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Learning about New Year celebrations at PCEC meeting
The regular Sunday meeting of the Pattaya City Expats
Club was held at the Amari’s Henry J. Beans Restaurant on Sunday, December
28th. A year ago December, Thor Halland, the club’s fount of information,
provided the meeting with some of the history surrounding various
celebrations and symbols of Christmas. Continuing this informative series,
at this last meeting before the New Year, he returned to provide similar
information on the subject of New Year. We hear it was once said that if you
asked Thor Halland to talk about a carrot, it would be interesting,
informative, and entertaining. Well, with a much better subject, Thor did
not disappoint with his much more interesting talk about New Year.
 Pattaya’s
fountain of knowledge Thor Halland shares with PCEC members the origin and
development of the concept of the year, and the New Year - the year is now
defined to be exactly 365.242190517 days, give or take.
Thor explained, with his usual wit, that over the ages there have been many
different calendars, each having a different starting date for the New Year.
Even today, Thor said there are many different celebrations of the New Year
throughout the world, not just the one based on the Gregorian calendar
currently used in most parts of the world.
Although most celebrate the New Year on January 1, there were many other New
Year celebrations during the year, some based on religious days or on
certain events that occur during the year, such as being the coldest part of
the year, the beginning of spring, the start of the melting of the snow, or
when the Nile began to flow.
Thor said if we were of the Eastern Orthodox faith, we would celebrate New
Year on January 14 instead of January 1. If we were of the Islamic faith, we
would celebrate New Year at different times throughout the year because the
Islamic Calendar has 354 days. Thus, the date for the New Year would
gradually change over time. Those of the Jewish faith celebrate New Year in
September as do the Coptic Ethiopian Christians. If we were Chinese or
Vietnamese, we would celebrate it in February (or this year in January).
On the other hand, if we were Tibetan, Sikh, Iranian, Balinese or Hindu, we
would celebrate in March. If we were Jains (Northern India), we would want
to celebrate in October. Of course, we expats are familiar with the Thai New
Year (Songkran) celebrated in April. Thor said that this New Year in April
is not exclusively Thai as it is also celebrated in Cambodia, Nepal, and a
few other areas.
 Open
Forum host, Bob ‘The Bird’ Sutterfield welcomes new visitors to Pattaya City
Expats Club.
He explained that some of these New Year days will vary and may at times
occur in a neighboring month since they are based on lunar periods, which
tend to vary by a few days each year.
Thor noted that there were many different calendars throughout history. Up
to 30,000 years ago, man measured time by the cycle of the moon, which
generally consisted of 30 days. About 6000 BC, the Egyptians determined that
one year was 365 days (solar cycle) and they based their calendar on this
period, but used agricultural events rather than months for interim
division.
However, the Sumerians used 360 days for their calendar so that it would fit
their 12 base counting system. Thor noted that the Sumerian counting system
is still with us today in our measurement of time - 24 hours in a day, 60
minutes in an hour, and 60 seconds in a minute.
Thor said that the current western calendar originated with the Romans. The
Roman calendar initially had 10 months (March through December), the
remaining 61 days of the year were not given a name. Thus, forgetting winter
altogether, the Romans celebrated the New Year on the first of March, the
beginning of spring. In 713 BC, Numa Pompilius, a King of Rome, decided to
recognize winter and added January and February to the Calendar, making the
year 355 days. This caused a bit of a problem’ as with Islamic Calendar,
since it deviated from the solar year (365 and a fraction days). Not only
did New Year’s Day continue to change, but this calendar was not reliable
for use in identifying dates for certain agricultural events, such as when
planting should begin. So, in 46 BC, Julius Caesar changed the Roman
calendar to have 12 months with 365 days in the year (solar year) and to
account for the fraction of a day it added an extra day every third year
(leap year). It took some 36 years before the Romans corrected this “Julian”
calendar by changing the leap year to every fourth year.
Subsequently, the religious day of Christmas was adopted for the beginning
of the New Year. This was changed in 1250 with the adoption of Annunciation
Day (March 25) as the beginning of the New Year. In 1582, Pope Gregory XIII
refined the Julian calendar and this Gregorian calendar, which was adopted
by most Catholic countries, is the one most used today.
