Pattaya Mail Web

 

OUR COMMUNITY
HEADLINES [click on headline to view story]: 

PILC welfare team goes on fact-finding mission

PILC, RLC’s garage sale once again a success

Dogza us says gang that arranged support for Sattahip strays

PILC welfare team, Kate’s Project, busy in Mabprachan Lake area

Jitra jumps for joy

YWCA presents donations to UNICEF for cyclone victims

Wedding bells ring for Pattaya Mail graphic artist

PCEC traveling to exotic places

PILC welfare team goes on fact-finding mission

Kathleen Petras
On Wednesday May 28, a group of 26 Pattaya International Ladies Club (PILC) ladies, along with one unabashed teenage boy, went on a tour organized by the PILC Welfare Team. We were concentrating on the Pattaya area on this occasion and so started at the Mercy Centre, near Sukhumvit McDonalds, then proceeded on to the Fountain of Life Women’s Centre in Naklua and then across town to the Tamar Centre, which has recently relocated to a shop front on Pattaya 3rd Road not far from South Pattaya Road.

Diane Doell from the Mercy Center greets PILC members during their tour organized by the PILC Welfare Team.

I was in my usual transport for the outing, the red Chevrolet pick up, which surely is not far behind Ingrid’s bright blue Fortuner in terms of recognisability (is that a word Fran?), which is just as well because I promptly headed off from Foodland, with my convoy of following cars, in the wrong direction. I had Dot, Dallas and her lovely Mum with me but we didn’t go too far wrong, as Ingrid rang me along the way to ask if I was at McDonald’s yet. It seemed a strange question to me as I was going to Naklua but she quickly set me right and as it turned out, one right turn and we were back on track!
After adding Elizabeth’s car to the convoy at McDonalds (sorry about that u-turn into oncoming traffic Karen and passengers), we caught up with the other ladies at the Mercy Centre and went to meet up with Diane Doell.
Diane is one lady with the gift of the gab, which I am sure is a great advantage to the Mercy Centre and all the good work they do. After becoming acquainted with many facts about the Mercy organization we had a tour of the house (of 25 children) and the ‘factory’ which is the administration, storage, teaching and recreational area. Fred Doell was also there and was delighted to see us all. Oh, and Diane gave us all some water which was really appreciated. By the way the Mercy Centre is looking for a volunteer to teach English as a Second Language and Basic Computing for their children if anyone knows someone?
After that the tour group headed to Naklua to visit the Fountain of Life Women’s Centre and this time Ingrid had to get Fiona to ring me for directions, which just goes to show I can’t be completely hopeless!
After arriving we met the Head Sister Supaporn and were pleased to see Sister Joan from the FOL Children’s Centre there as well. Sister Supaporn firstly took us to see the actual fountain of running water at the front of the building, above which is written the centre’s motto: ‘Master give me living water so that I shall never be thirsty’. This is a motto shared by the FOL Children’s Centre as well as it is also run by the Good Sheppard sisters.
Then we moved through the lower floor of the building in which we saw hairdressing and massage classes in action. Quite a number of the ladies looked very tempted by the foot massage treatments being offered there. Massage is available to the general public for only 50 baht - highly recommended by Ingrid!
After somehow ending up back outside, we went upstairs to see classes of Typing, Computing and Language. Then we went up more stairs to the main auditorium where we learned about how the Women’s Centre runs. Oh, almost forgot; we received some delicious Thai sweets along with tea, coffee and water! By the way, Sister Supaporn is looking for volunteers to teach English if anyone has some time!
After getting down all those stairs we were ready to head on to our final destination - the Tamar Centre, which by the way has even more stairs! Who needs the gym girls when you have Welfare Tours to attend?
Eve from the Tamar Centre was there to meet us and to give us the run down and Khaek was also there with the cheesecake samples, well, we had been working hard.
Anyway Eve showed us their Bakery and Kitchen which is out the back of the coffee shop. Then upstairs to the card making room, then up more stairs to the conference room, then up more stairs to the uncompleted offices. Eve did offer to take us up one further level which is more office space apparently and as yet unconditioned. We deemed it unnecessary! So we headed back down to the conference room to eat our cake (at last).
If you get the chance to visit the coffee shop it has a great selection of cakes that are usually difficult to find in Pattaya. I will add in the list of cakes available but remember to ring and order 24hrs in advance if you want a whole cake.
On the way out we peeked in at the hairdressing salon which has a range of usual hair treatments available at cheap prices. The Coffee Shop and the Hairdressing Salon are at street level and easily accessible. After that before heading back to Foodland we picked up our usual order of 14 trays of banana cake (for the Garunyawet party the next day); it smelled delicious as usual.
And so ended another successful Welfare Tour!


