On your mark, get set …
Vittaya Yoondorn
The Father Ray Foundation’s team won the 4th Pattaya
International Bed Race, helping raise money for Rotary Club-sponsored
charities as well as the city’s profile.
It took only 5 minutes and 2 seconds for the six-person
Father Ray team to push its rolling bed-cart across the finish line at the
unique Jan. 29 race sponsored in part by the Rotary Club of Pattaya. The
Mercure Hotel team came in second at 5 minutes and 54 seconds. The George
and Dragon team came in third at 6:01.
Deputy Mayor Ronakit Ekasingh kicked off the race at 6
p.m. with a speech in front of Central Festival Pattaya Beach following a
parade of bed-racers around Second and Beach Roads. The track ran from the
beachfront mall to Walking Street and drew big crowds.
Twenty-nine teams in all participated, raising funds from
sponsors for charity. With news agencies, including Reuter’s television,
covering the event, it also generated worldwide publicity for the city.
The winning team from the
Father Ray Foundation cheerfully raises the trophy.
Members of the Pullman team
sure are enjoying the event.
Striking a pose before the
race, knowing full well they may be too worn out afterwards.
The aptly named Pullman crew
(or should that be “Pushman” crew?) prepares to take on the Champagne shower
show.
Jerry Carlson and his band
entertain the crowds pre-race at the 4th International Pattaya Bed Race.
Happy to be raising money for
a good cause.
Book now at the Amari Orchid
Pattaya for your chance for a free wedding.
Phasakorn Channgam
With Valentine’s Day approaching, the Amari Orchid Pattaya
organized a wedding fair with a chance to win a free ceremony and reception at
the resort.
The Jan. 21 “Amari Loves Weddings” festival was aimed at
enticing couples into booking weddings at the hotel. The Amari’s ballroom hosted
booths highlighting every facet of its wedding service. One couple that books a
wedding with the hotel before Feb. 29 will get a chance to have it free.
The promotion includes free catering, photos, wish book and
lodging up to a maximum 500,000 baht. The couple’s initial deposit will also be
refunded. For more information, call 038-418-418.
At the Sunday, January 29, meeting of the Pattaya City Expats
Club, member Dave Anderson shared his flying experiences during his career with
the US Air Force and United Airlines afterward. Dave has been a member of the
club for over 10 years. He and his wife, Siriwan, divide their time between
Pattaya and Leesburg, Virginia.
Al Serrato offers folks a chance
to air concerns during the meeting’s Open Forum.
Showing many pictures, Dave began by describing his
background growing up in Hillsboro, North Dakota; a farming community surrounded
by flat land. He caught everyone’s attention when he said he spent 4 years there
at the local jail; but then explained it was where he and his parents lived. His
father, who passed away when he was 6, was the local sheriff. When his father
passed away, his mother, a school teacher, was asked to continue as sheriff to
complete his father’s term.
After graduating from college, Dave’s plans were to attend
USAF Officer Training School (OTS) as his ambition was to fly. However, as soon
as he graduated, he was placed at the top of the draft list by his local draft
board; this was during the Vietnam War. Dave had applied for OTS, but there was
a 6 month wait. Rather than be drafted into the Army, he enlisted in the Air
Force. Subsequently, he did go to OTS. Although he wanted to be a pilot, his
eyesight wasn’t good enough, so he was selected for navigator school. Dave then
described his career as a navigator during the Vietnam War flying for two
different squadrons; the 556 Recon Squadron and the 15 Special Operations
Squadron.
Member Dave Anderson captures
everyone’s attention with stories about his high flying career.
Dave described some of his adventures, which included flying
close to the North Vietnam border - a dangerous area. One such adventure was
when his C-130 had an engine failure that should have forced a return to base,
but it turned out that had to be delayed. There were two American pilots that
had been shot down in the vicinity with enemy forces closing in. Since there
were no other aircraft in the area, they remained to coordinate air support and
rescue efforts until a command and control aircraft could take over.
Another interesting tidbit was Dave’s description while
showing training pictures about the Fulton surface-to-air recovery system. Dave
mentioned that many may recall the John Wayne movie, Green Berets, where they
placed a North Vietnamese general into a harness, a balloon inflated, and a
C-130 aircraft flies overhead, snatches the line attached to the balloon and
reels the general from the ground into the C-130. Dave said he never used the
system in combat, but did make two live pickups when demonstrating the system at
Jungle Survival School at Clark AB Philippines.
Because of the need for pilots, the USAF relaxed some of
their physical requirements, and Dave ultimately achieved his goal to be a
pilot. He then showed pictures of the aircraft he was trained in. He began with
the T-41, a single engine propeller aircraft. He then progressed to the T-37 jet
trainer then the T-38 high performance jet. He described the function of the
pressure suit and some of the maneuvers that were performed as part of his
training.
Chris Parsons tells about the
Pattaya Player’s upcoming production of “Dead to the Last Drop.”
After completion of pilot training, he was assigned to
Germany where he flew C-118 aircraft; the military version of the DC 6 four
engine propeller aircraft. Their primary purpose was to ferry VIPs including the
president of Germany. They also flew the US Ambassador into Moscow. Dave, a
Captain at the time, said he found it interesting that captains always flew into
Moscow during the cold winter, but during the warm summer, it was the colonels
that did the flying.
Dave showed several pictures of his time in Germany and of
his visits to Moscow. Dave completed his Air Force career as a Major flying the
C-5 Galaxy, which at the time it was introduced was the largest airplane flying.
He showed several pictures of this aircraft which could carry two main battle
tanks and supporting equipment and personnel.
C-5 Galaxy, taking President
Reagan’s Limos and security staff to Ireland.
Dave concluded his presentation by briefly summing up his
career as a pilot for United Airlines. He flew Boeing 727s, 737s, 757s, 767s,
and the 777 until he reached the mandatory retirement age of 60. Dave then
answered several questions from the audience.
Master of Ceremonies Richard Silverberg called on Al Serrato
to conduct the always informative and sometimes humorous Open Forum, where
questions about living in Thailand and Pattaya in particular are asked and
answered. The Pattaya City Expats Club meets every Sunday at the Amari Orchid’s
Tavern by the Sea Restaurant. Read more about the Club’s activities on their
website at www. pattayacityexpatsclub.com.
(L to R) The Diana Resort’s head
chef Ittikorn Phusingh, Korean chef Sunny Kim and Diana Group MD Sopin Thappajug
taste test the delicious kimchi.
Vittaya Yoondorn
The scent of pickled cabbage and chilies filled the lobby of
the Diana Garden Resort as the hotel staged a Korean kimchi cooking demonstration
for its many Asian guests.
Diana Group Managing Director Sopin Thappajug welcomed Korean
chef Sunny Kim for the Jan. 24 show. Kim detailed the ingredients used to
prepare kimchi before cutting the various vegetables into unique shapes and
decorating each serving plate.
The Diana Resort’s head chef Ittikorn Phusingh was the first
to sample Kim’s creation and gave it two thumbs up before inviting the 20
audience members to try it.
Many of the hotel guests had some experience in either making
or eating kimchi and seemed to enjoy learning how to prepare it from a
professional.
