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People either love or hate Songkran
There are two kinds of people in Pattaya: those who love
Songkran and those who hate it. Well, that’s not exactly true. During a
discussion of current topics at the Sunday, April 27, meeting of the Pattaya
City Expats Club, this Thai New Year’s holiday celebration elicited a range
of views. Departing from its usual meeting format of having a guest speaker,
the PCEC held an open discussion on current topics moderated by member Tony
Heron.
 MC
Richard Silverberg opens the April 27 Pattaya City Expats Club meeting by
inviting new visitors to introduce themselves.
In addition to views on Songkran, the discussion touched on the following
topics: (a) highway traffic deaths during Songkran; (b) the disappearance of
the Malaysian airliner; (c) the sinking of the South Korean ferry; (d)
granting Iran a seat on the human rights committee at the UN; (e) how much
of Pattaya Beach is reserved for swimming; (f) the light sentence handed
down to a woman in Bangkok who caused an accident that had several
fatalities; (g) the incident where several Cambodian workers died trying to
dismantle a World War II bomb with a blow torch; and (h) the anniversary of
the date when protestors took over Tiananmen Square in Beijing.
Comments on Songkran ranged from: Enthusiastic (“It brings people together,
it creates unity and it’s fun!”); Manageable (“Only go out in your car.
Don’t park it on the street.”); Negative (“A whole week of people throwing
buckets of water on you - even at night when you are on a motorcycle.
Disgraceful!”); Comparable (“Is it any different from holidays in other
countries that feature loud behaviour and a lot of beer consumption?”);
Wistful (“My first Songkran in Pattaya was 45 years ago. It was so low
key!”); Sarcastic (“Oh, it’s a delightful holiday! The people are so
well-behaved.”); Despairing (“This is my fifth Songkran and I confess I am
starting to get fed up.”); and Indifferent (“It’s no big deal. You do your
stuff in the morning and you don’t go out at night.”).
 Departing
from its usual meeting format of having a guest speaker, the PCEC held an
open discussion on current topics, moderated by member Tony Heron.
One person said that how Songkran is experienced in other parts of Thailand
can be quite different. She said she spent the 2014 Songkran in Ubon
Ratchathani and thoroughly enjoyed it, especially the ceremonial aspects.
Another person pointed out to Songkran enthusiasts in the audience that
there are still a few places in Thailand that have not yet celebrated
Songkran this year.
Meeting participants advanced several theories concerning the Malaysian
airliner, including: (a) that one or both pilots went amok; (b) that the
electronics system completely failed; and (c) that there must have been
something really important in the cargo section of the plane. For the
latter, several conspiracy theories were offered based on the fact that to
date, the type of cargo on board has not been disclosed.
 Member
Victoria advises PCEC members that there is still space on the May 16 - 17
trip that Pat Koester has organized to Samut Songkram and Petchaburi
provinces.
On the Iran discussion, some people said that giving Iran a seat on the
human rights committee is a black mark on an already discredited
institution. However, other participants pointed out that the UN does a lot
of good work in (for example) its peacekeeping missions and its disaster
relief efforts. During the discussion on Tiananmen Square, one member
mentioned that a Tiananmen Square museum has opened up in Hong Kong; another
thorn for China’s nominal control of Hong Kong.
During the discussion on the sentencing of the Bangkok woman, one
participant said that in a similar case in the USA, the judge cited
“affluenza” as the rationale for handing down a light sentence. Wikipedia
notes that a psychologist hired as an expert by the defense, testified in
court that the teen was a product of affluenza and was unable to link his
bad behavior with consequences due to his parents teaching him that wealth
buys privilege.
Former PCEC Chairman Richard
Smith talks of the English Language Teaching Volunteer Group, now recognised
by the authorities, and of various wine tasting activities around Pattaya.
To finish off the open discussion, Tony Heron announced that officials in
Beijing have ruled that public toilets in the Chinese capital can have no
more than two flies in them at one time. This raises an important question:
If a toilet with three flies is discovered, which fly will be prosecuted?
After the discussion which ranged from serious to humorous comment, Master
of Ceremonies Richard Silverberg brought everyone up to date on upcoming
events and called on Roy Albiston to conduct the Open Forum where questions
are asked and answered about Expat living in Thailand, especially Pattaya.
Parting note: Member Victoria advised PCEC members that there is still space
on the May 16 - 17 trip that Pat Koester has organized to Samut Songkram and
Petchaburi provinces. Samut Songkram, a farming area sometimes referred to
as “the Venice of the Orient,” is just southwest of Bangkok, about a
three-hour ride from Pattaya. The first day will include a klong (canal)
boat tour, a visit to a Thai temple with exquisite Thai crafts (mother of
pearl, wood carving, etc.), a visit to a palm sugar farm, and the Amphawa
floating market. Victoria also told us of the formation of a Pattaya Film
Group, an offshoot of Pattaya International Ladies Club, which will meet to
watch and discuss interesting movies.
