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“We never turn a needy child away”
Father Mike tells PCEC
members and guests about the projects of the Father Ray Foundation including
its latest efforts to build a Center of Excellence to provide therapy to and
educate parents for children with special needs.
“We never turn a needy child away” said Father Mike
Picharn Jaiseri, Vice President of the Father Ray Foundation-President of
the Redemptorist Foundation for People with Disabilities when he spoke to
the Pattaya City Expats Club on Sunday, August 31 about the Father Ray
Foundation. Also providing commentary was Derek Franklin from the Foundation
staff. The Father Ray Foundation takes care of 850 orphaned, abused, and
disadvantaged children and students with disabilities.
Father Mike began by mentioning his first association with Father Ray,
including being his assistant about 17 years ago for a period of 5 years. He
returned again 4 years ago to work with the Father Ray Foundation which not
only is carrying on the works of Father Ray, but also have expanded their
efforts to carry out other projects that Father Ray had envisioned at the
time of his death in August 2003.
PCEC Chairman Roy Albiston
presents a certificate of appreciation for the presentation about the Father
Ray Foundation to Father Mike as Foundation staff member Derek Franklin
looks on.
Derek said that he came to Pattaya in 2000 to work as a
volunteer with the Foundation; his training being a pediatric nurse. After
this exposure, he came with plans to stay 6 months; but has now been with
the Foundation there more than 10 years.
 PCEC
member Tony Heron calls on members and guests to ask their questions or make
comments about Expat living in Thailand during the PCEC’s Open Forum portion
of their meeting.
Father Mike and Derek, with the aid of several short videos, then described
the many projects the Foundation carries out. For Children, these are the
Father Ray Children’s Home, Children’s Village, and Drop in Center. They
also have the Redemptorist School for the Blind which teaches skills that
blind children will need to live as independent a life as possible.
For the disabled, the Foundation has two Vocational Schools. One is here in
Pattaya and the other is in Nong Khai, 700 km away. Father Mike said that
52% of Thailand’s disabled are located in the Northeast; thus the reason for
locating the school in that area.
Generally, a person with a disability is not educated. As they get older,
they become a burden to their families with the only work they can find
being that which no one else will do. They are paid a lower salary and have
fewer rights. The Vocational Schools’ aim is to overcome this through
teaching the skills and knowledge needed to allow them to find suitable
employment where they will receive the same pay and the same rights as their
able bodied colleagues.
During the presentation, Father Mike and Derek showed the following short
videos:
“Welcome to Father Ray Foundation” - This video gave a general introduction
to the various activities of the Foundation and can be seen by visiting this
You Tube page: http://www.youtube .com/watch?v=vqpLjH6J KQc#t=36.
“Faces” - This video showed pictures of some smiling young boys while the
narrator mentions that one at 3 yrs of age was thrown into a bonfire for
making too much noise; another at 7 yrs of age tried to kill himself because
he could no longer cope with the abuse he was receiving; and another
witnessed the murder of his beloved grandmother by his own father. Derek
said that to see these boys today, they are happy, thriving, and enjoying
life.
Wilson Fletcher greets new
visitors with open arms at the PCEC regular Sunday meeting at the Amari
Resort’s Tavern by the Sea Restaurant where all are welcome to attend to
enjoy a good breakfast and listen to an interesting speaker on subjects of
interest to Expats.
“Three Brothers” - In introducing this video, Derek said
that these three brothers were brought to the Children’s Home by their
father. Their mother had died and the father could not earn enough money to
care for them. When they arrived and their father told them this is where
they would live, they didn’t understand (their father has since passed
away). The video (English subtitles) shows the three boys as they explain
their feelings toward living at the Children’s Home, their understanding now
why their father brought them there, and their plans for the future.
“Meunchai” - This video shows the abilities of one individual who has no
arms. While background music plays, it shows his dexterity in using his feet
as others would use their hands and ends with the spoken comment, “I have a
disability but I am not disabled.” Derek mentioned that they try to get jobs
for all of their students; but it seemed no company wanted to hire someone
with no arms. So, now he works for the Foundation as a teacher. Derek said
that when new students start, they are surprised to find that their teacher
also has a disability.
