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PCEC members treated to a look inside a killer’s mind

Central Festival employees train to prevent fire sale

Bangkok Hospital Pattaya undergoes fire skills checkup

Beachfront dining at Central Festival

Now is the time to join the Royal British Legion Thailand

PCEC members treated to a look inside a killer’s mind

After the usual announcements, Master of Ceremonies (Emcee) Richard Silverberg began the Sunday meeting of the Pattaya City Expats Club at the Amari’s Henry J. Beans Restaurant on Sunday, July 26 by calling on Harry (Sig) Sigworth to introduce the guest speaker.

PCEC member Harry Sigworth introduces the speaker, Richard Rubacher, biographer of Charles Manson.
Sig began by noting that Richard Rubacher is 73 years old and comes from New York in the USA. He has a Masters Degree in social rehabilitation from Buffalo State University. He noted that Richard had written a book about his correspondence and interview with Charles Manson, the leader of the “Manson Family.” Manson and his family were responsible for the notorious Tate/LaBianca murders in the Los Angeles area some 40 years ago.
In introducing Richard Rubacher, Sig quoted two comments that appear on the jacket of his book Charles Manson’s Blood Letters: Dueling With The Devil:
“The author has incredible courage or is mad to involve himself with the psychopathic killer.” - Lawrence McLoughlin, Speakers Bureau, Pattaya City Expats Club, Thailand, and “Charlie Manson is one of the most intriguing personalities in law enforcement history. To study him is to confront evil at its worst.” - Retired Lieutenant H. Sigworth, Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department (Lawrie and Sig are both members of the Pattaya City Expats Club).

Richard discusses his correspondence with Charles Manson. As the leader of the “Manson Family”, Manson and his followers were responsible for the notorious Tate/LaBianca murders in the Los Angeles area some 40 years ago.
Richard Rubacher began his topic by relating a story from American Indian folklore. This story dealt with a shaman (medicine man). People would tell him their deepest, darkest secrets.  The shaman would then “eat” them, thus relieving them of their guilt.  He said that Charles Manson was for his followers the “eater of secrets.”  As such, they were devoted to him.
Richard then went on to say that he had received a total of 92 letters and 12 post cards from Charles Manson. Further, he interviewed Manson in Vacaville (California) prison. In general he summed up Manson as a manipulator; one who can get others to do his bidding, even kill.  He also said that Manson, when writing, would refer to himself in the first person, but when interviewed, he referred to himself in the third person.
Richard’s observations were that the persona Manson would display would be that of whomever he was talking to - if they showed anger, he would show anger, if they acted the fool, he would act the fool.
Richard read some passages from his book to reveal some of the psyche of Charles Manson. He also described a conversation between Manson and Timothy Leary when they were incarcerated together for a short period of time. Apparently Manson became furious with Leary’s comments and wrote a letter to Leary that he mailed to Richard with the expectation that Richard would send it on to Leary. Richard noted that although Manson’s mail was monitored and censored by prison authorities, Manson was receiving about 60,000 letters per year and responded to many - with this volume and Manson’s style of writing, Richard felt the censors were not as thorough as they might have been. Thus, the letter to Leary did get delivered to Richard. Richard said that Manson later sent some of his followers to visit him and try to get the letter back, without success.
During his interview of Manson, Richard noted that Manson equated hate with love - if a baby is not loved, it will learn to hate and in later life when it says “I hate you,” it also meant “I love you.” He commented that Manson compared himself to Hitler and Stalin and said that he could kill whomever he wanted. Further that he said that the Tate/LaBianca murders were a warning to the nation - that Manson had much hate and love.
After the speaker concluded, Emcee Richard Silverberg brought everyone up to date on upcoming events and called on John Fishback to conduct the Open Forum.  The Forum affords everyone with the opportunity to ask question or make observations about living here in Thailand, recommend a good restaurant or movie, or even pass on a few jokes.


Central Festival employees train to prevent fire sale

Fire fighters one and all!

