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HRH Princess Soamsawalee opens
Jo Louis Puppet Theatre
HRH Princess Soamsawalee opens
the Jo Louis Puppet Theatre in South Pattaya.
Mayor Itthiphol Kunplome
presents a souvenir to HRH Princess Soamsawalee.
Pisut Kiewsod, director of the
Jo Louis Puppet Theatre,
presents a souvenir to HRH Princess Soamsawalee.
Ariyawat Nuamsawat
Top area officials were out in force to see HRH Princess Soamsawalee
open the Jo Louis Puppet Theatre at its new home at Pattaya City Walk near
Walking Street.
Chonburi Gov. Senee Jittakasem, Pattaya Mayor Itthiphol Kunplome and other
local dignitaries joined HRH the Princess July 9 for dinner and the famed
marionette show’s debut at its new dedicated theater.
Previously based in Bangkok, the Jo Louis troupe has performed its mix of
traditional and modern Thai arts around the world. Emblematic of that was
the evening’s first performance, “Kinaree Dance,” an imaginative fairy tale
set in ancient times.
The evening’s playbill also included “Garuda Lud Naga,” a retelling of the
famed Thai myth about Garuda, the king of birds, and his half-brother and
sworn enemy Naga, a multi-headed serpent.
It was followed by “Deva Narumit Dance,” a re-enacting Angkor Empire-era
Hindus dancing while lost in meditation; and “Hanuman Captures Supan
Matcha,” a story of the Hindu deity’s pursuit of love.
Backed by the patronage of the late HRH Princess Galyani Vadhana, the Jo
Louis Puppet Foundation is aimed at keeping alive traditional Thai arts. Its
50 million baht City Walk Theater echoes this through its depiction of the
Himapant Forest of Buddhist mythology and with a restaurant serving only
traditional Thai dishes.
The Heaven of South Pattaya theatre opens at 5 p.m. daily with puppet shows
taking place from 8 p.m. to 1 a.m.
The “Kinaree Dance” show.
The Hanuman puppet amuses the
spectators.
The “Garuda Lud Naga” show is
a retelling of the famed Thai myth about Garuda, the king of birds, and his
half-brother and sworn enemy Naga, a multi-headed serpent.
British Chamber of Commerce Thailand (BCCT) finds it nice on ice
(L to R) Greg Watkins,
executive director of the British Chamber of Commerce Thailand; author Dr.
Iain Corness, Pratheep S. Malhotra, MD of Pattaya Mail; Graham Macdonald,
director of the British Chamber of Commerce Thailand, and Paul Strachan.
(L to R) Dhaninrat Klinhom,
director of public relations for Amari Orchid Resort & Tower; Pratheep S.
Malhotra, MD of Pattaya Mail; Graham Macdonald, director of the British
Chamber of Commerce Thailand; author Dr. Iain Corness; David Cumming,
general manager of Amari Orchid Resort & Tower; Greg Watkins, executive
director of the British Chamber of Commerce Thailand; and Maneechay Waine,
director of sales for Amari Orchid Resort & Tower.
Dr Iain Corness
The British Chamber of Commerce Thailand (BCCT) held their July
Eastern Seaboard networking evening at the Ice Bar on the ground floor of
the Amari Tower. By the end of the evening, it should have been called the
‘just pleasantly cool’ bar, as the ever-growing numbers and lively
conversation was warming everybody up.
 (L
to R) James Howard, advisor to Milan Crosse Creative Ltd.; Simon Matthews,
director of the British Chamber of Commerce Thailand; Tim Golding, Eastern
Seaboard director of prtrexecutive.com; and Mark Bowling, sales manager of
Colliers International.
The general mood was certainly not one of gloom, doom and despondency, and
the GM of the Amari Orchid Resort and Tower, Scotsman David Cumming very
proudly said that the property was fully booked that weekend. I was quite
frankly prepared to accuse him of being economical with the truth, but he
rattled off the figures for the bookings for the next three days and they
were all above 90 percent. David also mentioned that the market place is
currently the Thai market following the decrease in overseas tourists, but
with good promotion, the Thailand population can easily fill hotel
properties in Pattaya. With it being the weekend of the Pattaya Marathon, I
wondered how many of his guests would ‘do a runner’?
