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Mayor hands out school supplies as gifts to students
Mayor Niran (center) leads
Pattaya councilors in visiting and distributing
gifts to children from 10 schools in Pattaya City.
Vimolrat Singnikorn
Mayor Niran Wattanasartsathorn and his chief advisor Itthipol
Khunplome led Pattaya councilors in distributing New Year presents to
children at Pattaya School No 5 on January 9.
At an assembly led by school director Mrs Aporn Ratchasingho, 1,421 students
received gifts that included boxes of pencils, schoolbags and books.
Niran said that the gifts were small items that were all relevant to school,
and that they were being presented to help reduce expense to parents. He
said that the cost of school supplies is a problem for many families, and
that as the students cannot do without the equipment, Pattaya City
administration was happy to offer support.
Presentations will also take place at the other schools under Pattaya City
jurisdiction until students at all 10 schools have received their gifts.
11-year-old Nong Srai and her father still living in the cemetery
Job offers for garbage collector never materialized
Patcharapol Panrak
Nong Srai, the 11-year-old girl who was at the center of a massive wave of
publicity in November last year when it was publicly revealed that she and her
father are reduced to living in a cemetery is still there, despite the many
promises made by various people and organizations at the time.
 Despite
all the media attention and subsequent promises they received in November, Nong
Srai and her father still live in a cemetery.
The story broke on November 23, when a security guard at Ban Sukhawadee next to
Chonglom Temple found out that Miss Sarocha Chompoo, a primary school class 2/1
student at Pattaya School No 2, was living in a small hut amongst the graves
with her father, 36-year-old Thongplew Chompoo. They had been there for 10
years, and survived by collecting garbage.
Kasem Chimjiew, the director of Pattaya School No 2 and Mrs Pornsuda
Yaemjaesorn, the girl’s class teacher, had then gone to the cemetery to check
the story for themselves and found that it was true.
Subsequently, Deputy Mayor Ronakit Ekasingh and Social Welfare officers had gone
to the cemetery. Astonished that a child of 11 years could be living in such
poverty, Ronakit and the officials had arranged money and essential supplies,
and a scholarship from the King Taksin and Chao Por Ket Ngam shrines was awarded
to Sarocha, who is more usually known as Nong Srai.
Promises of more lucrative employment were made to Thongplew but when reporters
went to visit Nong Srai and her father on January 1, they found that nothing had
changed. The pair still live in the same small hut, and Thongplaew continues to
collect garbage for a living. He said that once the media attention subsided, so
too did the offers of employment.
Asked by reporters what she would like as a New Year gift, Nong Srai said that
she would like a motorcycle with a sidecar for her father to collect garbage.
She would also like somewhere better to live.
School director Kasem said that Nong Srai is a good student, has good behavior,
and is diligent. The school has provided her a scholarship, and opened a
Government Savings Bank account at Banglamung Branch in Chonburi in the name of
Miss Sarocha Chompoo, account number 03-2105-20-112608-2. The teachers are happy
that kindhearted people have supported the girl for her education, so she would
have a better life in the future.
Currently, said Kasem, the amount in Nong Srai’s account is approximately
250,000 baht, of which some could be used to purchase a motorbike with a
sidecar.
Y-Teen Club to be founded in Pattaya
Elfi Seitz
The Young Women’s Christian Association needs new members. Hence,
Nittaya Patimasongkroh, chairwoman of the Family Project under the patronage
of YWCA Pattaya, went to Chiang Mai to attend a meeting in which the
establishment of Y-Teen Clubs was discussed.
 Nittaya
Patimasongkroh (2nd right) and Professor Sukjai Namphud, chair woman of
Y-Teen Clubs (2nd left), work hand in hand with the YWCA.
Young Women’s Leadership Development teaches knowledge and understanding
about the history of YWCA, its traditions, culture and perspectives. In
addition, it imparts joy of living, shapes good manners and fosters the
skills of speech delivering and leadership.
Many years have passed since the YWCA was founded with the aim of helping
and protecting children and women. The needs have changed and women have to
constantly adjust to new situations in order to keep up a modern standard.
Thailand now plans to become a center for these Y-Teen Clubs and to support
other countries in setting up their own Clubs. The motto of this new-born
organization is “Let no one look down on you because you are young. Set good
examples in speech, life and the love that you can give in faith and
purity.”
Sea Breeze looks
forward to new season
From left to right: (back row)
Sheila, Trudy, Lela, Dinie, Phua, Yuko, Loran, Cindy, Ursula and Chizuko.
Sitting: Yumiko, Sue, Marianne, Kim and Ben. Behind Kim: Pat Burbridge.
After successful charity concerts in 2007 the Sea Breeze
Choir of Pattaya resumed rehearsals on January 8 at the residence of choir
leader Ben Hansen.
New scores and arrangements are being made to brush up some old songs and a
new repertoire has been chosen for the season of 2008. The choir extended
recently and consists now of 17 ladies with 10 nationalities.
If you like singing and can read notes or can carry one, contact Ben Hansen
at [email protected]
PCEC meeting enjoys
another big turnout
The Pattaya City Expats Club (PCEC) meeting on Sunday
January 13th at Henry J. Bean’s got underway with this week’s MC Roger Fox
remarking that the large attendances of recent weeks was continuing and he
thanked the attendees for their ongoing support.
 Max
Rommel, PCEC Treasurer, presents copies of sketches made by a relative on a
trip to Thailand in the late 19th Century, when he was a guest of King Rama
V, to Chairman Richard Smith.
Roger then introduced the main speaker of the morning, that of Gary Hacker.
