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80 million unexploded cluster bombs remain in Laos
There are an estimated 80 million unexploded cluster
bombs remaining in the Laotian jungle along what used to be the Ho Chi Minh
Trail. This was one of many interesting facts related by Peter Alan Lloyd
when he spoke about his book, “Back” to the Pattaya City Expats Club on July
14.
Author Peter Lloyd from the
UK was speaker for Pattaya City Expats on the 14th of July. Peter talked
about his on site research into the Vietnam War, particularly the Ho Chi
Minh Trail, then and now. Peter shows a map of the Trail, from North Vietnam
through Laos, into Cambodia, then into South Vietnam.
Peter said that he wanted to write about the consequences
of the Vietnam war as it affected Laos, but to do so in a 21st century
context. It took him a few years to figure out how to do it. The book is
about the juxtaposition between the Laotian jungle during the Vietnam War
and now, when Laos is at peace and so firmly on the international backpacker
circuit.
Peter’s book, “Back Part 1: Across The Fence” follows a covert 1968 Special
Forces mission to the Ho Chi Minh Trail in Laos, led by Spike Miller. “Back
Part 2: Into The Jungle” follows modern-day trekkers including Spike’s
grandson, Mark, into the Laotian jungle as they travel to the Ho Chi Minh
Trail in the tri-border area of Laos, Vietnam and Cambodia, looking for what
Spike left behind on his 1968 Special Forces mission.
A Chinese tank discovered on
the Ho Chi Minh Trail in Laos, having been buried by a landslide.
Peter focused his presentation on the Ho Chi Minh Trail,
which played a very important part in the war. The trail was used to get men
and munitions to the Vietcong fighting in South Vietnam. Peter explained
that the Ho Chi Minh Trail was not just one trail; it consisted of four main
trails and countless smaller trails. The trail went south through Laos for
hundreds of miles and through mountain passes allowing access to South
Vietnam at various places along the way.
During the war, the trail was subjected to massive aerial bombing and
defoliation by the American forces. They tried to bomb the trail into
oblivion, Peter said. Every time a bridge was destroyed, North Vietnamese
engineers would rebuild it. Peter felt that the engineers were brilliant and
that nothing could stop them reconstructing a bridge. Further, the Americans
tried everything; even dropping bombs that on impact dispensed a viscous
liquid in an attempt to make the trail impassable. But the Vietcong found a
solution; they spread bamboo matting on top of the liquid allowing the
traffic to continue. The Americans also dropped listening devices designed
to detect movement on the trail. At first, they disguised the devices in
something that looked like dog turd. However they were easily identifiable
as there were no dogs on the trail. Other listening devices were designed to
blend in with the surrounding foliage.
A tunnel in the Vieng Xai Cave
Complex in Northern Laos, where many US POWs were held during the war. None
were ever returned.
In addition to the listening devices, Peter showed photos
of the different types of bombs that were dropped. Peter mentioned that Laos
is the most bombed country in the world. There were 600,000 bombing missions
in Laos during the war. Peter said that after each bombing raid, the trail
was back in operation within 24 hours.
In researching his book, Peter spent some time on that part of the trail
that runs through Laos. An Unexploded Ordnance (UXO) team was working to
clear the trail of unexploded bombs. Peter said he and his party had to sign
a waiver absolving the team of responsibility if anything happened to him on
the trail. After signing, UXO team started stripping mines from the road he
had just driven down! Peter said that gave him quite a shock.
He also said that 600 troops (Americans and their allies) were captured in
Laos and that none were released. One prisoner of war escaped; his story was
told in the movie “Rescue Dawn”. Peter said that he believes there were
prisoners left behind in the jungle after the war, but he thinks none of
them are alive today.
Khmer Rouge soldier holds a gun
to the head of another expat foreigner.
An estimated 80 million
cluster bombs still litter the Ho Chi Minh Trail in Laos.
Peter said that, of course, the towns and villages near
the trail look a lot different today than they did during the war. Still, he
was surprised to find a restaurant that offered happy weed shakes and opium
joints. Further, that he has been invited to go back to the jungle with
people from JPAC (Joint Prisoners of War Accountability Command), an
organization that conducts searchers for remains of missing American
military men.
