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Medium visits PCEC members
The regular Sunday meeting of the Pattaya City Expats
Club got underway at the Amari’s Henry J. Bean Restaurant on Sunday, January
25th when emcee Stuart Saunders called on Thor Halland to introduce our
guest speaker. Thor was infinitely qualified to make the introduction of
Jennifer Mackenzie, medium extraordinaire, as Jennifer is Thor’s mother.
 Jennifer
Mackenzie, former vice president of the Spiritual Association of Great
Britain, entertains PCEC members by reading their aura, then communicating
with their relatives and friends who are no longer ‘with us’.
Thor mentioned that she has been a medium for over 20 years and was
previously vice president of the Spiritual Association of Great Britain.
About 15 years ago, she took up residence in Spain, where she conducts
seminars and private readings. She also tours at least 4 other countries
each year, most often to Norway, Japan, and USA.
Thor pointed out that a medium is not a fortune teller. Rather a medium is
someone who can communicate with the dead. Further, his mother also is very
adept in spiritual healing. He also said that this ability is apparently not
an inherited trait as he has none of his mother’s abilities.
Jennifer said that the last time she spoke to the Club, some 3 years ago,
she primarily discussed and demonstrated spiritual healing. So, for this
presentation, she would discuss and demonstrate her abilities as a medium.
She said that she would call on people and ask them for three of their
favorite colors as colors tell a lot about people and helps her look into
their aura. Also, when looking into this aura, she is often visited by a
loved one of the person.
 Media
Mogul Peter Malhotra of the Pattaya Mail announces the first Mike Franklin
Memorial Golf Day, in memory of Mike Franklin, a popular journalist and
golfer in Pattaya, who passed away recently. The Golf Day will be held on
Mike’s birthday, which is the 1st of April.
She told everyone that the spirits of their departed loved ones are often
around them, especially when one needs uplifting or guidance. She then
cautioned that one should visit with a real medium, not a psychic. For
example, she said a woman who may be upset with her husband might meet with
a psychic who senses a disturbance in the woman’s aura and tells her she
should divorce her husband. Whereas a medium would communicate with the
woman’s loved ones and they would offer guidance on how to better relate
with her husband.
So, Jennifer said that when receiving information, use common sense no
matter what you are told. If the advice feels comfortable, then do it. If
not, then don’t do it.
She also said that when communicating with one’s loved ones, what they say
is often not profound or life changing. It is often the mundane or more the
advice they would give if they were living.
Jennifer then demonstrated her skills by talking to several members of the
audience. First asking for three of their favorite colors then describing
the traits they have in relation to these colors. The audience member often
agreed with her perception as to these traits.
Jennifer then would describe a spirit she was seeing and asking questions to
determine who the spirit might be, often being that of a mother or father.
In conclusion, Jennifer mentioned that she would be available for private
readings and would be conducting some workshops while in Thailand.
Jennifer then answered several questions from the audience. More about
Jennifer can be learned by visiting her website: www.jennifermackenzie.com
Emcee Stuart Saunders then described the Club’s PDA Support Group trip to
the Buriram area. They were met by Mechai Viravaidya and given a firsthand
tour of his Population and Community Development Association (PDA)
activities in the area. Stuart also shared several pictures that were taken
during the trip. All in all, Stuart said it was a memorable trip and very
beneficial in gaining a fuller understanding of PDA activities. Mechai’s
organization and their activities are more fully described in the October
31, 2008 issue of Pattaya Mail, in the Our Community section.
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.
US Embassy meets
and greets the local media
Cynthia Brown, the deputy press
attaché of the US Embassy in Bangkok and her team pose for a commemorative photo
after her visit with the local media.
Sue K
Cynthia Brown, the deputy press attaché of the US Embassy in Bangkok led
her team of two information specialists Bussabonglahwan Pattaro and Subhabhong
Rarueysong to a “Meet the Press” meeting at Diana Garden Resort on January, 27.
Cynthia explained that this was an informal meeting to get to know the local
press in Chonburi better and to provide more information to them, in order to
enhance cooperation between the US Embassy and the media on several issues
including human rights, drug trafficking, education, maritime, and military.
The representatives also announced the Cobra Gold exercise in Thailand which
will take place from February 4-17, 2009. Participating in the exercises will be
the armed forces of Thailand, Singapore, Japan, Indonesia, and the United
States.
Cobra Gold is a regularly scheduled joint and coalition multi-national exercise
hosted annually by the Kingdom of Thailand. Cobra Gold 2009 is the latest in a
continuing series of exercises designed to promote regional peace and security.
This exercise marks the 28th anniversary of this regionally significant training
event.
This year also marks the 176th anniversary of the establishment of formal
relations between the United States and Thailand. This special friendship goes
back to March 20, 1833 when the United States and Thailand, then Siam, signed
the Treaty of Amity and Commerce. The Treaty of 1833 was the United States’
first treaty with a country in Asia, making Thailand truly our oldest friend in
the region.
At present the there is one US embassy in Thailand, and that is located in
Bangkok, and one consulate in Chiang Mai.
The embassy in Bangkok houses about 30 sectors, manned by 500 American staff and
1500 Thai staff.
Peter Malhotra, managing director of Pattaya Mail Media Group suggested the
embassy might allow the media to take a tour of the embassy, since everyone
agreed that the US Embassy is one of the most strict and security tight
embassies in Thailand, so it would be an interesting adventure to get a glimpse
of the behind the scenes operations.
Cynthia gracefully accepted the suggestion. She also mentioned that this was her
first visit to Pattaya; however, with the time limitation, she was not able to
see much of it this time, so she promised that she definitely will come back to
visit us again.
For more information on the U.S. Embassy in Bangkok, visit their website at:
Bangkok. usembassy.gov
Later in the week, on January 29, the Consular Section of the American Embassy
in Bangkok held a consular outreach visit to Pattaya at Aisawan Resort and Spa.
Over a hundred American citizens living in and around Pattaya turned up for the
services.
New fair-trade jewelry
products for Pattaya
Kavita Lamba
The development of a new fair-trade jewelry cooperation for Pattaya
got off to a flying start last week as Leah Cypert, from American
Organization ‘Eternal Threads’, trained local charities on how to start the
co-op and make the jewelry.
 Learning
to make jewelry to teach the underprivileged as a way to make a sustainable
living.
Leah has previously been involved with World Concern in Bangkok, helping
train government school teachers and organizations in Pattaya in Child
Sexual Abuse Prevention. She noticed a need for small organizations to work
alongside the underprivileged, be they from the slums, or refugees, or women
who have been trafficked or women in prostitution. Often they have turned to
income generation projects making things such as jewelry, candles, cards or
other handicrafts, but often had a hard time marketing the products and
ultimately, the projects didn’t seem to bring in a sustainable living wage
for them.
Organizations such as the Mercy Centre, Tamar Centre, Pattaya Slum
Ministries, Glory Hut, True Friends Church, Gerald Khoo World Harvest
Foundation, Wings of Love, and Rak Puen HIV Home all came to learn how to
make the range of jewelry that Eternal Thread sells through its website,
which will also be sold locally in Pattaya.
These charities can now work with the underprivileged people and provide
them with the skills so that they are able to make a living for themselves.
They are also looking to offer training to give new skills in areas like
financial management, literacy, computer skills, etc.
Sandy Trepiccione, director of the Glory Hut said, “This is a fantastic way
for us to help the people we work with who often have nothing, but want to
help themselves to get out of poverty.”
For further information on buying these products locally or if you would
like to help by providing finance to start these projects, please contact
Lucy Watkins at [email protected]
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