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Children’s Choir voices tug on PCEC hearts
‘Khun Toy’s angels’, aka the
children of Pattaya Orphanage, commenced their performance for PCEC members
with a splendid Thai traditional dance.
It was a joyous Christmas celebration at the Pattaya City
Expats Club meeting on December 18. During the past three years, it has been
almost standing room only at the Amari’s Tavern by the Sea restaurant when
the Children’s Choir from Pattaya Orphanage comes to the meeting to share
the spirit of Christmas. This year was no exception as everyone waited in
eager expectation of hearing again those wonderful voices.
Master of Ceremonies Pat Koester called on fellow member
Richard Smith to introduce Radchada Chomjinda (Toy) from the Pattaya
Orphanage. Toy said it was a privilege for the children from the orphanage
to be back this year to again sing Christmas carols for the Club.
Santa and his helpers worked
hard to make this young lady’s day, and that for many other children.
The program started when Toy brought in seven very cute
Thai girls dressed in black and gold traditional costume and said they would
perform a dance in honor of His Majesty the King. This was followed by a
more modern song and dance.
After a hearty round of applause, about 50 children in
choir robes then entered. They started with “Jingle Bells,” followed by “Joy
to the World,” “Oh Come All Ye Faithful,” “Hark the Herald Angels Sing,” “We
Wish You a Merry Christmas,” and “Santa Claus is Coming to Town.”
Lo and behold, who should appear, but Jolly Ol’ Saint
Nick himself with his flowing beard and red suit. With a merry “Ho, Ho, Ho”
he wished one and all a “Merry Christmas.” Santa then brought out his sack
of goodies and handed them out to very happy and smiling children.
While Santa was handing out gifts, Toy briefly mentioned
her history with the Orphanage that began 19 years ago when she took a job
as personal secretary for Farther Ray Brennan, the founder of the orphanage.
She briefly explained how the orphanage began and Father Ray’s contributions
to its continued existence. She noted that they currently have about 180
children at the Orphanage ranging from one day old to college age. She said
the older children keep Father Ray’s memory alive by telling the younger
children about him and how much he was loved.
Radchada “Toy” Chomjinda
introduces Saichon Sulonluea, who has recently graduated from university,
studying marketing. Saichon has spent his entire life at the orphanage, and
now has a job with Supavut Industry in Chonburi.
Toy invited everyone to come to the orphanage on
Christmas Day to enjoy a meal with the children as they celebrate Christmas.
She also mentioned that anyone who would like to visit the orphanage can do
so between the hours of 8 a.m. and 5 p.m., but noted that from noon to 2
p.m. is nap time when the children will not be available as the little ones
sleep and the older ones are in school. For more information about the
Orphanage, visit their website at: http://www.thepattaya
orphanage.org/index_en.php
Meanwhile, the children were having a delightful time and
it was fun to watch some of them pull on Santa’s beard to see if it was real
- it was (and many thanks to member Bill Francis for being a natural Santa,
with his large white beard, rotund body, and jolly demeanor).
The program concluded with Santa leading the choir in two
more songs, “Oh Tannenbaum” and with the audience joining in for “We Wish
You a Merry Christmas.” Member Judith Edmonds thanked everyone who had made
donations to buy gifts for the children.
After the children left, Pat called on Stuart Saunders to
update everyone on upcoming events and to conduct the always informative and
sometimes humorous Open Forum, where questions about living in Thailand and
Pattaya in particular are asked and answered.
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Royal Cliff Hotels sponsors
area vocational schools
(L to R) TITVC board member Dr.
Piyadi Prasertsom; Maliwai Hatapakij, human resources manager of Royal Cliff
Hotels Group Pattaya; Sunant Prasertsom; Dr. Yingsak Jonglertjetsadawong, dean
of the TITVC Faculty of Arts; and Dr. Niwet Wongsuwan, director of the TITVC
Department of Education.
Manoon Makpol
Pattaya’s Royal Cliff Hotels Group will sponsor two area
vocational colleges in its efforts to promote higher education.
At a Dec. 13 press conference, executives from Pattaya’s
Thai-Itoh Technology Vocational College and Siam Technology College announced
the memorandum of understanding with the Royal Cliff group to promote
educational activities and educational standards.
TITVC Liberal Arts Department dean, Dr. Yingsak
Jonglertjetsadawong said the agreement should improve cooperation in producing
students with the necessary skills for the workforce as demanded by their
professions.
Cooperation between education and business, he said, can help
promote and develop education and research, preserve arts and culture, and
services.
TITVC accepts students with a high-school degree or
equivalent for its 2 and 4-year program in marketing, business computing, hotel
and tourism. Both bachelor and master’s programs are available.
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Rotary Club of Phoenix-Pattaya & Hong Kong Lions
donate to elderly, AIDS victims
Hong Kong Lions arrive at
Suvarnabhumi airport.
The Rotary Club of Phoenix-Pattaya and the Lions Club of
Phoenix-Hong Kong arranged two joint charity projects in Pattaya for the
Banglamung Home for the Elderly and financial support for Dr. Philippe Seur’s
HIV/AIDS treatment and prevention activities.
A delegation of Hong Kong Lions arrived in Bangkok Dec. 10
and were welcomed by the Phoenix-Pattaya Rotary President Hubert Meier and other
members. The journey was the realization of two charity projects in Pattaya
financed by both clubs.
