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Pattaya remembers Father Ray on 6th anniversary of his death
(From left) Priests Worawut
Saraphan, licensee of the Redemptorist Vocational School, Aphisit Kitsralum,
Somphong Teawtrakoon, and Michael Weera Phangrak, director of the Pattaya
Orphanage, preside over the religious ceremony commemorating Father Ray’s
sixth memorial.
Vimolrat Singnikorn
Six years after the death of Father Raymond Brennan, about 1,000
friends, students and coworkers of the man who helped so many of Thailand’s
needy turned out over two days to remember the man behind the Father Ray
Foundation.
 Worawut
Saraphan, licensee of the Redemptorist Vocational School talks about Father
Ray and what he meant to the many lives he touched.
The memorial began Aug. 15 at an overflowing St. Nikolaus Church, where four
priests active in the organization celebrated mass and the placing of
flowers on Brennan’s grave.
On the 16th, the anniversary of Brennan’s 2003 death, memorials were held
throughout the day, starting with volunteers from the Redemptorist School
for the Disabled giving alms to nine monks. Later on, Witthaya Kunplome,
chief executive of the Provincial Administration Organization, Pattaya Mayor
Itthiphol Kunplome, Pattaya Mail Publisher Pratheep S. Malhotra, and Sophon
Cable TV President Chanyuth Hengtrakul and other guests joined the
celebration.
Festivities kicked off with children too young to have known their
benefactor performing a slightly clumsy, but endearing version of “The
Smiling Sun.”
 Witthaya
Kunplome, chief executive of the Provincial Administration Organization
addresses the gathering.
Worawut Saraphan, licensee of the Redemptorist Vocational School, noted the
Father Ray Foundation marks the anniversary of its founder’s death each year
as the many schools and charities it spawned would not have been possible
without him.
“Today is an auspicious day for those who would carry forward the
never-ending love, mercy and effort that Father Ray had towards those in
need,” he said.
Witthaya, in his welcoming speech, said Brennan believed that “all human
beings have feelings, worth and dignity and that every person should be
treated equally with respect and love.” He also believed that it was Father
Ray’s pure love that brought a change to the society, bringing together all
as one.
 Witthaya
Kunplome (left) presents first prize to Prakasit Bumrong from the Father Ray
Outreach Work and Drop-In Center for winning the student category of the
“Father Ray, My Father” essay contest.
Inspired by Brennan’s chartable mission, the government is working harder to
improve the quality of life for the disabled, Witthaya added.
Speeches completed, prizes were then bestowed upon winners of the “Father
Ray, My Father” essay contest, with winners from both the staff - Sonthaya
Phanno from the Father Ray Foundation - and children: Phrakasit Bumrong of
the Father Ray Outreach Work and Drop-In Center.
Witthaya then cut the ribbon in front of the Father Ray monument after which
flowers were placed on the statue.
 Witthaya
Kunplome (left) presents first prize to Sonthaya Phanno from the Father Ray
Foundation for winning the staff category of the “Father Ray, My Father”
essay contest.
Organizers also took children to perform at different venues, including the
Pattaya Floating Market, Carrefour and Central Festival Pattaya Beach, all
of whom helped sponsor this year’s memorial.
Entertainment included a Thai musical performance by the Pattaya
Redemptorist School for the Blind, cabaret dancers from the Tiffany Show,
tricks from the Tuxedo Magic Show, plus there were free medical checkups
from Bangkok-Pattaya Hospital, haircuts from Jutamas Beauty School, free
food and drink from the Chefs Association and, at night on Walking Street,
wheelchair dancing and “fire poi” put on by the Redemptorist School for the
Disabled.
Brennan was born Dec. 7, 1932, in Chicago. He came to Thailand in 1961 as a
volunteer to assist impoverished and disabled people and from that day until
his last he devoted himself to assisting Thailand’s poor.
He established the Orphanage Foundation in the early 1970s after a baby was
left in his care. In the early 1980s a young deaf boy was left at the
orphanage and Brennan was unable to find a local school for him. This led to
the opening of the Sotpattana Kindergarten School for the Deaf in 1983.