“Father Ray Center for Children with Special Needs” - Father Mike explained
how they currently have a small facility; but they are in process of
planning for the construction of a four story building to become a center
for excellence. The video shows their plans and notes the cost will be over
$1 million and operating costs will be about a quarter million dollars
annually. Father Mike explained that the additional space will offer a
better environment for teaching the children life skills and personal
hygiene along with physiotherapy sessions to improve the muscle tone of
children with severe disabilities. The Center will provide local families
with the support to learn more about their child’s condition and the
knowledge they need to improve the lives of a child with special needs
(autism, Down syndrome, cerebral palsy or attention deficit disorder).
After the presentation, Master of Ceremonies Roy Albiston brought everyone
up to date on upcoming events and called on Tony Heron to conduct the always
informative Open Forum where questions are asked and answered about Expat
living in Thailand, especially Pattaya.
For more information on the PCEC’s many activities, visit their website at
www.pcecclub.org.
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Calmud regales Rotary Club of Phoenix-Pattaya with World Cup view
(From Left) Ingo Räuber, Jürgen
Schlag, Heiko Klimanschewsky, Nigon Chumnankul, Peter Malhotra and Axel Brauer.
Elfi Seitz
German football promoter and sports announcer Reiner Calmund told of his
experience watching this year’s FIFA World Cup from a cruise ship in Brazil
during a meeting of the Rotary Club of Phoenix-Pattaya.
The “heavyweight” of German football did not come alone to Pattaya; he brought
his good friend, the vice marshal of the Royal Thai Air Force Academy, Nigon
Chumnankul, who also is a well-known sports reporter for Thai television and
writes sports news for Siam Sport Daily newspaper.
Nigon speaks German fluently, having studied in Germany for several years. He
has participated in all world championships and major football tournaments in
the past 30 years. He is also an interpreter for the Thai Football Association
for matches by the German national team.
Introduced by club President Ingo Raeuber - appearing for the first time after
his back surgery and three months of recovery - the two football luminaries were
in full swing. It was with obvious pleasure that they talked about the
successful World Cup and they were full of praise for the German team. Using a
lot of technical jargon, they explained the various variants of games to the
many guests, and analyzed the games of the other participating teams, also
lavishly praising them.
Reiner Calmund, moderator Heiko
Klimanschewsky and Nigon Chumnankul during the debate.
By offering all their knowledge about the world of football
they drew their audience successfully once again back to the days of the
championship. The audience sat spellbound. Calmund then opened the floor to
questions.
The meeting finished with Peter Malhotra MD of the Pattaya Mail Media Group and
the Amari Pattaya’s Sukanyapach Homchuen presenting a check for 90,000 baht. The
funds were raised at a charity concert featuring world renowned guitarist Hucky
Eichelmann earlier this year. The club has designated these funds to support the
Prostheses Foundation of H.R.H. the Princess Mother in providing artificial
limbs to those in need.
The event was co-organised by the Pattaya Mail Media Group, Amari Pattaya and
Skål International Pattaya & East Thailand.
Calli pauses during the Elfi Seitz
interview.
(From Left) Elfi Seitz, Reiner
Calmund, Sukanyapach Homchuen, Peter Malhotra, Nigon Chumnankul and Ingo Räuber.
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Hard Rock Hotel hosts exceptional Beringer California Wine Experience
John Manley, the Executive Assistant Manager of the
Hard Rock Pattaya and Hard Rock’s F&B Operations Manager Zack Ngamsmai.
Colin Kaye
There’s little doubt that you’ve arrived at the right place. The car
park of the Hard Rock Hotel is full of enormous gleaming motorcycles, especially
BMWs and Harley-Davidsons. There were probably a few Kawasakis and Ducatis
parked there too but I was more interested in what was going on inside. Or to be
more precise, what was going on inside the Soul Lounge because this rather dark
but elegantly furnished room was recently the venue for a tasting of Beringer
wines.
Teera Weerawan, National Sales
Manager of Independent Wine & Spirit, displays a bottle of wine.
The name, in case you’re wondering, is pronounced with a soft
“g” as in “Germany” and not surprisingly, that’s where the family originated. In
1868 Jacob Beringer travelled from his home in Mainz to New York. He eventually
made his way to California’s Napa Valley but probably not on a Harley-Davidson.
Jacob and his brother bought land there in 1875 and established one of the first
wineries in Napa Valley. Today, Beringer is one of America’s most respected
wineries and owns many extensive vineyards throughout California.
The reception table with two
charming HRH Band members ‘Yuuyee and Pinto’, giving the guests a warm welcome.