Saksiri Uraiworn
With seven floors and hundreds of shops and restaurants, Central Festival Pattaya Beach has a lot of places where fire could break out. To help prevent disaster, employees at the city’s largest shopping mall undertook hands-on training in fire-fighting and prevention techniques.
The two-day seminar by the Pattaya Disaster Prevention and Mitigation Office saw more than 100 workers learn how to prevent fires and handle fire-fighting equipment should one break out.
Day 1 focused on theory behind extinguishing fires, fire extinguisher maintenance, use of other equipment and care for fire victims. The second day saw employees put their knowledge to use with hands-on demonstrations and simulations, including a simulated blaze in a basement level restaurant that required evacuation of shoppers and transporting the injured to nearby hospitals.
Central Festival General Manager Saran Tantichamnan said that most fires are started out of carelessness and spread due to poor planning and preventative measures. Training seminars such as these, he added, can prevent loss of life and protect property.


Bangkok Hospital Pattaya undergoes fire skills checkup

Vimolrat Singnikorn
With so many patients who can’t easily move, Bangkok Hospital Pattaya makes sure its fire-evacuation plans undergo regular checkups.

BHP staffers undertake a mock rescue operation as part of their fire training.

Its latest twice-yearly session July 29 saw about 100 hospital staff take part in fire training organized by Banglamung Fire Department officials. Trainers staged emergency simulations and taught staff how to handle fire-fighting equipment.
Hospital Deputy Director Dr. Narin Boonchongcharoen said much of the emphasis is placed on evacuating patients from fire zones, proper ladder use and basic fire-fighting skills, such as using extinguishers.
“The hospital is very concerned and realizes the importance of fire training,” Narin said, noting about 30 employees have been sent to extra training to become fire leaders. The next drill will be in September during which night-time training will be undertaken.


Beachfront dining at Central Festival

(L to R) Wareunada Fawor, owner of Baritalia by Gie Gie, M. L. Parson Svasti, Itsaret Jirathiwat, Kwankao Swatewimol, Supitcha Surakup, Naowadat Sippapak, owner of Cafe Chili, and Sakorn Thavisin, senior marketing manager for Central Pattana Public Co. Ltd.

Vimolrat Singnikorn
Taking advantage of its position as Asia’s largest ocean-front shopping mall, Central Festival Pattaya Beach is making dining on the beach just as big of an experience.
Mall directors July 29 opened the “New Diving Destination” featuring a range of chain and specialty restaurants with their own outdoor-seating areas. Celebrity gourmets M. L. Parson Svasti and Pang Kwankao Swatewimol were among the first to tour the new open-air cafe.
Itsaret Jirathiwat, business development manager of mall operator Central Pattana Co. Ltd, said the New Dining Destination will not only be a place for shoppers to eat, but a meeting place for gourmets as well.
New Dinning Destination features Malaysia’s Secret Recipe bakery, Isaan food outlet Cafe Chili, Italian restaurants Pan Pan and Gianni, Russian Restaurant, Segafredo Zanetti Espresso and KFC. Each has its own terrace overlooking the sea.
Svasti and Pang were given a tour by Itsaret around the New Dining Destination and its restaurants and sampled food while sharing their experiences and secrets in selecting dinning places.


Now is the time to join the Royal British Legion Thailand

August is the month to join the Royal British Legion Thailand for a number of reasons: first, you get 1 month’s free membership, you also get to join in all our events and trips and now you also have the opportunity to join our group medical insurance.
We have joined forces with Thailand’s leading health insurance company and Pattaya’s top brokers (who have dropped their commission to Legion members) to offer massive discounts, but still giving you top of the range cover. You have to be in it to win it!
The Royal British Legion meets at Tropical Bert’s on 2nd Road opposite the Bangkok Bank every Sunday from 2 p.m. Stop in or phone Bert on 089 8072335. You do not have to have served in UK armed forces to join, you must, however, agree to the principles of the Legion.