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Changing face of Thailand highlighted
at BCCT Eastern Seaboard Dinner
(L to R) Nattamon Puangkaew, marketing coordinator for the
International Marketing Department at Bangkok Hospital Pattaya; Janya
Rattanaliam, international affairs executive at Bangkok Hospital Pattaya;
Russell Jay Darrell, managing director of Soundzgood Co., Ltd; and Paul
Strachan, Pattaya Mail TV presenter.
Paul Strachan
The recent events in Bangkok have sent major ripples
across the business community, sent negative messages overseas and here in
Pattaya have had a major impact on the economy, as we find ourselves not in
a ‘Low Season’ but perhaps in what could be better termed as a “No Season”.
(L to R) David Mitchell; Kerry Matisin, Eastern Seaboard
general manager of Allied Pickfords; and Kerati Chantaravisutlert, director
of sales for Pattaya Marriott Resort & Spa Pattaya.
This mindset was shared by many members of the British
Chamber of Commerce Thailand at the annual Eastern Seaboard Dinner that was
held at the Marriott Resort & Spa Pattaya on Friday, June 11.
The event was sponsored by Waste Management Siam Ltd.,
Allied Pickfords-Thailand, Defence International Security Services, Questor
Capital Ltd., Mackenzie Smith Law and Devere Group.
(L to R) Louis J. Van den Bergh, CEO of 4A Properties;
Pratheep S. Malhotra, managing director / publisher / editor in chief of
Pattaya Mail Publishing Co., Ltd; and Gregory Pitt, managing director of
Mackenzie Smith Law.
The guest speakers for the evening were Mark Devadason,
BCCT Chairman & CEO of Standard Chartered Bank (Thai) PCL, and Daniel Pruce,
Deputy Head of Mission, British Embassy Bangkok.
After a delicious buffet Mark Devadason gave a power
point talk on the changing face of Thailand, how it had moved perhaps from
“The Land of Smiles” to “A Land of Contrasts”. He was well aware that the
global image of Thailand had been somewhat sullied and was quick to point
out that the foreign press had focused on only the negative side of things
and that they were notably absent when masses of people got together to aid
the clean up process in restoring Bangkok into one of the world’s most
exciting cities.
(L to R) Bruce Hoppe, vice president of Asia Operations
for Emerson Electric (Thailand) Ltd. chats with Chas. E. McKinney from
Chemical Engineer Operations Management.
Devadason displayed many graphs and charts that
illustrated that despite the recent negativity, Thailand still showed
relatively good growth and that all indicators pointed out that the growth,
albeit somewhat hampered, will, in the long term continue.
Daniel Pruce then gave his address, stating that during
the conflict in Bangkok, the embassy remained operational. But due to its
location near the trouble, it was working with a skeleton crew. They also
opened up a temporary consular office away from the embassy to deal with the
daily work regarding visas, etc.
(L to R) John Hayden, Partner deVere and Partners (Thailand) Ltd; and
Greg Hirst, Partner deVere and Partners (Thailand) Ltd.
Pruce also stated that many embassies closed their doors
during these troubled times and the British Embassy was there to serve its
citizens, even in times of such as these.
The floor was then opened up for a Q&A session, and one
of the main questions was regarding the travel warnings that were issued
stating that the embassy ‘advised against all but essential travel to the
whole of Thailand’. The person posing the question stated that he felt this
advice sent out not only a misguided message but one that has etched a
shadow on Thailand’s good name as a tourist destination.
(L to R) Mark Devadason, chairman of the British Chamber
of Commerce Thailand; Paul Reid, deputy director of trade and investment for
the British Embassy Bangkok; and Chris Thatcher, chairman of the Sutlet
Group (Thailand) Co., Ltd.
Mark Devadason and Daniel Pruce both responded that the
information had been updated regularly and was altered to keep in line with
the events as they unfolded. However, they could see that Pattaya, which is
so reliant on tourism, had perhaps been unfairly affected.
(L to R) Alantail Aitken from Grantham Hospital; Jerry N.
Stewart, non-executive director / chief-financial officer for Business &
Financial Consultancy & Education; and Simon Philbrook, client advisor with
MBMG International Co., Ltd.
To be fair there were no real answers to this problem.
The BCCT and the embassy did their very best to safeguard British residents
and of course British tourists holidaying in Thailand.
However, there is no doubt by looking at the bars and
restaurants and hotel occupancy rates that the unrest in Bangkok has left a
legacy that is affecting not only foreigners working and making a living
here, but also to the people who depend on them, their wives and families
and staff.
