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Pattaya welcomes Year of
the Tiger with 3-day festival
Death defying feats by the lions and dragons are always
crowd pleasers.
Ariyawat Nuamsawat
Pattaya welcomed in the Year of the Tiger with cultural shows, dragon
parades and music during a three-year celebration that brought large numbers
of tourists to the area for the holiday.
Mayor Itthiphol Kunplome kicked off the festivities Feb.
14 at the King Taksin the Great Monument at Pattaya City Hall where the
legendary monarch and honorary father of Pattaya was honored with food,
sweets and dances by Chinese-style lions and dragons. The events continued
with a parade in Naklua.
Mayor Itthiphol Kunplome leads city administrators in paying respect to King Taksin the Great on Chinese New Year.
That evening, the mayor emceed the city’s Chinese New
Year festival at Bali Hai Pier, featuring a dragon and lion dance show, lion
and dragon fighting, fireworks and the spectacle of a Chinese lion climbing
20 meters into the air. The highlights of the night’s activities were a show
performed by students from Tianjin Common University in Taiwan sponsored by
the Sawang Boriboon Thamasathan Foundation and a concert from the Brazia
Band.
Festivities continued each night through Feb. 16 with an
“angel blessing dance” show, kung-fu exhibition, the Chinese Girl Pattaya
2010 pageant for kids ages 7-9, a dance to honor the Kuan-Im Goddess,
cultural shows from mainland Chinese performers and concerts by popular
artists.
The Chinese God of Wealth blesses
people during the festivities at Bali Hai pier.
Eng-Kor-Pabu performers from the Look Praya
group out of
Nakhorn Sawan lead the parade.
Folks of Thai-Chinese lineage worship their God and
forefathers according
to their traditions on Chinese New Year.
People put money into the Dragon’s mouth with the belief
that it will support honor, auspiciousness, and build their fortune.
The dragon climbing the pole to fight with the lion
draws
gaps of amazement and plenty of applause.
Art students from Tianjin Common
University in the Republic
of China perform during the opening night.
Jesters provide specialized
footballs to blind athletes
During the presentation, Aurora (center), Woody (left) and
Peter (right)
posed with the blind athletes for a group photo.
Lewis Underwood
Last year on Christmas Day, we were invited by director
Aurora to come and listen to the students at the School for the Blind sing
carols. In a day full of social obligations, it was a charming interlude
that added accent to the day’s already mirthful mood.
When the singing was finished, Aurora had a favor to ask.
She said they were in want of specialized footballs, as their old ones were
worn or split and the playing season was coming up. The balls were needed
for their athletes’ training for not only national events, but also regional
ones, such as the Far East and South Pacific Games for the Disabled (FESPIC)
and Asian Para Games.
Peter Makowski (left) after presenting special footballs to the students.
These balls are specially constructed with pellets inside
them, so that when they are in play, they can be readily located by sound.
They are also bigger than standard footballs, closer to that of basketballs,
and specifically made for blind athletes. They have to be ordered from West
Germany and are pricy at 4500 baht apiece.
By the way, these blind athletes play a modified game of
football, sometimes called goalball, which involves two teams of three
players, who each face each other across a court that is 9 meters wide and
18 meters long. The object of the game is to ‘bowl’ the sound-making ball
over the opponent’s goal line at the other end. The opponents listen for the
oncoming ball and attempt to block it with their bodies, which more often
than not, means getting in prone positions. Once they are able to stop the
ball and take control of it, they then become the offensive team.
So, after being softened up by the serenading and infused
with the spirit of giving, with little hesitation, we announced that we
would be more than happy to sponsor this significant equipment. After all,
sports, like music, are important meaningful activities for these special
children.
So fast forward to earlier this month, Peter Makowski,
rock journalist and procurer of signed memorabilia from rock stars for our
auction, is in town and we are in the process of visiting our projects, when
Aurora calls. She said the balls have arrived and she wants us to come by
and present them to the kids. And we said, perfect, we will be right over.
It was simple, spontaneous event and the kids were
delighted to receive the balls, especially ahead of their annual Sports Day
that took place last Wednesday on the 24th.
If you would like to learn more about how we benefit needy kids, please
visit our website at www.care 4kids.info.
Joint Chambers discover the Lost World
Dr. Iain Corness
Despite some prior misgivings in some quarters, the British
Chamber of Commerce Thailand (BCCT) and the Australian Thai Chamber of
Commerce (AustCham) held a joint networking evening at the new Centara Grand
Mirage Beach Resort Pattaya.
(L to R) Brett Gannaway, executive director of AustCham Thailand; Andrew Durieux, president of AustCham Thailand, and Graham Macdonald, vice chairman of British Chamber of Commerce Thailand.
Cricket balls, tennis balls and rugby footballs were
banned for the evening, which resulted in a most harmonious networking
night. In fact, the executive director of AustCham, ‘Brylcream Brett’
Gannaway, admitted on Pattaya Mail TV that all he had to do was make
sure the beer was cold and the wine never runs out. (What a job description!
Where do I apply?)
