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Donation made to children of the FACE Foundation
The YWCA Bangkok-Pattaya
Center along with the Diana Group and the Pattaya Sports Club visited the
Child Protection and Development Center’s FACE Foundation to donate instant
noodles, rice, vegetable oil, clothing, soap and toothpaste.
Sawittree Namwiwatsuk
The YWCA Bangkok-Pattaya Center along with Sopin Thappajug, managing
director of the Diana Group and Bernie Tuppin, charity chairman of the
Pattaya Sports Club visited the Child Protection and Development Center’s
FACE Foundation on September 24 to donate consumer items such as instant
noodles, rice, vegetable oil, clothing, soap and toothpaste, together valued
at more than 10,000 baht.
Project director Supagon Noja and the children under the care of the Center
welcomed the group of visitors.
Supagon said that FACE assists homeless and underprivileged children in
Pattaya City and Chonburi Province, the youngsters being boys and girls
between the ages of eight and 18 years.
The Center teaches the children to be able to help themselves, studying and
undergoing vocational training. For this, they are sent to the HRH Princess
Maha Chakri Sirindhorn Occupational Training Center in Banglamung District
from Monday through Friday, and learn at the Non-Formal Education Center in
Pattaya on Sunday.
Currently, there are a total of 20 children consisting of 17 boys and three
girls at the Center, together with six officials.
In line with the self-sufficiency philosophy, the children plant their own
vegetables for food, and as there is an excess much of the produce is sold
to merchants, helping to raise funds for the Center’s expenses.
Regent’s students celebrate their
drama skills in RE: ISTA 2
Mike Thomas
Nearly one hundred students from both Regents’ campuses recently
combined in an exciting weekend of drama workshops and ensemble
activities under the title RE: ISTA 2 following the successful formula
of last year’s festival hosted by Regent’s School. The theme of this
year’s event was the Senses with the students divided into 5 ensemble
groups of Touch, Taste, Smell, Sound and Sight.
 Year
13 IB Theatre Arts student Jake Baker leads his ensemble.
For the students involved, it was an opportunity to improve their drama
skills, make new friends and have a lot of fun in the process. The model
for the weekend is to be found in the work of the International Schools’
Theatre Association which stages weekend drama festivals and teachers’
conferences led by professional actors and directors worldwide. The
Regent’s School is a Global patron of the Association for 2008-2009.
The special guest for the weekend was Kathy France of Caravan Theatre,
Bangkok who not only expertly led her ensemble group on Taste but gave a
series of master class workshops called the Line of Status which
highlighted the importance of different status levels in drama. Each of
the workshops gave individual focus to the different aspects of the
senses. They included A Touch of Physical Theatre, led by Suzzie Sauer
which involved the students working in games and activities to find
original and innovative methods of moving on stage.
Some fantastic masks were created in art teacher Cameron Garaham’s
workshop called the Mask of the Senses in which the students each made a
personal mask which combined different aspects of the senses. The
relative quiet of the mask workshop was shattered by the frenetic
activity of the Ning, Nang Nong session led by Drama teachers Martin
Walsh and Sarah Nowell, focusing on an exploration of gibberish as a
communication tool without recognizable language. The students quickly
got carried away by the hilarious mimes and exaggeration games.
June O’Neill, Head of Drama at Regent’s Bangkok expertly worked with her
colleague Lyndsay Wagstaffe in a session called Senses make Sense which
challenged the students to test their perceptions of taste, touch and
smell and express those ideas through gesture, movement and voice.
The students were also given the opportunity to write their own poetry
in gap teacher Stix’s dynamic workshop Slam Poetry. This was contrasted
with the intensity of Simon Miller’s workshop stunning session on sight
called Out of Sight / Out of Darkness with much of the class being
conducted in total darkness. The session culminated in stories conveyed
with the use of percussion and human sound effects only. There was an
overall feeling throughout the weekend of just how much the precious
individual senses are taken for granted and how much we can use these
tools for communicating to each other and for developing a more
sensitive appreciation and awareness of our immediate physical
environment.
