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Skål Pattaya informed on child sex tourism
Dr. Iain Corness
Skål International is the umbrella organization covering
‘Professionals in Tourism’, so it was very understandable that information
regarding efforts to curb child sex tourism would be of interest. Local
President Ingo Raeuber (Pinnacle Resorts) managed to secure the services of
one of the Bangkok-based NGO’s to facilitate this.
The guest speaker at the luncheon held at the Siam Bayshore was
Patchareeboon Sakulpitakphon from the ECPAT group in Bangkok, where the
ECPAT acronym stands for ‘End Child Prostitution, Child Pornography and
Trafficking of Children for Sexual Purposes’.
 Patchareeboon
Sakulpitakphon from the ECPAT group in Bangkok talks to Skål members about
efforts to curb child sex tourism.
Patchareeboon gave a very well presented overview to the Skål International
Pattaya and East Thailand members, informing them that child sex tourism was
not a local phenomenon, but was a world-wide problem, and in fact was
starting to surpass the drug supply business in financial terms. A shocking
statistic.
She spoke on the Code of Conduct for the Protection of Children from Sexual
Exploitation in Travel and Tourism which was a voluntary agreement adhered
to by nearly 1,000 companies in over 30 countries. This was created by
Nordic tour operators and ECPAT Sweden in 1998, and is now an independent
organization called ‘The Code’ which now reaches over 30 million tourists.
The Code has six criteria, including adoption of a Corporate policy against
sexual exploitation of children,
Education and training of personnel,
Introduction of a clause in the contracts with suppliers,
Providing information to travelers,
Providing information to local “key persons” at the destinations,
And Annual reporting on the implementation of these criteria.
In the local arena, Accor Asia has adopted this code of conduct and since
2003, more than 6,000 Accor employees have been trained in the first nine
countries. They have created information materials for display and
distribution within the Accor Hotels for clients and staff.
More recently, Kuoni, one of the largest European tour operators has also
taken up the challenge and has stated very clearly it will only work with
destination partners that are also working towards stopping this iniquitous
trade in children.
Patchareeboon was given resounding applause for her presentation after a
very spirited, and at times emotional, Q&A session afterwards.
As professionals in tourism, the members of the Skål International Pattaya
and East Thailand now understand the problems that are being faced by their
industry.
Those who are involved in tourism and would like to know more about Skål
International should contact Ingo Raeuber by email at
[email protected]
BCCT as British as pork pies
(L to R) Maurice Bromley,
president of the South African-Thai Chamber of Commerce; Chris Thatcher,
chairman of the Sutlet Group (Thailand) Co., Ltd.; Colin Bartlett, managing
director of the Sutlet Group (Thailand) Co., Ltd.; and Kevin Morgenstern,
business development manager of Santa Fe (Thailand) Co., Ltd.
Dr. Iain Corness
The British Chamber of Commerce Thailand (BCCT) demonstrated at their
September networking evening that if nothing else, the Brits know their pork
pies!
With the venue sponsors being Eileen and Norman Denning of Yorkies Pork Pies,
the folk who made the trip to the seaside in Jomtien knew in advance there was
going to be some good food in the offing. And there certainly was. Our Norman
knows his pies, and the shaved ham was superb, Norman. Eileen, however, has been
quite strict with the toothsome Norman and limited his lunchtime pork pies to 20
(instead of his usual couple of dozen) and proudly announced he has lost 10 kg.
Well done Norman.
(L to R) Renita Bromley, committee
member and treasurer of the Chiang Mai Sixes; Clive Butcher; Blake Dimsdale,
director of Mazars Ltd.; Mark Butters, CPFA, United Kingdom, director of RSM
Advisory (Thailand) Limited.
The pair also gave a progress report on the new school they
have been building in Yasothon, with the help of all the people who gave freely
to this charity project. The shell is up, the roof is on, and if the funds are
available, new furniture is on order. (Contact Eileen and Norman at Yorkies if
you’d like to help.)