The story doesn’t end here, but for now we will have to
wait for Thailand to write the next chapter.
(L
to R) Nattamon Puangkaew, marketing coordinator in the International
Marketing Department of Bangkok Hospital Pattaya; John Hayden, Partner
deVere and Partners (Thailand) Ltd; Greg Hirst, Partner deVere and Partners
(Thailand) Ltd; Janya Rattanaliam, international affairs executive at
Bangkok Hospital Pattaya; and Grittaporn Maneein, assistant sales manager
for Pattaya Marriott Resort & Spa.
(L to R) Tom Coghlan, managing
director of Canine Specialist Protection Co., Ltd; Som-maai Nern-saai
Cotland; Jutharat Jumpawong; Joe Cox from Defence International Security
Services; and Russell Jay Darrell, managing director of Soundzgood Co., Ltd.
Pattaya teens get high on dance at To Be Number One event
Mayor Itthiphol Kunplome (center) along with city
officials and young performers kick off this year’s anti-drugs To Be Number
One contest.
Patcharapol Panrak
Get high on life, not drugs. That was the message behind
the day of dancing and pageantry at Royal Garden Plaza when area youths took
to the floor to announce the upcoming “To Be Number One” Aerobics &
Dancercise Championship and Youth Contest.
While friends and family members looked on, children
danced and sang, providing a prelude to competitions scheduled throughout
the year.
Mayor Itthiphol Kunplome, on behalf of Chonburi Gov.
Senee Jittakasem, presented an honorary shrine to sponsors of the program,
which is part of a national organization chaired by HRH Princess Ubolratana
to steer teens away from drugs through exercise and programs to boost self
image. The audience then sang “Mai Klai Kern Fan” together.
Itthiphol spoke at length about Thailand’s drug problem,
saying it has become a nationwide crisis that threatens the country’s
economy and national security. He said that is why the government has set up
five “fences” to insulate the country from drugs: a border fence, community
fence, society fence, school fence and family fence.
The problem in Pattaya is also serious, he added, which
is why To Be Number One clubs were established in all area schools. They aim
to get kids to use their spare time constructively.
Young performers show their aerobic dancing skills at this
year’s kickoff event.
Jesters Care for Kids Charity Drive 2010 Sponsored by Glencore International and Canadian Jackalope Open
Jesters Journal
Lewis Underwood
Canadian Jackalope Open
goes Diamond!
Recently, the Canadian Jackalope Open joined Glencore
International as Diamond Sponsors, or 400,000 baht donors. This is the 3rd
consecutive year that both of these organizations have come in at this
level. And we thank them big time for their generosity.
Ban Jing Jai kids enjoy the Fair in 2007.
Donations from companies and individuals are our
principal resource of raising funds for disadvantaged kids in terms of
providing safe shelter, schooling and specialized learning for the disabled.
We would also like to take this opportunity to thank our
Platinum Sponsors, or 100,000 baht donors, who are already on board this
year: Mike Koerner, Jameson’s, Mermaid Offshore Services, Pattaya Mail,
Lolita’s Pattaya, Whitehouse Condotel, World of Wine, MBMG Group, Pat and
Reg Warner, Herrod Foundation, Dave James, Hyolim, GAC Thailand, Pattaya Bay
Resort, Club Nevada and Pattaya Sports Club.
Jesters Children’ Fair goes on stage 79 days from today!
That’s right, our Main Events are coming up fast! The
Jesters Children’s Fair on Sunday, September 12th at Diana Garden Resort and
Driving Range in North Pattaya is only 79 days away! This will be followed
by our Jesters Party Night six days later on Saturday, September 18th at
Jameson’s Irish Pub in Central Pattaya.
Each year we strive to make our events better and
fresher. As far as our Fair is concerned, we continue to look for new types
of entertainment to keep both your own kids enthused as well as the kids you
help us sponsor. Towards this goal, you can also help us with the following:
* Help us find stage family-orientated entertainment,
musical, dance, comedic, exhibitive, and the like, or even walk around
entertainers.
* Rent a stall for 1500 baht and provide new games or
activities for kids.
Bret Favre and Peyton Manning to help us raise funds on Party Night this
year!
Well, they will, but unwittingly. We just wanted to get
your attention. However, the fact of the matter is that we have signed
footballs from these two stars courtesy of Jeff Jester, and they can be bid
on by going to our website. Now for those not in the know, these guys have
nothing to do with Team USA and the World Cup or anything else to do with
footballs of the round persuasion. Instead these two grid iron heroes are
from the National Football League (NFL), or that sport played in North
America with footballs like those used in that other manly game, rugby.
