HEADLINES [click on headline to view story]: 

Graffiti artists go wild at Underwater World

PBTA president celebrates 58th birthday

PCEC takes a Sunday drive

Mike Group awards 135 scholarships to employee families

Jesters sponsor goes Silver

Graffiti artists go wild at Underwater World

Winners Pakorn Tananon and partner Tong pose with their winning entry.

Sawittree Namwiwatsuk
Underwater World is giving graffiti artists a chance to spread their art without going to jail.
The aquarium on Aug. 23 held its first graffiti contests with 13 teams spray painting scenes of underwater animals and coral reefs on Underwater World’s bare walls. Winners, judged by Burapha Dean of Student Affairs Chaiyot Wanitwatananuwat, took home trophies and cash prizes of 2,000-10,000 baht.
Underwater World General Manager Bernard Wong said the contest was held to “pay back” Thai society for giving his company a chance to showcase marine life, as well as celebrate Thai youth leisure activities. Too often genuine artists only get to show off their work illegally in allies and on the sides of buildings.
The overall l winner was Pakorn Tananon. Runners up were Songwut Tangsongwutikarn and Norarat Chaimathurapong with Patcharapol Tnagroun taking third place.

PBTA president celebrates 58th birthday

Pattaya Mayor Itthiphol Kunplome along with the managerial team
of Pattaya City wishes Jamroon a happy 58th birthday.

Ariyawat Nuamsawat
After a busy year as the head of the Pattaya Business and Tourism Association, President Jamroon Vitsavachaipan got a chance to relax with friends and Pattaya public officials during his 58th birthday celebration Aug. 22.
The party at the Sunshine Garden Resort Pattaya featured a guest list highlighted by Mayor Itthiphol Kunplome, deputy mayors Wattana Chantanawaranon and Ronakit Ekasingh and community leaders such as former MP Chanyuth Hengtrakul. Businesspeople from around Pattaya also joined in to offer bouquets, gifts and birthday wishes.
Jamroon is serving his second term as PBTA president. During the past year he helped develop various tourism programs and was one of the officials who helped tourists back to their homeland via Utapao-Pattaya International Airport during the 2008 Suvarnabhumi airport protest.

PCEC takes a Sunday drive

The Sunday meeting of the Pattaya City Expats Club on August 23 at the Amari’s Henry J. Bean’s Restaurant had two very special guests. Master of Ceremonies Judith Edmond started things off by introducing the first, Police Colonel Somnuk Changate, Superintendent of the Banglamung Police Station.

Pattaya City Expats were fortunate to have Kahorn Whangchit, Chief of the Banglamung Branch of the Chonburi Provincial Land Transport Office, shown here, speak at their meeting on 23rd of August.
Colonel Somnuk expressed his appreciation for having been invited to speak to the club and expressed his regret that he could not stay long because of another unexpected obligation. He mentioned that he is very familiar with Pattaya, having been the Superintendent of the Pattaya Police Station before being transferred to Banglamung. He said that Banglamung has many of the same problems with crime and traffic that Pattaya does. One area is home burglaries. He suggested that you get to know your neighbors so that when you leave home, you can ask them to watch your house for you and vice versa. He said he hoped that he could return on another day when he had more time to speak to the club.
After the Colonel’s talk, Emcee Judith introduced the second distinguished guest, Kahorn Whangchit, chief of the Banglamung branch of the Chonburi Provincial Land Transport Office, who had been invited to inform the club about what was needed to obtain a Thai driving license.
Kahorn thanked the club for the invitation, but as he did not speak much English, he had asked Kanchana Sanamchai from their Rayong Land Transport branch office to give the detailed information.

