|
Asian University’s SIFE team promotes organic farming
Susan Joyce
The Asian University SIFE (Students in Free Enterprise) team is
continuing their success with promoting organic farming, in between their
academic studies.
 Ninja
with an eel.
Last year they were finalists in the SIFE competition in Bangkok with their
organic agriculture project to improve the finance of farmers by the
production, sale and use of wood vinegar, a by-product of charcoal burning.
This year the team has set up three sub-projects: Organic agriculture with
the aim of raising awareness and reducing chemical use; Continue the work on
the wood vinegar bank; and Improve their relationship with the local people
in the area where they are working (in Pachi district near Ayutthaya) by
talking with the young people. The students find it easier to pass on their
messages to other young people, rather than the older farmers, some of whom
are set in their ways.
They have been helped and encouraged by Khun Boonsong (Khun Pa) a BAAC
manager who is promoting organic farming in the area. As a bank manager he
has the respect of the local people and has been very supportive of the
Asian University SIFE project. The students are planning a fair in Pachi in
mid May (after end of term exams), where they can display information about
their project, and encourage more local farmers to benefit by going organic
and getting involved.
The students’ team includes members of the three faculties at the
university, and representatives from different years to ensure continuity
for the future.
The photos show the students in Pachi with the local people. The straw bales
are used for traditional mushroom growing, rather than using plastic bags.
Unfortunately the wood vinegar doesn’t kill all the bugs, and the farmers
still need to find a way to get rid of the “greenfly” on some of the leaves.
Pun Pun looks at the
experimental crops at the school.
Ninja, Jo and Joice make straw
bales.
Fon and Joice stomping the
bales.
Pa (right) teaching about
straw bales.
Watering straw bales.
All-you-can-eat jumbo buffet to celebrate Thai Elephant Day
Hooray! Finally our day
has arrived.
Elephants at Nong Nooch
Tropical Gardens fill up at the delicious buffet.
Ariyawat Nuamsawat
Thai Elephant Day, March 13, was celebrated in grand style at
Nong Nooch Tropical, where 40 elephants were treated to a slap-up buffet
lunch.
 Pang
Saengdao shows its intelligence by writing “Wan Chang Thai Ja”.
Sattahip District Chief Narong Theerajantarangkul, Mrs Jintana
Danwiwatporn, director of the 2nd Regional Office of Animal Health and
Sanitation, and Nong Nooch general manager Mrs Kwanwan Kantisuk jointly
opened the celebrations.
Nong Nooch marketing manager Thongchai Sodorn said that Thai Elephant
Day is held each year as a national event so that people will always
remember the importance of the elephant in Thailand’s history, the huge
beasts having played a vital role in work, transportation and battle.
A parade of 40 elephants was organized at Nong Nooch, with Pang Saengdao
opening the event by writing “Wan Chang Thai Ja” on a signboard with its
trunk. Some of the elephants put on a display of gymnastics, while 20
were dressed in magnificent red and gold cloth for a formal march-past.
The ceremony being over, it was time for lunch. A huge variety of fruit
had been laid out on a circular table, and chairs were provided for the
honored pachyderms as they enjoyed their buffet.
Thai Elephant Day is held on March 13 every year, following a cabinet
resolution passed in 1998. The Thai national flag had for many years
depicted a white elephant, and the Royal Thai Navy flag still does.
Card players & Rotarians sponsor school lunches
Andy Wenger, Peter Thorand
and Erwin Rohner hand out teddy bears to the youngsters at Chuck Now
School in Huey Yai.
John Botting
Regular card players at the Swiss House Restaurant in Soi
Diamond requested the help of their favourite Rotary Club, the Rotary
Club of Taksin-Pattaya (RCOTP), and in particular Charter President
Peter Thorand to select 2 schools where they could sponsor the children
with daily school lunches.
On March 7, 2008 the card players and Rotarians went to Ban Nook School
and brought with them apples and ice-cream, and ordered locally pork
noodle soup (quid-deeo nam moo) and chicken (kau man gai). To wash all
this food down cola, Fanta and orange was served to the kids.
The lunch was served by Andy Wenger, owner of the Swiss House and his
card playing friends.
On March 12 they all went again to another school, this time Chuck Now
School in Huey Yai, where they brought with them 340 Washington apples,
amongst other Thai fruits for the kids. All the children here also
enjoyed chicken and rice and washed the food down with a cool Ovaltine
drink.
For the 52 nursery children at this school, Andy Wenger, and Rotarians
Peter Thorand and Erwin Rohner handed out lovely teddy bears. Then to
top it off they left the nursery a couple of large boxes of chocolate
milk drinks.
After all children finished their lunch the visitors then joined the
teachers for their lunch and promised them to return to help.
This is as always a nice gesture for tourists and residents to go to the
outlying community and help or to break up the daily routine by
providing lunch at a local school.
Thanks to everyone who made this happen. This was indeed in the true
spirit of Rotary.
Sattahip youngsters take part in natural resources awareness camp
150 students from
secondary class 6 level took part in the natural resources awareness
camp held at Sattahip Naval Base.
Patcharapol Panrak
Paroj Malakul na Ayutthaya, head of the Sattahip Sub-district
Administrative Organization performed the opening of the Sattahip Youth
Camp at Sattahip School on March 17.
 Students
prepare to say thanks to the organizers of the camp.
School director Mrs Supapanee Chousri said that the focus of the camp
was to teach the youngsters about protection of the area’s natural
resources and the environment, and was in accordance with the National
Education Act.
A total of 150 students from secondary class 6 level took part in the
camp, which was held at Sattahip Naval Base over a period of three days.