The evening was organised by Hard Rock’s F&B Operations
Manager Zack Ngamsmai and the wines were provided by Independent Wine & Spirit
(IWS), which has been importing wine and spirits to Thailand since 1999. The
wines were introduced by IWS National Sales Manager Teera Weerawan, who gave an
enjoyable, informative and entertaining talk.
The tasting began with a Stone Cellars Chardonnay, with bright tropical fruit
and citrus aromas leading to refreshing flavours of white fruit. This wine had a
long soft finish with a pleasing soft creaminess. It was followed by the
Founders’ Estate Chardonnay with a rich and creamy aroma. Some of the grapes
were aged in seasoned oak to add to the wine’s depth of flavour and buttery
mouth-feel. Both these wines were served with carefully chosen and creatively
presented food. The service by the many waiting staff (or “band members” as the
hotel likes to call them) was attentive, cheerful and extremely efficient.
Some of the guests are seen
enjoying the wine tasting night.
The Stone Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon was served with a Wagyu
beef patty in a carbon black bun, which I suppose most people would describe as
a hamburger. The dry wine had a full aroma of sweet dark fruit, chocolate and
vanilla with a good dash of acidity and a fruity long finish. It was followed by
the Founders’ Estate California Merlot, served appropriately with Risotto al
Porcini and Morel mushrooms. This elegant wine had aromas of black cherry fruit,
a touch of spiciness, firm tannins and a typical hint of earthiness.
The final red was the Founders’ Estate Cabernet Sauvignon which came with
Port-glazed grilled rack of lamb served with a sweet potato purée. With plenty
of ripe fruit on the palate, this charming medium-bodied wine had aromas of
cherry and spice, flavours of ripe fruit and vanilla oakiness and lovely soft
tannins.
The final offering was a sparkling Beringer White Zinfandel, served with
flambéed strawberries and cherry zabaglione with a white chocolate sauce. White
Zinfandel isn’t actually white. It’s pink, because after the grapes have been
crushed, the juice is left in contact with the red grape skins for about three
hours to give it a delicate pink hue. The winemakers then used slow, cool
fermentations to preserve the vibrant, fresh strawberry, honeydew, and citrus
aromas and flavors.
Beringer wines are available at many top hotels but you can usually buy them at
Villa, Big C and Foodland. If you missed this enjoyable event, the hotel’s
Executive Assistant Manager, John Manley told me that there will be another wine
evening at the Hard Rock Hotel in November, featuring wines from five
continents.
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Wine lovers given Chile reception at Amari Orchid Resort
(L to R) Daksha Gohil, Brendan
Daly, General Manager of Amari Pattaya, and Bic Gohil from Ford Motors.
Paul Strachan
The tranquil grounds of the Garden Lounge at the Amari Orchid Resort &
Tower’s garden wing were the perfect setting for the Chilean wine experience
held Aug 29.
It featured wines from Siam Winery, focusing on the sumptuous reds and whites
from Casillero del Diablo of Chile, which were accompanied by a selection of
tapas created by Chef Leonard Faust. Guests were welcomed with an ice-chilled
glass of Sparkling Brut Chardonnay from the Limari Valley.
Mark Hudson (back), Janet Smith,
and Richard Smith, from the Pattaya City Expats Club.
Two white wines were available: the 2012 Sauvignon Blanc from
the central valley, fresh and with crisp acidity, and from the Casablanca Valley
the 2011 Chardonnay, a mid-bodied wine with a long, sweet finish.
Baby oysters with spinach and cheesy béchamel sauce, and roasted potatoes
wrapped with smoked bacon and ricotta cheese were on offer as well as Chilean
white bean and butternut squash chicken soup, sautéed penne with basil pesto and
sun dried tomatoes with crispy bacon, and vegetarian patties with spicy tomato
sauce, and prepared quesadillas with chicken, black bean and sweet corn.
(L to R) Rodney James Charman,
Koonlapatporn Intarasing, Key Account Specialist (Horega) of Siam Winery, and
Thanakiti Saivichittree, Food & Beverage Manager of Amari Pattaya.
The reds included the Carmenere 2011 from the Rapel Valley
and the 2012 cabernet Sauvignon both of which were aged in American oak barrels.
Although the cabernet is hugely popular, the guests were also keen on the
Carmenere, which is not usually available in Thailand and has recently been
added to the portfolio of Siam Winery.
The ambience of the setting was complimented by the subtle background music and
rounded off with a selection of chef’s pastries and cakes.
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