Between the intensity and fun of these workshop sessions, the students
were divided into ensemble groups which enabled the skills learnt in the
workshops to be combined into effective drama pieces in the grand finale
performance on Sunday afternoon.
 It’s
the Ning, Nang, Nong workshop!
Each ensemble group presented a short performance on their particular
sense to an appreciative audience of family, friends and teachers. For
the students, this was clearly the highlight of the weekend and the
atmosphere in the Globe theatre was electric with anticipation and
excitement as each group performed their contrasting pieces. For many of
the participants it was their first opportunity to perform in front of
an audience and their radiant faces at the end clearly showed their
sense of amazement and personal achievement.
 Art
teacher Cameron Graham gave a mask workshop.
The Festival also hosted four students from Bang Jing Jai Orphanage in
Pattaya. Thee students played a full part in the workshops and ensemble
activities and clearly grew in confidence as the weekend progressed.
A new initiative at this year’s event was for Year 13 IB Theatre Arts
students Jake and Bisi being given full responsibility for their group
of 25 students. They rose to the challenge magnificently and soon
established a creative rapport with their students which was clearly
demonstrated in the effectiveness of their finale performance.
To add to the adventure, the students took part in a ‘sleepover’ which
meant classrooms becoming dormitories. Following a tasty BBQ, the disco
on the Saturday evening was a popular highlight, especially the talent
show which had no shortage of entries. Overall, amidst the excitement,
there was a real impression from the students that the weekend had
combined a personal journey of learning, not only about the individual
senses but also about themselves.
The weekend in all its multifarious and exciting activities also
exemplified the essence of Round Square Ideals in terms of
Internationalism with the enormous diversity of nationalities taking
part; Democracy in the work of the ensemble groups; a concern for the
Environment in its focus on the senses; the Adventure of learning new
skills; Leadership in the students adopting leadership roles in the
ensemble activities and Service with the inclusion of the students from
the Bang Jing Jai School.
Judging by the enthusiastic response of the participating students and
the audience in the Globe on Sunday afternoon, RE ISTA seems set to be
permanent feature in the Performing Arts calendar of the Regent’s School
and it is hoped that, in the future, more schools in the Eastern
Seaboard area will be invited to take part in this dynamic celebration
of creativity.
Mask making students at
work.
Students enjoy a
well-earned break.
Year 9 student Valerie De
Saegher leads her group in the final performance.
Each day began with a
whole group warm-up.
Year 10 drama students
lead Elena in the mirror exercise.
Drama teacher Sarah
Norwell instructs her group.
Sattahip students receive scholarships from Sattahip Temple
Luang Ohor Ie was believed
to have had magical powers.
Patcharapol Panrak
Sattahip Temple has distributed scholarships worth over 1
million baht to students to commemorate the 62nd anniversary of the
death of Luang Ohor Ie, the venerated former abbot of the wat.
1,745 scholarships are available this year to students who passed the
three levels of Dharma examinations. 170 scholarships of 1,000 baht each
were distributed for “Naktham Ek”, 254 scholarships of 500 baht for
“Naktham Tho”, 897 scholarships of 400 baht were distributed for
“Naktham Tri”, and 424 scholarships for the primary school class to
pre-college worth 1,200 baht each were distributed.
Funding of 50,000 baht goes to support the Bali School/Buddhist Sunday
schools, 15,000 baht to the Takwian Temple Bali School in Chachoengsao
and 15,000 baht to support the Koh Kaew Suwannaram Temple Bali School.
These funds come from investments the temple made from donations given
to it by worshippers.
Abbot Wiboondhammaban held a ceremony to distribute scholarships to
students in the sermon hall at the wat on September 24, attended also by
naval officers.