Father Aphisit Kitsralum
(left) presents a gift to Witthaya Kunplome,
chief executive of the Provincial Administration Organization,
thanking him for attending the ceremony.
Witthaya Kunplome cuts the
ribbon in front of the Father Ray statue.
Pratheep S. Malhotra, managing
director and publisher of the Pattaya Mail Publishing Co. Ltd., places
flowers in front of the statue.
Suporntham Mongkolsawat places
flowers in front of the Father Ray statue.
Foreign volunteers solicit
contributions for the Father Ray Foundation.
The magic show from Tuxedo
Magic was an enjoyable part of the ceremony.
The Thai music performance by
the blind students
was memorable during the event.
Clowns prepare to entertain
the children.
Youths perform Thai dance at
the Pattaya Floating Market.
Youngsters perform the
Sunshine Dance at Central Festival Pattaya Beach.
A large number of people
attend the Father Ray Memorial.
Visually impaired children
sing at the Father Ray Memorial.
Priests perform a religious
ceremony in front of Father Brennan’s grave.
Disabled members of the Father
Ray Foundation place flowers in front of his grave.
Senior citizens rock out for Mother’s Day
Pramote Channgam
Senior citizens from the Banglamung Social Welfare Development
Center celebrated a rockin’ Mother’s Day as the Hard Rock Hotel hosted a
musical lunch and donated 13,000 baht in adult diapers to the senior center.
 George
Hazard, general manager of the Hard Rock Hotel and Cafe Pattaya, presents
adult diapers to the Banglamung Social Welfare Development Center.
The Aug. 11 party led by Hard Rock Hotel General Manager George Hazard
featured the Hard Rock Cafe Band. Everyone in attendance also received a
gift and an invitation to attend the Hard Rock’s Father’s Day celebration in
December.
The Banglamung Social Welfare Development Center has operated for more than
40 years and currently cares for nearly 300 elderly men and women.
Senior citizens say thanks for
remembering them
and organizing a wonderful Mother’s Day.
Charity Club of Pattaya provides Isaan Up-Date
Christina Boden
The Butt Family
The Charity Club found Somporn, his sister and his father living
in a hole on their visit to Isaan in March with only the clothes they stood
up in. The Club provided the family with food on the spot and arranged for
clothing and shoes for the father and the two children, plus cooking
utensils to be bought that day.
 Somporn
in hospital with his dad and sister awaiting his operation.
A Norwegian man built them a house and the Charity Club paid for guttering,
water pots, and a filter system, which goes to the water pots.
Somporn, who is 12 years old, was born with both male and female organs, and
needed two operations, which the Charity Club has covered as well as food,
travel, and accommodation for this little boy and his family. He has since
had the first of two operations.
The hospital now wants him to get a little stronger before his next
operation.
The Charity Club is also in talks to see if the Father can become a part
time handy man at the local school. The Charity Club have also supplied dad
with a lot of garden equipment and plants so he can create a vegetable patch
in his new home.
Pantip Bunlam
More good news from this family. Pantip left school to look after
her severely depressed mother and to work in a pig farm at night to provide
food for her and her mother.
 Sittipong
with mum.
This is the family with the leaky roof, which the Charity Club arranged to
replace and then the house fell down! So, they rebuilt the house and with
the building of the house this brought the mother out of her depression. She
landed a job and has improved day by day.
The Charity Club agreed to pay 1,000 baht a month to the family for 1 year
so that Pantip could stop working at the pig farm and attend school
properly. They also provided fruit trees, flowers, vegetables some chickens
and ducks. By the end of the year, they should be fully self-sufficient, and
the Charity Club will walk away.
The mother is still working hard and has managed to save some money; the
money has gone towards buying two buffalos!
Pantip is doing incredibly well at school and her mum no long needs any of
her medication for her depression.
Pantip and the family are also proud to let the Charity Club know that with
the old wood that the original house was made from (when it fell down!) is
now a house again…this time for the buffalos, duck’s and chickens.