Thor said that Britain did not adopt the Gregorian calendar until 1752 and
began celebrating the New Year on January 1. Germany adopted it in 1756,
Scotland in 1600, and Russia in 1917. Thor mentioned that our host country,
Thailand was the last country to adopt the Gregorian calendar, which was in
1946. At this point, Thor opened it up to questions of which there were
many.
Emcee Stuart Saunders then called on Richard Silverberg, the Club’s computer
and internet guru to tell everyone about his latest website pick. Richard
mentioned the fact that most of us have experienced the receipt of forwarded
emails from our friends and relatives - mostly unwanted and often containing
the warning that failure to pass it on to x number of people will result in
dire consequences. His recommendation was to visit the website www
.stopforwarding.us. By entering the email address of the offending friend or
relative, they will receive an email saying that “One of your friends has
sent you this message ...” and politely requests that they stop forwarding
such emails. Thus, one can ask their friends and relatives to cease
forwarding such emails without revealing their own identity.
Emcee Stuart then updated everyone on upcoming events and called on Hawaii
Bob to conduct the always informative and sometimes humorous Open Forum
where information is shared on living in Pattaya and Thailand.
Bangkok Hospital Pattaya celebrates 18th anniversary
Management and staff at Bangkok
Hospital Pattaya solemnly
commemorate the hospital’s 18th anniversary.
Vimolrat Singnikorn
Bangkok Hospital Pattaya celebrated its 18th anniversary in a simple
religious ceremony attended by management and staff.
On the morning of December 20, hospital director Dr Pichit Kangwolkij, deputy
director Dr Narin Boonchongcharoen and Neera Sirisampan, director of
international marketing, joined employees in various religious rituals to
promote good fortune.
The hospital has been in operation since December 20, 1990, built on 13 acres of
land. Currently there are over 20 specific medical services provided consisting
of a heart center, dental care, skin center, beauty care, brain, bones and
general health centers.
The hospital has also developed clinics for allergies, rheumatoid arthritis and
diabetes and is an accident center (emergency services).
The hospital has been giving many price promotions during the past few months to
boost business.
New Harbor Mall
celebrates grand opening
Sawittree Namwiwatsuk
The large 500-million-baht Harbor Mall Laem Chabang held a grand
opening ceremony on December 19.
Chonburi Governor Surapon Pongtadsirikun presided over the opening which was
attended by Somkuan Nokhong, president of Laemthong Group, Wittaya
Khunplome, chairman of the Chonburi Provincial Administrative Organization,
and Niwat Daoloy, deputy managing director of Tesco Lotus.
 Somkuan
Nokhong (left), president of Laemthong Group presents a gift to Chonburi
Governor Surapon Pongtadsirikun at the opening ceremony.
Somkuan said the Harbor Mall is a reconstruction of Laemthong at Laem
Chabang which had been operating since 1992. The economic downturn since
1997 had caused it to close down for renovation two years ago costing 500
million baht.
The mall’s 12,955 square meters of floor space houses all categories of
retail stores including clothes, electric appliances, health and beauty
products, furniture, a food center and four movie theaters.
On the first floor is found the 80th branch of Tesco Lotus hypermarket with
parking space for up to 1,700 cars and 1,500 motorcycles.
The main benefits of the development include the employment of 201 staff and
a tax generation of 12 million baht annually.
“Malls in the eastern region must improve in efficiency of service to
compete with the many shopping malls now open in the central region,”
Somkuan said.
“New deals have been made with suppliers and there are plans to expand
Laemthong Bangsaen next year. Further developments will be made in the
Rayong branch in order to compete next year with the new opening of Central
shopping mall in Chonburi,” Somkuan concluded.
Sikhs help HIV children
Members of Pattaya’s Sikh
community pose in front of the supplies they have donated to the Camillian
Social Center in Rayong.
Saksiri Uraiworn
As they have done every year, Pattaya’s Sikh community donated needed
supplies to the Camillian Social Center in Rayong which cares for children
infected with HIV.
On December 28 at the Sikh temple in Pattaya, Siri Guru Singh Pattaya donated to
the center 10 boxes of diapers, five boxes of gloves, two boxes of
anti-bacterial fluid and 10 boxes of milk.
The donations were gratefully received by Soraya Haemaphumit from the social
center.