PILC, RLC’s garage sale once again a success

Ingrid Cunliffe
PILC Welfare Chair

On Friday, May 30, a few of the Pattaya International Ladies and the Rayong International Ladies met at Tiew’s home at Plutaluang in Bang Chang to set things up for this year’s garage sale.

Ready and set to go, now just waiting for the gates to open.

Olive, Brooke, Janis, Tosha, Paula, Karen, Lyn, Rachael and myself together with Tiew’s husband and staff, including the girls from her “Our Home” project, where the girls make those famous quilts, did battle with the loads and loads of goods that had been donated over the last few months for the sale.
After a few hours the goods that had been collected from members of the clubs were displayed to our liking and we all headed home for a good rest before the onslaught of the sale the next day.
Saturday morning arrived far too quickly.
A few extra goods were placed on the tables and we waited in anticipation like last year for the eager customers. They started coming in at a slow trickle, unlike last year when the gate was crowded with waiting customers till the gate opened! Despite this we had a major rush and the buying began.
Tiew in her kindness supplied the working ladies with a lovely lunch to keep us going through the heat of the day as the customers kept coming.
I noted that this year only 2 customers wanted to haggle over the already low prices, the others happy with the goods and clothes that they had filled their bags with, which by the way were donated by Paul from AGS Four Winds moving company. Thanks Paul!
The day ended with the remaining goods being sold for 100 baht a bag for the clothing and the kids were delighted to be able to fill a bag with toys for free.
The remaining goods and clothing will be transported to Burma by AGS Four Winds together with goods collected via various organizations to help in the situation from the cyclone.
We are proud to be able to help these people in such tragic situations.
I am pleased to say that we raised 54,729 baht on the day, which is amazing. Half of this will go towards the running costs at “Our Home” for the girls and Tiew and the remaining will go to PILC charities.
I would like to personally thank Tiew, her husband and staff for all the hard work and organization they put in to this great day.
If you are ever in the Bang Chang area please go and see the girls and Tiew at “Our Home” to view the amazing sewing of the quilts and perhaps put an order in for your own. They also sell very fresh produce in the front at Plutaluang.
Also thanks to the ladies: Kathleen, Tosha, Janis, Brooke, Meg, Cecilia, Karen, Olive, Fiona, Paula, Inga and Lyn, your help was very much appreciated.
Thanks also to the many members who donated goods and clothing over the last few months.
I look forward to another monster garage sale next year so start collecting your goods now!


Dogza us says gang that arranged support for Sattahip strays

Pups get a good cleaning before veterinarians
perform sterilizations and vaccinations on them.

Patcharapol Panrak
Members of the Dog Lovers Club held a rally to raise funds for Sattahip strays on June 1, donating food and working with veterinarians to perform sterilizations and vaccinations.
The members, who have their own website gangdogza.com and who are best known as the Dogza Gang, number about 600 in total and were celebrating the first anniversary of the club.
Led by their president Pratchaya Sayachak, a 42-year-old resident of Bangkok, the club members arranged for teams of veterinarians from Chulalongkorn University and Pattaya City to visit the Plutaluang Home for Stray Dogs, in Plutaluang, Sattahip. About 1,000 strays were fed, bathed, vaccinated and sterilized.
Pratchaya said that the website was set up so that dog lovers from throughout Thailand could correspond with each other and come up with solutions to the problem of stray dogs, a cause of concern throughout much of the country.
The rally was organized for the dogs at Plutaluang to mark the club’s first anniversary, with the Ping Company and A&S Co Ltd supplying food for the dogs and the Baring Company donating shampoo for them.
Ms Nan Choisunirachorn from the Chulalongkorn Veterinary Faculty said that she is a member of the Dogza Gang website, and when the decision was made to visit Plutaluang she had asked her colleagues to form a team of four people and administer vaccinations and sterilizations.
Members donated money to buy medicine and cooperated with other clubs to find a method to support stray dogs, dogs that have been injured by vehicles, and sick dogs throughout the country.


PILC welfare team, Kate’s Project, busy in Mabprachan Lake area

Rachael Hoag
The PILC welfare team, along with Kate’s Project, has been busy working in the Mabprachan Lake area. There are many families in need of help, and we have only just begun, but as each case is different, it is very much a work in progress. Some people need help with basic life necessities such as food and clothing, and others need help with finding suitable living arrangements or work.

Grandma Nid, busy at work on her next hand made piece.

One woman we have been in close contact with is Grandma Nid. She is living with, raising and supporting her 2 grandsons by herself and is in dire need of finding a way to raise some money. They live in a very modest shack where the floor is falling in; yet even have a pet rooster. She spends her days cleaning her home, working in her garden to grow their food, and looming material, mats, and baskets.
Her work ethic is enviable as she does not stop from morning until night. She is instilling this same ethic in her grandsons as the eleven year old already has a job at the corner 7-11. The six year old boy is attending school on scholarship and is very sweet; we think he has a lot of potential!

