Elephants help Nong Nooch celebrate Mother’s Day

Clever 9-year-old Yok paints the words “Mother Child Love”
rimmed by white jasmine flowers.

Patcharapol Panrak

More than 5,000 locals and tourists celebrated Mother’s Day at Nong Nooch Tropical Garden, which marked HM the Queen’s birthday with a parade and painting by some clever elephants.

General Manager Pattanant Khantisukhapan opened the Aug. 12 celebrations by offering flowers and incense to an image of Her Majesty in front of Sattahip and Najomtien Sub-district officials.

Forty elephants marched in the Mother’s Day parade and a Thai classical dance and elephant show followed. Elephant Plaimai laid a flower garland in front of an image of HM the Queen and three other junior pachyderms gave flowers to their mothers. 9-year-old Baituey capped the show by painting the words “Mother Child Love” rimmed by white jasmine flowers.

The painting trick apparently was popular among the elephant herd as another 9-year-old, Yok, performed the same feat two days earlier in a show that launched the tourist attraction’s week of Mother’s Day events that also included elephant dancing, drawing, gymnastics and massage.

Junior pachyderms give flowers to their mothers.

Plaimai laid a flower garland in front of an image of HM the Queen.

Professional dancers perform Thai classical dance during the celebration.

It is a new world out there for book authors and readers

Fellow author Desmond Bishop introduces renowned writer Jake Needham to the August 12th meeting of Pattaya City Expats Club.

It is a new world out there for book authors and readers. This was the message from Jake Needham to the Pattaya City Expats Club at their August 12 meeting. Jake is the bestselling author of four well known international crime novels with Asian settings that many expats are familiar with: The Big Mango, Laundry Man, Killing Plato, and The Ambassador’s Wife. His fifth book was recently published and is just becoming available in Thailand, A World of Trouble.

After Desmond Bishop introduced Jake, he began by noting that unlike the previous times he had spoken to the Club, instead of talking about his books, his topic would be, ‘So You Want to Publish a Book.’ Jake explained how the print publishing business operated and how the publisher and the book store were the gatekeepers between the author and the reader and the control over what was published and distributed was theirs, not the authors or the readers.

Jake’s talk this time was not about a new book; rather, how the playing field for authors has completely changed with the evolution of the internet, and of self publishing. In a talk that was extremely well received by PCEC members and guests, Jake covered not only ‘why’ to self publish, and also some of the ‘how to’.

However, the advent of eBooks is changing the world of publishing. Jake then mentioned several reasons about why eBooks are becoming so popular. You can carry around a library without being weighed down. If you want a book, you don’t have to be concerned if the bookstore has it in stock. If you read a particular author and you want to read more of their work, it can easily be found and downloaded to your device in a matter of minutes, ready to read. It also usually costs much less than the print version, especially the hard cover. If you have an iPad and iPhone, they synchronize with each other so that when you leave off reading on one, you can pick up where you left off on the other.

Jake then described how easy and inexpensive it is to publish an eBook. First, you should have an editor - the cost will depend on the extent of editing you want (proof read for typos and/or grammatical errors, or suggest changes). The next is to have a professional convert your manuscript into digital format and the third is to have a professional design the book cover. Jake noted that the cover is the “ballgame” as it is the cover that sells the book. He mentioned that some thought should go into the cover design because what may be fine for a print copy in a book store may not be suitable for an eBook cover displayed as a “thumbnail” on the Internet. You want something that will catch the reader’s eye. The best is to make it clean and simple. He suggested that you go to Amazon or other eBook websites and scan through the various covers to see what works and what doesn’t.

‘Hawaii Bob’ Sutterfield announces the draw for the Frugal Freddies gift vouchers for the week, at some of Pattaya’s great value for money restaurants. MC Richard Silverberg looks on.

Once you have taken these steps, the rest is easy. Amazon has Kindle Direct Publishing (KDP) that walks you through the process and Barnes & Noble have something similar. You can also use the services of www. smashwords.com, which distributes your eBook to others including Amazon and Barnes & Noble - they do not charge for this service, but will retain a portion of the price for each book sold. Jake said he would not use them for Amazon and Barnes & Noble because it such an easy process, you can do it yourself. Using professionals for editing, formatting, and cover design, will probably not cost more than US$500.