September 22 was the anniversary of the abbot’s death and 10 monks were
invited to chant at Laung Por Ie Hall, attended by Royal Thai Navy
officers, government officials and community members.
Abbot Wiboondhammaban said the first scholarships for students were
handed out in 1975 and continued each year since, on the waning moon of
the 10th day of the 10th lunar month which marked the anniversary of the
passing of Luang Ohor Ie.
The monk was a respected teacher of meditation with a wide following.
Stories of his special powers are still remembered.
During World War II Sattahip Temple was used as a refuge. When
threatened with being bombed by aircraft, Luang Por Ie was out on the
temple ground to wave a yellow robe and a scripture. Enemy bombs fell in
the sea instead and not on the naval base.
Once people recalled seeing the abbot receiving offerings of food in
Chonburi but when they took the bus back to Sattahip, Luang Por Ie was
already back there still receiving his food. These stories add to the
veneration of the abbot.
Ill with a throat abscess in 1946, he refused treatment when recalling
responsibility in a previous life for the death of a deer shot in the
neck. He passed away aged 81.
Students respectfully pay
homage to the former abbot of Sattahip Temple.
Diana group funds students
Vimolrat Singnikorn
The Diana Group has given scholarships worth 45,000 baht to
Mormui School in Rayong Province as part of its continuing effort to
help disadvantaged children in country areas.
 Mormui
students help plant trees around their school.
Sopin Thappajug, managing director, and staff went to the school in
Pluangdaeng District on September 26. Drawing contests were held, and a
tree planting campaign was undertaken during the event.
Sopin said that as businesses make money, profit should be returned to
society as well, so her company has undertaken many charitable events.
The company’s charitable golf tournament, the “Diana Gold” every year in
November, raises money for the provincial juvenile and family courts in
Chonburi.
 Vocational
students give free haircuts.
The company gives scholarships for needy students at all levels of
education. “There is also the Tawan Yim Project, which is under Sunshine
Radio’s support as well,” she said.
The company is also involved in charity fund-raising activities such as
the current “Diana strengthens Thai children” campaign. This involves
working with HRH Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn’s vocational training
center in Banglamung district, hair-dressing students from which gave
free haircuts.
Bangkok Hospital Pattaya provided doctors for free checkups. City Life
FM 93.75 MHz, and Community FM 98.50 MHz joined hands to support the
scholarships as well.
Sopin Thappajug (center),
managing director of the Diana Group,
presents an award to student Hathaithip Waen-ngern,
winner of a writing contest.
The Diana Group has given
scholarships worth 45,000 baht
o Mormui School in Rayong.
Students and visitors
cheer against global warming at Mormui School.
World Champions to perform at Regents School Pattaya
The world famous Desford Colliery Band will be
performing a one off concert at the Regent’s School, Pattaya on Friday
October 31. Doors open at 7 p.m.
The band hails from a small mining town called Coalville in the heart of
the Midlands in the UK. This Ensemble has performed all over the world,
recorded award winning albums and continues to be at the forefront of
British music making.
The Desford Colliery Band now operates on a level equal to the finest
professional orchestras. Desford’s success in competitive music making
is phenomenal and its musical prowess and vision has brought it to the
forefront of the art of brass playing. The band continues both the
tradition of brass band playing, and the evolution of the art form with
innovation, musical intelligence and sparkling performance.
With outstanding virtuosity and musical diversity Desford both upholds
the traditions of its heritage, and strives to further the evolution of
brass playing. Devoted to musical excellence this British Band comprises
of twenty-five brass musicians with percussion.
With a repertoire spanning Baroque to Jazz, its soloists some of the
finest you will hear. Desford’s mission is to continue to be the
innovative leader of the brass world.
Desford has achieved great popularity and success as an ambassador for
British Culture and heritage abroad. Accolades have been received from
Moscow, Chicago, Singapore, Bangkok, and many European Capitals. The
ensemble is in demand at many festivals across the globe.
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