Both clubs visited the Banglamung home to hand over a
six-seat electric golf cart to give older, more-infirm residents greater
mobility around the grounds.
Members of the Rotary Club
Phoenix-Pattaya and Lions Club Phoenix Hong Kong pose for a commemorative group
photo.
Meier, and the Hong Kong Lions President Rosita Li-Meier gave
speeches, followed by Banglamung Home Director Utit Boonchuay, who thanked both
groups for their 210,000 baht “Christmas present.”
Everyone celebrated with dancing, singing karaoke and
enjoying tea, coffee and cakes.
That evening, Meier hosted a dinner for both clubs and
friends at Cabbages & Condoms restaurant. In a very relaxed atmosphere,
everybody enjoyed Thai food and made new friends.
On Dec. 11 at the Diana Garden Resort’s convention center the
two clubs presented a check for 200,000 baht to Seur while Hong Kong individuals
donated another 80,000 baht. Seur has worked without fee in Pattaya for 13 years
on HIV and AIDS work.
Seur showed a film about his clinic and explained about the
aspects and the medical requirements of his work. Speeches from Deputy Mayor
Ronakit Ekasingh and others followed. Seur thanked the clubs for the recognition
and donations.
The benevolent groups donate
200,000 baht to Dr. Philippe Seur.
Deputy Mayor Ronakit Ekasingh
addresses the gathering, thanking the benevolent groups for their kind
donations.
Banglamung Home for the Aged
director, Utit Boonchuay sits behind the wheel of the home’s new golf cart.
Rotary Club of Phoenix-Pattaya
President Hubert Meier cuts the ribbon for the official handover.
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Central Festival kicks off sale with tree lighting
Chonburi Governor Khomsan Ekachai
pushes the button to light up the Christmas tree.
Vittaya Yoondorn
Chonburi Gov. Khomsan Ekachai pressed the button lighting up
a 25-meter-tall Christmas tree as Central Festival Pattaya Beach kicked off its
“Festival of Gifts” promotion.
Local and national politicians were on hand as Central
Pattaya Co. executive Saral Tantijumnaj explained the shopping mall developer’s
plans to bring in shoppers during the holiday season.
The “Festival of Gifts” kickoff included a parade, marching
band, wooden dolls from Surasak Montri School and Christmas carols. Thai R&B
performer Lydia then helped the governor light up the tree, the tallest in the
Eastern Seaboard.
The tallest Christmas tree in the
eastern region.
Chonburi governor leads bureaucrats in honesty pledge
Chonburi Gov. Khomsan Ekachai
leads bureaucrats in taking a pledge of honesty.
CPRD
New Chonburi Gov. Khomsan Ekachai led bureaucrats in taking a
pledge of honesty as a promise to be a good government representative.
Government officials, soldiers, police officers, politicians
and municipal employees all joined the Dec. 2 ceremony at Chonburi Memorial Hall
where they sang the national anthem and pledged to be a source of strength for
the kingdom. The pledge dedicates them to loyalty to HM the King and work for
the benefit of provincial residents.
109 monks celebrate HM the King’s birthday at Sanctuary of Truth
More than 100 monks gather at the
Sanctuary of Truth for a religious ceremony to celebrate HM the King’s birthday.
Manoon Makpol
More than 100 monks preached Dharma and told stories of
spirits as the Sanctuary of Truth celebrated HM the King’s birthday.
Pijan Wirayapan, managing director for the landmark wooden
temple, presided over the Dec. 5 ceremony that saw 109 monks pray, pass on Lord
Buddha’s messages with sermons and tell stories of spirits and angels for
sanctuary employees and Naklua residents.
Led by Pundit Bindheyshewari Shukla of Bangkok’s Vishnu
Temple, the monks also performed the Mahathewa ceremony, inviting angels to
dedicate prosperity to HM the King to start his 85th year.
Hand to Hand trains teachers to combat online child abuse
The Hand to Hand Foundation’s
Margaret Grainger trains area teachers to help prevent kids from being exploited
on the Internet.
Vittaya Yoondorn
Staffers of a Pattaya children’s shelter trained to help
prevent kids from being exploited on the Internet trained area teachers on its
abuse-prevention methods.
The Hand to Hand Foundation’s Margaret Grainger opened the
Dec. 21 workshop at Pattaya City Hall sponsored by the Child Exploitation and
Online Protection Center of the United Kingdom.
The seminar covered how to protect and care for people who
use the Internet, offering practical exercises in searching for and identifying
harmful websites and information. The organization follows up initial training
three and six months afterward and previously provided its expertise to
officials in Bangkok.
The CEOP is responsible for the investigation, prevention and
suppression of violence and abuse against children through online media. It is
also responsible for providing knowledge and training to staff members who work
with children. Hand to Hand shelter personnel were trained in recent similar
workshops run directly by the British organization which last trained 400 social
workers who have passed on their knowledge to create a child-protection network
of more than 4,000 people.
In addition to practical exercises on searching for
information and using multimedia equipment, the workshop offered lectures on
child protection and how to integrate their new knowledge into everyday business
operations.
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Correction
In last week’s Pattaya Mail story titled: “Pattaya
Pride raises 400,000 baht for AIDS charities” we inadvertently published an
unfinished copy of the story. We regret any inconvenience this may have caused.
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