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Pattaya readies for a bigger and more
meaningful Vegetarian Festival this year
Students from the Sawang
Boriboon Vittaya School perform a colorful traditional Chinese dance during
the press conference last week to announce the Vegetarian Festival 2009.
Staff reporters
The annual Vegetarian Festival this year is expected to draw an even
larger crowd than in previous years, despite the economic hardships
currently being experienced in Thailand and the world. The event will take
place over the 11-day period from October 17 to October 27.
The festival will be observed throughout the city both in private homes and
in restaurants, with the centre of activities being held at the Sawang
Boriboon Thammasathan Foundation in Naklua.
This ancient tradition is celebrated not only by people of Chinese descent
but has now been adopted by people of all nationalities and religions as a
period whereby they refrain from eating any meats so as to cleanse their
body and their souls. The abstention also shows mercy for animals by not
taking their lives for food.
This year’s event is supported by Pattaya City with a budget of more than 2
million baht.
The main attractions will be the preparation of the ‘9 Emperors Fried Rice’
and the parade of the beautifully ornamented traditional Chinese lanterns
which will be a unique feature in this year’s event.
Chefs from many establishments in Pattaya will jointly cook the gigantic wok
of the ‘9 Emperors Fried Rice’ and distribute this to 4,999 people which is
considered an auspicious number this year.
The ceremonies will commence at 12.19 pm on October 17, when a procession
bearing the sacred Giew Huang Hook Chow and Phra Bhotisatya
will head from the Bali Hai Pier and travel through Walking Street. The
parade will then separate into two groups, one line passing along Pattaya
Beach Road through to the Central Pattaya Junction, the other passing along
Pattaya Second Road, stopping to perform a lion and dragon show at Mike
Shopping Mall, after which they will proceed to meet up with the first line
at the Central Pattaya Junction. From there, the parade would proceed to the
TOT 3rd Road intersection.
Later that afternoon, the parade will regroup at the Sawang Fa Temple in
Naklua and proceed to Lan Pho market, and on to the Sawang Boriboon
Thammasathan Foundation just past the big old tree in the old section of
Naklua, where ceremonies to launch the vegetarian festival will be held at
4.30 p.m.
Pattaya residents of all nationalities are invited to attend this
magnificent parade and festival to experience and be part of an event that
is not only a thrill to watch, but also to partake in the ceremonies to
cleanse the body, the mind and the soul.
“PCEC the sequel”
Master of Ceremonies (Emcee) Richard Silverberg welcomed
everyone to the regular Sunday meeting of the Pattaya City Expats Club on
October 4 at the Amari’s Henry J. Bean Restaurant, then introduced Dr. Iain
Corness as a man that really needed no introduction.
 ‘The
Doc’ Iain Corness, from Bangkok Pattaya Hospital, and author of ‘Farang’ and
‘Farang - The Sequel’.
Dr. Iain is well known as a man with many talents. He is a medical doctor and
spends much of his time as a consultant at Bangkok Hospital Pattaya - always
available to assist his fellow expats in getting to the right doctor or
department to care for their particular ailment. He is also a columnist writing
several articles under his own name or a pseudonym for the Pattaya Mail.
What many may not know is that he has been a race car driver, a professional
photographer, and restaurateur. He was born in Northern Ireland to a Scottish
mother and English father. But, he didn’t dally there for long and at a very
young age moved to the UK. After medical school he practiced in Europe and then
opened a clinic in Australia. He moved to Thailand in 1997.
 Roger
Rabbit, a.k.a. Derek McCarrick, proudly shows the MBE he was awarded by Her
Majesty Queen Elizabeth II. 74 years young, Derek raises money for many
charities by dressing up as a rabbit (named Roger) and competing in marathons.
Well done, Derek!
Recently he had great success with his first book, entitled Farang, which is an
insight into expat life in Thailand. His publishers pressed him to write a
sequel, which he did and appropriately titled it, Farang, the Sequel.
Dr. Iain said that he wanted to relay some amazing facts about Thailand, or in
other words, give some advice to foreigners living in someone else’s land. He
said that many of us really do not understand the Thai. We have our expat club,
our international restaurants, and our expat friends. Thus, he said, most expats
here are safely cocooned in their own nationality even though living in a
foreign country. So, he wanted to tell us some amazing facts that we may not be
aware of. With several anecdotes and his entertaining style he proceeded by
telling everyone amazing fact number one. He said, is that we are living in a
foreign country. We are the aliens here. Thailand is its own country with its
own language and script. Dr. Iain said that even being in Thailand as long as he
has, his Thai is about good enough to order food and find the toilet; not much
else.
 Well
known local magician Howard Posener ‘Magic Howard’ advises PCEC members of the
topics for the next computer class. These very lively classes, held monthly, are
proving popular for all the information which can be learnt. Richard Silverberg,
meeting MC, looks on.
