OUR COMMUNITY
HEADLINES [click on headline to view story]: 

Pira Sudham addresses PCEC

Rotary free eye cataract operations will continue

Diana Group distributes 81 scholarships

Three one-act plays to be staged by Pattaya Players

In memory of Bernd Bur-Am-Orde

Indian Oscars comes to Bangkok

Pira Sudham addresses PCEC

The Pattaya City Expats Club (PCEC) meeting on Sunday May 4 at Henry J. Bean’s started with an unexpected celebration. The week’s MC Roger Fox announced that it was PCEC Chairman Richard Smith’s 77th birthday. The celebrations continued in traditional manner with a cake and communal singing of the appropriate song. Of probably more importance, Richard was thanked for all the hard work he continues to put into the club, ensuring its continued success.

Pira Sudham, often recognised as the voice of the silent and powerless, shares with PCEC members tales of life in Isaan, and the current situation there.

Roger then continued introducing this week’s main speaker, welcoming back author Pira Sudham. The PCEC is always interested to hear from current authors and Pira who provides an alternate view on Thai life is certainly no exception.
He began his life under impoverished conditions in the Isaan province of Buriram. At the age of 14 he became an acolyte in a Bangkok wat where he faced a huge social and financial struggle. But his diligence and keen mind approach landed him in the prestigious Chulalongkorn University and ultimately a scholarship to a New Zealand university where he focused on his development as an English writer. From there he moved on to England to further develop his skills.
He held a position at the now defunct Holiday Inn in Pattaya during the 1970s and collected a great deal of information on the socio-economic standing of a large proportion of the Thai population. He concluded that poverty and the lack of opportunities to rise above it created a no win situation.
He particularly referred to his “David and Goliath” experiences which he believes were struggling to influence the Thai way of life.
His books describe the often insurmountable obstacles which the population of Isaan inevitably encounters. The information contained within the books should enable foreigners to gain a valuable insight and increase their understanding of differing cultural and often controversial topics.
Pira’s books include People of Isaan, Tales of Thailand, Monsoon Country and The Force of Karma.
Returning to the normal PCEC agenda, Hans Stroosnyder confirmed that he will shortly be organising the next trip to the driving license centre, when both motor bike and car licenses can be obtained.
On Friday May 16 until Sunday May 18, the Pattaya Players will present as their first production, An Evening of One Acts on the 10th floor of the Bangkok Hospital Pattaya. The PCEC is a sponsor of the Pattaya Players acting group and a number of PCEC members have acting roles in the production.
Richard Silverberg, the PCEC’s own computer expert, then presented his regular Website of the Week. This week it was www.mapjack .com. It is well known that Google maps produces maps in the language of the map’s location. Mapjack goes a step further in that the maps are presented in the English language. A further feature is that of the street view. In addition to some US locations Chang Mai and Pattaya are also included. Whilst the views can be three to four months old, clear representations of Pattaya can be viewed and emailed if desired.
The monthly PCEC dinners are always a popular event; however, it has been suggested that for the benefit of those on a tighter budget venues which offer a more economic menu are selected. These would be known as Cheap Charlie’s Monthly Dinners!
This was discussed, with a certain amount of tongue in cheek, during the regular Open Forum mediated by Sig Sigworth and Bob L’Etoile. 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.


Rotary free eye cataract operations will continue

Pramote Channgam
International Rotary District 3340 held a meeting on the 10th floor of Building D at Bangkok Hospital Pattaya on May 7 to review progress on the program that provides free eye cataract surgery for the residents of Chonburi.

Dr. Pichet Kangwonkit, director of BHP, speaks about the team of surgeons.

More than 1,000 operations have been performed in the year since the program was started, having been launched in May 2007 as a Rotary event in honor of His Majesty the King’s 80th birthday.
Sriracha Rotary Club, Bangpli Rotary Club, Samitivet Sriracha Hospital, and the Chonburi Red Cross cooperated with the Banpaew Hospital Foundation to organize the first year of the project, which had been inaugurated on May 5 by Chonburi Governor Pracha Taerat.
There are, however, still many people suffering from cataracts, and the program now moves into its second year.
International Rotary District 3340 therefore discussed the proposals for moving the program forward, and this year Bangkok Hospital Pattaya will also be taking part. Rotary will make a further announcement when the plans are completed.


Diana Group distributes 81 scholarships

With Pattaya Provincial Court Judge Wachira Netnoi and Sopin Thappajug
(back center), managing director of the Diana Group preside over the scholarship presentation ceremony.

Vimolrat Singnikorn
The Diana Group has presented 81 scholarships to children of staff members and to children of members of the media in an annual ceremony that has now been held each year for 20 years.
The presentation took place on May 8 at the Diana Resort on North Pattaya Road, with Pattaya Provincial Court Judge Wachira Netnoi and Sopin Thappajug, managing director of the Diana Group presiding.
Sopin said that although the group’s policy has always been to support the children of staff members so that they have the opportunity of a good education, the present round of sharp increases in the cost of consumer goods meant that many families were suffering hardships, and consequently the scholarships would have even more significance.
She added that the media has been of great assistance in helping support the Diana Group, and that this was the second year a scholarships presentation had been made to the children of members of the media.
The Diana Group is also active in supporting vocational education, and a fund-raiser was recently held by Diana Gold to present scholarships to students at Banglamung School, as part of a pilot project for education in the Eastern region.
The May 8 distribution of scholarships consisted of 16 scholarships for kindergarten students, 29 scholarships for students in primary school classes, 21 scholarships for students in secondary school classes and vocational classes, and 10 bachelor’s degree scholarships. Five scholarships were presented to the children of media members. The total of 81 scholarships was valued at 181,398 baht.
After the end of the ceremony, the children along with their parents had lunch together, followed by an educational visit for the children to Underwater World.