It was interesting to see just how many BCCT directors, ex-directors and
committee men had made the trip down from Bangkok - the attraction of Norman’s
pork pies is legendary. Greg Pitt (McKenzie Smith Law) was there, proudly
parking his Toyota outside (sorry, MG/Toyota) and seen chatting to a rival pair
of auditors Chris Fuggle and Blake Dimsdale (Mazars) and Colin Bartlet and Chris
Thatcher (the Sutlet Group). Simon Matthews (Manpower) and Mark Butters (RSM
Thailand) are always present, and always enjoy themselves. Simon has toned down
his shirts recently, after having been identified by a visiting Cowgirl (and
I’ll let you ask him the story).
(L to R) Maurice Bromley,
president of the South African-Thai Chamber of Commerce; Graham Macdonald, vice
chairman of the British Chamber of Commerce Thailand; Eileen Denning, M.D.
Yorkies Pork Platter Co., Ltd.; Renita Bromley, committee member and treasurer
of the Chiang Mai Sixes; and Norman Denning, Yorkies Pork Platter Co., Ltd.
Of course, the local crowd was in attendance including Vice
Chairman Graham Macdonald (MBMG), Dr Salam Hoshang from the Asian University,
Maurice Bromley and his sparkling wife Cabarita, Tom (the dog) Coughlan, Bruce
Hoppe and Mark Bowling (Colliers).
Discussion between the business card exchangers was certainly not one of
depression, or the forthcoming end of the oil supplies or being burnt to a crisp
through global warming next month, but was one of fun and positive thoughts on
the future. With a glass of wine in one hand and a Yorkies pork pie in the
other, it would be difficult to be depressed!
The next BCCT networking evening on the Eastern Seaboard will be on October 16,
and the venue will be announced in the Pattaya Mail and another (a dinner) on
October 30 with speakers Chris Bruton (Dataconsult) and David Nardone (Hemaraj).
(L to R) Bruce Hoppe, vice
president of Asia Operations for Emerson Electric (Thailand) Ltd.; Graham
Macdonald, vice chairman of the British Chamber of Commerce Thailand; Simon
Matthews, director of the British Chamber of Commerce Thailand; Gregory Pitt,
managing director of Mackenzie Smith Law; and Norman Denning, Yorkies Pork
Platter Co., Ltd.
Aquanauts Dive mints
new scuba instructors
Aquanauts Dive Centre’s Master
Instructor Gary Tytler, left, new instructor Alexandra Booth, Course Director
Roger M. Smith and new IDC Staff Instructor Stefan Thomi.
Bob James
A 25-year-old British business consultant is now a professional scuba
diving instructor, the latest of the many foreign students who’ve decided to
change their lives and careers through an internship at Aquanauts Dive Centre.
Alexandra Booth, 25, sailed through her three-month course to easily pass her
Professional Association of Diving Instructors examination Sept. 6 at Pattaya’s
Discovery Beach Hotel. The Hampshire, England resident has gone home for a few
weeks with plans to return to advance her instructor qualifications this winter.
While Booth found the exam much easier than two other students who did the
Instructor Development Course with her, she said it was still challenging.
“People forget about the studying,” Booth said. “You don’t just get to come here
and go diving… unfortunately!”
With a keen mind and a medical background, Booth excelled on the academics,
however. “Thanks to Aquanauts, I felt really well prepared for the exam,” she
said.
This month’s instructor development cycle also saw Stefan Thomi, who became an
Open Water Scuba Instructor in May, complete his IDC Staff Instructor course,
the third run on the PADI instructor ladder. He’s now off to the Maldives to
begin working.
Aquanauts, a PADI 5-Star Career Development Center located on Soi 6 near Beach
Road, hosts students from around the world through their unique 2-6 month
internship program which offers private accommodations, new equipment, unlimited
diving plus all courses, materials, fees and job placement. For more information
see the Aquanauts professional-training website at DivingInstructorTraining.com.
