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AustCham comes to Pattaya
The Australian-Thai Chamber of Commerce, now with the
snappy “AustCham” label, held their networking function last weekend
at the Marriott Resort and Spa. The event, at the Sala Thai Lotus Pond
venue was well attended, with the Australian Embassy represented by attach้
Ian Davey.
 From
left: Saskia Hay, Mary Anne Henderson (Auto Alliance) and Ian Davey
(Australian Embassy).
All the local Australian contingent were in evidence,
with some meeting the new president of AustCham, Mark Driscoll, for the
first time. The evening was sponsored by the Laem Chabang School of
Engineering (LCSE), with their Head of Studies, Ian Smith addressing the
gathering and highlighting the connection between the LCSE and the
Swinburne University in Australia.
A toast to the new RLC Committee
The
new committee of the Rayong Ladies Circle: Back row from left to right:
Anne Westmoreland (secretary), Carina de Boon (activities), Suman Arora
(membership), Gemma Gibson (treasurer), Helle Rantsen (welfare). Front row
from left to right: Carmen Kelly (newsletter), Carla Augustine (assistant
treasurer), Tiew Supha-Mongkol (assistant activities), Ivonne Wopereis
(welcome coordinator).
The Rayong Ladies Circle held their annual general
meeting on Tuesday February 19 at Eastern Star Resort, Ban Chang. A new
committee was elected and discussions took place about RLC activities over
the past year and commitments for 2002. The RLC are looking forward to a
busy year with a large project beginning to aid the Huey Pong Institute
for abandoned children.
For any enquiries, please contact Anne Westmoreland on
038 602 946 or email [email protected]
Diana Group’s Green Bottle Pub Celebrates 14th Anniversary
The management team of the Diana Group, led by managing
director, Sopin Thappajug celebrated the Green Bottle Pub’s 14th
anniversary on March 14. A host of tourists, residents, celebrities and
special guests attended the anniversary celebrations which included a
mini-concert by the famous Thai artist ‘Ford’, and a traditional
pouring of the champagne and cake cutting at midnight.
 Diana
Group MD Sopin Thappajug (center) cuts the anniversary cake, helped by
Charoon (left) and emcee Terry Redcoat (right).
The Green Bottle Pub came into being14 years ago when
Sopin Thappajug and Charoon Kasemsantitham sought the opinion of an
Englishman named Ian Harrington. They told him they were looking for a
name for the new pub. They wanted something that would attract foreigners
from Great Britain and around Europe. They also sought a theme that
presented wholesome entertainment and offered something different from the
usual go-go scene common around Pattaya.
Environmental preservation campaigns were spreading
around the world and the pub owners were interested in creating something
similar. Eventually an idea was born; “Clean Mind-Clean Sea.” The
slogan implied a healthy outlook and touted preservation of the local
environment. The pub would also provide employment opportunities to young
Thais in the city entering the tourism industry.
During its history the Diana Group has supported many
important programs in Pattaya and has helped increase local awareness
toward preserving the natural environment. The Diana Group, in whole, now
with 20 years under it belt has currently begun construction of it new
‘long stay’ project for tourists and future residents from abroad
wishing to reside in Pattaya.
Michael and Marion celebrate 20th wedding anniversary
Who would believe that this young couple have been
married for 2 decades? Yes they have. Marion and Michael Vogt celebrated
their 20th wedding anniversary last week. Michael, a
well-known personality in Pattaya, is the general manager of the Amari
Orchid Resort whilst Marion is the president of the Pattaya chapter of the
Chaine des Rotisseurs.
 Michael
and Marion, with daughter Daisy, celebrated their 20th
wedding anniversary.
Together with daughter Daisy the ‘surfboard
princess’, the Vogts have made Pattaya their home for more than 10
years. Contacted to get a few comments on this special occasion, M&M
said in unison, “We are looking forward to the next 20 years of
happiness together.”
Henry J. Bean’s hosts seventh German-Thai Chamber of Commerce Stammtisch
On Friday, March 15th, the
seventh German-Thai Chamber of Commerce Eastern Seaboard Stammtisch took
place at the Henry J. Bean’s Pub at the Amari Orchid Resort. It was a
full house again, with a gathering of expatriate business people from
Bangkok, Pattaya, and all over the Eastern region.
Dr. Paul Strunk introduced Holger Michael, the new
minister-counselor and deputy head of mission of the embassy of the
Federal Republic of Germany, who was in Pattaya for the first time, but
already impressed with the capacity of the industry of the region.
 From
left: Mr. Jaeger, Walter Kretschmar, German Director of Thai-German
Institute and Holger Michael, minister-councilor from the embassy of the
Federal Republic of Germany.
Mingling around the Bar of Henry J. Bean’s were Mr.