Peter is from Liverpool, England. In addition to being an author, Peter is a
lawyer and has worked in the mining business. Peter is also a commentator on
Pattaya’s real estate, business and social issues. Peter’s book is available
only in electronic form from sites such as Amazon. For more information on
the books and on other news related to the Ho Chi Minh trail, visit Peter’s
website at http://peteralanlloyd.com.
After the presentation, Master of Ceremonies Richard Silverberg updated
everyone on upcoming events and then called on Roy Albiston to conduct the
Open Forum, where questions are asked and answered and comments made about
Expat living in Thailand.
To learn more about the Pattaya City Expats Club and its many activities,
visit
www.pattayacityexpatsclub.com.
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Spicy Thai food, Monsoon wines storm Hilton’s Flare restaurant
Siam Winery assistant winemaker
Suppached Sasomsin (front left) and Tamara Demeo (front right), the Italian
account manager for Siam Winery, enjoying the good food at Flare restaurant.
Elfi Seitz
The Hilton Pattaya’s Flare restaurant cooked up a storm for their July 5
wine dinner, pairing zesty Thai dishes with Monsoon Valley wines from Thailand
for a special seven-course dinner.
Restaurant manager Saneh “Sunny” Prakomsub revealed the menu while Siam Winery
assistant winemaker Suppached Sasomsin showed off selections that best matched
the gourmet offerings.
The dinner started with the spicy “hoy prik Thai dum,” clams sautéed in pepper
sauce and morinda leaves. It was matched with Brut Blanc 2011 sparkling wine.
Next up was a Kay Satay, a marinated chicken skewer with peanut sauce. A
Colombard 2012 white wine was paired with this dish.
“Yum khamin koong” followed, a curcuma salad with grilled prawns, shredded
coconut and crispy shallots. This was matched with a Shiraz 2012. A spicy “tom
saeb” soup was the last appetizer served with a Cuvee de Siam Blanc 2010.
The main dish followed a lemon sorbet and Chenin Blanc medium sweet 2012. The
dish was “kaeng ped yang,” a fried duck on pineapple rice. The only red wine of
the evening was served with this dish, a Cuvee de Siam Rouge 2010.
Traditional favorite mango with sticky rice served as dessert; the wine a Chenin
Blanc Late Harvest 2012.
Suppached and Tamara Demeo, the Italian account manager for Siam Winery, checked
whether the meals and wine meet expectations and assured dinners that these Thai
wines were competitive with western wineries.
Suppached said the grapes are from the Monsoon Valley in Hua Hin. He said he
spent many years in France where he learned all about wines bringing his
knowledge back to the Bangkok-based winery.
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After losing limbs to truck accident,
young mother hopes for new home
The young family with visitor
Heiner Moessing.
Elfi Seitz
After the travails of the past half-year, Pattharaporn Thatong never
thought she’d become a mother, let alone have a new house in which to raise her
daughter.
A week before Christmas, the 22-year-old - four months pregnant - was hit and
run over by a six-wheeled truck. The baby survived. Her left leg and arm did
not.
Pattharaporn came to the attention of the Rotary Club of Phoenix-Pattaya after
she was tossed out of a government hospital, well enough to free up the
30-baht-a-day bed, but not well enough to rejoin the world. She began collecting
500 baht a month insurance from the government, but that and her husband’s
12,000 baht monthly salary didn’t cover the bills.
Phoenix past president, Heiner Moessing, arranged help. Club members covered the
cost of medicine, provided other necessities and spent 30,000 baht to create an
accessible bathroom for her, all the while marveling at the young woman’s inner
strength.
The happy mother holding her newborn
baby “First”.
“It was unbelievable how much moral strength this woman has,”
Moessing said. “She never cried or felt sorry for herself. Just the opposite:
she smiled and showed so much optimism that we all couldn’t believe it.”