Kanchana listens to one of the many questions from interested PCEC members regarding licenses and registration.
Kanchana proceeded to explain how to obtain a Thai driving license for either a car or motorcycle (a separate license is needed for each). She called for a show of hands on how many in the audience had a Thai driving license and noted that there were many. She then said that because of recent changes, the procedure was not quite the same as it was when most got their license.
She said that the documents needed to obtain your one year Thai car or motorcycle driving license are: (1) a photocopy of passport information and original; (2) valid Thai work permit (if you have one); (3) residence approval document from the Thai Immigration Office; (4) health certificate dated within the last 30 days; (5) valid International Driving permit from any country; (6) valid driving license from your home country; and (7) driving license fee of 205 baht for a car or 155 baht for a motorcycle. If any of the documents are not in English, they must be translated into Thai or English and the translation approved by your Embassy.
She explained that you will then have to take an eye and coordination test, attend a two hour training program if you are Thai, and pay the fee. If you do not have a valid International Driving Permit or a valid driving license from your country, you will be required to take a written test answering correctly 23 of the 30 questions, and a driving test. The Land Transport Office will take a digital photograph, which will be affixed to your driving license. The current version of the license is in both Thai and English.
She mentioned that there were now three eye tests, one is to test for depth perception, another is to test for lateral vision, and the third is to test for color blindness. The coordination test consists of measuring the reaction time for braking after receiving a signal to do so. If you do not pass the coordination test the first time, you are given two more opportunities to pass.
She displayed pictures of the application form and a residences certificate (must be obtained from the Jomtien Soi 5 Thai Immigration Office). She said that the health certificate can be obtained from almost any medical clinic or any of the hospitals.
Before you can apply for a five year license, your one year license must have expired. You will need the same documents except you will use your one year Thai driving license in lieu of an International Driving Permit or driving license from your home country.
After you have received a five year license, you can renew it from 3 months before the expiration date up to one year afterward. If it has been over one year since the five year license expired, you will be required to take the written test. However, if the five year license has been expired more than 3 years, you will be required to take both the written and driving test.
The fee for a five year license is 605 baht for a car and 255 baht for a motorcycle. Kanchana ably answered many questions from the audience.
Emcee Judith then brought everyone up to date on upcoming events and called on Richard Silverberg to conduct the always informative, interesting, and sometime humorous Open Forum where questions are asked and answered about living in Thailand and Pattaya in particular.

Mike Group awards 135 scholarships to employee families

Pramote Channgam
More than 130 employees of the Mike shopping malls and hotels received scholarships for their children’s schooling from Mike Group Co. Ltd. management.

Suntna Mekawarakul, chairwoman of Mike Group Co. Ltd., presents scholarships to the children of Mike Group employees.

Suntna and Surat Mekawarakul, chairwoman and executive managing director, respectively, of the Mike Group, awarded the 1,500-baht grants to families Aug. 22 on the eighth floor of Mike Shopping Mall.
“To thank employees, making their financial load lighter and boosting their morale in such hard economic times, and for Mother’s Day, we provide 135 scholarships to the children of the employees of the Mike Group Co. Ltd.,” Surat said, adding that contributions were made by about 2,000 people.
“The funds given today may not be much, but it teaches the children how they should help their parents save money and lighten their financial load,” Suntna said. “It also shows they should be grateful and understand the unconditional love and grace that our parents have given us.”

Jesters sponsor goes Silver

Ingrid Cunliffe
Well the time has once again rolled around for the annual Jesters Children’s Fair!
On Sunday September 13, from 10 a.m. you will be able to hear the excited squeals of children and adults alike having a great time at Diana Garden Resort and Driving Range.
One of the many sponsors this year includes St Andrews International School and this year we are pleased to announce they have gone from Bronze Sponsor to Silver Sponsor, for 25,000 baht.

(L to R) Ingrid Cunliffe, Nada, Pla, and Head of School Mr Andy Harrison, at St Andrews International School.

St Andrews International School has been a supporter of the fair for many years and we are pleased to welcome them again with this sponsorship donation.
The school will of course be at the fair with games and activities for the children, as will the other international schools of Pattaya.
The Thai kids from the different charities we support will receive the very much anticipated Jesters coupons, in which they can use to play a variety of games and activities for free on the day. This is such a highlight for these kids who come from poor situations and to see them on the day having such a wonderful time is a pure delight.
So, on behalf of the Jesters Care for Kids committee, I would like to thank the St Andrews International School, Nada, Pla and most importantly the school and the Parent Teacher Group.
I know I will see you all on the day and you will see for yourselves the delight on the children’s faces at the joy of having a day out at the fair!
Your donation and kindness goes a long, long way!
Thank you!
If you require any information regarding the fair or stall hire, please visit our web site…www.care4kids.info

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