Dr. Iain went on to explain amazing fact number two. Thais are unique and very
different from us physically. One physical difference is hair. Thais have
straight black hair that a cross section will show is circular. Westerners have
curly hair that a cross section will show is oval; not the same. Thais are
subject to keloid scarring, a condition that over time causes a scar to be
larger than the original wound.
He then went on to note that we come in all shapes and sizes whereas Thais are
mostly the same size. As an example he noted that Thai women seem to share
clothes among themselves with no problem. Another feature is skin color. He also
mentioned that if Thais want to have cosmetic surgery, their first choice is to
change the nose to make it look more western. He then pointed out that Thai skin
is different. Most western women want to get a tan to have skin more like Thais.
Thai women cover up and spend a large amount on whitening creams to look more
like westerners.
Continuing with his comments of physical differences, Dr. Iain brought up the
Thai “squat” toilet. He pointed out that Thai anatomy is such that they have no
problems in squatting. For us westerners, it is an entirely different story.
Dr. Iain then described amazing fact number three. He explained that Thais are
different from us mentally. Most westerners are left brained, meaning we process
things in sequence, usually doing a task in order of importance until the job is
finished. Thais, Dr. Iain pointed out are right brained. Right brained people do
not process things in sequence. Right brained people will get the same job
accomplished, but they jump from one task to another without regard to sequence
or importance; stopping one task to take up another then coming back later to
complete it.
He concluded by asking the question, why are we living here if we complain about
it so much? Dr. Iain answered his own question. For most, one reason is because
our standard of living here is much higher than it would be in our home country.
The other is about 5 and a half feet tall.
He then mentioned his and his publisher’s surprise at the success of his first
book, Farang. His publisher wanted him to write the sequel, which has been
recently published and copies were available for sale in the back alcove. Dr.
Iain graciously agreed to autograph copies. He then answered several questions
from the audience.
Emcee Richard thanked Dr. Iain for his fascinating talk. He then introduced
Roger Rabbit, also known as Derek McCarrick, MBE. Derek wanted to share with
everyone his pride at having received the honor of becoming a Member of the
Order of the British Empire from Queen Elizabeth II. The award was for his
charitable work where he dresses up as Roger Rabbit to run in marathons all over
the world. At the age of 74, he still dresses up in a fluffy rabbit suit and
runs marathons to raise money for charitable institutions. Congratulations
Derek!
Emcee Richard then updated everyone on upcoming events and called on Judith
Edmonds 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.
Still time to enter
Rotary Charity
Pattaya Cross Bay Swim
This year’s course for the Pattaya
Cross Bay Swim.
Graham Hunt-Crowley
There is still time to enter the Annual Pattaya Cross Bay Swim, a
charity event organized by the Rotary Club of Jomtien-Pattaya. This year it will
be held on Sunday November 15 and swimmers have a choice of two distances: 3.5
km cross bay swim or the shorter 1.1 km shoreline swim.
The event is held to raise funds for the Rotary Club of Jomtien-Pattaya’s many
children’s fund projects, both in and around Pattaya and up-country.
Registration closes on Sunday November 8, so there is still time to enter. In
the past, we have had swimmers from 8 to 76 take part and from all walks of
life: expats and tourists, teachers and students, business people and retirees.
Last year there was even a Royal Thai Navy team. All nationalities are welcome.
Sponsors: Get you corporate logo on our events shirts and banners. Donations for
individuals are also welcome, from the smallest amount to the largest. It all
goes to a good cause, and remember Rotarians give their time for free!
For more information see www.crossbayswim.com or ring Graham Hunt-Crowley on 08
1340 8852.
Hard Rock, Bangkok Hospital Pattaya celebrate ‘Pinktober’
Hard Rock Cafe Pattaya and Bangkok
Hospital Pattaya join forces to raise awareness and money for breast cancer
research.
Vimolrat Singnikorn
The Hard Rock Cafe and Bangkok Hospital Pattaya are teaming up to help
men and women alike prevent breast cancer by celebrating “Pinktober.”
The annual international effort to raise awareness and money for breast cancer
research is being marked with parties and promotions at the Hard Rock and
special discounts on screenings at Bangkok Hospital Pattaya.
Despite the organizers’ message to “go pink,” breast cancer can kill both women
and men, Pattaya Deputy Mayor Verawat Khakhay said at the Pinktober press
conference Oct. 2.
Manager Laurent Levraud said the Hard Rock Cafe is offering Pinktober t-shirts
for 899 baht and key chains for 799 baht with 15 percent of the proceeds going
to charity and research foundations. Pinktober broaches are also available for
425 and 75 percent of that will go to cancer groups.
Spend 1,500 baht or more at the Hard Rock and you can get discounts up to 45
percent on breast cancer-screening packages at Bangkok Hospital Pattaya. Tests
for men are specially priced at 4,200 baht while women’s tests are 7,000 baht.
Inpatient cosmetic dermatology and surgery services also are discounted 10
percent.
Those spending more than 15,000 baht at the hospital qualify receive one of
1,000 15 percent food and beverage vouchers for the Hard Rock Cafe and Shop.
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