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Coffee and activities on the menu for PILC
Sam Wilson
The Pattaya International Ladies Club March monthly coffee morning
was held at Trattoria Toscana on Tuesday March 17. The terrace was laid out
with plenty of well-dressed tables which suited well as 117 ladies turned up
to enjoy the coffee morning, including 3 new members.
 President
Gillian (right) poses for a photo with new members.
Gillian Thom, president, brought all members up to date with what is
happening over the next few months both on the social side and the welfare
activities. This included a Family Fun Day which will be held at the Asia
Hotel on Sunday March 29 and a Trivia Night on Saturday May 2 (for more
information please contact Chantal Oldaker, Special Events, on
087-824-5268).
Anja Schoof and Monique van Deursen, who are responsible for PILC Tours and
Activities, have arranged their first trip for members this year; they and
20 other ladies will be visiting the Erawan Museum in Samut Prakan, south
east of Bangkok.
There is also a garage sale on Saturday June 6 at Phu Luang in conjunction
with the Rayong Ladies Circle, which allows the Thai community to purchase
second hand goods. All proceeds will be donated to local charities.
 The
special events team discusses strategy.
Not only were coffee and an assortment of snacks available; there were also
used books/magazines, PILC merchandise, Our International Secrets cookbook
and vintage accessories for Women with a Mission charity for purchase.
The morning was filled with plenty of hustle and bustle, with plenty of
water and fruit juices to keep the ladies cool in the morning sun.
Anyone wanting to join the group, or who would like more information about
its various activities, should telephone Gillian Thom, president, on 081
7626003 or e-mail to [email protected]
Getting tagged at PCEC meeting
LivePlay Laser Tag was the main topic at the regular Sunday
meeting of the Pattaya City Expats Club at the Amari’s Henry J. Beans Restaurant
on Sunday, March 15.
Master of Ceremonies (Emcee) Judith Edmonds introduced two young gentlemen from
LivePlay Laser Tag, Marc Schwyn and Bachar Settha. Marc and Bachar started
LivePlay in Pattaya and it is the first outdoor court for Laser Tag in Asia.
Marc said that although it is referred to as Laser Tag, the “guns” used at
LivePlay actually use infrared beams, which are safer than laser beams and
permits games to be played indoors, outdoors, or even at night.
 Neng
of AA Insurance lines up some business.
Marc first described and demonstrated the equipment used. He said infrared beams
also allow for shooting from longer distances. They are line of sight; so, if
you can be seen, you can be shot. Thus one aspect of the game is to stay hidden
from your opponent.
The beam has a range of 80 to 200 meters depending on the particular equipment
(guns) one is using. Each weapon has a gun-sight, trigger, and two electronic
displays; one red and the other green. The red display is the number of
“bullets” and the green shows the number of “lives” the player has. These change
depending on the game scenario. Thus, a player can run out of ammunition and
have to wait to reload (time delay before more bullets are added to the
display), mimicking real life combat. Also, a player can “die,” but continue
participating in the game until they run out of their allotted number of lives.
 We
were delighted to have Ekaterina of the Russian Circus to tell us of their
performances and a special offer for PCEC members. The circus is located in
Jomtien, near Pattaya Tower.
Marc demonstrated the sound the gun makes when fired. The gun also has a cord
that is attached to a head band. The head band has two sensors; one front and
one rear. When an opponent’s infrared beam makes contact with the sensor, it
emits a screaming sound and, yes, the green display removes one of the player’s
lives.
Marc then mentioned their motto, which is “LivePlay, where people meet.” He said
he wanted to emphasize that one of the great benefits of playing is that it
builds teamwork. Depending on the scenario, the players on one team have to work
and plan together in order to prevail over their opponents. Thus, some groups
involve their employees or members in playing the game as a team building
exercise. Also, it fosters interaction among the participants, when after the
game they discuss the results, analyze their strategy, etc. But, one of the main
things, he said, is that it’s a lot of fun.
 Marc
of LaserTag Pattaya tells PCEC members how LaserTag is played, and about the
course. Asia’s first outdoor LaserTag, it is located just past the Floating
Market on the way to Sattahip.
He noted that the games are based on combat simulation and are mission oriented.
He mentioned several of the different game scenarios, including protecting a VIP
in hostile territory or one where you win when all your opponents have been
eliminated.
Any number can play a game, but at present they are limited to a maximum of 70
because that is all the “guns” they have. He also showed pictures of their
inflatable “defenses” (houses, walls, etc.) which can be set up anywhere. They
have taken their equipment and inflatable defenses to schools and other places.
So, if a group has the space and wants them to bring the game to them rather
than the group coming to their outdoor court in Pattaya, they can.
Marc explained that each game lasts about 30 minutes. At their outdoor court,
they charge 300 baht for a person’s first game, which includes introduction into
the intricacies of LivePlay Laser Tag. The person then receives a card and all
their future games are only 100 baht or they can play all day for 300 baht.
Currently, they are running a tournament which began March 15 and is free to the
participants. Marc said that although it had started, anyone interested could
still join in during the next few days. The purpose of the tournament is to get
more people acquainted with LivePlay and have a lot of fun in the process. Marc
said that even if you are by yourself, come out to the arena and you wouldn’t
have to wait too long to join a group of players. The arena is located on
Sukhumvit just past the new floating market and opposite the Elephant Farm if
you are heading toward Sattahip.
So with Marc doing all the talking, what was his partner, Bachar, contributing
to the presentation? Well, during the presentation, some of the “guns” were
being handed about and Bachar was doing a lot of screaming - that is, his
sensors were as members of the audience took delight in shooting him.
After the LivePlay presentation, Emcee Judith introduced some special guests.
These guests were representing the Russian Circus, which is located in a big red
and white tent adjacent to Pattaya Park (air conditioned and seats about 1,300).
Judith said that she and hubby Les have attended their performance and it was
definitely worth seeing. They perform for about an hour and a half beginning at
7 p.m. every evening.
Their representative, Ekatrina, said that they plan to be in Pattaya for at
least 5 years. Currently they are having a promotional price of 350 baht per
person through March 26. After that, the price will go up a bit. The show has
primarily acrobats and clowns. However, in about 3 months, they will be having
an animal show with bears riding motorcycles being one of the main features. No
specific date for the change is known yet as they are going through the legal
formalities to bring the animals into Thailand.
Emcee Judith thanked the Russian guests for visiting, then she 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.
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