Thirty chaperones took care of the children, who were sleeping on the
camp premises, and 25 instructors led the various courses.
Rear Admiral Somchai Manatrangsi, under whose responsibility Sattahip
School falls, said the camp would be useful and interesting for the
youngsters, as it helped to show them the value of the natural
environment that surrounds them.
Philanthropic foreigners raise one
million baht for Pattaya Orphanage
Canadian Sam Cohen
presents a cheque for one million baht from the Thai Oilmen’s Golf
Tournament and the Society of Petroleum Engineers to a grateful Bro.
Michael Weera, the centre’s director, as the children cheer.
Mark Beales
A group of golfers clubbed together to stage a charity
tournament which raised more than seven million baht in total.
Several charities around Thailand will benefit, and one of those is the
Pattaya Orphanage. The donation will help pay for a new minibus, which
will take children to private schools in the area.
Canadian Sam Cohen, who helped organise the charity golf tournament,
visited the orphanage on March 22 to present a cheque for one million
baht from the Thai Oilmen’s Golf Tournament and the Society of Petroleum
Engineers. A grateful Bro. Michael Weera, the centre’s director,
accepted the donation.
The money will go towards a new minibus, to replace the current ageing
vehicle which is used to take children out and about. The new vehicle
will take the children for days out, but will also enable them to attend
private schools in the area. The children currently attend local
government schools, but it is hoped that private schools will allow them
to have an even higher level of education, and give them more
opportunities should they continue their studies at university.
Bro. Michael said 24 children would be going to private schools, mainly
in Chonburi province but some would be boarding students at schools
farther afield. It is hoped to send more children to private schools
each year.
Cohen said the charity golf day had been held every year since 1999, and
takes place in December, near HM the King’s birthday.
The orphanage was founded in the 1970s by the late Fr Ray Brennan and
today cares for more than 160 children. There is also a school for deaf
children at the centre. The orphanage aims at providing shelter for the
children, who generally come from broken or underprivileged families,
and gives them an education.
For more details on the orphanage visit www. thepattayaorphanage.org or
call 038 423468.
Six-year-old Nong Mai is a knockout with her Thai boxing skills
Nong Mai and her Thai
boxing family.
Patcharapol Panrak
Never argue with a six-year-old Thai girl, for you could find
yourself confronting a master of the art of Thai boxing.
This is especially the case with Angkana Samphao-Ngern, better known as
Nong Mai, the only known kindergarten student in the world teaching Mae
Mai Muay Thai (Master Tricks) to primary and secondary school students.
 Nong
Mai - only 6 years old and already a ferocious competitor.
The fact that she is the daughter of a boxing camp owner no doubt
explains much, as Nong Mai has clearly inherited her father’s genes and
is a ferocious opponent in the ring.
Nong Mai was given the opportunity to display her skills to a large
audience on March 12 at the provincial boxing ring at Plutaluang, where
the Thai Boxing Club organized a charity tournament of 11 bouts for the
under-30kg category. Funds raised went towards school lunches in the
Plutaluang Sub-district.
Sansak Ngampichet, advisor to the minister of agriculture and
cooperative chaired the event, with the trophy being sponsored by the
Smile Beer Bar.
Before the fight started, Nong Mai, who was born on January 1, 2002 and
is a kindergarten Class 2 student at Ban Tao Than Community School,
Sattahip Sub-district gave a display of her master tricks with sparring
partner Master Warodom Tonthong, age eight and an Eastern champion in
the 20kg category.
 Little
Nong Mai displays one of her master tricks.
The master tricks go under colorful names such as Inao Thang Grit (Inao
Stabbing Grit), Mon Yan Lak (Mon Supports the Pillar), Jarakhe Fad Hang
(Crocodile Wags its Tail), Ruesee Bod Ya (Medicated Hermit
Pulverization), Then Kwad Lan (Monk Follower Sweeps the Floor), Hanumarn
Hern Samut (Monkey Flapping Ocean), Hiran Muan Paendin (Giant Coiling
Region), and Narayana Ban Sian (Narayana Head Cut). The sparring duo
received tremendous applause from the spectators crowding the boxing
stadium.
Somchai and Mrs Bualee Sampha-Ngern, Nong Mai’s parents said that they
also have a 12-year-old son named Chalarmkao Pettaothan. The family owns
the Taothan Boxing Camp. Nong Mai first trained in Thai boxing when she
was 4½ years old. When she was five years old she had her first fight in
Rayong, which resulted in a tie. After that, being a five-year-old girl,
she couldn’t find anyone else to fight until she was six, so she hones
her skills by teaching master tricks to primary school students at Ban
Tao Than Community School, and to the secondary students in Ban Sattahip
School. In February this year she fought Nong Nouey Look-Angtanon, and
won on points.
Somchai said that Nong Mai is shy about her skills until she is on the
canvas, when she has the heart of a lion and is a ferocious opponent.
She also loves to watch boxing, and is able to judge fights correctly
for weak or prominent points.
On March 14, Mrs Apirom Pensuk, director of Sattahip School invited Nong
Mai to the school, along with Mrs Nittayaporn Trongjit, instructor at
the Thai Boxing Club, to meet the staff and students.
On the same day, Nong Mai went to Ban Tao Than Community School to
present a Thai boxing award to Miss Chonthicha Chao-u-rai, age five
years, who studies in kindergarten class 1/2 and who is a disciple of
Nong Mai.
Prakru Silasilathikul, abbot of Kaokantamas Temple and of Sattahip
Sub-district presented money to Nong Mai and to Chonthicha on March 14
to congratulate them for being such prominent role models amongst the
very young.
|
