care for Kids’ Charity Drive go
to www.care4kids.info
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