The sponsors for the very well attended evening were
Hemaraj Land and Development Public Co., Ltd., and the Centara Grand Mirage
Beach Resort itself. David Nardone, the quiet chairman of Hemaraj was in
attendance, and at the Automotive Focus Group meeting before the networking.
Unfortunately the GM of the Centara Grand Mirage was not able to attend (or
was lost trying to find the Zulu room). It is certainly a diverse property,
a kind of Las Vegas meets Jurassic Park with faux South American Mayan
building blocks. Not to everyone’s taste, but all agreed that it is a
spectacular resort.
(L to R) George Strampp, managing partner of Automotive
Manufacturing Solutions; Pattaravadee Wangviriyaphan, marketing executive of
Bangkok Hospital Pattaya; and David Nardone, president & chief executive
officer of Hemaraj Land Development Public Company Limited.
When questioned directly on Pattaya Mail TV, the
BCCT Vice Chairman Graham Macdonald denied that the joint networking concept
was just to save money by splitting the overheads. Newly elected BCCT board
member Steve Graham was his usual expansive self, though severely warning
the TV crew that he was not going to be a subject for an interview, but did
take time to publicly promote the current fund-raising project of Tracey
Cosgrove (through the Melissa Cosgrove Foundation for disadvantaged children
of construction workers).
Many lovely ladies in attendance, surrounded by rows of
eager young networkers (and some not so young) like gerbils around a
watermelon. Basking in some of the attention was Jaruwon (Jay) Buasri from
PRTR executive recruitment, a most interesting “Thai-Aussie”; and Ann
Wangvirayaphan from the Bangkok Hospital Pattaya.
(L to R) Korkaew Korwatana, assistant director of sales for Sheraton Pattaya Resort; Darunee Piriyarodtawee, sales coordinator of Sheraton Pattaya Resort; and Penpapasorn Eamsa-Ard, sales manager of Sheraton Pattaya Resort.
Other regulars included Cees Cuijpers (Town and Country),
the BCCT executive director Greg Watkins, the two Eastern Seaboard Pauls -
Paul Wilkinson and Paul Whyte, Peter Smith (AA Insurance Brokers), Mark
Butters RSM, AustCham’s Andrew Durieux, Maurice Bromley and his lovely wife
Renita, the sartorially very splendid George Strampp with his suit coat
proclaiming it was tailored just for him, Mike and Roseann Diamente, Greg
Pitt (McKenzie Smith Law) who was wondering if the Toyota recall would
affect his “MG”, Colin Bartlet and Chris Thatcher, (the Sutlet Group), Simon
Matthews (Manpower), Ian Robertson (Grant Thornton), Dr Salam Hoshang from
Asian University, Bruce and Judy Hoppe and ‘tin legs’ Peter Mewes (and that
is just a few of the throng).
It was certainly a very popular and successful joint
networking evening, and the Brits and the Aussies are to be congratulated on
not discussing sport. The next networking evenings for the two chambers will
be publicized beforehand in the Pattaya Mail.
(L to R) Gaines Sumroll, Mike Danielson, Kung, and Tim
Hunter.
(L to R) Greg Watkins, executive director of the British Chamber of
Commerce Thailand; Maggie Waller, Richard Waller, chairman of The World of
Wine Co., Ltd., and Graham Macdonald, vice chairman of the British Chamber
of Commerce Thailand.
From 19 to 63, Aquanauts
interns sail through scuba
diving instructor exam
Aquanauts Dive Centre’s February 2010 dive instructor
class. From left, Connor McBryde, IDC PADI Master Instructor Sally Rathbone,
Lorna Green, Greg King and Master Instructor Gary Tytler.
Pattaya Mail Staff
A 63-year-old sailboat captain and English massage therapist
were among the latest students to change their lives and become scuba diving
instructors when Aquanauts Dive Centre again steered a class of foreign
students through three-day PADI instructor exam in Pattaya.
Australian Greg King became the oldest participant in
Aquanauts dive internship program to pass the Feb. 15-17 exam at the
Discovery Beach Hotel near Aquanauts’ headquarters on Soi 6 and Beach Road.
Also passing the exam were former spa trainer Lorna Green and 19-year-old
student Connor McBryde, both of the United Kingdom, and Jonathan Eagle, who
did his instructor’s course at Aquanauts after doing earlier training at new
partner company Real Divers of Jomtien Beach.
“With age comes a little wisdom that says don’t rush,
take it slower. It was the same for me here,” King said. “I could not hope
to keep up with some of the guys who had recently come out college and were
in the swim team. It was the same in the classroom where some of the interns
have only recently been studying full time while it has been 45 years since
I was in school.”
Nonetheless, King scored perfect marks in classroom
presentations and turned in a strong open water test performance. Likewise,
Green dropped only 3 questions out of four written exams and scored perfect
marks across two days of swimming pool and open water testing.
The four new success stories start Aquanauts the same way
it ended 2009 and 2008: Perfectly. The PADI 5-Star Career Development Center
is the only professional dive training facility in Pattaya or Jomtien Beach
with a 100 percent pass rate for the past 32 months, a record its owners
attribute to its small class sizes and personal attention.
More information on Aquanauts’ professional programs and
diving courses and trips for tourists can be found online at Aquanauts
Dive.com.
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