With the Amari being the principal sponsor of the evening, the resort took
the opportunity to introduce their Sivara Spa to the BCCT members, with
their charming spa manager Natnicha Wongfoofan and some of her lovely
massage ladies doing free massages for tired executives.
(L to R) Graham Macdonald,
director of the British Chamber of Commerce Thailand; Gary McEwan, business
development manager of Grant Thornton, David Cumming, general manager of
Amari Orchid Resort & Tower; and Greg Watkins, executive director of the
British Chamber of Commerce Thailand.
Matthew Fryar, the director of revenue management for the
Sheraton Pattaya Resort was in evidence, all five foot sixteen of him, but
he was eclipsed by his bevy of beauties with assistant director of sales,
the gorgeous KK, along with senior sales manager Preyanat Santhai and sales
manager Penpapasorn Eamsa-Ard in attendance.
 (L
to R) Terrence Allen Collins, project manager of The Vineyard; Mark Bowling,
sales manager with Colliers International; and Dane Buckley of Real Estate
Magazine.
Making sure that everything was going according to plan was the BCCT’s
‘greg’ arious executive director Greg Watkins ably assisted by board member
Simon Matthews (Manpower) and vice chairman (vice is nice on ice?) Graham
Macdonald.
New faces there included Thomas Mintier, the public relations consultant for
Amata, the industrial park people, and it was good to see that some of the
BCCT Bangkok folk had also made the trip down, including the chairman of the
Sutlet Group, Chris Thatcher.
 (L
to R) Alain Deurwaerder, managing director of Katoen Natie; Colin Bartlett,
managing director of Katoen Natie; and Chris Thatcher, chairman of Katoen
Natie.
A BCCT evening in Pattaya would not be the same without Kevin (the craneman)
Fisher, who reported that he has never been busier with contracts coming
from Australia and Vietnam, and the world’s oldest front row forward Jimmy
Howard (Milan Crosse Creative) resplendent in yet another rugby football
shirt. (Kevin also spoke on a charity evening organized by the Charity Club
of Pattaya on August 22 at the Pinnacle Resort at NaJomtien.)
 (L
to R) Gary McEwan, business development manager of Grant Thornton, and
Graham Macdonald, director of the British Chamber of Commerce Thailand.
Other regulars present were Paul (I can move anything) Wilkinson (AGS Four
Winds), Dr Salam Hoshang from the Asian University, Robert Watson from Five
Star Villas and Condos and the Bangkok Hospital Pattaya’s Neil Maniquiz and
Ann Wangviriyaphan.
The mood was certainly not one of impending disaster, and encouraging
figures from the overseas banking sector and news that finance was again
becoming possible for expansion and new ventures would seem to indicate that
the lowest point of the world economy has been passed and things were on the
way up again. For the BCCT members and friends things were definitely going
up, as the wonderful food from the Mantra’s Superchef Supachai and some nice
wines were going down.
The next Eastern Seaboard BCCT networking evening will be on August 28 and
the venue will be advertised in the Pattaya Mail.
Cees Cuijpers (left), managing
director of Town & Country Property chats with Kevin D. Fisher (right) from
Cranes and Equipment Asia.
Penpapsorn Eamsa-ard (left),
sales manager for Sheraton
and Korkaew Korwatana (right), assistant director of sales at Sheraton.
(L to R) Warisa Raktham, sales
supervisor of Colliers International; Supannee Starojitski, business
development manager for Colliers International; and Suphak Innun, sales &
marketing of McConnell Dowell Constructors Thai Ltd.
(L to R) John Black, managing
director of Real Estate Magazine; Gary McEwan, business development manager
of Grant Thornton; and Herman Van Gucht, director of Town & Country
Property.
(L to R) Mark Butters,
director of RSM Thailand, Thomas Mintier,
public relations consultant of Amata, and Simon F. Denye,
managing director - South East Asia of Cornproducts.
(L to R) Mark Hamill-Stewart,
managing director of MRI Network; Simon Matthews, director of the British
Chamber of Commerce Thailand; Graham Macdonald, director of the British
Chamber of Commerce Thailand; and Nicholas Halliwell, managing director of
Evergreen Comware Company Limited.
