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Regent’s Koh Phi Phi
Project Stage 4 in March
Paul Crouch
Stage 4 of the Baan Laem Tong International Resource Centre project
is taking place March 15 to 25. The Regent’s School, Lakefield College
(Canada) and the International School of Brunei (ISB) will spend a week
working on the project. The main task will be to work on the retaining wall
and the water tanks that are designed to store the valuable rain water.
These make up the side walls of the lower section of the centre.
This will be the first time that Lakefield (also a Round Square School) has
joined the project and we very much look forward to working with them on the
Phi Phi project.
Lakefield College has donated 111,000 baht to the project for stage 4 and
ISB have donated 100,800 baht. The Regent’s School will transfer another
100,000 baht into the project trust fund at the end of February after their
International Day which was held on February 14. This takes the trust funds
combined total to over 1.5 million baht. A great effort in only the space of
one year and well on target.
Stage 5 will take place at the end of June 2009 during Regent’s RS Week. The
Regent’s School, The Doon School (India), and GIS (Malaysia) will spend a
week working on the project from approximately June 17 - 24. This should see
the start of the second floor of the building being built.
The Round Square Conference in India, October 2009, provides a great
opportunity for schools to work on the project before or after the
International Conference as a pre or post conference tour. The Armidale
School (Australia) has stated their intentions to work on the project around
this time; this will be their second time participating on the project.
Cobham Hall School in the UK is also booked to work on the project during
mid-October 2009 and has had a great response from their students to
participate and raise funds through a sponsored bike ride to visit every RS
school in the UK!
Chulalongkorn University will visit the project in early March before stage
4. Dr. Rachaporn and her team will visit the site, the school and the
contractor to ensure everything is in place and on target. She will also be
accompanied by representatives from the American Red Cross who wants to
check the stage of the construction before giving us their funds before
June. Dr. Rachaporn will also take a friend of hers, who is now making a
detailed Bill of Quantity for the project (for free!) upon the requirement
of the American Red Cross.
Any school, person or organization that would like to support Baan Laem Tong
and be involved in the Community Centre project either through financial or
physical participation please contact:
[email protected]
New home for homeless
children opens
Vimolrat Singnikorn
The new Pattaya Redemptorist Home for Children and Youngsters to support
homeless children on Thepprasit Road is open.
 Fr.
Lawrence Patin presides over the blessing ceremony.
On February 6 the Father Ray Foundation held an incantation ceremony for
the new building on Central Pattaya Road opposite the Carrefour
Department Store to expand the foundation’s work for homeless children
in the area.
Foundation Director Father Lawrence Patin attended the ceremony with
Father Worawut Saraphan, vice-president of the Father Ray Foundation and
school-license.
The new one-story building has bedrooms, kitchen and an activity field.
The Children and Youth Development Center in Central Pattaya had
allocated land for the new building to expand its old and overcrowded
facility.
The foundation chose the new site to open a new center and construction
is completed with the center having been open for homeless children
since January 28, complete with an official name change.
Currently there are 20 male and female homeless children at this home
ranging in age from 12 to 20 years old. There are seven support workers
and each day there is a program for the children’s occupational
training, learning and sports.
Children and guests at the
center’s opening ceremony.
Visiting artist James Kennedy at Asian University
Susan Joyce
Abstract artist James Kennedy and ceramist Bob Bachler of
Surface Gallery and Atelier, New Hampton, visited the Multimedia
Department at Asian University on February 11. The audience included
multimedia and other students as well as a group of ladies from a local
art club.
 James
Kennedy
Welcomed by Liberal Arts Dean Robert, James gave a presentation about
some of his work, and with Bob, he gave some of his views on art and
life as an artist. As well as their individual works, they showed some
of their collaborative work, each using each other’s skills to enhance a
piece.
Surface Library in New Hampton is not only their gallery but also their
workshop, so visitors can see James and Bob at work. They are also
encouraged to touch exhibits, and get to know the art that is on
display.
 Bob
Bachler
Some of James’ earlier works were clearly influenced by Turner, but he
explained that all life experiences influence their art. The current
holiday in Thailand has exposed them not only to classical Thai art (in
many forms) and architecture, but also to the nature of Thailand,
fruits, sunsets, coral forms, etc.