Visit our Website
For more information about all of the above, please visit our website at
www.care4kids.info or email us at: [email protected]. Please remember
that you can donate online in just 3 clicks of your mouse, rent a stall
there too while you’re at it or make a bid on an auction item. It is simple
and it is all aimed at helping the kids!
Global Polio Eradication Initiative
launches 2010-2012 Strategic Plan
for Interrupting Polio Worldwide
New strategy builds on 99% drop
in Nigeria cases but faces 50% funding shortfall
WHO Press Release
Geneva, Thursday 17 June - In Geneva on Friday, June
18, a broad range of stakeholders formally launched the new Strategic Plan
2010-2012 for eradicating wild poliovirus.
Polio eradication sits at a critical juncture. Across
Africa, 10 of the 15 previously polio-free countries re-infected in 2009
have successfully stopped their outbreaks. Key endemic countries are
witnessing historic gains against the disease. Nowhere is progress more
evident than Nigeria, where case numbers have plummeted by more than 99% -
from 312 cases at this time last year, to three in 2010. In India, for the
first time ever, the remaining endemic states of Uttar Pradesh and Bihar
have not reported any wild poliovirus type 1 cases concurrently for more
than six months.
The meeting in Geneva was held to build on the gains
already made in 2010 and to galvanize new action on polio eradication. Last
month, the World Health Assembly welcomed the new plan while expressing deep
concern about the US $1.3 billion funding shortfall (out of a budget of US
$2.6 billion) over the next three years. This financing shortfall is a
serious risk to the eradication of polio - activities are already being cut
back or postponed due to a lack of funds.
The Ministers of Health of Nigeria, Afghanistan, Angola
and Senegal, among a number of other senior health ministry officials,
existing and potential funders, vaccine manufacturers and key partner
organizations attended the meeting - co-hosted by WHO Director-General
Margaret Chan and the new UNICEF Executive Director Tony Lake - to discuss
the implementation, monitoring, economics and financing of the new plan.
Dr Margaret Chan called on the international funding
community to stand tall for polio eradication. “The next three years, and
especially the next 12 months, are critical to the polio eradication
initiative and, by extension, the entire international public health
agenda.”
The new plan builds on major lessons learnt to date,
including findings from a major independent evaluation examining the
remaining barriers to eradication. It introduces district- and area-specific
strategies to target the ever-shrinking remaining reservoirs of poliovirus,
exploits the game-changing bivalent oral polio vaccine to increase the
impact of immunizations, and tackles health system weaknesses. The success
of this plan now hinges on implementation of activities at field level and
the provision of adequate financing.
Partners in the Global Polio Eradication Initiative are
examining every possible option to seek fresh funding while managing
existing cash flow to limit any threat to the immunization plan. The risk of
not stopping polio in endemic countries was made clear when a large type-1
outbreak originally from India spread to Tajikistan early in 2010 where, to
date, it has paralyzed 239 children. Tajikistan had been polio-free since
1997. This highlights the urgency of capitalizing on recent gains made in
the polio-endemic countries.
“Polio eradication remains an urgent priority for our
foundation,” said Tachi Yamada, president of global health at the Bill &
Melinda Gates Foundation. “We call on donor governments to also prioritize
polio as we seek to eliminate these last, most difficult cases.”
“The complete eradication of polio is an absolute goal
and it requires absolute commitment from us all,” said UNICEF Executive
Director Tony Lake.
“Rotary believes the new Strategic Plan provides the
blueprint to achieving the goal of polio eradication,” said Carl-Wilhelm
Stenhammar, 2010-11 Chair, The Rotary Foundation. When Rotary initially
launched the effort in 1985, 1000 children were being paralyzed daily by
polio across 125 countries each year. Rotary has since contributed more than
US $900 million in that time, and the incidence of polio has fallen by more
than 99%.
The Global Polio Eradication Initiative (GPEI) is
spearheaded by national governments, WHO, Rotary International, the US
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and UNICEF. Since 1988 (the
year the GPEI was launched), the incidence of polio has been reduced by more
than 99%. In 1988, more than 350,000 children were paralyzed each year in
more than 125 endemic countries. In 2009, 1595 children were paralyzed in 24
countries. Only four countries remain endemic: Nigeria, India, Pakistan and
Afghanistan.
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