British Legion
chairman honored
Recently a group of Legionaries from the Royal British Legion
Thailand met to pay tribute to ex parachute regiment RSM Richard ‘Middy’
Campbell MBE.
A plaque had been commissioned and was presented to Middy to mark the
appreciation of his fellow legionnaires for the hard work and commitment he
showed as the Founding Chairman of the branch.
 RSM
Middy Campbell (left) is presented with his plaque from Colour Sergeant Bob.
He was presented with this token by Bob Myers, the senior resident member of the
Royal British Legion Thailand, and a fellow Veteran of the Paras.
The British Legion has grown in Pattaya from a few old soldiers unofficially
meeting on a Sunday Afternoon at Tropical Bert’s telling some tall tales and old
stories, to an official more than a few old sailors, soldiers and airman meeting
at the same time and same place telling the same stories.
Each year the Legion visits the British Embassy in Bangkok to mark Remembrance
Day, ANZAC Day at Kanchanaburi, and takes a trip of remembrance to Malaysia.
Middy has now decided to pass on the reins of chairman and all his friends agree
he will be a hard act to follow.
100,000 expected to attend Asian Lions Club summit Nov. 19-22
Ariyawat Nuamsawat
More than 100,000 people are expected to attend the 48th Orient and
South East Asia Lions Forum to take place in Pattaya Nov. 19-22.
 Mayor
Itthiphol Kunplome (left) and OSEAL Organizing Committee Chairman Somsakdi
Lovisuth (right) announce the November Lions summit.
At the event’s Sept. 2 press conference at Pattaya City Hall, OSEAL Organizing
Committee Chairman Somsakdi Lovisuth said the event to be held at the Royal
Cliff Beach Resort will be a great way for Thai Lions to show off their
achievements. Lions from 18 countries are expected to attend.
“Following our theme of ‘Reflection,’ we should reflect on our past performance
and the targets and objectives reached,” Somsakdi added in a letter to members.
“We should also map out our future, so that whenever possible, we undertake
activities and joint ventures with other Lions Clubs and other civic
organizations.”
The opening ceremony will be held Nov. 20, followed by the opening ceremony of
the meeting of the Japanese Global Membership Team. Moreover, there will be a
grand parade along the beach to publicize the Lions Clubs summit.
PILC Bazaar to be bigger and better than ever
Kavita Lamba
This year the Pattaya International Ladies Club Annual Bazaar on October
3 at the Royal Cliff Hotel is set to be bigger and better than ever! Last year
the bazaar raised nearly 500,000 baht which has been used throughout the year to
help many organizations. This year the Bazaar is kindly being sponsored by
Bechtel, Transpo International Ltd. and Foster Wheeler.
 Marloes
with a happy customer from the Garunyawet Disabled Ladies Home.
The PILC has been spending the money and these are just a few examples of how
the money helped children in our area:
Koh Pai Kindergarten - money is given to pay for the salary for two teachers.
This kindergarten is situated in the Chumchon slum area in Pattaya and provides
education for preschoolers and enables parents to go to work and improve their
standard of living. A similar kindergarten has been set up in the Ban Chang area
called Dek Dee.
The Food Drop program where the ladies go every month and visit families in the
slum areas around the Mabprachan Lake and deliver food parcels.
Garunyawet Disabled Ladies where the PILC ladies bring light into the lives of
these handicapped ladies by putting make-up on them, painting their nails and
bringing snacks.
PILC also would like to thank the many businesses and individuals who have
kindly donated this year’s raffle prizes. Raffle tickets are on sale from PILC
members or please contact Chantal Oldaker, Special Events Chairperson
087-824-5268.
Your money really counts, so please buy the raffle tickets and come along and
support this year’s bazaar and help PILC to make a difference to so many lives.
Doors open at 10.00 a.m.
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