Gary not only assists the US Embassy as the area Warden, but he is also an
avid traveller and travel writer. This morning Gary provided a very
comprehensive account of his recent trip to Hong Kong and Macau.
Gary’s trip was split between the two locations having arrived on the no
frills Air Asia airline. A total of four nights was spent in each city.
Gary made a number of recommendations regarding accommodation in Macau
eventually staying at the Metropole. Macau currently boasts 30 operating
casino resorts which are expected to double by the end of 2008.
Gary highlighted a number of attractions such as the 338 meter high Macau
Tower which the particularly brave or foolhardy, attached by a safety
harness, can walk around a narrow ledge at the top of the tower. The
Venetian Casino was described which has a network of canals with gondolas
within the complex.
Moving onto Hong Kong, Gary stayed at the Eaton Hotel as a result of the
price line hotel auction internet site. Gary described both cities as
exciting places to visit and thoroughly recommended them as destination to
visit.
PCEC member Bob Bisighini reported that the arrangements with the plant
officials to visit the Chevrolet Car Manufacturing Plant had now been
confirmed and the visit was to take place on February 8. Bob reported that
70 people were now signed up to make the visit and informed all those going
on the trip as to the required dress code.
In recognition of Chairman Richard Smith’s services to the PCEC, Max Rommel
presented him with a number of framed prints depicting previous members of
previous Royal Families dating back to 1898.
Phil Webb provided the latest information on the plans to visit Angkor Wat.
Phil provided details of both travel by land and air options.
The PCEC then welcomed back Barry Kenyon, the Honorary Consul (Pattaya) of
the British Embassy. Whilst Barry did not have any specific news to announce
he did answer a number of questions which inevitably arise on the subject of
visas and immigration.
Roger Fox announced that the Vientiane Restaurant will be staging the Rotary
Club sponsored Elvis Extravaganza, featuring many Elvis Impersonators. This
is a charity event starting at 7:30pm. The proceeds will be donated to the
Mercy Centre Pattaya to help them finance their new “Home for Children”.
Richard Smith announced that contact had been made with the CEO of Nikon
Corporation operating in Chantaburi. It is hoped that a visit to the Nikon
manufacturing plant can be organised in the near future. It is also expected
that Nikon would provide a technician to attend the popular Photography Club
organised by the PCEC.
The regular Open Forum was conducted by Bob L’Etoile with comedy partner Sig
Sigworth in tow to receive the well intentioned jokes! As always it provided
an opportunity for questions about living in Thailand with an emphasis on
Pattaya to be asked. The Open Forum again proved to be the usual lively and
entertaining session. For more information regarding not only PCEC Sunday
meetings but also the varied mid week activities, please see the Community
Happenings section of Pattaya Mail or, for more details, visit the Club’s
website at pattayacityexpatsclub.com
Somkiat takes this man to be his lawful wedded wife
Theerarak Suthatiwong
At 11:30 a.m. on January 4, at a ceremony at a house in the Promjai
Community beside Luang Bangpra Temple, Sriracha, Somkiat Thong-Ngam, the
21-year-old son of the household and Thanyatorn Onboon, a 24-year-old
transvestite exchanged their marriage vows.
The ceremony was conducted in traditional Thai style, with the parents of
the bride and groom present along with friends of the happy couple.
Thanyatorn, who is better known as Nong Lulu and who wore a cream-colored
wedding dress, is a waiter at Krau Bangpra Seafood, which is connected to
Air Defense Command Battalion 12 in Bangpra. He comes from Wangthong in
Pitsanuloke, and first worked at the Hard Captain Youth Restaurant where he
met Somkiat, who was also a waiter there.
The couple had a three-year relationship before deciding to ask permission
from their relatives for a traditional marriage. The groom gave 9,999 baht
to the bride’s parents at the engagement ceremony, for prosperity and for a
long lasting time together. The wedding reception was held during the
evening of January 4 at Bangpra Kindergarten, where guests were seated at 30
tables to enjoy a banquet.
Somkiat is an employee in the nutrition section at Samitivej Hospital in
Sriracha. He declared shyly that he loves Nong Lulu because his bride is
such a good person, and because they are happy together. Nong Lulu in turn
said that she loves Somkiat because he is handsome.
The couple intend to begin their married life by staying in the home of
Somkiat’s family. Amongst the guests who attended the ceremony during the
morning and who sprinkled water as blessings on the bride and groom were
Bangpra Municipality Mayor Somjet Ketwathha and Amarin Pratchayakul, a
Chonburi councilor for the Sriracha zone.
The happy newlyweds pose for a
photo with friends.
Is there love in the air at Asian University?
Susan Joyce
Four of last year’s Asian University graduates have married this
month.
Two Asian University alumni, who met at the university and were both awarded
their Bachelor of Business Administration degrees last year, were married on
Friday, January 11.
 Wow
(Thitiya) and Boat (Rangsithorn) celebrated their marriage with a beachside
party at the Dor Shada hotel in Jomtien with families, friends and many
others from Asian University.
Wow (Thitiya) and Boat (Rangsithorn) celebrated their marriage with a
beachside party at the Dor Shada hotel in Jomtien with families, friends and
many others from Asian University.
There was another wedding on January 16 when another two of last year’s BBA
graduates, who also met at the university, married in the north of Thailand.
Ple (Sorraya) and Jai (Danai) tied the knot with families and friends in
Lampang.
The photos show the two couples and their friends and families, including
many from Asian University.
Ple (Sorraya) and Jai (Danai)
tied the knot with families and friends in Lampang.
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