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Hawaiian Night for YWCA members
Sawittree Namwiwatsuk
YWCA Bangkok-Pattaya Center held a Hawaiian Night on April 15 at the Diana
Inn Hotel, as a celebration for members and their families for Songkran.
 Nittaya
Patimasongkroh (left), chairwoman of YWCA Bangkok-Pattaya, pours scented
water on Sopin Thappajug to give thanks and receive blessings.
YWCA chairwoman Nittaya Patimasongkroh and former chairwoman Dujduan
Ruangwettiwong led the ceremonies, which included the traditional Songkran
Rod Nam Dam Hua in which blessings are given and received from the senior
members present.
Sopin Thappajug, managing director of the Diana Group and head of the
associate judges at the Chonburi Juvenile and Family Court, led the senior
members.
Guests, who included a large number of volunteer tourist police officers,
dressed in Hawaiian attire and enjoyed games, music and a lucky draw along
with the fine dinner provided.
Young students play Thai
classical music at the beginning
of the Hawaiian Night festivities.
Members of the YWCA
Bangkok-Pattaya Center listen to Sopin Thappajug’s
(3rd left) welcome to Hawaiian Night at the Diana Inn Hotel.
Charity Club of Pattaya celebrates
St. George’s Day at the Caddy Shack
Raising funds for the Jaidee Appeal
Christina Boden
The Charity Club of Pattaya held its annual St. George’s Day celebration at the
Caddy Shack bar. Many expats of all nationalities joined in the celebration of
England’s patron Saint.
 Som
enjoying a twirl with Bertram!
Bertram Bear, the club mascot attended, proudly posing in his St. George’s Day
shirt and overseeing the event!
Tickets were 300 baht, which included a traditional fish and chips supper which
Keith and Koy, owners of the Caddy Shack, kindly donated free of charge for the
event. This enabled the Charity Club to donate the entire ticket price to the
chosen charity, the Jaidee Appeal for children suffering with HIV/Aids.
Kind hearted Dave from the Bowling Green in Pattaya provided the music for the
evening, entertaining everyone into the small hours free of charge.
Mike Franklin from Pattaya Mail TV interviewed Malcolm and Bertram to let
everyone know what else the club has in store this year.
 Christina
Boden from the Charity Club of Pattaya shares a joke with Kevin Fisher of Cranes
and Equipment Asia.
As always, the Charity Club held a charity raffle and auction which raised
61,320 baht.
All the raffle prizes were claimed one the night, with David Bentley proudly
showing off his new Jim Thompson handbag!
Many laughs went round the room when Kim Fletcher, landlord of Jameson’s Irish
Pub, who donated a year’s carvery for one person, won a free carvery at the
Queen Victoria Inn! Bon appetite Kim!
After a few more drinks, Miss Som decided it was time to take to the dance floor
and was seen tripping the light fantastic with her hands full of a bear!
Yes, a Bertram bear!
 Malcolm,
Bertram and Mike.
The Charity Club of Pattaya would like to extend its thanks to its friends and
supporters for attending the event and to those who donated to the raffle and
auction, and of course a BIG thank you to Keith and Koy from the Caddy Shack and
Dave from the Bowling Green for making St. George’s Day such a special day for
the club and its members.
Raffle prizes were donated by Lotus Crystal, vouchers from Symphony, Queen
Victoria Inn, Gian’s, Rosie O’Gradys, Jim Thompson, and Mermaid Dive Center. The
Auction items were donated by Kandaburi Resort & Spa Samui, Saboey Villas &
Resorts Samui, the Birds and Bees Resort Pattaya, Cape Panwa Phuket and
Jameson’s the Irish bar.
YWCA and PSC organizes
lunch for senior citizens
Vimolrat Singnikorn
YWCA Bangkok-Pattaya and Chonburi Centers joined with the Pattaya Sports
Club on April 16 to serve lunch to 270 elderly people at the Ban Banglamung
Social Welfare Development Center for Older Persons.
 Nittaya
Patimasongkroh, chairwoman of YWCA Bangkok-Pattaya, participates in the Rod Nam
Dam Hua for elderly people.
The event commemorated National Day for the Elderly, which is held on April 13
each year, and visitors received traditional Songkran blessings from the
elderly.
Somdet Naen-Udorn, director of the Ban Banglamung Social Welfare Development
Center welcomed the visitors, who were led by Nittaya Patimasongkroh, chairwoman
of the YWCA Bangkok-Pattaya Center.