When asked about making a living through art, James explained that some
compromise was sometimes necessary, especially if works are specially
commissioned by a customer. There is more about their work at www.
surfacelibrary.com
After a lively question and discussion session, James ended by saying
that art is about sharing: food for thought for the students who were
there.
U. S. Navy’s Military Sealift Command participates in Community Projects
Sue K.
The U. S. Navy’s Military Sealift Command delivers supplies and
conducts specialized missions across the world’s oceans.
 The
group enjoyed fine Italian food and opera scenes from The Marriage of
Figaro, performed by Nuni Productions from Bangkok.
While in Pattaya working in support of Cobra Gold 2009, representatives
of the organization also participated in events that benefited citizens
of Pattaya.
This time the sailors took part in two projects known in U. S. Navy
terms as COMREL (Community Relations) projects.
On February 1st, the American sailors supported a fundraising event for
the Mercy Center of Pattaya which was held and organized by La Dolce
Vita restaurant, and Kavita Lamba. The group enjoyed fine Italian food
and opera scenes from The Marriage of Figaro, performed by Nuni
Productions from Bangkok.
All proceeds from the evening will be used for the various projects
undertaken by the Mercy Center which began in 2000 by Fred and Dianne
Doell and is an authorized project of the Goodwill Foundation,
registered in Thailand.
 (L
to R) Captain Dan McCulley, Lieutenant Commander Shanon Wiley, Captain
Ron Collett, Captain Phil Delfin. In front: Sue K and Fred Doell of
Mercy Center.
Mercy projects include providing shelter for children at risk;
scholarships for children needing educational support; and single parent
support for women with children at risk. In addition, the Center
provides food and staples to residents of the city’s slum areas.
The second project was completed at Ban Thung Lahan School in the Hua
Yai district near Pattaya. The sailors spent the afternoon painting the
school lunchroom. Headmaster Panpit Apicitpongchai, her teachers and
students provided cold drinks for the sailors as they applied a fresh
coat of blue paint.
The project, which was arranged by Peter Thorand, president of the
Eastern Seaboard Council of the Navy League, was enjoyable for both the
sailors and those at the school.
Panpit said, “The American people are so kind, we appreciate very much
them giving up the little free time they have to paint this lunchroom.”
U. S. Navy Captain Ron Collett commented, “Our team enjoyed the chance
to work and to meet with the teachers and children at the school.
Although our work at the school was a very small thing, it reminded us
that people are the same the world over. And, as with each trip we make,
we were reminded of the gracious and friendly nature of the Thai
people.”
The sailors support Cobra Gold and represent the Military Sealift
Command’s Far East Office, which is located in Singapore.
Busy painting are: Kathryn
Rogers, Kennis Ellis,
Keith Luster, Shanon Wiley, and Dan McCulley.
Tennis aces visit homeless children
Tammy and her tennis
friends pose with the youngsters.
Thanks pretty sister (Vera
Zvonareva).
Saksiri Uraiworn
Thai tennis ace Tamarine Thanasugarn led her tennis friends, top
international tennis players all, to say hello to the children at the
Child Protection and Development Center in Nongprue.
Women competitors in the PTT Women’s Open 2009 Vera Zvonareva (WTA-5)
from Russia, ranked no. 1 in this tournament, Caroline Wozniacki
(WTA-13) from Denmark, Dominika Cibulkova (WTA-18) from Slovakia and
Tammy had lunch with the children on February 11.
 Tammy
signs an autograph.
The tennis stars and accompanying media were welcomed by center’s
director Supakorn Noja.
The players gave sports equipment to the children and offered lunch of
fried rice with basil, fried eggs and fruits.
Tammy said that she was happy she could bring her tennis friends to
visit the youngsters.
“It’s good to provide basic sport for them so that they may be able to
forget the negative things. Instead they can focus on sports and
exercise for their health, including staying away from drugs,” she said.
The child protection center now takes care of 31 of Pattaya’s homeless
children, 23 males, and 8 females.
Eat a lot while you’re
growing up.
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