(L to R) Dhaninrat Klinhom,
director of public relations at Amari Orchid Resort & Tower; Neil Maniquiz,
marketing executive in the International Marketing Department at Bangkok
Hospital Pattaya; Pattaravadee Wangviriyaphan, marketing executive in the
International Marketing Department at Bangkok Hospital Pattaya; and Dr.
Salam A. Hoshang, head of the MIS Department Faculty of Business at Asian
University.
(L to R) Dane Buckley of Real
Estate Magazine; Jitra Wongjuna, director of AA Insurance Brokers Co., Ltd.;
Cees Cuijpers, managing director of Town & Country Property; and John Black,
managing director of Real Estate Magazine.
PM on 16 years of PM
Pattaya Mail is 16
years old with this issue, but is it merely coincidence that Pattaya Mail
and Pratheep (Peter) Malhotra have the same initials? In actual fact yes,
total coincidence, but there is no doubting that Peter Malhotra was, is, and
will be, the Pattaya Mail. I asked him what has been the biggest
achievement after 16 years. “The Pattaya Mail is still there, the
symbol of the city!” said Peter Malhotra.
Peter came to Pattaya 35 years ago and worked in his family tailoring
business. He did tend to live day to day, but opening up his own newspaper
business changed all that. With the arrival of his children he began to
realize he had a responsibility to not only his family, but to the
community. “I wanted a good, livable, decent community for my children to
grow up in.”
Peter Malhotra is intensely proud of the Pattaya Mail Media Group,
now encompassing three newspapers (Pattaya Mail, Pattaya Blatt,
and Chiang Mai Mail) and the Pattaya Mail TV company. “We
represent Pattaya, the businesses, the community, the organizations, the
people. During the past 16 years we have been involved in business,
tourism, travel, the society, the promotion of the city, helping to correct
some of the ills and assisting and advising the city fathers. The
Pattaya Mail has assisted businesses to continue. I hate to see
businesses that fail.”
As examples of the community involvement of PM and PM, Peter has been a
founder or member of many community organizations, including Skål
International of Pattaya and the East, the Pattaya Sports Club, the
Jomtien-Pattaya Rotary Club, the Westwinds Masonic Lodge and others. “That
way I have learned the needs of the community,” said Peter.
That commitment to the community saw Peter take on the onerous
responsibility of District Governor of the Rotary International District
3340 which encompassed the East and North East of Thailand, for the Rotary
year 2008-2009. This has meant periods of absence from Pattaya, but did not
mean that he was not involved in the newspaper, though the day to day
running was in the capable hands of staff and his own family.
However, he is now back at the helm, and looking forward to the next 16
years. “I want to see the paper grow. Pattaya and the Pattaya Mail
have a great future. I must take care of my big family.” But Peter does
not just mean his biological family, he means everyone who is working for
the Pattaya Mail Media Group, of which he is undoubtedly the
“father”.
Yes, Peter Malhotra is back, with even more enthusiasm for the newspaper and
the entire media group. Better believe. As Daffy might say, “The duck
stops here!”
Best wishes for the Pattaya Mail’s 16th anniversary
Chonburi Gov. Senee Jittakasem congratulates Pattaya Mail
for being a good and trustworthy media outlet for the people.
“Congratulations for overcoming obstacles and I offer best wishes for
continued growth.”
Mayor Itthiphol Kunplome says, “I would like to congratulate the staff of
the Pattaya Mail, the city’s first newspaper, on its 16th anniversary. We
have worked together for 16 years to give tourists and residents good news
and show that Pattaya is the most-vibrant tourist city in the world. I’d
also like to thank all the Pattaya Mail’s readers for supporting the paper
and wish the Pattaya Mail continued growth, good luck and happiness.”
Banglamung District Chief Mongkol Thamakittikhun said, “I wish for the
Pattaya Mail to be a guardian of the people and for its business to grow
along with Pattaya City, Banglamung District and Chonburi Province.
Congratulations!”
Niti Kongkrut, director of the Tourism Authority of Thailand’s Pattaya
Office, expressed the TAT’s gratitude on the 16th anniversary of the Pattaya
Mail. Pattaya Mail is the leading media outlet for Pattaya City and TAT
hopes the newspaper can increase its circulation and advertising and that
everyone continues to read it.