 Members
of YWCA Bangkok-Pattaya offer lunch to the elderly on National Day for the
Elderly.
Also taking part in the Rod Nam Dam Hua blessings ceremony was a number of
Volunteer Tourist Police officers.
Noodles, fruit, ice cream and cake were on the menu. Nittaya said that lunch for
senior citizens is held by the YWCA around the time of National Elderly Day
every year.
Somdet said that currently the Ban Banglamung Social Welfare Development Center
is taking care of 270 elderly people. The number has decreased over the previous
two years, because government departments and municipalities are now taking care
of elderly people in their local communities.
Elderly people and members of YWCA
Bangkok-Pattaya dance the Ramwong.
Doctor duo provide laughter
and medicine at PCEC meeting
Dr. Sradej Loiduenxai, an
Orthopaedic Surgeon from Bangkok Hospital Pattaya, informs PCEC members about
osteoporosis and how it might be prevented. Generally, he said, sufficient
calcium in the diet, (dairy foods) plus regular exercise can help prevent
fractures resulting from low bone density.
Another busy programme was presented at the post Songkran
meeting of the Pattaya City Expats Club (PCEC) on Sunday April 20th at Henry J.
Bean’s.
The morning got underway with first time MC Stuart Saunders introducing a video
of the recent PCEC trip to Cambodia, which had been compiled by Chris Von Koss.
Stuart then went on to announce that two doctors were to appear at this
morning’s meeting, one much more qualified than the other!
The first was this month’s medical specialist from Bangkok Hospital Pattaya.
Accompanied by his team who were providing free blood pressure checks, Dr
Suradej Loiduenxai provided a comprehensive account on the condition known as
osteoporosis in recognition of the Bones and Joints Decade 2000 - 2010. This
condition occurs when the bones become increasingly porous which results in the
weakening of the bones and a subsequent decrease in the quality of life.
 PCEC’s
second ‘doctor’ for the day, Dr Penguin the Magician (with goatee, under hat)
performs his amazing invisible card trick for PCEC members, with the aid of Jim
and Sermsak. This trick, an original of Dr Penguin’s, must be seen to be
unbelieved!
Caused by low levels of calcium density, soft bones such as those found in the
spine or wrist are commonly affected and the risk of fracture is greatly
increased. It is more commonly found in females than in males because of the
menopausal process. No symptoms can be detected until a fracture occurs.
Dr Suradej provided guidelines as to those who were most at risk from the
condition and explained that the DEXA scanning technique, a special x-ray
machine, provided a T score which measures how many grams of calcium and other
bone minerals, collectively known as bone mineral content, are contained within
a segment of bone. The density of the bone determines whether treatment would be
required. The higher the mineral content, the denser the bones are and the less
likely they are to fracture.
Bone density tests are not the same as bone scans. Bone scans require an
injection beforehand and are usually used to detect fractures, cancer,
infections and other abnormalities in the bone.
Dr Suradej answered many questions from the floor but summarized by remarking
that medications cannot prevent a fracture taking place by, for example, an
accidental fall. This can only be prevented by the good care of the individual.
Immediately after Dr Suradej’s talk the special packages offered by Bangkok
Hospital Pattaya were announced. These included a bone density check as
described in the talk at a reduction of 50% of the normal price.
The next ‘Doctor’ then took the floor and the PCEC was pleased to welcome back
the always entertaining Dr Penguin! Dr Penguin immediately remarked that when he
had heard that the topic of the main speaker was to include ‘hip joints’ he had
assumed that he was to learn about the trendiest bars in town! Not so, but Dr
Penguin did provide entertainment by performing one of his invisible card tricks
to the amazement of the audience.
The next club dinner was scheduled to take place on Thursday May 1st to be held
at the Scandinavian Beach Club where the highly recommended smorgasbord would be
available at a very attractive price.
PCEC Chairman Richard Smith announced that further meetings would be held to
further discuss the new condominium act and further details of the act could be
found on the PCEC’s website (see later).
Richard also expressed his thanks to the staff of Henry J. Bean’s for their
enthusiastic contribution and help with the traditional Songkran ceremony held
at last week’s meeting. MC Stuart Saunders returned to give an account of the
Chonburi Songkran parade in which several members had participated.
The regular Open Forum saw the return of the beanie as it was undertaken by Sig
Siqworth having returned from his Songkran sanctuary. 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 pattayacityexpat
sclub.com.