Janis and Noi show off some of Grandma Nid’s handiwork.

She makes beautiful fabrics and hand looms everything from placemats and table runners to full size tablecloths and linens. She also weaves beautiful baskets and floor mats. The only problem is, with so much work to do around her house, she has no way to sell these items. Ingrid and Noi (from Kate’s Project) came up with a wonderful idea to help her. They have decided to take her items to the local bazaars and sell them for her.
Ingrid took her things, along with cards from FOL, to the Rayong Ladies bazaar and sold out of the baskets. She has also accepted orders for more, with custom choices of colors. She will have the items for sale at the PILC bazaar in October and may bring them to the lunches for perusal.
In total at the bazaar, Ingrid raised 8,000 baht and presented a check to Grandma Nid the following week. With humble gratitude, she accepted the check and asked if she could help out the other families involved in Kate’s Project. What a wonderful woman!
Huge thanks go to Ingrid and her welfare team and to Noi for their selfless work and helping this woman retain her dignity to feel that she can still provide for her family. If you have any desire to help with this project or if you would like to see the beautiful items for sale, please contact Ingrid Cunliffe <[email protected]>.

(L to R) Noi, Rachael, Ingrid, Grandma Nid and Janis
at the handing over ceremony.


Jitra jumps for joy

Miss Terry Diner
It was a birthday party with a difference for Jitra (Meow) Wongjuan, held with ‘sponsorship’ at Shenanigans in The Avenue. With Meow being a director of AA Insurance Brokers, the sponsorship idea came out of an informal meeting with some of the customers. Malcolm Scorer, Meow’s partner and another director, floated the sponsorship concept as a joke, and was taken aback when the customers agreed! And so the event just grew from there.

As a rousing chorus of happy birthday resonates in the background, Meow cuts her birthday cake.

The venue was certainly packed and the food and drinks endlessly attacked by the ravenous (and thirsty) horde, with lucky door prizes going out the door every 10 minutes, and the ‘grand prize’ for the most outrageous shirt going to the Pattaya Mail’s Dr. Iain after a final run-off against Manhattan’s Dave Bowers, both of whom demonstrated the worst possible taste in sartorial splendor that could be imagined; however, it was the tie teamed with the red shoes and Paisley pattern shirt that won the play-off.

Birthday girl Jitra (Meow) Wongjuan (2nd left) poses with the sartorially challenged Dr Iain and his family.

The usual suspects were all there. Maurice and Renita Bromley seen quietly drinking, as opposed the noisy gurgling demonstrated by Kevin (the crane man) Fisher and Peter Smith (also of AA Insurance Brokers), Tom (the dog) Coughlan, MC Peter Marsh (Blackstar Jewellery) and Yupin, Gerry Germanis (ESC), Paul Wilkinson (Four Winds International Movers), and many more. Meow was also inundated with kind messages and congratulations from those who were unable to come, including the New Zealand Ambassador, Brook Barrington, and the gift table was groaning by party’s end.

Meow received many birthday gifts on the night from party sponsors and well-wishers.
There were special thanks to all the sponsors, who were kind enough to take part in the event, including Touchwood, AXA Insurance, Senator International, Door 2 Door, Pattaya Mail, Go Industry, PVC Windows Thailand, Pattaya.com, CSP Construction, Jomtien Property, Thai Health Insurance, RELAX Journal, ThaiSri Insurance, AA Insurance Brokers, Siam Development (The Vineyard), Blackstar Jewellery, Shenanigans, Plan B, Bangkok AA Insurance & Services Broker, Watermark Capital Management, James Young, Khun Pichit and one anonymous sponsor, “see you Jimmy”.
It certainly was a night to remember, complete with headaches the next morning to prove what a good time they all had.

Shenanigans put on a delicious spread for the birthday party.

The party drew a large and diversified crowd of well-wishers.


YWCA presents donations to UNICEF for cyclone victims

The YWCA Bangkok-Pattaya Center, along with Deputy Mayor Ronakit Ekasingh and Jintana Wechachot, head of Pattaya City Projects and Planning visit the Saha Union Building in Bangkok to make a donation to UNICEF, through former PM Anan Panyarachun (center) to help victims of Cyclone Nargis in Myanmar.

Vimolrat Singnikorn
The YWCA Bangkok-Pattaya Center has donated more than 100,000 baht through UNICEF to help support the victims of Cyclone Nargis in Myanmar.
Chairwoman Nittaya Patimasongkroh together with Deputy Mayor Ronakit Ekasingh and Jintana Wechachot, head of Pattaya City Projects and Planning on June 3 visited the Saha Union Building in Bangkok, where they donated the funds through Anan Panyarachun, former Thai prime minister and UNICEF ambassador in Thailand.
Donations from the public had been received in front of Chaimongkol Temple over the nine-day period from May 17 to 25. A total of 151,567 baht was collected.
Anan said that the donations together with funds collected by other organizations and presented to UNICEF would be distributed in support of the cyclone victims, with particular emphasis on helping children.