Pattaya Deputy Mayor Wutisak Rermkitkarn said, “Pattaya Mail is growing up
along with Pattaya City. It always works hard to present news for the city.
I hoped it will one day reach the 100-year mark.”
Entertainer Tik Shiro says hello from “Tik Shiro To
Shirik.” I would also like to congratulate Pattaya Mail on its 16th
anniversary. I hope everyone will be healthy, make progress and create new
work to be an effective media voice for Pattaya City and the world. We all
know Pattaya is a dream town for many people. Therefore, everyone should
work together to take care of it. Best wishes to all the Pattaya Mail
employees, directors and associates. I hope everyone’s family will have lots
of money, happiness and smiles.
Skål International meets at Casa Pascal
(L to R) Peter Malhotra, Ingo
Raeuber, Malcolm Boden
and Dr Iain Corness take time out for a photo.
Dr Iain Corness
The revamped Skål International of Pattaya and East Thailand held
its July meeting at the Casa Pascal restaurant, with over 30 of the members
enjoying a lively, entertaining and gourmet lunch.
 Captain
Gary Ritchie, an airline pilot with Air New Zealand, says that being a pilot
is 99 percent boredom and one percent stark terror!
The president, Ingo Raeuber, advised the members on the progress that has
been made, with the local website (www.skalpattaya.org) now up and
running again, and with the Skål motto of “Doing business amongst friends”,
details of special offers given by the various members will be publicized on
the website.
The local group is also behind the “Young Skål” movement, where younger
professionals on their way up the ladder are assisted by the club. There is
a Pattaya Food and Hotel Expo being held at the Royal Cliff Beach Resort
August 27-29, and Skål will have a stand there, which will be manned by
Young Skål members from Bangkok.
It certainly was a gourmet lunch, with Skål members being tempted by Pascal
Schnyder’s seafood creation which included shrimps on guacamole, Alaska
scallops on zesty basil and herbs, salmon, crabmeat and baked clams.
 (L
to R) Rene Pisters, Pascal Schnyder and George Hazard discuss promotional
strategies.
If that wasn’t enough, the starter was followed a choice of John Dory
fillets cooked in three ways, or slow roasted chicken breast with artichokes
and mushrooms on a spinach coulis and cinnamon jus.
The guest speaker at the lunch was Captain Gary Ritchie (brother of Skål
member Greig Ritchie), an airline pilot with Air New Zealand, who began his
address by saying that being a pilot is 99 percent boredom and one percent
stark terror! He then gave the members the “lowdown” on why air fares are
just so difficult to work out at present, and the problems faced by the
airline industry with aging fleets, and promised delivery of new airplanes
years behind schedule. He also showed why code-sharing as a concept may not
work quite so well in the passenger’s favor.
In response to questions, Dr. Iain put on his Bangkok Hospital Pattaya hat
and advised the members of the current situation regarding the Swine Flu.
It was a very successful and convivial lunch, and the next full meeting will
be September 17 (August is the Food and Hotel Expo) and the members will be
advised where the next event will be held.
(L to R) Alan Ottesen, Marlow
and Malwinder Malhotra,
Christina and Malcolm Boden share a moment together.
(L to R) Hans Banzinger, Elfi
Seitz, Ferenc Fricsay, Kim Schnyder, Captain Gary Ritchie, and Pascal
Schnyder enjoy “Doing business amongst friends.”
The Chaine Soiree
(L to R) Allan Sherratt, Janet
Smith, Ranjith Chandrasiri and Richard Smith.
The Chaine des Rotisseurs is the oldest gourmet group in
the world, having initially started in 1248 A.D. The Chaine’s official
website describes it as “an international gastronomic association dedicated
to bringing together both professional and non-professional members
worldwide who appreciate and share a mutual interest in cuisine, wine and
fine dining.” However, in the native French the description is much more
romantic, being “une passion commune pour la grande cuisine, la bonne chère
et le bon vin.”
 (L
to R) Hans Schaad and Jan C. Von Koss.