Six-year-old Nong Muay
displays her boxing skills
Nong Muay (front, left) is a
featured attraction at the Sattahip Songkran festival.
Patcharapol Panrak
Nong Muay, the six-year-old girl who has become a Thai boxing star, was
the main attraction at a demonstration of Muay Thai in Sattahip over the
Songkran period.
Pairot Malakul na Ayutthaya, head of the Sattahip Sub-district Administrative
Organization opened the event at Payub Temple on April 16, saying that the
purpose was to display traditional Thai skills and attract more youngsters to
take part and to be aware of their heritage.
Miss Angkana Sampaongern, also known as Nong Muay, was born on January 1, 2002,
and resides at a house in Moo 4, Sattahip Sub-district. She is the daughter of
Somchai Sampaongern, owner of a boxing camp, and is the world’s youngest Muay
Thai instructor. Her fame has grown quickly amongst both Thai people and
foreigners.
The display of Muay Thai at Payub Temple was organized by the Education,
Religion and Culture Department of the Sattahip Sub-district Administrative
Organization, and was just one of the festive events held over the holiday
period, National Day for the Elderly being celebrated on April 13 and Family Day
on April 14.
PILC helps little Beer
Representatives from Bangkok
Pattaya Hospital,
Pattaravadee (Ann) Wangviriyaphan, Pedrenelle (Neil) Maniquiz,
Janya (Nancy) Rattanaliam, who recently donated first aid kits
to the Mercy Centre, pop in to give presents to the children.
Elaine Poole
At the Coffee Morning at Pan Pan on April 22, Ingrid Cunliffe and
Kathleen Petra, PILC Welfare, presented Liz Shepherd of Mercy Centre with a
cheque for 5,000 baht.
This donation will go into the scholarship fund the Mercy Centre has set up for
the future education of Beer, the young brother of Namphon who recently died of
Leukemia and whose obituary was in Pattaya Mail last week. A tearful Liz thanked
PILC on behalf of the Mercy Centre.
Jomtien Jamming
welcomes another venue
The owners of the Robin Hood Bar on Thappraya Road in the
Jomtien Complex, 100 yards from the Hanuman Statue, are pleased to announce they
have been granted permission by the local authorities to allow non-Thais to play
live music in order to raise funds for the Mercy Centre here in Pattaya. The
Mercy Centre is a local charity supporting orphaned Thai children.
It is hoped that the 1st performance will take place on Friday May 9, and each
Friday thereafter, to coincide with the opening of a new function room above the
Robin Hood Bar.
Anyone who can play or sing or indeed just wants to listen to good music is
welcome.
Support Jomtien Jamming, in conjunction with the Bristol Music Bar Soi 6
Jomtien, where farangs can play to support the local people.
Friday’s 7 - 12 Robin Hood Bar Supports the Mercy Centre.
Sundays 7 - 12 Bristol Music Bar Supporting the Camillian Society.
For further information please call 0844 341820 (Dave @ Robin Hood) or 0861
579744 (Alan Bristol).
It’s sleepy now, but the Robin
Hood Bar comes alive
on Friday night with jamming in support of charity.
Nine-year-old Nong F displays sword
fighting skills at King Taksin ceremony
Patcharapol Panrak
A nine-year-old sword fighting star named Nong F was one of the main
performers in a ceremony that paid respects to the memory of King Taksin the
Great on April 17, the birth anniversary of the great monarch who drove the
Burmese invaders from Siamese soil after they had sacked Ayutthaya.
 Nong
F and Wittaya Chenchai perform the sword dance in front of the King Taksin
Monument in Sattahip.
Nong F along with the Khunsuk Thappraya Team performed a sword dance at the
ceremony organized by the Naval Special Warfare Group of the Royal Thai Fleet,
which is located on Koh Pra, in Sattahip Bay.
Captain Apakorn Yookongkaew, commander of the Naval Special Warfare Group, said
the ceremony was being held to commemorate the unit’s founding anniversary,
which coincided with the King’s anniversary. The unit is dedicated to naval
guerrilla tactics.
Master Patpong Chaidetchon, also known as Nong F and who is nine years old,
along with 31-year-old Wittaya Chenchai, leader of the Khunsuk Thappraya Team
performed the sword dance and sword fighting demonstration in front of the King
Taksin Monument at the Octagon Pavilion in Sattahip District.
Wittaya said that the Khunsuk Thappraya Team was formed to maintain the
traditions of Thai sword fighting, teaching the art to the young generation and
putting on performances around the country.
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