The center is a part of the St. Camillian Foundation which since 1996 has been
helping children suffering from HIV who have lost parents from the disease and
assists these orphans with medication against the virus.
The center provides residential care for the children and, as much as possible,
provides them with good health and a normal life by allowing them to participate
in routine activities like other children.
Black & White Splendour just a week away
Saturday January 17, 2009, now just a little over a week
away, is shaping up to be a glamorous event; a truly festive way to bring in the
New Year with a bang! With sweeping views of the bay, and a January sea breeze
to match, the Dusit Thani Pattaya will be hosting the Pattaya International
Ladies Club (PILC) Black & White ball.
The evening begins on the veranda, listening to the lively sound of Bangkok Jazz
Band “Sharps and Flats”. Wash down your canapés with a lychee martini and
sparkling wine, while you browse our fantastic auction items, including a
private French chef who will cook for you and 5 of your friends, a weekend away
in Hua Hin, fabulous artwork donated by renowned Pattaya artists, an antique
silver cutlery setting valued at 100,000 baht, and your very own sailing coach
at Royal Varuna Yacht Club!
A four course meal will follow, along with a sumptuous dessert buffet, after
which the real fun begins; you can let your hair down and spend the rest of the
night on the dance floor, with a DJ and Jazz Band to ensure your feet will be
sore!
Of course beautiful wines and stunning company is a given, but we must not
forget the purpose of this important event … to raise money which the PILC
welfare team will distribute to many needy causes throughout 2009. Your
participation will ensure the health and welfare of many local families and
orphans. We have received tremendous support in the form of sponsorship for this
event, now we need you to make this night one to remember!
Tickets are on sale for 3500 baht; this includes sunset cocktails, canapés, a 4
course meal, wine, beer & soft drinks on tap, fabulous entertainment,
photographs and of course a special gift from the PILC, a massage for those
tired feet!
The theme is black and white, so be creative. There will be prizes for the best
dressed!
Contact Jacinta Chamberlain on 086 997 0671 or Rachel Hoag on 081 782 6118 to
make your reservation now!
A new contemporary
art exhibition coming to Pattaya
New Ecologies is the first of what is expected to become an
annual exhibition and festival of visual arts and related events in Pattaya.
Curated by Bangkok-based art critic Brian Curtin in conjunction with Pattaya’s
Gallery Opium, the exhibition will present the contemporary works of a wide
range of expatriate and local artists over a three-month season at the Sheraton
Pattaya Resort which has been specially chosen as the backdrop to the event
because of its abundant nature, ocean-side setting and refined contemporary
design.
Besides the exhibition, also included in the program is a series of art
workshops and events organized by emergent curator Manipa Jayawan and involving
over twenty artists.
New Ecologies has a number of aims. The exhibition will highlight the diversity
and quality of visual art being produced within Thailand. It also aspires to
give visibility to artists who may be overlooked by other high-profile
exhibitions of artists who live here. However, the primary objective of the
organizers is to impact the cultural life of Pattaya with contemporary art. As
such, the tone of New Ecologies will be up-beat, positive and celebratory.
“Globalisation, rapid development, capitalization, cultural identity, indigenous
traditions, local values, trans-national influences, political instability –
such terms really define what it means to live in Thailand today,” says Brian.
“And with its longstanding status as a tourist and expatriate hub and generally
advanced commercial development, the city of Pattaya is an especially good place
to see all these factors in play. New Ecologies is our opportunity to look at
all this a little askew or from an oblique point of view and so challenge our
perceptions of what is really going on. As such, it promises to be a major event
which is bound to be repeated.”
The Sheraton Pattaya Resort provides a remarkable context for the viewing of
contemporary art. Nestling on a picturesque cliffside overlooking the ocean
south of Pattaya, its merging of traditional and contemporary Thai and Western
architectural styles with abundant nature gives art lovers the opportunity to
appreciate the works on display in a complementary atmosphere with complete
comfort.
The opening ceremony for the New Ecologies exhibition will be on Thursday, 29
January, from 6pm and the exhibition will run through to 25 April 2009. For
further information contact Brian Curtin 089 163 8102 or Alan Kirkland-Roath at
Gallery Opium on 038 303040 or 085 084 7947), www.galleryopium .com,
[email protected].
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