Eikelberg (Schenker Thai Ltd.), Mrs Piyawan Charoensap (Aktuell Verlag),
Family Hammerstingl (JJ-Degussa Chemical (T) Ltd.), Daniel Wyss (Thai
Zurich Ins.), Harald Schmid & Walter
Kretschmar (TGI), and Michael Riewaldt (MD King Star Cruise), just to name
a few.
In his opening speech, Dr. Strunk expressed the German
industry’s growing interest in the Kingdom of Thailand. He said he is
sure that the year 2002 will be a lot better for most companies in the
eastern region than 2001. “Everybody right now is looking forward to the
future, and the figures of the first few months of the year already show a
positive trend,” he said.
This is also being reflected in the official state
visit of the President of the Federal Republic of Germany, Johannes Rau,
who will come with an impressive delegation from Germany at the end of
June. This shows again the increasing interest Germany has in doing
business with Thailand.
President Rau and his delegation, following an
invitation from H. M. The King, will focus on the question, “How can
Thailand and Germany combine their technology, and support each other?”
President Rau will present H.M. The King and the Thai
people with a technology symposium, scheduled for the end of 2002. This
exhibition will be held in Bangkok at the Queen Sirikit Convention Hall
from November 12 to 16. More than 100 companies will exhibit there, an
impressive number which is now the biggest evidence of the increasing
trust in the business relations between Thailand and Germany.
Shenanigans aplenty at Shenanigans St Paddy’s Day celebration
Sai
(back row centre with green cloche hat on) was voted the most appealingly
green of the staff at Shenanigans on St. Patrick’s Day.
 Shenanigans
tries to answer that age old question, “How long is a piece of
string?”
Shenanigans ruled when Shenanigans, the Irish Pub
celebrated St Patrick’s Day for three days, with a St Patrick’s
weekend. What between green bar snacks, green soup, green bread and green
vodka jellies, most of the revellers were fairly green by the end of the
evening.
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of the guests were well-prepared for the weekend. |
So
that’s what Pattaya Mail reporters do on holidays... |
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 Beautiful
and Koy light up the night with their smiles.
The green staff member voted the most appealingly green
was Sai, who is still wearing a green smile to go with her greenback
winnings.
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Award winning wines for the discriminating diner
In keeping with the exceptionally high standards of the
past two winemaker’s gala dinners presented by the Royal Cliff Wine
Club, the next event may even top all the previous ones. Especially if you
enjoy award winning Australian wines from Tyrrell’s Winery.
The Royal Cliff Wine Club will present this
winemaker’s dinner on March 27 at the Grand Ballroom, Royal Cliff Grand
from 7 p.m. On hand to describe the wines will be wine expert Steve New
from Tyrrell’s Winery in Australia.
This grand “wine and dine” event will feature a six
course gourmet dinner with seven varieties of the fabulous Tyrrell’s
wines. As a bonus treat, Tyrrell’s sparkling wine with royal canap้s
will be offered at the reception beforehand.
Six wines (3 whites and 3 reds) including Tyrell’s
VAT 9 shiraz and Old Winery Pinot Noir will complement the special dinner
that will be prepared by the resort’s team of culinary experts headed by
executive chef Walter Thenisch.
For those in the know, Tyrell’s Vat 9 has won 47 gold
medals and four trophies at many international wine shows while the Old
Winery Pinot Noir was selected in the ‘Gault Milleau World Dozen’ in
1979, after beating wines from all over the world in the 1979 Wine
Olympics in Paris.
These dinners are probably one of the greatest value
events in Pattaya at only 1,500 net per person; however, places are
limited, so immediate booking is essential.
You can contact the Wine Club through the Royal Cliff
Beach Resort 038 250 421 or email wineclub@royal cliff.com
Shenanigans to host BCCT pub night March 22
Co-sponsored by Crown Relocations
The British Chamber of Commerce Thailand (BCCT) have
been putting on some very well attended networking evenings, under the
general heading of “Pub Nights”. The next event is this Friday 22nd
March and will be held at Shenanigans Pub on Pattaya Second Road.
For these events to be as convivial as they are, they
do require some sponsorship and this one will have the food sponsored by
Shenanigans Pub itself and the wine, spirits and beer will be sponsored by
Crown Relocations. This company offers a full range of both removal and
relocation management services specialising in the international movement
of household goods for both corporate and private customers. The company
has 91 branches in 41 countries throughout world, inclusive of 7 offices
in Britain and is still growing with the opening of six new offices last
year.
Crown offers expatriates more than just the physical
transfer of their personal effects, as through their worldwide network
they can provide home and school search services prior to the
expatriates’ arrival. They are also involved in visa and work permit
services plus orientation and x-cultural training needed for full
integration into the Thai workplace.
With this type of company coverage it becomes obvious
why they would want to become involved with the BCCT. For corporate
enquiries, please contact Michael J. Kelly, corporate services manager at
02-249-0219, or you can talk to their representatives (and lots of other
interesting folk as well) at the Pub Night on the 22nd, starting at 6.30
p.m. at Shenanigans. Admission will be by name card.
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