Poo Gan
Poo Gan has had a new pressure mask fitted this month (August)
and she is coming on in leaps and bounds.
Poo Gan is the little girl that fell into a fire at 18 months old and the
family couldn’t afford to have her treated, so the Charity Club stepped in
and are covering all her treatments, food, travel, and accommodation while
on her trips to Bangkok.
Sittipong
15 year old Sittipong is still the same. The Charity Club will
continue supplying him with the special food he requires. The Club is in the
process of finding him a comfortable wheelchair.
Waranut
The Charity Club found Waranut being cared for by her 14-year-old
brother while on a visit to Isaan in March of this year. No parents are
around and the older children all live in Bangkok. The two children were fed
now and again when the neighbors could give them food or when the brother
stayed away from school and went begging.
 The
buffalo house.
Waranut could not walk so her brother was caring for all her hygiene needs.
Waranut was accepted into the home for mentally handicapped girls in Bangkok
while the brother went to live with relatives in Bangkok.
Waranut is extremely happy and settled at her new home in Ban Rachawadee
Ying. They say that she never stops smiling. Her strength is improving and
she is walking little by little and this will improve as she gets stronger.
The promises from the family regarding visiting her have yet to appear, but
Waranut has stated to the home that she is happy where she is and not
bothered if her family comes or not as she is scared they will take her back
to Isaan again.
 Poo
Gan has had a new pressure mask fitted this month.
The Charity Club will keep in contact with Waranut and visit because club
members have seen such a difference in this little girl since first meeting
with her in March.
When they first found Waranut she was just sitting on her wooden porch lost
in a world of her own with no one speaking to her. It was heartbreaking.
Now, as the staff at the home say, she just never stops smiling, talking and
giggling.
Just as a little girl of that age should be!
Home with autistic Children
The Charity Club are also looking at a project in Isaan helping a
home with autistic children. More details at a later date when things have
been clarified.
As well as these children in Isaan the Charity Club prepare and distribute
food parcels for the elderly and the needy, arrange for artificial limbs to
be fitted, plus distribute wheelchairs, tricycles and walking aids to adults
and children.
Anyone who would like to help with a donation of cash, food, clothing,
bedding, children’s clothing, shoes, toys and/or games can contact the
Charity Club at any of the following: Christina on 0821094453; Malcolm on
0895454185 or 089 7441040; or charityclubofpattaya@ yahoo.com
Poo Gan is due an operation on her fused fingers.
Waranut where she use to sit all day and sleep at night (March 09).
Waranut now July 09
Central Festival Pattaya Beach celebrates Mother’s Day
Sawittree Namwiwatsuk
Singer and former model Dome Pakorn Lum headlined Central Festival
Pattaya Beach’s Mother’s Day celebration, which saw the Thai heartthrob give
his own mom flowers and awards to nine others.
 Dome
Pakorn Lum croons for the mothers at Central Festival Pattaya Beach.
The Aug. 10 celebration of HM the Queen’s birthday saw the 29-year-old Dome
enter the mall on a bicycle and present jasmine flowers to his mother. The
galleria was awash in white and pastel for the occasion, with 100 species of
jasmine flowers brought in by Nong Nooch Tropical Garden.
The festivities concluded with a “best mothers” award ceremony which Dome
topped off with a short concert.
The winners of the award to honor Pattaya’s outstanding mothers were:
Jintana Wetchote, head of the Pattaya Education Department, Siriphorn
Khomkhum, managing director of Hollywood Entertainment Complex, Naowarat
Kakhay, president of the Restaurants Association of the Eastern Seaboard,
Chanansa Suttithamrongsawat, Pattaya City Councilor in charge of community
and youth assistance, Prapai Chareonwong, owner of Mae Prapai Somtam
Restaurant; Arphorn Rajsingho, principal of Pattaya School No 5, Nittaya
Patimasongkroh, chairwoman of the Y.W.C.A. Bangkok-Pattaya Center, Aurora
Sribuaphan, director of the Redemptorist School for the Blind; and
Piriyaphan Sophonkijavanit, director of the Parents Association of Sathit
Kaset University and owner of Company Wedding.