There has been a Pattaya Chapter (a “bailliage”) for many years, and
currently its local president (the “bailli”) is the noted wine judge Ranjith
Chandrasiri, who is also the president of the Royal Cliff Wine Club.
There is a misapprehension about the Chaine des Rotisseurs, that it only
presents for its members ‘grand’ dinners in a silver service setting, when
in fact the Chaine caters from many different events, even from humble
picnics.
This month’s dining was a Soiree, a style of event that has not been done
for some time in Pattaya and was held at the Royal Cliff Beach Resort in the
Promenade Lounge.
Chaine events are an opportunity for hotels and restaurants to show what
they can really do, and the Royal Cliff really turned it on, with their
executive chef Walter Thenisch and Stefan Beutler from the Rossini
Restaurant in attendance, making sure everything was being correctly
presented, and in some cases, being cooked in front of the Chaine members.
Of course the service staff were also at their best, with the women in long
silver cocktail dresses and the men formally attired as well.
 (L
to R) Fredi Schaub, Dinie De Vries and Willem De Vries.
The wines were well selected (as one would expect) and included Villa Sandi
Prosecco di Valdobbiadene (NV) (Italy), Springfield Estate Sauvignon Blanc
07 (South Africa), Penfolds Private Release Chardonnay 2007 (Australia),
Kaiken Ultra Malbec Reserva 2006 (Argentina) and a Gnarly Head Old Vine
Zinfandel 06 (California).
I tried the Chardonnay, which was pleasant, but in my opinion, outdone by
the Italian Prosecco. However, the Argentinian Malbec was a very smooth red
with a wonderfully long finish, and was my choice as wine of the night.
 (L
to R) Marlowe Malhotra, Elfi Seitz and Joachim Grill.
There were many dishes to tempt the Chaine members, with freshly shucked
‘Brittany’ oysters being a wonderful start. Follow that with an Italian
Antipasti selection with Parma ham and artichokes, poached Alaskan scallops
on pineapple salsa, an assortment of marinated olives, tomato Gazpacho
“Bloody Mary” and boiled shrimp skewer in chili salsa, and much more.
Let me assure you, the live cooking stations were also no quick stir-fry or
noodles, these were gourmet items such as snow fish marinated with hot
smoked maple syrup on boiled potato slices and lemon Hollandaise sauce,
which was not passed over to me until the young lady placed a strategic
sprig of dill on the top. After the snow fish, it was difficult to know what
to approach next, but with one of the chefs preparing pan-fried duck liver
medallions with fruit chutney, beetroot and orange risotto, how could I walk
past?
There were so many choices and wonderful little ‘corners’ with Indian food,
Chinese and Thai. Everyone was catered for.
 (L
to R) Chitra Chandrasiri, Esther Chatelin and Dinie De Vries.
The Soiree was an undoubted spectacular success. The members, both
professionals and amateurs had nothing but high praise for the event, and
the food had lost nothing by being as a cocktail reception, rather than a
sit-down dinner. In fact, I probably enjoyed this soiree more than many
other formal dinners, as I had the opportunity to revisit items which had
really taken my fancy, such as the superb snow fish! In the formal dining
situation, you cannot ask to go back to an appetizer after the main course,
can one?
If you are interested in good food and fine wines, I would recommend that
you join the Chaine des Rotisseurs. Many chapters have waiting lists, but we
(or you) are fortunate that there are still places available. I would
recommend you make contact with Bailli Ranjith Chandrasiri and possibly
attend as a guest initially and then send in your application to join.
Ranjith can be contacted at [email protected].
The next event will be at Bruno’s Restaurant on Saturday the 15th August to
sample the gourmet delights of the guest Chef Patrick Zellweger.
(L to R) Ranjith Chandrasiri,
Stefan Beutler and Walter Thenisch.
(L to R) Ranjith Chandrasiri,
Dinie De Vries and Willem De Vries.
(L to R) Allan Sherratt, Hans
Schaad, Jan C. Von Koss,
Marlowe Malhotra and Malwinder Malhotra.
(L to R) Ranjith Chandrasiri,
Elfi Seitz, John Nicholl, Hugh Millar,
Kim Schnyder, Pascal Schnyder and Chitra Chandrasiri.
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