Wedding bells ring for Pattaya Mail graphic artist

Saksiri Uraiworn
Pattaya Mail computer graphics artist Amnat Kangkamchad celebrated his wedding to Miss Satanan Duangpakdee on May 31, tying the knot with a ceremony at the Had Srai conference room at the Pattaya Discovery Beach Hotel.

The happy newlyweds address their friends on this most auspicious day.

Kamolthep Malhotra, general manager of Pattaya Mail Publishing Co Ltd, Na That Thitirotnawat, managing director of Pattaya Discovery Beach Hotel, and Bunruang Kangkamchad, the groom’s uncle, presided over the reception.
Kamolthep and Somkiat Sangsawang, who is food and beverage manager at the Pinnacle Jomtien Hotel gave a speech of congratulations, and friends filled the room with bouquets of flowers.
The bride works in the personnel department of the Pattaya Discovery Beach Hotel on Pattaya Beach Road Soi 6/1. Both Amnat and Satanan graduated from Sakhon Nakhon University with bachelor degrees, and have known each other for nine years.


PCEC traveling to exotic places

Roger Fox shares a lighter moment with Narin and daughter Bew, of Narin Travel, as they describe the services and tours they can offer to PCEC members.

As usual, a full but varied programme was presented at the Pattaya City Expats Club (PCEC) meeting on Sunday June 1 at Henry J. Bean’s restaurant.
The morning got underway with the week’s MC Stuart Saunders welcoming back guitar maestro Dalton O’Sullivan. Dalton provided soothing guitar music as a background to the morning’s buffet breakfast.

Back by popular request, Dalton O’Sullivan plays some classical pieces for the members.

Stuart then continued the meeting by announcing that Sunday July 6th was the date of the PCEC’s Annual General Meeting. This will be an occasion for members to hear a brief report from the Board of Governors and will also provide an opportunity for members to make comments and share any ideas or concerns regarding the running of the club. With the expiration of the terms of the current board members there may be an election if there are more than six nominations to serve on the board.
Stuart then introduced the main speakers of the morning, Mr Narin and Bew of the long established Narin Travel.
Narin Travel are the organizers of a number of the PCEC’s trips and interviewed by Roger Fox, it was an opportunity to gain an insight into the travel business. Bew commented that 70% of Narin’s business consists of ticket sales, the remaining 30% is hotel bookings and other services.
Roger asked the question why a travel service should be used when today there are opportunities to make independent arrangements using, for example, the internet. The reply was that when complex arrangements are made, such as the recent PCEC trip to Cambodia, it is advisable that a single point of contact is available in the event that something should go wrong. Fortunately the Cambodian trip was trouble free but had this not have been the case, help would have been readily available.
It was suggested that those PCEC members who wished to, should provide an email address to where any special travel offers could be sent.
Dalton O’Sullivan then returned and impressed the members with his guitar playing, a skill which he has learned over the past 30 years. Dalton is now seeking a more formal concert venue and is able to perform Bach to Bossa Nova.
PCEC board member Michel de Goumois announced that the regular monthly club dinner would take place at the Aquarius Restaurant in Jomtien Complex on Wednesday June 4. An attractive menu had been arranged for 390 baht. He suggested that the next dinner should take place at the PCEC’s regular venue, Henry J. Beans and asked for any experiences of the available menus.
The regular open forum was then underway led by Bob L’Etoile assisted by the ever present Sig Sigworth who injected his own comedic moments. As always it provided an opportunity for questions about living in Thailand with an emphasis on Pattaya to be asked. The Open Forum again proved to be the usual lively and entertaining session. For more information regarding, not only PCEC Sunday meetings but also the varied mid week activities, please see the Community Happenings section of Pattaya Mail or, for more details, visit the Club’s website at pattayacity expatsclub.com.



News | Business | Features | Columns | Mail Bag | Sports | Auto Mania
Our Children | Travel | Our Community | Dining Out & Entertainment
Social Scene | Classifieds | Community Happenings | Books Music Movies
Clubs in Pattaya | Sports Round-Up


E-mail: [email protected]
Pattaya Mail Publishing Co.Ltd.
62/284-286 Thepprasit Road, (Between Soi 6 & 8) Moo 12, Pattaya City
T. Nongprue, A. Banglamung,
Chonburi 20150 Thailand
Tel.66-38 411 240-1, 413 240-1, Fax:66-38 427 596

Copyright © 2004 Pattaya Mail. All rights reserved.
This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

Rotary International

www.rotary-jomtien.org

www.rotary-taksin.org