For more information on the many activities of the PCEC, visit their website
at www.pcecclub.org.
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Ministry of Tourism and Sports accredits
Thai Garden Resort with four star award
Rene Pisters (3rd right rear), GM
of the Thai Garden Resort stands proudly with his team after having received the
prestigious award from the Department of Tourism, Ministry of Tourism and
Sports.
On April 30, 2014 the Department of Tourism, Ministry of
Tourism and Sports awarded the prestigious four star certificate to the Thai
Garden Resort to certify that the hotel has been assessed and found to conform
with all requirements to earn this four star standard.
The Thai Garden Resort had been rated a four star property since the year 2010
after an extensive renovation of the property.
Every four years the hotel is subject to a new inspection in order to ensure
that their standards are being maintained and upheld.
Rene Pisters, the general manager of the Thai Garden Resort, expressed his
sincere thanks towards the Ministry of Tourism for providing the award, and
continued to say that the success of the resort has been made possible only
through the great support of the Board of Directors who have full confidence in
the hotel’s operations and the hotel’s future as a main player in the Pattaya
hospitality community.
But most of all he thanked all the employees for their dedication and
commitments to ensure that the continuation of the services rendered towards all
guest and patrons of the hotel remain at a high level.
The award has found a prominent place in the hotel’s lobby, and everybody is
welcomed to visit the Thai Garden Resort to experience the services in
accommodation and food and beverage facilities, especially the nightly dinner
buffet which takes place nightly at the Lagoon Poolside.
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He is heavy, but he’s my son
A parental guiding hand to make
sure the forms are correct.
Derek Franklin
Every day of Man’s short life he has been carried by his father. For eighteen
years his father has carried him to the bathroom, carried him to school, carried
him when the family went to eat and recently he carried him to the Redemptorist
Vocational School for People with Disabilities to register for the new school
year.
He came to enroll at the vocational school here in Pattaya as he no longer wants
to be a burden on his family. He wants to be independent, learn new skills, find
a job and earn money to help take care of himself and his parents.
Man was just one of more than seventy young adults, all with varying degrees of
ability, who registered at the school. For two years Man, together with the new
students, will be trained on a variety of courses; English, Electronic Repair,
Information Systems and there is also an elementary course for those who have
not finished Grade 6.
Unlike similar further vocational education institutes throughout the country,
at the Pattaya school there is no fee to the students or their families. The
education, accommodation, medical assistance and three meals a day are all free,
and at the end of two years he will be guaranteed a job.
And the first thing Man received for free when he arrived at the school? A new
wheelchair. He is now on the road to independence and in two years time he will
wear his graduating gown with pride.
More information can be found at www.fr-ray.org or email
[email protected]
Students come from all over the
Kingdom to study in Pattaya.
Eighteen year old Man, with his
new wheelchair.
The father who has carried his son
for the past eighteen years.
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Citrus Parc hosts travel agency open house
Pantomime performers provide the night’s
entertainment.
Warunya Thongrod
The Citrus Parc Hotel Pattaya invited 60 travel agents to sample the new
resort’s offerings, which already have been taken up by more than four dozen
guests.
General Manager Suriya Songsomboon Manoj Tiwari, VP Operations of Compass
Hospitality, hosted the April 26 open house at the Pratamnak Soi 12 hotel. The
100 agency employees on hand toured rooms and public areas so they can inform
potential guests about the hotel’s amenities.
Hoped eventually to boast a four-star rating, Citrus Parc was built by
condominium developer Blue Sky Group and managed by Compass, which already
manages the Citin Loft and Citin Garden in South Pattaya. Blue Sky is the
developer behind the Venetian Signature Condo Resort, Grande Caribbean
condominium, and Atlantis Condo Resort.
Among the unique features are the hotel’s Jacuzzi rooms, which feature a tub in
the living room in front of a large television. The rooms also come with
newspapers, facilities for the disabled, tour services, and Internet access.
Suriya Songsomboon, General Manager of Citrus Parc
Hotel Pattaya welcomes representatives from over 60 tourism agencies to the open
house party.
“Our hotel is in the process of completing minor details within rooms of which
90 percent have been completed,” Suriya said. “Since we have opened, we have
received good responses from customers. On weekdays, there is 15 percent
occupancy while on weekends it goes up to 25 percent.”
Suriya said safety is also a large priority, with guests getting floor-coded key
cards to prohibit access to other floors.
When fully open, Citrus Parc will offer 119 rooms starting at 2,300 baht. It
also offers the Liquid barbecue restaurant at poolside, rooftop lounge and
Palate Restaurant with breakfast buffet, international cuisine orders and
Russian cuisine.
Over 100 representatives from 60 agencies attended
the open house party at Citrus Parc Hotel Pattaya.
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