He also mentioned that the author generally sets the price they want for their book and can receive up to 70 percent of that amount. Whereas, print book publishers set the original book price and pay 10 percent of that amount to the author for each copy sold. He said that amount is fixed and will continue to be paid even if the publisher later discounts the price.

He also noted the time differential to collect your royalty from a print publisher, which can be up to a year or longer after the sale, versus a couple of months from the eBook publisher. Further, marketing is much the same as for a print book - word of mouth. But, with all the social networking venues, it is possible to reach many readers in less time.

In conclusion, Jake said it is a new world for writers and readers. It is also one for agents and print publishers, but not one they are likely to want.

After Jake answered several questions, MC Richard Silverberg updated everyone on upcoming events and called on Roy Albiston to conduct the always interesting and lively Open Forum where questions are asked and answered about expat living in Thailand; Pattaya in particular. Read more about the Club’s activities on their website at www.pattayacityexpatsclub.com.

Amari, Central Center throw fruity birthday party for HM Queen Sirikit

Young performers waiting to go on stage.

Manoon Makpol

The Amari Orchid Pattaya and Central Center Pattaya celebrated HM the Queen’s 80th birthday by offering an 80-meter-long mango parfait, servings of which were sold to raise money for charity.

The hotel and North Pattaya mall sold one-meter slabs of peach-covered chocolate Aug. 11-14 for 790 baht each and individual slices for 70 baht for the Amari’s “Baht for a Better Life” project.

The 500 kg fruity birthday delight made with fresh mangoes from the Royal Project was unveiled Aug. 11 by Amari Area General Manager, Pattaya, David Cumming. He said the dessert was one of many annual creations to honor HM Queen Sirikit and a great way to raise money for needy causes.

The event also featured performances from the Dance Studio and a fashion show featuring mothers and daughters on the catwalk.

Praichit Jetpai, Chairwoman of YWCA Bangkok-Pattaya, and her daughter Pring walk the catwalk in the fashion show.

(L-r) Pairoj Boonjun, GM of Central Center Pattaya; David Cumming Amari’s Area GM, Pattaya; Mayor Itthiphol Kunplome; Poramet Ngampichet, Chonburi MP; Jintana Maensurin Pattaya education department director and Praichit Jetapai, Chairwoman of Y.W.C.A. Bangkok-Pattaya Center join together to officially open the ceremony.

Special performance from Dance Studio students.

 

Centara wedding fair offers packages for brides-to-be

(L to R) Wutisak Pichankan, food and beverage vice manager; Rattanachai Suthidechanai, head of the City Council’s Tourism & Sports Committee; Andre Brulhart, general manager of Centara Grand Mirage Beach Resort Pattaya; Chaiwat Taamthai, assistant director of the TAT Pattaya office; Pol. Capt. Samruay Saman, deputy inspector of Chonburi Immigration; and Ussa Phookphan, public relations manager of Centara Grand Mirage Beach Resort Pattaya open the Wedding Fair 2012.

Sunturak Sangdokmai

From cards and cake to photos and skin care, prospective brides found just about everything they needed for a romantic wedding at Wedding Fair 2012 at the Centara Grand Mirage Beach Resort.

General Manager Andre Brulhart and Rattanachai Sutidechanai, head of the Pattaya City Council’s Tourism & Sports Committee, opened the Aug. 10 event, along tourism industry and civic leaders.

The show featured a selection of booths selling wedding cards, jewelry, unique gifts, wedding planning, health assessments and personal items. Sample weddings were presented in Thai, Chinese and international styles, complete with extravagant food for sampling.

Photographers offered wedding and video presentation and featured items for sale including a digital wedding album. Rounding out the lineup were retailers of formal attire, jewelry, flowers and wedding cakes.

Centara featured a 120,000 baht wedding package featuring a stay in the honeymoon suite with a Lost World Theme, dinner at its Malaimongkol restaurant, flowers, five-tiered cake, carved ice sculpture and more.

Models dressed in Indian bridal costumes walk the runway during the fashion show.

Renowned chef, Peter Lai, displays his cooking skills during the grand opening.

This carriage won’t turn into a pumpkin at midnight, as it is one of the elaborate props available for a special wedding package.

A magnificent setup for that special day.