On June 16, Pattharaporn delivered a baby girl named “Neung,” or “First.” In
many ways, she symbolized a new beginning.
Rotarians were among the “first” to welcome the new child. They brought gifts,
but also news that the club would start raising funds to build a house for the
young family. It will be built in a garden adjacent to the house they currently
share with five other people. They also pledged to fund new artificial limbs for
her.
To date, only 10,000 baht has been raised, but Phoenix club members say they’ve
learned from Pattharaporn to be patient and optimistic.
Those interested in helping the cause can contact Otmar Deter at 089-8324125 or
Moessing at 081-8611907.
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Royal Garden brews aromatic
artwork at Coffee & Bakery Show
Trevi Mountain by Thanakorn Sueb-am, winner of the
Ripley’s Believe It or Not! coffee painting in the higher education category.
Warunya Thongrod
Latte bubbles and the world’s premier coffees were brewing at Royal
Garden Plaza as the mall again hosted the International Coffee & Bakery Show.
The July 3-7 exhibition saw baristas compete to see who could create the
most-creative latte bubbles and students compete in “coffee painting.” Royal
Garden Plaza and Entertainment Vice President Somporn Naksuetrong and Teerawat
Wongworratat, president of the Coffee and Tea Association awarded prizes.
Attendees got to taste some of the world’s rarest and expensive brews, including
Geisha from Columbia, Pacas from Honduras, Typica from Bolivia, and Maracaturra
from Guatemala.
The regular coffee showcases, most recently held in November, let Thai artists
prove coffee is for more than just drinking as they turned dark roasted blends
into pictures for 200,000 baht in prizes.
Poonpong Pipathpollakai won the latte art competition, taking home 30,000 baht.
Thidarat Maksri won the 7,000 baht second-place prize and Suriya Sutakhan won
third and 5,000 baht.
Poongpong said he planned to keep the trophy in his shop as inspiration to
improve his skills.
(Back row, L to R) Aj. Banluu Wiriyapraphas from
Rajamangala University of Technology Ratanakosin, Asst. Prof. Nawin Biadklang
from Silpakorn University, Somporn Naksuetrong, Deputy Director of Royal Garden
Plaza and Entertainment, and Asst. Prof. Sompot Thongdaen from Chulalongkorn
University, congratulate the winners of Ripley’s Believe It or Not! coffee
painting competition in all 3 categories (front row, L to R) Thanat Phrometta,
Piyaphorn Homrod and Thanakorn Sueb-am.
In the “coffee painting” contest, open to students and general public, Piyaporn
Homrod won first place, 10,000 baht and an Apple iPad in the Mattayom category.
The higher education bracket was won by Thanakorn Sueb-am from Silpakorn
University who took home 20,000 baht and an iPad. Students had to draw important
world destinations.
Thanat Phornmetta won 30,000 baht and an iPad for taking first in the
general-public category, in which contestants had to draw temples.
“I was shocked when I heard the results, as I participated last year and did not
win anything,” Thankakorn said. “This year I decided to join in just for fun and
gain more experience. I did not expect to win any prizes.”
Outside of the competition, the public enjoyed 2,013 free cups of coffee, free
tastings and lots of shopping for coffee and bakery products.
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Jomtien couple donates well to anti-child abuse center
Director Parisorn Noja (right) receives the money
from Egbert Scherer, a friend of the generous sponsors of the well.
Egbert Scherer
The 40-plus children at the Anti-Human Trafficking and Child Abuse
Center now have fresh drinking water thanks to a donation from a Jomtien Beach
couple.
Don and Ann Schulz, owner of Honey’s Coffeeshop at the Rhimhat Jomtien Beach
Condominium, gave the center run by Parisorn Noja 72,000 baht to drill and sink
the well. Until now, the center has had to pay for bottled water.
Workers on July 15 drilled and installed the well at 55 meters deep after
finding a clear and clean spring.
The well money was just the latest donation from the coffee shop owners. Earlier
the couple provided kitchen equipment, chicken pen and fish pond.
The center still needs more help. Those interested in donating can call Parisorn
at 081-949 9349.
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