(Center, left to right) Kasin Owatsuwan, general manager
of Central Department Store, Mam and Dome Pakorn Lum surrounded
by children wishing all mothers a Happy Mother’s Day!
Dome Pakorn Lum’s mother Mam (left) and the winners of the Pattaya City
Outstanding Mothers awards pose for the camera with Dome Pakorn Lum and
Kasin Owatsuwan, general manager of Central Department Store.
La Chaine at Bruno’s
Dr Iain Corness
The Chaine des Rotisseurs, the oldest and one of the most
prestigious gourmet groups in the world, took the opportunity to experience
the creations of the young Swiss chef Patrick Zellweger, currently on duty
in the Bruno’s kitchens.
 Chef
de Mission Hugh Millar points out that the Yalumba winery was founded by an
Englishman in 1849.
The Chaine members, a small but select group, worked up their appetite by
sipping a Pol Clement Brut while enjoying an assortment of canapés and each
other’s company. By the time the formal dining began, I think everyone was
looking forward to see just what a young chef could prepare. Would we be
disappointed?
The first dish in the five course menu featured lobster medallions with a
spicy cucumber sauce (set in a hollowed out cucumber - great presentation),
with carrot cream laced with ginger and a soft boiled egg with truffle
mayonnaise. This was accompanied by a Sutter Home 2006 Pinot Grigio, a
refreshing wine and not so full flavored that it might clash with the spicy
cucumber sauce.
The second course was a brilliant green broccoli soup with mascarpone foam.
This met universal approval and was one of the nicest soups I have had for
some time.
However, it was the third course that really made the evening for me. This
was a vegetable risotto enhanced with truffle oil and Taleggio cheese molded
into a tower, wrapped in zucchini slices and topped with grilled lamb
tenderloin. Normally I am not a fan of risotto, but this was no ordinary
risotto. Top marks from me for this one. The wine was a Santa Cristina
Toscana Antinori 2006, which, though pleasant enough, lacked any real finish
for my taste (but as always, appreciation of wines is an individual
experience).
Hugh Millar (background) listens in as Ranjith Chandrasiri thanks Fredi
Schaub (2nd right) and guest chef Patrick Zellweger.
After a cassis sorbet with
champagne, which exploded in the mouth, we were all ready for the
traditional roast, a requirement of the Chaine des Rotisseurs dinners and we
were not disappointed here either. It was Australian Angus beef tenderloin,
and it was certainly tender, placed on a bed of a forest mushroom ragout
with pine nuts and the wine reduction of shiraz and thyme.
To go with the Australian beef the accompanying wine was an Australian
Yalumba 2007 Y Series Viognier, this one having more body and finish, and
for me, was more satisfying. In his description, Chef de Mission Hugh Millar
was at great pains to point out that the Yalumba winery was founded by an
Englishman in 1849. As Samuel Smith is long gone, any connection with the
‘motherland’ is now tenuous at best! Sorry Hugh, the Smith family today are
true blue Aussies.
The dinner had not ended yet and a cheese platter with a wonderfully
satisfying goat’s cheese rolled in caramelized pistachio nuts was presented
to the members, which I thought was a wonderful ending.
Those who had more stamina than I, made it through a cinnamon-flavored Panna
Cotta with a pomegranate, pineapple and raspberry coulis washed down with a
Sicilian muscat.
The finale was the presentation of certificates to the kitchen brigade,
accepted by K. Anage, the service personnel accepted by K. Kassaporn and
finally to chef Patrick Zellweger, an honor that he certainly deserved. We
were not disappointed in the food in any way, and I can still taste the
wonderfully smooth risotto with Taleggio cheese!
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 here in
Pattaya. I would suggest you make contact with Bailli Ranjith Chandrasiri
and then possibly attend as a guest initially and then send in your
application to join. Ranjith can be contacted at
[email protected].
Chaine members mingle between courses.
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