Three one-act plays to be staged by Pattaya Players

Pattaya Players will be staging a series
of one-act plays May 16 - 18 at Bangkok Hospital Pattaya.

Vimolrat Singnikorn
The Pattaya Players will be staging a series of one-act plays over this weekend, May 16 to 18, to be held at Bangkok Hospital Pattaya.
Director of the hospital Dr Pichet Kangwonkit, production director of the Pattaya Players Chris Parsons, and president of the Players board of directors Debbie Cavanaugh jointly announced the event on May 2.
The Pattaya Players is an organization of expatriates that stages amateur theatrical shows under the direction of an experienced producer.
The three one-act plays are The Monkey’s Paw by W W Jacobs, The Last Leaf by Thomas Hischak, and The Final Dress Rehearsal by Jack Frakes.
Performance dates will include two evenings: 7:30 pm on Friday, May 16, and 7:30 pm on Saturday, May 17. A matinee will take place at 2 pm on Sunday, May 18.
All performances will take place at the 10th floor Grand Function Room at Bangkok Pattaya Hospital in North Pattaya.
Ticket prices are 300 baht for adults and 200 baht for children under 12 years of age. Tickets can be purchased online at www.pattayaplayers. org, or can be bought in person at the North Star Library on Naklua Road next to the Pattaya Redemptorist School, at Jameson’s Irish Pub behind the Central Festival Center located in North Pattaya, and at the Pattaya Mail office in North Pattaya. Tickets will also be available for purchase at the door the evening of the performances.


In memory of Bernd Bur-Am-Orde

(1966-2008)

Tragically in the early hours of May 7, Pattaya resident Bernd Bur-Am-Orde sustained multiple injuries in a motorcycle accident on the Sukhumvit Highway and passed away a short time later at the Bangkok Hospital Pattaya.

Bernd Bur-Am-Orde
(1966-2008)
R.I.P.


Bernd was a much loved and respected member of the Pit Bull Motorcycle Club (Thailand).
We would all like to take this opportunity to thank the Sawang Boriboon Rescue Foundation and the staff at the ICU unit of Bangkok Hospital Pattaya for their swift response and professionalism.
Bernd will be missed by both the motorcycle community in Pattaya and his brothers of Pit Bull M.C. A very tragic loss to everyone who knew him and our thoughts are also with his family in Germany and his friends worldwide.


Indian Oscars comes to Bangkok

Dave Malhotra
From Bombay to Bangkok, this summer brings the most prestigious award event in Indian cinema, the International Indian Film Academy Awards 2008, to the Siam Niramit Theatre in Bangkok.
Earlier venues of the show were Yorkshire, London, Johannesburg, Sun City, Amsterdam, Dubai, Kuala Lumpur and Singapore. This year, Bangkok is proud to be the ninth destination to play host to this extravaganza which is scheduled on 6-8 June 2008.
The event will showcase the world premiere of Sarkar Raj, a political drama starring the legendary Amitabh Bachchan, his son Abhishek and daughter-in-law, the former Miss World, Aishwariya Rai. Ram Gopal Verma, the film’s director, brings Sarkar Raj as a sequel to the previous critically acclaimed film Sarkar, which he expects to provide the global audience with the true taste of Indian cinema.
In a press conference held April 30 at the Dusit Thani Hotel in Bangkok, Mr. Bachchan claimed that Thailand was the perfect location for the IIFA. He was impressed with the “Land of Smiles” and believed the support of the government and the hospitality of Thailand would make the IIFA awards a success.
“There’s been a long history of sharing of culture. There are many Indians living in Thailand, we see that they enjoy our cinema (and) we get a chance to build a bridge with the Thai people. The awards ceremony and bringing cinema here has become almost an excuse to come here. But I believe the important cause is to build a bridge between nations.”, said Bachchan.
On the same occasion, Weerasak Kowsurat, the Tourism and Sports Minister stressed the benefits that the event would have on Thai economy. Not only would this even help boost the number of tourists from India, which is now at 550,000 per year, but the event would also help promote Thailand’s mutual understanding and trade relationship with India. In addition, this 3-day extravaganza is expected to attract visitors, not just Indians but people from all over the world.
The Thai backdrop has been an ideal filming location for Indian film makers in the past two years. About 30 films have already been produced in the country, bringing in US$20 million to the economy. Likewise, $7 million worth of advertisements were filmed here in 2007. With the IIFA bringing more attention to Thailand, it should encourage Indian producers to shoot even more films here.
The award show will be televised live around the world by the Star television network promising a reach of 600 million viewers worldwide, making the event one of the most watched awards shows in the world.
In an effort to create awareness and encourage actions on environmental concerns, in 2007 IIFA became the first ever awards event to roll out, not a Red, but a Green Carpet. With an association with United Nations Environmental Programme (UNEP), IIFA hopes to bring people together to share best practices to support its fight against Global Warming.
The IIFA Awards 2008 is a much-awaited occasion for Bollywood fans in Thailand as they look forward to being a part of this mega event showcasing most, if not all, of their favourite artists.